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The 15 Biggest Travel Scams, and How to Avoid Them

The Editors

We are the editors of SmarterTravel! Together we have appeared in countless travel publications including ABC News, Huffington Post, Travel + Leisure, USA Today, and more. We dedicate our days to creating and producing expert travel content, including packing tips, general travel advice, destination inspiration, and helpful videos. Follow us across social media on YouTube , Pinterest , Facebook , Instagram , and Twitter or drop us a line to say hi at [email protected]!

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You know that old saying “there’s a sucker born every minute”? Don’t be one of them. Stay ahead of these surprisingly effective travel scams to keep your vacation plans from falling apart. The schemes below may be just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to travel cons, but preparing yourself for these common swindles is a good place to start.

Vacation Clubs

Wholesale travel clubs claim that you’ll have access to incredibly cheap vacations if you join. However, once you pay the joining fees, you find that the deals offered aren’t any better than what you can find for yourself online—for free. Consumer advocate Christopher Elliott , whose book Scammed lays out a helpful roadmap for being a responsible and effective shopper in a world of corporate swindles, has told SmarterTravel: “I’ve never come across a legitimate travel club. My advice is to run, don’t walk.”

Elliott advises that anyone considering joining a travel club do research with a very critical eye beforehand. Simply doing an internet search for the name of the travel company plus “travel scam” will usually reveal a host of problems experienced by other members. Also check the Better Business Bureau for complaints about the specific service before you buy.

Timeshare Sales

Ed Perkins, a longtime contributing editor at SmarterTravel, calls the up-front fees for selling your timeshare the biggest travel scam out there.

“Scammers promise to get you out from under, saying they have buyers, but all they really do is take a fee, upward of $400, and do nothing,” says Perkins.

Never pay up front to have someone help you sell your timeshare. If you want out, go to a licensed company and check them out with the Better Business Bureau before listing with them. If you’re having trouble getting out of your timeshare , work with a rental company and rent it out to recoup some of the money until you can sell.

Vacation Certificates

Ed Perkins also warns against prepaid vacation certificates: “Travel scams promise really great prices but deliver nothing. The idea here is to get the up-front money, then keep stalling: ‘Sorry, these dates are sold out; try again soon.’ They delay until people just quit trying.” Or the company charges huge additional fees to redeem the certificates, and the trip is considerably less luxurious than promised. Before prepaying for a vacation package, be sure to research fees and blackout dates, as well as the company’s reputation.

“Travel-Agent” Card Mills

Ah, the life of travel agents. Cheap hotels and airfares are thrown at their feet once they pull out their travel-agent ID cards, right? Wrong. Don’t believe the hype from outfits that promise to issue you a travel-agent ID that provides access to discounts. Scammers charge hundreds of dollars for these cards, but victims who shell out will quickly find that no place will accept the fakes, and they never see any discounts. The only way to avoid this travel scam is to not buy a travel-agent card if you’re not a travel agent—there’s really no legal way to get around it.

Car-Rental Collision Damage Waivers

Rick Steves calls the car-rental collision damage waivers (CDW) a “collision damage waiver racket” for a reason. When you rent a car, the company often pressures you to buy a CDW supplement, which will prevent you from having to pay a high insurance deductible if the car is damaged. (The deductible can be thousands of dollars before insurance kicks in.)

But most major credit cards already include deductible collision coverage for free , so check your credit-card terms and pay for the rental car with your credit card. Then you’ll be covered without having to shell out extra cash for phony insurance. Most credit-card collision coverage is secondary, meaning you have to claim from your regular insurance first. If you don’t want a claim on your insurance, you can buy third-party primary collision coverage from the booking agency for about $10-$11 a day. Or, if it’s pricey, you can instead buy coverage from an independent outlet; sites like Bonzah.com offer rental coverage from $7.99 per day. That’s about one-third of what the rental companies charge.

“You Won a Free Trip!”

If you’ve ever dropped your business card in a “win a free trip” drawing at a restaurant or signed up to win at a fair, you may have gotten a phone call, letter, or email claiming you’ve won a free vacation. These days, the hustle is often via robocall. Be wary—many of these “prizes” are actually booby traps in which you’ll have to pay hefty fees to claim the vacation or give your credit card number to “verify your eligibility,” resulting in identity theft. After a recent lull in monitoring these robocalls, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is again cracking down on them. If you’re scammed, get the names of resorts and airlines included in the prize and call them independently to verify the trip. Never give credit card information to someone who cold-calls you, and be sure to get details of the prize in writing before accepting.

Fake International Driving Permits

The FTC also warns against fake International Driving Permits (IDPs) . Some countries require tourists to have an IDP in addition to a U.S. driver’s license. However, there are only two American associations that are legally authorized to issue IDPs—the American Automobile Association (AAA) and the American Automobile Touring Alliance (AATA). Fraudulent companies sell fake IDPs over the Internet, but you’ll pay hundreds of dollars for a permit only to face legal problems for using the imposter IDs in another country.

The Bait and Switch

The hotel you’re thinking of booking is suspiciously cheap, but the property’s website makes it look beautiful and centrally located. When you arrive, the hotel is run-down, missing amenities, and in a deserted part of town—and it won’t refund your money. Avoid this travel scam by using websites like Oyster (one of SmarterTravel’s sister sites) and TripAdvisor (SmarterTravel’s parent site) to read real customer reviews and see honest photos of the property.

“Grandparent” Travel Scams

Even if you’re not currently traveling, you can still be the victim of a travel scam: The State Department warns that scammers will call an older relative or friend of someone who’s away on vacation and pretend to be the traveler in desperate need of help. The scammer usually poses as the traveler or a foreign government official and directs the victim to wire a large sum of money, citing an array of things: They have been robbed and need money to return to the United States, or they have run into legal trouble and need bail money. Sometimes the scammer will even pretend to be someone from the U.S. embassy calling on behalf of the relative for money. Never wire money in response to a suspicious phone call; instead contact the State Department to ask if the situation is legitimate, or call your relative directly. If you encounter this scam, the FBI advises you report it to local authorities or a state consumer protection agency. You can also file a complaint with the FCC .

The FCC (Federal Communications Commission) offers the following advice to prevent “grandparent” travel scams:

Never give out personal information such as account numbers, Social Security numbers, mothers’ maiden names, passwords, or other identifying information in response to suspicious calls or to callers demanding immediate action. Scammers can spoof the caller ID of their number to make it appear to be from a trusted source. If a caller claiming to represent a company or a government agency asks for personal information, hang up and verify the authenticity of the request by contacting the company or agency yourself, using information found on its official website or through other means such as the phone book. If a caller claims to represent a company with which you have an account—such as a utility or a bank—hang up and check the contact information on a recent bill or statement, then call the company back yourself.

