It’s an unnerving time in travel at the moment and Cox & Kings might be the next ones to ‘bite the dust’, after Cox & Kings, The Americas suspend operations.
This suspension comes after being unable to pay its suppliers for trips that have already been booked by travel agents and direct customers.
Apparently, the company hasn’t completely shut down, although its phones go unanswered and if you Google its headquarters, there’s a big red banner that states it has closed permanently.
It doesn’t look good.
What’s going on?
It’s still unclear, but this news comes only a few weeks on from Azamara Cruises sueing Cox & Kings, The Americas for breach of contract and Virtuoso removing the company from its preferred standing.
Only two months have passed since Cox & Kings, The Americas were adamant that operations were fully independent of the India parent company, that is currently being investigated for fraud.
At the time, Cox & Kings, The Americas stated it was a direct subsidiary of Cox & Kings Travel Ltd. UK, which operates independently from Cox & Kings Ltd. (India).
The fall of Tempo Holidays and Bentours announced last month that it was closing following advice from parent Cox & Kings India that its negotiations with “investors/buyers with heavy interest” had failed to materialise.
The U.S. Tour Operators Association (USTOA) declined to comment beyond issuing a notice Tuesday that Cox & Kings, The Americas was no longer a member.
It also noted that any claims for lost monies under the organisation’s Traveler Assistance Program would only cover refunds for trips booked before Oct. 15.
The next step
Although the tour operator is thought to be in talks with an investor interested in taking over the company, travelers who have already booked trips have two options: cancel and apply for a refund or pay the local suppliers directly then apply for a refund of any deposits and duplicate monies already paid.
The point of contact for refunds is journeys@coxandkingsusa.com
