Hosting companies in Italy are demanding repayment for hotels from Danko clients. For some tourists, this will be their third payment for accommodations, as they purchased their vacations from Natalie Tours, Interfax-Tourism reports, citing the press secretary of the Russian Union of Travel Agents. tourism industry (RST) Irina Tyurina.
"The host tour operator, Travel Inn, is demanding that tourists vacationing in Italy on Danko packages repay for hotels and transfers, claiming that the money has not been received from the Russian partner. However, the Italian company's management understands that the tourists have already paid for their trip, otherwise they would not have received their accommodation vouchers," she said.
For example, the Volgograd agency "Travel Retail" booked a vacation to Italy for two pensioners through Natalie Tours, for which they paid approximately 160,000 rubles. After all the tours with the operator were cancelled, the clients still had their airfare. The agency found them a hotel, the 4-star Virgilio Grand Hotel on the Tyrrhenian coast, plus transfers from Danko. The tourists paid an additional 100,000 rubles.
But after Danko announced it was ceasing operations, the host company, Travel Inn, informed tourists they had to pay for their accommodation and transfers, as the tour operator had failed to do so. This marked the third time clients had to pay for their stay.
"Foreign companies and hotels accept tourists no matter what, expecting the indebted tour operator to pay up sooner or later. But as soon as the operator announces it's ceasing operations, they realize they won't receive anything and pounce on the guests, demanding money. They know they have no right to do so—neither the host company nor the hotels have any contractual relationship with the tourists. Moreover, they understand that the guests have already paid for their trip; otherwise, they wouldn't have received vouchers for accommodation and transfers. Yet they cynically pressure them, threatening eviction," noted I. Tyurina.
According to her, Travel Inn isn't the only company trying to squeeze tourists out of their Russian partner's debts. Gartour also demanded that tourists in Rome repay their accommodations, transfers, and excursions.
On September 7, tour operator "Danko" stated The company has announced the cessation of operations. All tours have been cancelled as of September 8. Tourists who have booked and paid for future tours are insured with ERV Insurance for a total of 50 million rubles.
Tour operator Danko has been operating in the outbound, inbound, and domestic tourism market for approximately 20 years. According to the Rostourism registry, it sent 15,353 tourists on vacation abroad in 2017.
Source: trn-news.ru