Rental Property Scam

Rule of thumb: Never go to Craigslist (or anything similar) for a rental home. Scammers will place an ad and ask the victim to wire money to secure the vacation rental—and then disappear. Or they’ll have you send money to them rather than to the actual property owner. Avoid the rental scam risk by going through a reputable vacation rental site with protections and insurance guarantees such as Airbnb , HomeAway , or SmarterTravel’s sister site FlipKey , all of which will protect your money from fraudsters.

Bogus Travel Agents

Don’t trust a tour operator or packager you don’t know of or can’t find reviews of easily online—especially with a big payment. An even more worrisome version of these travel scams in the U.S. is fake versions of websites: You search for a hotel or tour and get through to what looks like a legitimate website from a known company. But it isn’t: It’s a copy-cat version run by a scamster who paid a lot of money for a good search engine position. At best, after you make a payment, the hotel will honor your reservation—but probably at a higher price than you should have paid. At worst, you get nothing.

Take a close look at the website’s URL. Unsure if it’s right? Do a new search to find the company’s homepage and compare it to the first half of the link—any rogue characters, numbers, or symbols might mean it’s a fake. You should also never pay for a service via wire transfer, or any other irreversible money-transfer system.

Currency Short-Changing

A longstanding travel scam relies on tourists’ unfamiliarity with a foreign currency. This can take various forms: counterfeit bills, miscounting change, mixing smaller bills into what should be a pile of larger notes, etc. Get to know the bills of any country you visit, and limit the amount of foreign currency you exchange and have with you at any time. Get your foreign currency from an ATM, and put all your big-ticket purchases on a credit card.

Counterfeit Event Tickets

These days, high-tech forging can make almost any piece of paper or cardboard look authentic. Don’t buy a high-priced ticket (or even a low-priced one) to a sold-out event from someone on the street or via an unfamiliar website. You might be turned away at the gate. Buy from an authorized source—the box office or an online dealer that’s a verified reseller.

Fake Tour Guides

Have you ever been walking in a tourist-frequented area and had someone approach you offering to be your guide? Of course, you would have no idea in this situation whether this person has any useful knowledge of the city, but you may be coaxed into a nearby store that they claim offers the “best” prices on local specialties.

Pre-arrange a guide through an official tourism office or a local travel agency so you can compare prices and know what you’re getting. I once arranged the best local guide I ever had through an American Express agency. A university history professor showed us the fantastic National Museum of Damascus in Syria.

Credit Card Fraud

One of many potential credit card fraud risks is the familiar “verification call” gambit. In this travel scam, within a few hours of checking into a hotel, you get a call from someone claiming to be at the front desk to “verify” the details of the card you used. Of course, that caller is a scammer with no connection to the hotel who just wants to get your card data. In this and any other situations, be highly suspicious of anyone who calls you asking for credit or debit card information, no matter how plausible the excuse may seem. Tell the caller you’ll be right down to settle the problem, and instead call a known number, like the hotel’s direct line, to settle whatever account is involved.

More from SmarterTravel:

• How to Avoid Counterfeit Money While Traveling
• 6 Cruise Scams You Should Never Fall For
• Europe Travel Scams to Watch Out For

Editor’s note: This story was originally published in 2012. It has been updated to reflect the most current information. Caroline Morse Teel and Ed Perkins contributed to this story.

We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.

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The Pros and Cons of Booking Through Online Travel Agencies

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

You’re likely already familiar with online travel agencies, even if you don’t travel often. These companies — such as Priceline , Expedia and Orbitz — act as intermediaries between you and a travel provider.

Booking your travel through an OTA can be a good idea in some circumstances, but you’ll want to be wary of its pitfalls. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of online travel agencies, so you’ll know what to use to book your next vacation.

Pros of booking through online travel agencies

There are certainly advantages booking through online travel agencies, though you’ll find different experiences whether you’re using public OTAs — such as Kayak — or private ones like those offered by your card issuer, such as the Chase's travel portal .

✅ It may be cheaper

When searching for flights online, you may see different prices for the same routes that vary across websites. Although it may be a result of fare type — for example, some search results may not clarify that a fare is basic economy rather than main cabin or economy — other times, the difference comes down to competition for your business.

Online travel services will often offer slightly lower prices on flights in an effort to entice you as a customer. This is true for both hotels and airlines.

» Learn more: Best credit cards for online travel-booking websites

✅ It can earn you more rewards

Have you ever heard of shopping portals ? By logging into a shopping portal, you can earn rewards for purchases made with many online merchants. Some hotel chains, such as Hilton , Marriott and IHG , can be accessed through shopping portals while still booking directly on the hotel website. In this way, you can earn rewards with the hotel directly as well as with the shopping portal.

The same isn’t true for shopping portals and most airline sites. However, many public online travel agencies are accessible through shopping portals, which can then earn you rewards for airfare bookings. By opting to book in this way, you’ll be able to earn points or cash-back rewards through the shopping portal that you’d otherwise miss.

Some card issuers will also reward you heavily when using their online travel services. Clear examples of this can be seen with Capital One and Chase. With the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card , for example, you’ll get 10 miles per dollar spent on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel .

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is similar. With this card, you can get 10 Ultimate Rewards® points per dollar spent on hotels and rental cars booked through Chase's portal.

While these numbers are high, it’s important to remember that there are trade-offs when booking through an OTA rather than directly with a hotel or airline. We’ll get into that a little later.

Online travel agencies offered by your card issuer may not feature the same prices as booking directly; you’ll want to compare these before committing to a purchase.

Some card issuers will go so far as to give your points more value when redeeming through their online travel agencies.

This is true with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card . When redeeming points on Chase's travel portal, you’ll get 1.25 cents in value per point rather than 1 cent elsewhere.

» Learn more: How much are your airline miles and hotel points worth this year?

Cons of booking through online travel agencies

There are several downsides when it comes to using online travel services for booking travel. It mainly comes down to the fact that travel providers prefer that you book directly with them — and offer more perks to woo your business.

❌ It can be harder to change a booking

Ever needed to change a flight after it's booked? No matter the reason, attempting to alter or otherwise cancel a flight can be a hassle — especially if you’ve booked through a third party.

