[Resolved]  SOTC — Mismanagement by SOTC regarding our visit to Malayasia and Singapore

Address:

Kolkata, West Bengal

· I, Sanjiban Banerjee along with my spouse Ms Manjusree Banerjee, had visited Europe on a holiday Group Tour organized by SOTC’s Salt Lake City office in Kolkata during May 11-22, 2013 (11N/12 D). The tour was organized properly and we enjoyed it thoroughly. · Based on the above experience, I contacted SOTC’s Salt Lake office in Kolkata (Ms Jayanti Chakraborty) during October 2013 requesting them to organize a Customized tour for me and Spouse to Malaysia and Singapore for 6N/7D starting from 16.02.2014. · SOTC, Kolkata had sent two quotations on SIC basis for the above tour viz. (1) 3-star accommodation @ Rs 91, 210/- per person and (2) 4-star accommodation @ Rs 96, 506/- per person. As I wanted to avail 4-star accommodation, SOTC had sent me their revised and final quotation of Rs 90, 008/- per person. I paid the booking amount of Rs 41, 000/- on 30.10.13 and subsequently Rs 1, 49, 289/- on 10.02.14 totaling to Rs 1, 90, 289/- i.e. @ 95, 144.50 per person, which was in excess of the earlier quote of Rs 90, 000/- per person. Air Travel · My air ticket was booked in Thai International in the Sector Kolkata-Bangkok- Kuala Lumpur. The return ticket was booked in the Sector Singapore-Bangkok-Kolkata. We had to get down in Bangkok and catch another flight of Thai International, both for our onward as well as return journey. I fail to understand when there was a direct flight from Kolkata to Kuala Lumpur and direct return flight from Singapore to Kolkata, why our tickets were booked via Bangkok thus wasting our time besides causing harassment to us. Hotel Accommodation and Food · As per quotation, I was supposed to be booked in Kuala Lumpur : Hotel Furama Bukit Bintan Genting : Hotel First World Singapore : Hotel Landmark Village But, finally my accommodation was booked as follows: Kuala Lumpur : Hotel Grand Seasons Genting : Hotel First World Singapore : Hotel Grand Chancellor · I was told by SOTC that the hotels in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore were changed as Indian Food was available in these hotels. Although the food was satisfactory in hotel First World, the accommodation was far from satisfactory and not worthy of 4-star accommodation. In Hotel Grand Seasons in Kuala Lumpur, both food and accommodation were satisfactory. However, in Hotel Grand Chancellor, which is 3-star hotel, despite our premium room being booked, we were not sure whether a premium room was given to us. Moreover, despite Indian food being available in the hotel, our dinner was arranged in Indian restaurants outside within walking distance from the hotel. However, the food in these restaurants was second grade. I do not understand when Indian food was available in the hotel itself why our dinner was arranged outside where the food was not up to the mark. Transport and Sightseeing · Our transportation & sightseeing on SIC basis in Malaysia and Singapore was organized by Asian Famous Tours & Travels (AFTT) and Pacific Trails respectively. · On our way from Kula Lumpur airport to Genting, we reached Batu Caves at about 12 Noon local time. During this time all the temples were closed and we could not see any temple, which are the main attractions there. · We were booked by bus from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore on 19.02.14 at 9.30 a.m. However, while dropping us from the hotel to the Kuala Lumpur bus stand, the driver could not tell us anything about our programme for Singapore nor we were told anything by AFTT. · After reaching Singapore and after completing our Visa formalities, we were shocked to find nobody waiting for us. We then took a local bus from Visa Office to Jurong East by paying 12 ringgits (Rs 250/- approx) from our own pocket. Even after reaching Jurong East bus stand, we did not find anybody and we both were left stranded running here and there not knowing what to do. Both I and my spouse were puzzled and stood still on the road not knowing what to do as no one could understand our language and did not help us in any way. Ultimately, based on the SOTC voucher available with me, I took the risk of contacting a taxi driver about the location of the hotel (Grand Chancellor). Luckily he knew about the hotel and took us there and we paid 20 Singapore dollars (Rs 1, 100 approx). We were lucky enough to be allowed to check-in at the hotel based on the voucher given by SOTC. · After checking in at the hotel, we made frantic efforts to contact somebody from the Pacific Travels through telephone as we did not have any itinerary for the next three days. After making 3-4 telephone calls (Rs 150 approx.) from our room hotel we could contact one Mr. Vimal of pacific Trails in Singapore. We were shocked when he told us that the driver was waiting for us at Singapore Airport when our programme was to come by road. Even the Itinerary given to us showed that we were to be picked up from Changy Airport in Singapore. Moreover, it was surprising that no one from pacific Trails bothered to contact the hotel about our whereabouts. · It was surprising that the tour coordinators in Malaysia and Singapore did not bother to meet us nor contact us for any problems and expected us to contact them for clarifications regarding pick-up/drop off, sightseeing etc. We were handed our Itinerary, sightseeing entry tickets etc. by the drivers sent by the tour coordinators who most often did not know about the details and we had to seek clarifications from the coordinators through them. In summary, I want to mention that we seek foreign holiday tours by paying high amount through reputed tour operators like SOTC to get relief from our day-to-day tension. Moreover, I am an old man having retired from active service and therefore do not expect to be harassed and mentally stressed while holidaying. However, on this occasion we were sufficiently harassed and were always mentally stressed due to the inept handling of our programme by SOTC. In view of the above, I seek a refund of Rs 1, 500/- from SOTC paid by me from my own pocket besides an amount of Rs 20, 000/- for accommodating us in lower ranked hotels and unsatisfactory food besides mental agony undergone by us during the above tour, at the earliest. -Sanjiban Banerjee Flat-103, Executive Palace, CA-16/2A Rail Pukur Road, Baguiati, Kolkata-700059 Mob: +91 [protected]