ComplaintsforUTOvacation

• Initial Complaint

  08/04/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  My husband signed up and paid $296 on 1/24/2023 for the "Marvelous Phuket 7 Days - Land Only" trip advertised by UTO VACATION for a total of $696. The remaining $400 final payment was due on 5/29/2023, and he paid it on 5/22/2023. On 6/4/2023 and 7/6/2023, he received an email about documents, payments, and flight information, so he checked the website and found no outstanding payment obligations. However, in September, after purchasing our flight to Phuket, he logged in to upload the itinerary and noticed that our trip was "unconfirmed." He contacted UTO VACATION via phone and email, only to discover that we were supposed to pay $80 for a "compulsory" tip, plus two $199 late fees, totaling $478. We offered to pay the $80 tip but requested to waive the $398 late fees since we were unaware of this charge. However, UTO VACATION did not waive the late fees, so we were unable to travel with them. We have requested the full refund, but we have not yet received it.

• Initial Complaint

  04/04/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  In January 2022 I booked a vacation package #***** with UTO vacations for 2 persons to China and Thailand (package no: *******) and I paid US$1,094.00 down. The travel was planned to happen from 03/15/23 to 03/29/23. In December 2022 I received an information that our travel package was canceled due to Covid issues in China and they offered us an alternative vacation package to Pukhet, Thailand with 2 days Cambodia (package no: *******) in the amount of US$1,558.00 and I paid US$38.00 down to close this deal. The travel time was supposed to be from 08/03 to 08/11/2024. The initial amount of US$1,094.00 would be credited as per UTO. The residual amount of US$426.00 was due was 180 days before departure but was not clearly specified. End of January 2024 I wanted to pay the residual amount via Internet, but there was no possibility to pay, so I tried to get a representative by phone several times and several days for example on 1-855-526-1286, but the office seemed to be closed, I left my number to be called back, but no luck. Beginning of February 2024 I received an e-mail that due to non-payment of the residual amount of US$426.00 our travel was canceled. I called them immediately and got an agent on the phone, I explained the situation and that I was willing to pay immediately and that I wanted to do this vacation, I had also in the meantime arranged all flight arrangements. She said that she would give me an answer soon. A week later Feb 20, 2024 I received another e-mail from UTO that we had to pay besides the $432.00 an additional penalty of US$399.00 per person. This is really unacceptable. I returned an e-mail and said that we will not proceed with this penalty and that we want to have our down-payments of US$1,094 plus US$38 to be credited. I received then another e-mail in which they lt us know that all down-payments have been forfeited and that we will not receive anything in return. I am asking the BBB to assist in this matter to get our money back.

• Initial Complaint

  03/04/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  Dear BBB, I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to bring to your attention an issue I have been experiencing with UTO Vacations, and I kindly request your intervention and assistance in resolving this matter. I purchased a package sale for the "Highlights Of Thailand & China 12 days - USA Departure" tour for a total cost of $2828 for my family for travel in 2023. I paid a deposit of $1788 at the time of booking. However, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the strained relations between the US and China, my travel plans had to be canceled well in advance of the trip date. Upon canceling, UTO Vacations provided me with a credit instead of a refund, which I understand given the circumstances. However, the issue arises from the inability to utilize this credit effectively. The tours I am interested in are consistently sold out, and the current pricing for available tours is exorbitantly high, making it impractical for me to utilize the credit in a meaningful way. Furthermore, when inquiring about using the credit toward airfare only, I was informed that it must be used for a package tour, limiting my options even further. Many other travel agencies offer the flexibility to use credits toward airfare or hotel reservations, which makes this situation particularly frustrating. To add to the urgency of this matter, I recently learned that the credit provided by UTO Vacations is set to expire in August. This timeframe is unacceptable, considering the challenges in booking a suitable tour and the limited options available within the credit's validity period. I respectfully request your intervention to help facilitate a resolution with UTO Vacations. I am seeking either a refund of the amount paid or a more flexible approach to using the credit, such as allowing it to be applied toward airfare or hotel bookings separately. Thank you for your attention to this matter, and I look forward to your assistance in resolving this issue promptly.

• Initial Complaint

  29/03/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  UTO vacations refuses to refund money for a trip that they canceled. **** *** ** ********* ***** **** *********

• Initial Complaint

  28/03/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  Paid $600 deposit for 2020 China trip but they cancelled due to covid. Trip not available since then and they refuse to return my deposit after many calls and emails requesting that.