Generally speaking, rather than offering you direct assistance, both hotels and airlines will recommend you contact the online travel agency you’ve booked with in order to make any changes.

While you may be able to make changes or get refunds with the travel agency, airlines and hotels can — and will — offer much more flexibility when you’ve booked with them directly. You may also be subject to additional fees charged by the online travel agency, which can erase any savings you’ve received.

❌ You may not receive elite benefits

This is the real kicker for anyone wanting elite status. Although airlines will almost always recognize your elite status and allow you to earn miles even for bookings made through an online travel agency, hotels and rental car companies will not.

This is especially important for hotel chains. Earning elite status with hotels generally relies on elite night credits. Although these can be earned in a variety of ways — including having complimentary status by holding certain credit cards — the main method of acquiring elite night credits is by spending nights in hotels. Rooms booked through an online travel agency do not count toward elite status as elite night credits.

Additionally, you will not receive any of the benefits of your existing elite status if your booking is through a third party. This can mean the loss of perks such as room upgrades, complimentary breakfast and even free Wi-Fi.

» Learn more: The best airline and hotel rewards loyalty programs this year

❌ It may be more expensive

Did you know that many hotel chains have best price guarantees? Hyatt, Hilton, Marriott and IHG all have a guarantee that’ll give you either points or a discount if you find a better rate elsewhere.

These guarantees are generous; Hilton, for example, will match the rate and then discount it by a further 25%.

Although you’ll need to file claims for these guarantees and they face limitations — such as a 24-hour window from when you made the booking — you can save a lot of money on your stay if your request is approved.

Online travel agencies can be hit or miss

There are two sides to every coin and this is no different, as there are several benefits and limitations of online travel services. Depending on your needs and loyalty program status, you’ll want to choose whether to book directly with a travel provider or rely on OTAs to do the job for you.

Booking travel through credit card portals from issuers like Chase and Capital One can earn you big rewards. But if you anticipate altering your travel plans or aim to earn elite status instead, booking directly is the way to go.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

on Chase's website

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

75,000 Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's over $900 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1.5%-5% Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

Up to $300 Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

on Capital One's website

2x-5x Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options.

75,000 Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

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Use your customer reviews to bring new ones through the door

Customer reviews are, perhaps, the most important part of a strong marketing strategy for your travel agency. more than any other industry, travel agencies live and die by their reputation – which means an impeccable online reputation is essential for your company..

But how do you get more positive online customer reviews for travel agents? What can you do to manage your reputation more effectively long term? 

In this guide, we’ll give you some tips you can turn your customers reviews into your greatest online marketing tool that will bring new customers through the door as well as increase customer loyalty.

1. Make Sure You’re Listed On All Common Travel Agency Review Sites  

First things first, you need to make sure that your travel agency is already listed sites that have customer reviews for travel agents. A few of the most common websites used to review travel agencies include:

    •    TripAdvisor     •    Yelp     •    Angie’s List     •    Better Business Bureau     •    Google Reviews     •    Facebook Reviews

Chances are, your business may already have a presence (and some reviews) on a few of these websites already. If that’s the case, you need to take ownership of the page. 

You can typically contact the website in question to prove your association with your business, and verify that you are the owner. This will allow you to look at the reviews and respond to them directly on the website.

Once you’ve created and/or taken ownership of your presence on these platforms, check them regularly for new reviews – both negative and positive – and respond to them when you can. This helps show both current and potential customers that you’re actively engaged in managing your online reputation, and that you’re truly listening to their feedback.

2. Use A Service Like Trustpilot To Collect Feedback On Your Website 

You shouldn’t only rely on third-party websites for reviews. Using a tool like Trustpilot , you can quickly and easily add online review functionality to your website. Integrating real customer reviews onto your website lets potential customers quickly get more details about what they can expect from your travel agency. In turn, this creates a more seamless sales funnel, which can help you bring in more customers. 

3. Ask Customers To Post Honest Reviews About Their Experiences 

You need to make sure that you get as many reviews as possible from your customers. Review quantity matters – even if you have very positive reviews, potential customers won’t trust your reviews as much if there are only a handful on each review platform.

We recommend contacting your customers within 0-24 hours after their trip ends to ask them if they would be willing to share a little bit about their experiences by writing a review on your website, TripAdvisor, Yelp, or other online review outlets. Chances are, they’ll say “yes!”

You can even offer them a special reward for leaving an honest review – something as simple and affordable as a $5 Starbucks gift card will make them more likely to review your services. 

However, you need to make it clear that, as long as they leave a review (no matter how positive or negative), they will qualify for this reward. Your customers should not feel obligated to leave only positive feedback – honesty and integrity are of utmost importance.

4. Respond To Negative Reviews As Soon As You Can, And Be Professional!  

Things go wrong during trips. That’s just a fact. And, every once in a while, you’ll find that someone has left a negative review of your services. What should you do? 

First, don’t panic. It happens – nobody is perfect. Mistakes happen. 

Second, try to understand the negative review from the reviewer’s perspective. Even if the issue was not your fault, do not be defensive. Their feelings are legitimate, even if the basis for these feelings is unfounded. Use this as oppurtunity to offer advise and show your expertise as a travel guru.

Lastly and most importantly, respond to the negative review as soon as you can. Be professional, and address the problem. Don’t try to explain what went wrong – but instead be empathetic, and emphasize that you will do everything you can to resolve the issue, and prevent it from happening to other travelers in the future. Depending on the severity of the issue, you could invite the customer to contact you to work out a mutually-agreeable solution.

Even if the customer never reaches out to you and you can’t win them back, responding to negative feedback is always a good idea. It shows that you are willing to work with your customers and try to resolve things in a positive way. If you leave negative reviews unaddressed, this reflects poorly on your online reputation. 

Follow These Four Tips – And Keep Your Travel Agency’s Online Reputation Strong! 

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10 common travel scams, and how to protect yourself when traveling

Editor's Note

Travel can be a rewarding and relaxing experience — some of my favorite memories are from trips I've taken with friends or by myself.

However, scam artists are everywhere, and anyone can fall prey to a scheme — especially if you're in an unfamiliar place. Also, some scams specifically target certain groups of people, such as women, older travelers or kids.

The Federal Trade Commission received nearly 54,000 reports of travel scams in 2021, with $95 million in total reported losses for consumers and a median loss of $1,112 per person.

Safety is important when planning travel, so we've compiled a list of common travel scams, how to spot them and ways to protect your wallet and personal information while you're away from home.

