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Virtuoso said it is ending its partnership with Cox & Kings in the United States and Dubai because of the continuing financial problems of the tour operator’s affiliate in India.
The luxury travel agency network confirmed Tuesday that it terminated the partnership on Sept. 20.
Cox & Kings India Ltd., one of the world’s oldest travel companies, in recent months has fallen behind on $100 million in debt payments, forcing the closure of two businesses in the U.K. and a suspension of its ability to sell airline tickets on credit.
“As part of Virtuoso’s contract-compliance process, Virtuoso asked both companies to provide us with financial assurances,” Virtuoso said in a statement. “However, with continued negative financial reports from their India operations, our members began to lose confidence, which resulted in their termination. We have shared the news with our membership and recommend that members reconfirm reservations if they have bookings with either company, and contact the individual hotels being used in the tours to confirm details.”
The move comes as the travel world is reeling from the collapse of another of the world’s oldest travel companies, U.K.-based Thomas Cook.
Los Angeles-based Cox & Kings, The Americas, on Tuesday had not responded to requests for comment on the move by Virtuoso.
In a statement in August, after the Indian company missed a fourth debt payment, the U.S. office said it was a direct subsidiary of Cox & Kings Travel Ltd. UK, which itself operates independently from Cox & Kings Ltd. (India). Both were operating as normal, the statement said.
The company also emphasized that “as an active member of USTOA, significant customer protection is required and carried. The business also holds supplemental insurance policies, such as errors & omissions, which are well above industry standards, and does so to offer additional peace of mind to our clients.”
Source: travelweekly.com