If your travel agency has closed or if your travel service provider has gone out of business, we have tips for you!

What to do if your travel agency closes

If your travel agency goes out of business and you haven’t yet travelled, contact your airline, hotel and any other tour operator to confirm all of your reservations. If your reservations aren’t confirmed, you may also want to:

  • Talk to your airline, hotel and tour operators to determine if there are options available for you to rebook your travel arrangements.
  • Contact a BC-licensed travel agent to determine if they can assist you with rebooking alternative travel. To find a BC-licensed travel agent, please visit our website.

If the original travel services that you booked were not provided either because the travel agency closed or because the travel provider (cruise line, airline) went out of business and you are seeking a refund, here are some steps you can take:

  1. If you purchased travel services with a credit card, please call or write to the credit card company to determine if the charges can be reversed.
  2. If you purchased separate travel insurance, please call the insurance provider to see if it will cover the costs of the undelivered services.

If these steps have been unsuccessful and you purchased your travel services from a BC-licensed travel agency, you may be eligible to make a claim with BC’s Travel Assurance Fund.

The Travel Assurance Fund

The Travel Assurance Fund is a fund of last resort and provides possible compensation for consumers who did not receive the contracted travel services they purchased through a BC-licensed travel agent. Claims may be made to the Fund for the original cost of travel services paid for and not provided. For example, if you paid for flights and hotel accommodation and only the flights were not provided, your claim is limited to the cost of the flights as the hotel was able to provide the services. All claims to the Travel Assurance Fund must be filed within six months from the date the travel services were not provided. Please note that in order to process your claim we will require your supporting documentation.

Consumer Protection BC is taking this opportunity to remind travellers to always book with a BC-licensed travel agency or wholesaler. Eligibility to the Travel Assurance Fund is available to both consumers and BC-licensed travel agents. For more details about the Fund, please visit our website.

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About Consumer Protection BC

We are not-for-profit regulator responsible for overseeing certain industries and specific consumer transactions in British Columbia. If your concern is captured under the laws we enforce, we will use the tools at our disposal to assist you. If we can’t help you directly, we will try to offer a referral to a relevant organization, if one exists. Other times, court or legal assistance may be the best option. Explore our website at www.consumerprotectionbc.ca.