New to The Points Guy? Sign up for our daily newsletter .

This certainly isn't an exhaustive list of all the types of scams you may encounter while traveling, but it will give you an idea of some of the most common travel scams and how to spot them.

Timeshare and vacation club scams

Timeshare scams are easily one of the most lucrative travel scams. The FTC and many state attorney general offices have cracked down hard on this type of fraud, but it can still happen. These scams can be broken down into two main types: timeshare presentation scams and timeshare resale scams.

A timeshare is a real estate property that is sold to multiple buyers with each allotted a certain amount of time at the property each year (usually one week).

Oftentimes, timeshare sellers will host presentations with the promise of a free hotel stay or gift for those who attend. Do your research before you jump on what seems like a too-good-to-be-true deal.

Before attending a timeshare presentation, make sure you research the specific developer selling the timeshares. You can check out the Better Business Bureau website to look up complaints against the developer and get a better picture of other people's experiences.

Related: I suffered through a timeshare sales presentation for a cheap vacation

Timeshare scams can happen on the backend of a deal, too.

Once you purchase a timeshare, it can be very difficult to resell your share. Unfortunately, this is where scammers often lurk. Someone may promise to sell your timeshare quickly and painlessly for an upfront fee. Once that fee is paid, they either disappear or claim that they were unsuccessful.

If you do decide to go with a resale company, make sure to look up relevant laws in the state or country where your timeshare is located (or reach out to a lawyer to help). Also, when you do meet with a company, don't sign anything at the first meeting. Take any documents home and read through the fine print before you make a decision.

Multilevel marketing scams

Multilevel marketing scams, or MLMs, work similarly to pyramid schemes with a direct sales model that encourages existing members to recruit new members, while also paying into the parent company for special access. For travel, you're asked to pay a monthly price for credits you can apply to the cost of the cruise or a vacation. However, after you've paid every month, you still need to add more to cover your "upgraded" cruise fee. But wait, there's a way around this, says the company. Simply sign up some friends and family for the same plan and you'll get more credits. The more people you sign up, the better. And of course, the people you've brought on board with you can sign up more members, too. And yet, the cost of your dream vacation is still just out of reach, so you have to keep signing people up and paying monthly, and so on and so on.

You may have seen this model with vitamins, diet cookies, lawn fertilizer or other pay-to-play MLMs. Before you commit to one of these for cruises or travel, look carefully at what you'll be paying upfront before you bring on any other "investors." In most, if not all cases, you can get the same, if not better, value from booking directly with a cruise line or authorized travel agent.

Internet search scams

In a recent article, Travel Weekly identified "flyer beware" scams where an internet search for an airline customer service phone number results in second-party numbers. These phone numbers seem legitimate. However, instead of connecting you directly with the airline, they instead route you to unofficial call centers that don't reveal their affiliations. Then, they bill you not only for exorbitantly priced tickets but also for high charges -- often in the $500 range -- tacked onto the nonrefundable airline tickets.

To counter this scam, it's important to look closely at the listings when you search for an airline's customer service number online -- the first option that pops up isn't necessarily the official one. Copy and paste the number into the search bar to see its official registration. Also, click through the link to the website it's associated with, and then find the homepage. It should then be clear where you've landed.

Once you arrive at your destination, there is a new bucket of deceits you need to be alert to, including the taxi scam. This common scheme happens when you take a taxi or another car service in an unfamiliar destination where rates are determined by the distance of the drive. Your driver may take a much longer, often circuitous route to get to your destination in order to maximize the cost of your fare.

The age of Google Maps makes it easier to thwart one of these scams, even in an area you're not familiar with. Whenever possible, pull up the route on your smartphone's map app to make sure your driver is actually taking you on the most direct route.

If you suspect you're being led astray, ask for them to take the more direct route, then get a receipt and also take a picture of the registration number or the driver's ID card so you can follow up with local authorities or your credit card company later if need be.

Related: How to avoid getting scammed by your taxi driver

In addition, always take licensed cabs or taxis, or use a reputable ride-hailing app (the latter is a good way to know the price in advance and have proof of your journey request).

'Incorrect change' scams

If you're traveling to a place with an unfamiliar currency, someone may try to take advantage of this by giving you incorrect change or insisting you gave them a different bill than you did. This is especially common in places where cash is used more regularly and different bills look similar.

To protect yourself, research the currency at your destination before you travel so you're familiar with it when you arrive. Also, count your change before walking away to make sure you get the right amount.

Ticket scams

People will often try to sell tickets to attractions, buses, trains and more outside of venues and transportation stations. They'll claim the tickets are discounted or offer them as a way to jump the line. However, these tickets can be fake or expired when you try to actually use them. Also, as technology has improved over the years, so have these fake tickets. They can look almost identical to the real thing.

The best way to avoid this is to always purchase any tickets — whether to a concert, a tourist attraction, a bus, a train or a ferry – from an official ticket booth or the official website. Or, work with your hotel concierge to secure admission to hard-to-access venues.

'Attraction closed' scams

You may come across someone claiming an attraction you want to visit, a show you want to see or even a train or ferry you have tickets for is closed. Then they'll direct you somewhere else where you'll be pressured to pay for tickets or buy something.

No matter what someone outside a venue or transportation station tells you, always get your information from the ticket booth or official website as to whether something is closed.

If you made a reservation or bought tickets for a certain time, it's more than likely open. After all, why would an attraction sell you a ticket for something that's closed or unavailable?

'Free item' scams

We've all heard the phrase "if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is."

When you travel, you may be approached by someone with "free" merchandise. Maybe they offer you free food and drinks, or maybe they try to put a bracelet around your wrist. In major tourism areas, you may be asked if you want your picture taken in front of certain attractions or with dressed-up characters on the street.

Be cautious anytime anyone offers anything that is "free," because you'll often be required to pay for it after the fact. If someone approaches you and tries to put something on your body, refuse firmly and give anything they did put on you back to them immediately.

Credit card-skimming scams

No matter who you are or where you go, there's a chance someone could use a card skimmer to steal your credit card information.

Card skimming comes in many forms. Some scammers use a skimmer attached to an ATM or gas pump. Sometimes restaurant workers may skim your card when you pay the bill. You may even have your card skimmed with a handheld device.

Credit cards have come a long way over the years in terms of payment security, and pretty much every credit card out there will have fraud protection. That doesn't mean credit card fraud isn't still a major concern.

