Intrepid Travel
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Very Disappointed!
May 15, 2020 Intrepid, thank you for your prompt reply (see below). I prepaid approx. $12,300 CAD in Nov. 2019 for three trips commencing March-June 2020 (cancelled due to COVID-19). You offering me a 78% or $9600 CAD refund for the three trips isn't acceptable. I will take a maximum loss of 3-4% or $375-500 CAD (not 22% as you suggested to my agent). Between my 3-4%, agent fees and insurance coverage, your insurance coverage, supplier insurance, government assistance reliefs for your business and employees along with your company profits; WE CAN ALL SUPPORT! ("That’s why we’re asking you to consider taking a credit and supporting Intrepid and all our staff and suppliers around the world instead"). I'm not confident that 50% credit for two trips and 110% credit for one trip also isn't an acceptable option as world wide travel, restricted entry/exit into countries and quarantaine policies are an unknown for the next 18-24 months. I don't want to lose the 210% or $7800 CAD in travel credit if I'm not able to travel within the two year window you've suggested. Please contact me or my agent to discuss at your earliest convenience as this is now exceeded 60+ days of negotiation. Intrepid wrote May 14, 2020 Hi Shafiq, we're sorry your trips was suspended due to COVID-19 as we appreciate all the support you have given us over the years we hope you can get travelling again soon. This is a tricky and rapidly evolving situation for everyone. We have genuinely been doing our best to balance the needs of our staff, customers and partners. As you booked through a travel agent, they have their own set of booking conditions. We have refunded all agents in line with original booking conditions and they then pass the money (or in some instances credit details) onto you. When you book an Intrepid tour you are not just booking one homestay or one local tour - a typical 2-week tour is made up of dozens of different elements. We hope you can appreciate that it is not possible for us to itemise every element of these unrecoverable costs for each trip and customer. The unrecoverable costs deducted from your refund will only partly cover our expenses too. That’s why we’re asking you to consider taking a credit and supporting Intrepid and all our staff and suppliers around the world instead, but we know some customers will need their refunds (paid in line with their original booking conditions). You can read more in this blog post from our CEO, which further explains the dilemma that Intrepid and other travel companies face right now: Thank you so much for your support. I booked and paid in full for 6 tours with Intrepid in 2019-20 of which 3 were cancelled due to COVID-19. With no vaccine on the horizon (18-24 months), holding a travel credit of $11,000 Canadian would result in a loss of money and travel credit. I'd appreciate a full refund for the 3 trips that were not taken. Intrepid management offered refunding 65% and keeping 35% which isn't an unethical business practice that isn't even in line with industry standard. I paid for a service in full in November 2019 with no hesitation and am deserving of a full refund for service not rendered. Please consider my travel loyalty to your company and consider a full refund in an expedited fashion (my travel agent and I have been in correspondence with you since early March 2020). 1. Vietnam 2019 completed 2. Cambodia November 2019 completed 3. Sri Lanka February 2020 completed 4. Japan March 2020 COVID-19 cancel 5. Central Asia May 2020 COVID-19 cancel 6. Central Europe June 2020 COVID-19 cancel