Life

Conquest Vacations ceases operations

conquestlogoOne of Canada’s largest and oldest tour operators, Conquest Vacations Inc. has announced the cessation of its tour operations effective immediately. The company has been in business for 37 years.

In a statement posted on its website, Conquest says it regrets the inconvenience caused to passengers due to cessation of its operations. It blames the closure on “overcapacity, price wars among the major tour operators, unrealistic and unreasonable demands by the credit card processing companies, credit squeeze and recent economic hardship.”

No further Conquest Vacations departures will take place, effective immediately.

Conquest was founded in 1972 by Robbie Goldberg, who sold the private firm in 2007.

Conquest is referring consumers who paid for trips with credit cards to their financial institutions, while those who booked and paid using cash or cheque through a travel agency are being referred back to the agency for assistance in filing a refund claim.

TakeOffeh.com has received the following information from CanJet Airlines who have announced that they will operate some return flights for Conquest customers who are currently in or near Cancun, Mexico or Varadero, Cuba and originally arrived on a CanJet flight as follows:

Thu Apr 16 C6 675 Dep 1350 Cancun – Edmonton

Fri Apr 17 C6 683 Dep 1710 Cancun – Edmonton

Sun Apr 19 C6 677 Dep 1455 Cancun – Calgary

Mon Apr 20 C6 671 Dep 2025 Varadero – Calgary – Edmonton

Tue Apr 21 C6 673 Dep 1650 Cancun – Calgary – Edmonton

Air Canada Vacations has advised TakeOffeh.com that they will return all Conquest Vacations passengers who were booked on Air Canada flights and are currently at destination on their homeward bound flights as scheduled and that Air Canada Vacations is making every effort to provide travel professionals with assistance in accommodating customers with their travel plans.

TICO (Travel Industry Council of Ontario) has provided TakeOffeh.com the following information for the assistance of Ontario based customers who may have purchased future trips offered by Conquest Vacations.

  • Consumers who purchased their travel services from an Ontario registered travel retailer (travel agency) and paid by credit card and the payment was processed by Conquest Vacations (Conquest Vacations appears on their credit card statement) may contact their credit card company and request a chargeback. Should a consumer be unsuccessful in obtaining a chargeback from their credit card company, they may request a claim form from TICO against the Compensation Fund.
  • Consumers who paid by credit card to a registered Ontario travel agency and the travel agency processed the payment (Name of travel agency appears on the credit card statement) should contact their travel agent or request a claim form from TICO against the Compensation Fund.
  • Those consumers who paid by cash or cheque to an Ontario travel retailer, may request a claim form from TICO against the Compensation Fund. Please note that there is a legislated 6 month claim filing deadline. Claim forms may be requested by calling 1-888-451-8426 or by emailing a request to [email protected]

Further information will be made availabe on how Conquest passengers can receive refunds or make a claim on Conquest’s website at www.conquestvacations.com.

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