When you're using your card at an ATM or at the pump, pay attention to the card reader. Does it stick out farther than normal? Is the card reader loose?

Some gas stations put a seal over the card reader panel so you know it hasn't been tampered with, so check that as well. If anyone makes an excuse to be close to you (which is already a bit of a red flag because of COVID-19 and social distancing measures), they may be trying to steal your card details with a handheld wireless device.

Credit card skimmers can also use near-field communication and radio-frequency identification devices to steal your credit card information.

While it's not nearly as common as people using skimmers on ATMs or other card readers, it can still happen. Contactless credit cards and EMV chip cards are not immune, either — cards still come with a magnetic stripe that RFID readers can grab information from and NFC devices can read your contactless card.

Of course, chip and contactless cards both have built-in safety nets that make it harder for scammers to actually use your credit card details once they have them. That doesn't make it impossible, though.

The best thing you can do is monitor your accounts for suspicious activity and make sure you keep your wallet in a secure place (your back pocket does not qualify) while you travel. If you want to go all-out against contactless scanners, you can buy an RFID-blocking wallet, but there is debate in the payments security space over whether they are a worthwhile purchase.

When I travel, I make sure to log in to my bank apps (never on public Wi-Fi, though) once per day to make sure no unauthorized charges have popped up. If you do notice suspicious activity on your account, many issuers allow you to request a freeze on your account via the app or online.

Related: How to spot and report credit card fraud

Related: 15 TPG editor-approved passport holders to buy before your next trip

Public Wi-Fi network scams

Free Wi-Fi networks can be a godsend when you are traveling — especially if you don't have a roaming data package for your phone.

However, public Wi-Fi hot spots are almost always lax on security. That means someone can steal personal information while you use the network, including bank and credit card account information if you log in while using them. If you do use a public network at a coffee shop, airport or other public space, be wary of logging in to any sensitive sites like your bank or medical profiles.

Related: How to secure your data when using public Wi-Fi

A virtual private network is a popular way to ensure your connection is secure no matter where you go. These work by routing your internet connection through a private server (owned by your VPN company) so that data transmitted comes from the VPN rather than your computer.

This hides your IP address and encrypts your data so that hackers and other entities that might want to snoop through your personal information hit a dead end. It's a great investment whether you travel all the time or just like to visit your local coffee shop that offers free Wi-Fi. They generally cost less than $20 per month (and that's at the expensive end of the spectrum).

Not all VPNs are created equal, so do your research on the best one for your needs. Can you find a VPN that costs less than $10 per year? Yes. Is that VPN worth it? Debatable.

In addition, if you have a smartphone or other device, make sure it's password protected. Most people likely have some sort of passcode set up on their phone — especially since the inception of fingerprint and facial IDs on smartphones. You may not think about the importance of a strong password on your personal laptop or tablet, though.

Set up a password or PIN on all your devices so if the worst case happens and they get stolen, someone will have a much harder time breaking into them.

Bottom line

Travel scams are more common than you might think — tens of thousands of U.S. citizens alone report being scammed each year.

Scammers are smart, and many scams target specific groups of individuals who may be more vulnerable while traveling, such as women traveling alone, older travelers and kids.

Travel is meant to be a fun and rewarding experience, and getting scammed can put a real damper on any trip.

Knowing the kinds of scams that exist can help you protect yourself and your traveling companions while you are away from home. Hopefully, this guide has outlined how to spot some of the most common dangers.

Additional reporting by Melissa Klurman.

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DIY or travel agency visa application? - Moscow Forum

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DIY or travel agency visa application?

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I know this is an exhaustive topic, but I can't seem to find the answer in a forum search. I apologize if this has ben previously covered and I missed it.

It depends on you, not on your itinerary. Anyone able to search, read and understand written text, fill a form can DIY. If the mere idea of searching, reading and filling makes you shudder, hire a helper by all means.

Of all the things you mention, the only thing you may well need some “extra help” with is getting a reasonable set of invite docs (as you correctly state, if you are not staying at a larger, regular hotel, you will be charged maybe $20), you can do this for maybe $20 on ANY reputable site...e-mailed in PDF form back within 24 hours. no need to pay a visa agency likely at least $100 extra per visa. Once you go on the site you are directed to, you will be given all details, and then a link to a web based app completion...one you can save, come back to...if you hit questions, often we can answer here...more often, the answer is here already, just need to do a quick query in the box above...

I'm in the current visa black hole that others are in after doing it myself with ILS which suddenly ceased operations, turning them over to VFS. Read some of the threads like "Another Russia Visa via Washington DC question " below in the forum. I'd pay the extra $100 in a heartbeat for the peace of mind and speed compared to what's going on (or rather NOT going on) with our applications and passports. But that's just my humble opinion.

i believe at this point both DC and NY are fully moved over to being submitted thru VFS...I would agree that indeed back when you did this, had you used an agency, they - with the fact that the larger ones are handling maybe 10s- 100 at any point in time - might have been able to intercede. BUT, if the site now points folks to VFS, less to be gained...

As always, IMHO of course

I ended up speaking to a man with ILS today, who recommended I call World Visit Center in DC to have them handle everything. Now I'm really confused, because if ILS closed, whom did I speak with???

*Edited to say I now see the disclosure on the website about VFS. Yet, the website is the same name. It's confusing!

I spent 2 hours today just trying to get an answer to the question "Do I file for a tourist or a private visa" and even the gentleman on the phone had a few questions before he could give me a final answer. The government consulate websites are incorrect, saying that the Seattle Visa Support office is still open, despite the closure of the consulate....I think I just might spring for the extra $ to save the time and headache.

I am confused...did you end up here? https://www.vfsglobal.com/Russia/USA/

IF you did, then you can simply follow the info as to which type of visa, etc.

I got there by going to the OFFICIAL site...

https://washington.mid.ru/en/consular-services/

https://washington.mid.ru/en/consular-services/citizens-usa/

https://washington.mid.ru/en/consular-services/citizens-usa/visa-to-russia/

After this last one, I chose the FIRST option...”About Russian Visa Center” (this gets you to the first link I posted above...

As for them saying Seattle and San Fran offices are open, I did not fully check, but while the CONSULATES are closed, VFS may still have local presence and office to accept apps...

Also, as to whether tourist or private, unless you have REALLY good friends or close relatives there, you should choose tourist as, which you will find by reading further on the first site, the PRIVATE route involves quite a bit more hassle, not the least of which being you will need to get a PHYSICAL copy of the invitation documents required...what BTW is the main purpose for visiting?