• Initial Complaint

  21/03/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I logged onto UTO Vacations site for the China tour. I signed up for a vacation with my credit card, and then tried booking my vacation. Immediately they stated they don't have any more tours available. I've been checking now for months for available dates for this tour, but the tour is no longer available. I contacted customer service about this but they say they can't do anything about it. They just took my money, but now won't refund it. I don't understand how they can collect money for a tour, then run out of possible dates, and then refuse to refund the money.

• Initial Complaint

  20/03/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I was supposed to have a vacation to China and Thailand April 2023 but UTO Vacations cancelled the trip due to COVID issues in China. They left me only the choice to accept a credit which they assured me could be used to rebook the trip once the COVID restrictions were lifted . However they never offered any similar trip that was even close to the original offer. Even trying to accept another Land Only offer was impossible as the pricing would involve giving them more funds which I definitely did not want to do considering they were already ******* in their dealings with me. I have tried to talk with them about returning my funds and they kept putting off the promises until I no longer can work with my Credit Card company to report the purchase. I see many people have had the same experience and you have helped them retrieve their funds. I am on Social Security and this amount represents a great deal of money to me. It basically meant that I could not travel at all as there were no other funds to use but the ones they ***** from me and my niece who was to travel with me as I need a companion. it should be against the law for a large company to ************ ***** from a elderly person such as I and I hope the most stern measures can be used against them to get my funds back as well as prevent future ******** from customers. They should be held accountable to return funds to the customers who had their trips cancelled as insurance was supposed to be part of the package as well. Just need help and have no where else to turn. Believing their lies and promises has been stupid of me and I'm done PLEASE HELP

• Initial Complaint

  20/03/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I paid a $1,200 deposit to this company in July 2020 for a trip to Peru. The trip was scrapped due to ongoing covid restrictions and I was offered a credit towards a future booking that will expire in April 2024. Currently, the cost for a similar trip is 4 times what my initial price was supposed to be, which is completely beyond my budget and what was initially agreed upon. I have tried to work with this company for more than a year to receive a refund or come to another solution to no avail. Additionally, per other customer reviews, this company has been notorious for last-minute cancelations and refusal to refund their customers.

• Initial Complaint

  19/03/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  Order #41409; UTO Vacations - I paid a deposit to UTO Vacations for a tour within my budget for my two children and I during COVID. The company sent me an email and stated that they were providing a credit for my tour based on uncertainties of when it would take place. I had already planned my vacation dates with my children, and they could not be changed. UTO removed the tour from my account and later reinstated it demanding the final payment still with uncertainties for the date. I requested a refund since they cancelled the tour, and it affected my vacation plans. Three weeks after they cancelled, they sent me an email giving me 5 days to respond on whether I would still go on the trip. Not willing to take a chance on giving them more money that wouldn't be refunded if something changed, I selected for them to have a manager contact me and that I would not be able to go on their selected dates. Nobody ever contacted me. I tried my cc company for a chargeback and my travel insurance, and they both were unable to assist because UTO would not refund my money because apparently, even if they cancel and change plans, there are no refunds. Recently, I learned that Canada's Consumer Affairs states that you can obtain a refund within a year and my complaints were all within the year of the first deposit. I finally received a credit on 6/27/23 from UTO as they will not refund me. I have never been able to find a tour at a comparable price and I'm not willing to risk giving them thousands of dollars more for another tour because, 1 - I don't have that amount of money to spend freely on a trip, and 2 - because they are a shady, unreasonable, uncooperative, unsympathetic, greedy company that I don't trust providing me a service. They are charging for the same tour at $4K+ pp. I implore your assistance in obtaining a refund of my hard-earned money. I have plenty of documentation to provide should you need it for your investigation.

• Initial Complaint

  18/03/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I book a tour in UTO on 02/28/2023 for Highlights of Japan & China 16 days departure date 11/27/2024 and return on 12/12/2024 - total of $1200 for 2 person and Insurance $398 for 2 person. I pay total of $1600. I cancelled the tour and UTO told me that I cannot get the refund and will give me credit for future tour. I read the reviews and UTO is scam that they will never refund your money and when you are on tour you will be charge more. This scary -- how can I get my full refund.

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