A warning for anyone who booked holidays with Richmond-based travel agency Sinorama — Consumer Protection BC has suspended its licence.
“We went to perform an inspection and what we found is a bit concerning to us and while I can’t go into details, we believe they don’t have enough money to keep operating,” said Tatiana Chabeaux-Smith, a Consumer Protection BC spokesperson.
Consumer Matters coverage on Globalnews.ca:
The consumer watchdog fears thousands of customers could be affected by the suspension.
“We’re concerned that it could be around 4,000 people or more. That’s a lot of people who may have booked between around September through until next year,” said Chabeaux-Smith.
Sinorama Travel offers inexpensive trips to China and has offices in the United States, Europe and Canada.
WATCH: Police warn about Richmond travel agency
Sinorama Vancouver, based in Richmond, is now temporarily out of business as of Aug. 8.
Consumer Protection BC also froze the travel agency’s bank accounts.
The move in B.C. follows a decision by Quebec’s consumer protection office that Sinorama would no longer be licensed in that province over concerns about its management of clients’ money.
READ MORE: Coquitlam travel agency shut down after allegedly selling travel services with suspended licence
Customers are being urged to confirm if their travel plans are actually booked and paid. To find out what options exists for those impacted, Consumer Protection BC recommends going through credit card or travel insurance providers.
Consumer Matters tried to reach Sinorama, but did not receive a response. Calls to the Richmond office were eventually disconnected.