Your links are so much better than what I found today! Google led me on a wild goose chase, and I ended up here, https://seattle.mid.ru/web/seattle-en/russian-visa-centers and https://ils-usa.com/news/175?domain=5&language=10 telling me that Seattle is still open, but then not being able to get through on the phone or via email. I don't even know where else I looked! Like I said, it was a 2 hour affair that just left me frustrated.

I admit it can be confusing especially with a TON of sites saying they are “Russian Consulate”. I have found as the links show IF you get to the real one, you are in pretty good shape. So, in summary, ILS is no longer in play, when in doubt, call or e-mail VFS...and, also, is Bellingham in Washington (state]...if so, then as I wrote, THEY have a physical presence, office...and presumably if you submit app and paperwork thru them (in person or via mail), then they, as the fully authorized AGENT (not simply a “visa agency”) for pretty much all Russian Consulates in the US, will handle the rest!

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16 Feedback for Travel Agency EXAMPLES

The Travel industry relies solely on good reviews and writing them one is crucial. So, to make it easy for you in reviewing them, we created 16 feedback for travel agency examples that you can copy and paste or use as inspiration for writing your own.

Legend for Feedback for Travel Agency:

• Agent name – AN
• Travel agency – TA
• City name – CN

01. Great Experience with (TA). one of customer service agent who’s name is (AN). She is help a lot to get best deal. I found very easy the way she gave me all information for book my flight. I very strongly advise other traveller to use (TA). its very friendly and easy to use. Thank you very much.

02. This trip was incredible, from day one our tour guide was amazing .. caring and very knowledgeable.. the actual your was also incredible.. thanks everyone who made possible this unforgettable experience!

03. This is our favorite travel agency . Except the long wait they have Outstanding customer services at reasonable prices. Thank you for easy booking with flights and hotels. Great deals, and honest services. Highly recommended to everyone.

04. We have been buying our airline tickets here since 1998. Great service oriented group, outstanding prices that can’t be beat, just keep me and my family and friends coming back year after year. They even call us when there are specials! What more can you ask for? Thank You (TA) for helping me create wonderful summer memories!

05. We booked a trip to (CN) with (AN) and he was awesome. He handled our entire trip from flight, to rental car, to hotel to shows. It was so nice to pass that responsibility to somebody as competent and timely as (AN). He was also there for us the entire time to handle questions and deal with travel logistics. We have also used for last hotel needs and he always comes through! Highly recommend!

06. (AN) gave me the best experience with (TA). He is very knowledgeable and helpful with everything I wanted to know and learn about my trip! He also found different fun excursions we could do while we are there. He answered me in a very fast timely manner with all my questions and concerns I had. Planning my trip was a very smooth process because of (AN)!!

07. (AN) was such a blessing in our vacation planning! We had originally planned on going somewhere else and I’m so thankful that (AN) was able to step in to help us create the best vacation possible. He was always very helpful no matter what.

08. Thank you (AN) for booking my car rental in (CN). Your pricing beat out “low cost” and rental companies self-service websites. Not to mention the no hassle, no fee change in my dates for renting. I will be using you for future travel and rental booking.

09. (AN) and her staff are wonderful to work with. Always on top of the travel requirements, bookings and all the sundry details that were communicated to us in a timely manner. She made all the preparation for our travel needs easy and we felt reassured that all was taken care of.

10. (AN) at (TA) is the best corporate travel agent I have ever worked with. From a customer experience perspective, her service is superlative. She is the most responsive agent I have ever worked with (by far), and she makes every transaction 100% stress free. Thank you, (AN)!

11. (AN) is the most responsive, knowledgeable and personable travel advisor we have ever dealt with. We have traveled the world and plan so many more trips and would do so with complete confidence having (AN) advise us.

12. (AN) at (TA), has been handling my travel for many years. She is the best travel agent I have ever had the pleasure of dealing with. She pays attention to every detail. I always know that I am in for a wonderful adventure when she plans a trip for me!

13. (AN) of (TA) is very knowledgeable and has taken care of each and every request we have promptly and efficiently (AN) knows the business extremely well and has helped us navigate through this past year. He handles all situations professionally.

14. We have been working with (AN), our travel professional, for the past 3 years in cruise planning. We have had several booked and cancelled through 2020 and 2021. Now hoping that booking for 2022 will proceed. (AN) has been very courteous, professional, timely and accommodating in all our dealings. I would highly recommend.

15. Our agent is (AN). She is the best. Best service, best deals, and very knowledgeable. We cruised Polynesia, Europe, Australia, the Caribbean, and other destinations with her. Highly recommended.

16. (AN) of (TA) in (CN) offers superior service, attention to detail and much more for your travel pleasure. My favorite travel agent!

More feedback for travel agency are coming soon…

Avenue Two Travel

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Where to next, avenue two travel is proudly b corp certified ..

At Avenue Two Travel, we understand that our success is intertwined with the well-being of the planet and its inhabitants. We strive to minimize our environmental footprint, support local communities, and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in everything we do. 

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"Bonnie Kenneally is simply fantastic. She has done a superb job on all our trips and knows what we like and how we like to go about things."

"Brigitte Feinberg is great to work with. She handles all the heavy lifting so you can focus on the fun part. She stays on top of all the details. She is quick to respond on any questions. We’ve used her for over ten years and have always been delighted with her service."

"We have used Carissa Cummings of Avenue Two as our travel advisor on over 30 vacations all over the world. Her passion for travel, knowledge of destinations and attention to detail is exceptional. We highly recommend Carissa."

"I just returned from an amazing trip to Greece where we visited Athens, Mykonos and Santorini. Jennifer Dooling our agent ensured every detail of the trip was perfect and I could not be more grateful to her for planning such an incredible girls trip for us."

"I've worked with Alisa Cohen for several years now, and she is already planning more trips for me and my family next year! She's always so thoughtful about our itineraries, we are so looking forward to our next journey knowing how amazing the last was!"

