ConsumerWatch: Crushing any hopes of imminent refunds, the National Consumer Commission moved quickly to quell any talk of compensation for STA Travel consumers, writes GeorginaCrouth . COVID19
They offered great value-for-money deals, encouraging young travellers to see the world. But after almost 50 years in the sector, Swiss company STA Travel filed for bankruptcy a week ago, yet another victim of the Covid-19 lockdown.
Instead, it had insisted that customers accept vouchers for future travel, which will now probably prove worthless. Staff are believed to have been kept in the dark, and by midweek had not received their salaries. STA could not be reached for comment. On Friday, the World Tourism Organisation’s secretary-general launched a report on the impact of Covid-19 on the sector, noting that tens of millions of direct tourism jobs were on the line globally, with lost opportunities for vulnerable populations and communities who stand to benefit most from tourism, and the “real risk of losing vital resources for safeguarding natural and cultural heritage across the world”.
“In Egypt, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and his government made clear how strong, targeted support has saved jobs and allowed tourism to weather this unprecedented storm. Now, iconic sites such as the pyramids are ready to welcome back tourists, with the safety of both tourism workers and tourists themselves a priority.
Asata said that while STA was not a member of the association, the “industry as a whole has made every effort to assist customers to reschedule their travels with little to no compensation since the travel ban was implemented in March, as international outbound travel remains closed”.
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