SOTC (Kuoni Travels) Salt Lake Office is very near to our place of residence. Approached by their Representative with Invitation Card to attend their travel fair in ITC Sonar Kolkata on 17th January 2013 where senior people of SOTC Mumbai have attended.
Booked their "ALL INCLUSIVE All of Europe (Louvre) with Add on Scotland" package scheduled on June 26, 2013 alongwith all optional tours shown in the itinerary / brochure for 4 members of my family and I collected their signed document on all inclusive amount of tour with discounts offered in presence of Mr. Manish Kumar, GM of SOTC-ER. Henceforth I was subjected to various versions of innovative stories by SOTC Representative(s) as would be detailed in following paragraph in a most charming manner that precisely led to deceit.
After collecting the amount, SOTC Rep will never contact you for any update rather the customer has to call them up to listen to their new version update on innovative stories.
Dates of schedule trip kept on changing on every visit with change in Add on Venue between Scotland and Spain.
The academic commitments in High School/ College of my grown up children constrained us to find a narrow vacation window of 18 days between June 26 and July 13, 2013 and it was clearly explained to SOTC Representatives at the time of booking on 17-01-2013.
With innovative stories on ’Tour Cancellation’ due to Visa Refusal for a large group of a city (Ahmedabad, Pune etc.), I was finally told on May 13 that "All of Europe (Louvre) with Add on Scotland" package is valid and I should go ahead for UK and Schengen Visa Processing.
Accordingly, UK Visa Processing formalities was ultimately processed at VFS Kolkata on May 15, 2013.
I kept on inquiring about receipt of our 4 Passport with UK Visa Stamped for for further processing of Schengen Visa. I also asked for copy of travel tickets booked by SOTC.
On my subsequent enquiry, I was told on June 3 by Mr. Somedutta Basu of SOTC that June 26 tour is cancelled due to ’visa refusal’ of 13 members who booked from SOTC-Pune. I now have to opt for June 29 trip with Add on Spain option. Despite our problem on accommodating the change of date, we were constrained to accept the same.
Again, on my subsequent inquiry, I was told on June 5 by Mr. Somedutta Basu of SOTC that June 29 trip with Add on Spain option is cancelled due to ’visa refusal’ of 11 members who booked from SOTC-Ahmedabad. He can now accommodate me on June 26 Trip WITHOUT ADD-ON SCOTLAND OPTION. Readers, please note that on June 3, Mr. Basu himself informed me that June 26 tour on "All of Europe (Louvre) with Add on Scotland" is cancelled due to ’visa refusal’ of 13 members who booked from SOTC-Pune!! They just couldn’t keep track on different version update of their own stories!
I was wondering when June 26 tour is now confirmed by SOTC, what is the constraint in offering "Add on Scotland" that they claim that Add on options comes free (390 Euro) in their Brochure/ Website?
I immediately took up the matter with Mr. Manish Kumar, GM of SOTC-ER and I was told that he left SOTC and a new person Mr. Masroor Ahmed Khan has taken up his position. I approached Mr. Khan with above details and he echoed the version of Mr. Somedutta Basu on "TOUR CANCELLATION DUE TO VISA REFUSAL OF OTHERS" and the only option left for me is to opt for "All of Europe (Louvre) WITHOUT Add on Scotland" package scheduled on June 26, 2013.
Due to aspirations of my children to spend a "good holiday" that was overdue, I again have no other option but to accept this latest proposal of SOTC with reservation. I did have signed copy of all such changing offers made by SOTC to me at different points in time between January - June, 2013.
I’m not sure whether another version of story is awaiting us before intended date of travel i.e. June 26, 2013 and we are keeping our fingers crossed for an adventure!
May I suggest the CEO/MD of SOTC (Kuoni Travels) that reputation of service industry is based on trust and word of mouth and continuation of such unprofessional practices will lead them nowhere. I’m not too sure whether ’breach of commitment’ is a general trend of Travel & Tourism Industry!
The purpose of sharing this experience in this forum is to forewarn others well in advance about unethical but charming style adopted by a leading travel company of International repute as claimed by them!
I solicit the views of other members who have had better experience(?) with SOTC and possible remedial measures to be adopted.
Thx for your patience and understanding,