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Beacon Travel Agency

Review Highlights

“ Only members can really leave an honest to goodness review and if you are a member you won't be leaving bad reviews that's for sure. ” in 8 reviews

“ Presentation was easy, no hard pressure to join like those timeshare ones ugh. ” in 2 reviews

“ We saw some of these negative reviews, but it seems most are from people that haven't actually used the program . ” in 6 reviews

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I'm very happy we decided to join Beacon. We saw some of these negative reviews, but it seems most are from people that haven't actually used the program. Our experience has been positive and we have saved money every time we make reservations. Highly recommended! Mick & Andrea

On February 12, 2024 I was contacted by a manager name Kelly she asked of me to attend a 90 minute webinar here in San Diego and mentioned that I had to meet certain qualifications which I did. She also mentioned that I was not obligated to purchase anything and that just for my participation, I would be Given three certificates for my participation. I personally thought it was a scam lol. She insisted it wasn't. I've been to one club vacation seminar, something similar, but that was legit and I did get my gift. Anyhow, Beacon Travel stated I was getting $500 gift card towards restaurants, one certificate for two round trip airfare & hotel hotel, plus four night cruise. She also mentioned that the only thing I had to pay was one low cost tax for each certificate which I did and the fees were not that bad. The fee for the 500 gift card was $20 $50 fee for the two round-trip ticket airfare with hotel. a message to the email regarding my invalid certificate code for the 4 night cruise and the agent is claiming it's only one per person but I'm trying to screenshot and send pictures that it is not valid. I've already paid my taxes on two other certificates and I'm also asking how I can book my cruise activate the flight tickets and they're not being very helpful. I don't know if anyone else has ever dealt with them if it is legit or not but I did put it on a credit card and if they don't respond by the end of this week, I will definitely appeal my charges. Should This be a scam does anyone know what bureau are these incidents reported to. If their way of marketing is through private webinars, they are for sure. Not doing a great job, especially if they are having people show up and not honoring the incentives.

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Business Customer Service

Feb 18, 2024

Hi Claudia. The gifts are provided by outside companies, but they do work. They have an online redemption process, but if you need any assistance please reach out to [email protected]. Have a good night!

Tried to scam me into attending their seminar, but thankfully I read the previous reviews. If this company isn't setting off every alarm in your brain, you may want to seek professional help. When I told them I wasn't attending because of Yelp reviews, they asked what that was. I told them what Yelp was, and suddenly they knew all about the negative reviews. They said that all those reviews were very, VERY wrong. I told them that if they actually gave the gifts they promised, those people might change their reviews. Then I blocked their number.. because 11 back-to-back calls is just a little too pushy for a 'legitimate' seminar.

My experience with this travel agency was nothing short of disappointing and frustrating. From start to finish, it felt like a complete scam and an utter waste of time. Firstly, they were misleading. I informed them that I have a 4 year old child and will have tp bring him. They repeatedly confirmed to me that this is fine. however, when I reached the venue i was informed by a very rude persont that I cannot have my child with me. It felt like they were intentionally luring customers in with false promises.

May 6, 2024

Unfortunately they do not allow children to attend the presentations. Please reach out to [email protected] if we can offer further assistance.

I became a member last year! I must say I have been traveling more often. Although I couldn't plan longer trips but I'm able to go to big bear, palm Springs, Las Vegas for such amazing price. The price I pay initially and never a fee ever for life. Thats what really got me to get into the program. I'm happy camper. I also want to point out that most of these review are from people who's not that active in yelp.

Jan 22, 2024

Great pictures! Looks like an amazing trip!

Went to one of the seminars and if i did they promised me a $100 spending money since i was going short notice, a free two person plane ticket to anywhere in 48 states, dining certificate for $100. They said the presentation would last 40 minutes. The presentation lasted 2 1/2 hours. Then they gave us these papers and said I will get these things by going online to rewardsandinsentives.com. Well first they want you to pay $50 before you even see what is offered for flying anywhere. The paper they gave me says just pay taxes and fees. The $50 is non refundable before you even start the process. The food you pay $29 to get $25 off. There is no $100 spending money. What a scam people!!!

Apr 29, 2024

Why is it a scam?!? You received a gift that provides 2 RT airline tickets and two nights hotel accomodations simply for attending a presentation. Total taxes/fees are $398 for both people. It's an inexpensive getaway for many guests. Your comment is also misleading on dining gift. The $29 fee provides twenty-five $25 vouchers totaling $500 in dining savings.

I am always cautious about scams but I filled out an entry at a concert in a professional sports arena so I actually thought I won a free flight from that raffle. I was excited but then they said I had attend this presentation with was far away and 90 minutes long. I told them I couldn't care less about this and I'm not buying anything. I'm glad that I read all these reviews and talked to people before wasting my time. Oh well, it was fun to dream for 15 minutes of what they actually promised!

There is no purchase required when attending a presentation. We simply share a way people can save money on travel. The gifts you are referring to are complimentary, but do require taxes or fees. They provide attendees a nice vacation for very little money!

This company also goes by the name Serenity Time which has similar reviews with the exception of replies by a snarky manager in their Orange county location. While they tell you that you will receive free items. The vouchers say you get "discounts and savings", for example the $500 restaurant vouchers is a discount card, not a $500 gift card. So you pay and maybe save a few bucks but nothing is free as all the representatives state. They also opened my phone call by saying the were with Booking.com. It's all fraud and very illegal what they say on the phone. They haven't gotten busted because the vouchers actually tell the truth.

May 3, 2024

If you are unhappy with your complimentary gift there are other options. If you would like to reach out to [email protected] we will do our best to assist.

Got a post card for staycation offer at the Embassy. Wife and I decided to check it out for our vlog. The rooms were nice and the breakfast was great. Presentation was easy, no hard pressure to join like those timeshare ones ugh. We got our cruise vacation afterwards as promised. Highly recommended!

Apr 14, 2024

Glad you had a good experience!

Interesting turn of events: Beacon Travel tried to get my review taken down from Yelp after claiming to not have an employee named Vince. Today I got yet another call from a woman working for Beacon Travel spewing some script at me. I asked her if she has a coworker named Vince and she said yes. I tried to report what had happened to me to her and she hung up on me.

Mar 20, 2024

If you have any additional information please provide at [email protected]. This individual does not work for us. Please help us identify them. Thank you!

One of your employees who called himself "Vince" called me and harassed me. He kept asking if I have a boyfriend and told me he saw me in the street yesterday. After multiple minutes of being a weird freak, he laughed and said that he's actually an employee at Beacon Travel in Parsippany. He said this was actually an elaborate sales pitch and that he was bored at work. I asked him if he thinks it's okay to call women and scare them and he laughed at me. He assured me that he's 6'1 and very strong. He knew too much about this random agency, so I know he's an actual employee. I could also hear his coworkers in the background making sales calls. I tried to call the number back, but it wasn't a real phone number.

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Traveluro.com   Reviews

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Reviews 3.7.

