Tourism directorate warns travellers to be careful while booking online

Directorate of Tourism has received three complaints in the last three months of poor service provided by private tour company and trekker group after booking the facility online

Pune: The Directorate of Tourism has received three complaints in the last three months of poor service provided by private tour company and trekker group after booking the facility online.

Directorate of Tourism has received three complaints in the last three months of poor service provided by private tour company and trekker group after booking the facility online. (Good Studio - stock.adobe.com (PIC FOR REPRESENTATION))

“Many cases go unreported as travellers do not approach authorities for lack of awareness. In the recent cases, all related to areas in Pune district, we called the complainant and tour operators and asked them to resolve the issue mutually. In one case, we ensured the tourist get 35 per cent refund,” said Shama Pawar, deputy director, Directorate of Tourism, Pune.

In the first complaint, the tourist complained that the standard of services, including accommodation, provided by the private tour operator was not up to mark. Travellers also stated that the trekking operator promised one place but changed the location at the last moment.

“We do not have the authority to take action, but in extreme cases advice complainants to approach the consumer court,” Pawar said, adding that some of the violators are not registered with the department.

“We give certificates to tour operators and trekker groups after examining their standards in terms of safety measures and other parameters. Hence, citizens should verify that travel companies hold certificate from the tourism and forest departments,” the official said, adding that complaints can be filed to their official email address available on website.

Meanwhile, Suryakant Pathak of Grahak Manch said, “We receive at least 6-7 tourism-related complaints every month. Most of them are service and fraudulent cases, like accommodation and travel, involving small or medium scale firms. Some cases filed during the Covid period are yet to be resolved. Some companies resolve the issue by offering credit for another tour. Some cases remain unresolved as travellers do not agree for credit and demand refund.”