8,819 total

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They change the price when you try to pay

I tried to book with quoted price and it took me all the way through to tell me it wasn't available, reloaded and the same room was £40 more. I still booked as it's the hotel I want but frustrating that you quote inaccurate prices to hook people in and then change the price when they try to pay, I feel this is false advertising.

Date of experience : April 30, 2024

I was hurt in an accident today

I was hurt in an accident today, and while I knew that my trip to WV was nonrefundable, I took a chance and called to see if I could get my stay refunded. Nikko was wonderful and took my information. He then called me about a half hour later to tell me that my stay was canceled and refunded. What great service. I will definitely use you again.

Date of experience : April 15, 2024

Bali Holiday

I booked 2 hotels with Go Splitty for our holiday to Bali. At first I was apprehensive as the price was so much cheaper, but the support I have had from Go Splitty has been brilliant! I have had phone contact with them, as well as fast email responses, and Go Splitty have been able to contact our hotels directly to get confirmation numbers and request specific things. Thank you so much Michael!

Date of experience : April 12, 2024

Great price for a decent hotel on…

Great price for a decent hotel on Hilton Head Island SC. Especially, with it being, pretty much, summer time. I could only go visit my family with a price like this!! Thank you. Thank you

Date of experience : April 25, 2024

Great response and speedy resolution!

I was very happy with my overall experience! I booked a hotel last fall but had to make changes to my plans for unforeseen reasons. Despite my booking being nonrefundable, the team worked with me and allowed me a credit to rebook a new hotel with them in the future and gave me the refund of my original booking. I was very happy with the speedy response both via the phone calls I made and the emails I sent. Very very very appreciative of the everyone I spoke with.

Date of experience : April 02, 2024

Great customer service

Great customer service. Very cooperative and quick to respond to any concerns or questions you may have.

Date of experience : April 24, 2024

Carlos is a very nice,helpful person .

Carlos is a very nice,helpful person . He sorted my reservation within the hour. He tried to call me but I was on another call. He send me an email with everything I needed and communicated me again. TRAVELURO has been so far GENUINE,CARING, and I feel so sorry for the negativity this agent has. I am very fair and strict to my reviews in general , but when a service as such from Carlos, I can only praise with an excellent review. I will let you know when my trip ends and I hope that everything will work as planned.

Date of experience : April 11, 2024

Ronamarie Rome fixed my mistake

While I was making this reservation, I was distracted in conversation. I submitted the wrong date. Then receiving the confirmation Email I realized my mistake on a non refundable. After a pleasant conversation with Ronamarie Rome, the dates were able to be changed. I am so thankful, because this company was under no obligation to change this for me. Will use them any time I travel! Brad

Date of experience : April 08, 2024

Pittsburgh Hotel

I made a hotel reservation for my weekend trip to Pittsburgh. Due to some reason the reservation had to be cancelled. I reached Jane from the customer service team who diligently worked with the right people to process my refund within a week. Overall this was a very good experience and I will definitely come back to this site for future travel needs.

Date of experience : April 06, 2024

Confirmed reservation the day before…

Confirmed reservation the day before arrival, arrived Apr 16th at 9:30pm and found out hotel was overbooked, waited over two hours for info,after traveling all day and it's now after midnight I had to find my own accommodations at a cost a lot more then my original booking. No one ever contacted me while waiting,

Date of experience : April 16, 2024

First time booking …

First time booking through your company , very easy to book , great competitive prices and will definitely use you again.

Date of experience : April 18, 2024

Grateful for the reasonable prices

So very grateful for the reasonable prices and the option to do a payment plan. Not everyone is a millionaire and can pay 800 dollars per night flat-out! I have other bills to pay which are the mortgage, utilities, car maintenance, etc. I'm way past due for a vacation and even my supervisor mentioned it! Overall, THANK YOU TRAVELURO.COM for working with the not so wealthy people!

Date of experience : April 03, 2024

Very Satisfied Customer

I’m happy to change my previous 1 star negative review of Traveluro. To an 5 star very satisfied review. All of my uncertainty has been lifted. Thank you Traveluro for making sure I have my room as promised. I will use Traveluro in the future.

Date of experience : March 31, 2024

Thank you very much am so happy for…

Thank you very much am so happy for your customer service

Date of experience : May 01, 2024

Horrible Non-Amendable Booking Policy

CAUTION! Traveluro’s non-amendable booking policy is a predatory tactic that harms consumers. Traveluro would not allow me to cancel a hotel reservation, despite willing to forgo a re-fund. HORRIBLE! What sort of company refuses to cancel a service that you have already paid for & request no refund for. I’ll never book with Traveluro again - and you shouldn’t either.

Amazing hotel price!

The price I received was better than what the hotel could offer me directly!

Date of experience : April 28, 2024

Straight forward booking process

Straight forward booking process. Clear on what was included and not included. Have not gone yet so can't say if it all work perfectly when we get to the hotel!

Date of experience : April 23, 2024

Beca was great

Beca was great, I hadn’t gotten my hotel confirmation yet and was worried as I was a week away but I had used traveleuro before. Luckily I reached out and beca responded with my confirmation number within a few hours after getting it all set up for me.

Absolutely abysmal customer service

Absolutely abysmal customer service. (meant to post here, original review is on the page for their sister site splittytravel.com) Absolutely abysmal customer service. Accidentally booked a trip without insurance and immediately contacted to get this cancelled and corrected while the transaction was still pending, got stonewalled multiple times before being told it was "escalated" and hearing nothing back. DO NOT USE

I booked a room through the Traveluro site and was sent a confirmation email. The following day I received a email from Traveluro saying my reservation could not be confirmed. It went to read that I would be refunded for the (already paid) payment. It's now been two weeks with nothing returned to my card

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Genie Travel Co. has been essential in helping me dive into a career as a new-to-industry TA. They cover everything from the programs you will use for booking within their company, to the roadmap for starting your own business as a TA. They offer full support and training and everyone from the owner to the training managers are honest and down-to-earth.

Their support and training is top notch! If I am ever stuck not knowing an answer, they are quick to respond and super easy to communicate with. So glad I joined the team at Genie Travel! They make helping my clients easy. Excited for future agency trips so I can learn more about how to better sell Disney.

Genie Travel Company has made it seamless for me to join the travel industry. I can access training from an app on my phone, so even while I'm waiting for kids, I can take a quick training. The team is personable and helpful. I love Disney and it's amazing I can make an income from something I love.

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