Advice please.

[RED-DOG]

Jokes will be tolerated but I really would like some serious advice too.

Last week Mrs Red & and I popped into a travel agents looking for a short notice holiday. We we were offered two weeks in The Gambia leaving on Jan 20 at what we thought was a very reasonable price.

We asked all the revevant questions like "is it a safe country?" and "is it OK to travel outside the resort area?". We wee assured that it was a very safe country.

We didn't book on the spot but went out for a meal, when we returned home our daughter told us that the travel agent had been on the phone asking if we wanted to book.

The following morning I was about to ring the travel agent when they rang me again to ask if we wanted to book We said yes we did and went ahead.

This morning I was browsing online and found this. Apparently there has been political unrest since Dec 1st.



http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-38621092


https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/gambia

[tikay]

I've been to The Gambia 20 or more times, twice during the time of Military coupsTom, though not for the last 15 or 20 years.

Political unrest & Military coups are comonplace. Curfews often exist at night.

To regular holidaymakers, it's not, imo, (or was not, at the time) safe to venture outside your Hotel grounds. You'd either get hassled by beach bums or hustled  by conmen or drug dealers.

As it happened, I was close friends with an Italian family who ran Casinos right along the West African Coast, & they took good carer of me, chaeuffer driuven cars everywhere & such like. We went to dinner frequently with Ministers of The Gambian Government, & it was all very shady. Later, the father was murdered, & the Mother plum disappeared. But that's a whole other story.

The weather there at this time of year is lovely, 100% blazing sunshine all day every day, but it is not a pretty country, & does not fulfil the expectation of "Africa". Eveything is charred & brown, & there is almost no wildlife at all, apart from the most wonderful variety of birdlife.

I'm not sure The Gambia would suit you & Mrs Red, to be honest.  

[Doobs]

Demand your money back.  This has been all over the news and could clearly deteriorate into a revolution/civil war.  

[RED-DOG]

Demand your money back.  This has been all over the news and could clearly deteriorate into a revolution/civil war.  

Do you think we would get our money back?

We specifically asked about safety and travel outside our our resort and were assured that there was no problem although obviously we have no proof of that.

[tikay]

There you go, Tom.


https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/gambia

[RED-DOG]

There you go, Tom.


https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/gambia

Thanks Tone. That's the same link that I used in my opening post 

[marcro]

Demand your money back.  This has been all over the news and could clearly deteriorate into a revolution/civil war.  

Do you think we would get our money back?

We specifically asked about safety and travel outside our our resort and were assured that there was no problem although obviously we have no proof of that.

Unless there is a cooling off period in the T's & C's getting refunds from travel agents will be tough but you do have a case with them telling you Gambia was perfectly safe.  You may have a better chance asking them to let you select a different holiday.

[hhyftrftdr]

Is it normal for travel agents to ring you up numerous times asking you to book?

Not been to Gambia but know people who go annually and seem to love it. Safety of the country is another issue of course.

[Doobs]

Demand your money back.  This has been all over the news and could clearly deteriorate into a revolution/civil war.  

Do you think we would get our money back?

We specifically asked about safety and travel outside our our resort and were assured that there was no problem although obviously we have no proof of that.

If they said it was safe, then I think you should.  They have mislead you.  

I have travelled to several dodgy countries over the years, but pretty sure I wouldn't be signing up to go there right now.  

Which is the company and when is the holiday?  It feels inevitable that there is going to be some unrest at the "handover" date.  If your holiday is after that and the country remains peaceful on that date, I'd start feeling easier.  If it does get messy, the foreign office are likely to save you.  

I don't think this matters though.  If you asked about safety and they did anything other than advise you the loser of the last election was refusing to step down then they have failed in their duty of care in my view.

[tikay]

There you go, Tom.


https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/gambia

Thanks Tone. That's the same link that I used in my opening post 

Oops, sorry Tom.

[RED-DOG]

Demand your money back.  This has been all over the news and could clearly deteriorate into a revolution/civil war.  

Do you think we would get our money back?

We specifically asked about safety and travel outside our our resort and were assured that there was no problem although obviously we have no proof of that.

If they said it was safe, then I think you should.  They have mislead you.  

I have travelled to several dodgy countries over the years, but pretty sure I wouldn't be signing up to go there right now.  

Which is the company and when is the holiday?  It feels inevitable that there is going to be some unrest at the "handover" date.  If your holiday is after that and the country remains peaceful on that date, I'd start feeling easier.  If it does get messy, the foreign office are likely to save you.  

I don't think this matters though.  If you asked about safety and they did anything other than advise you the loser of the last election was refusing to step down then they have failed in their duty of care in my view.

Travel agent is Thomas Cook. We are scheduled to fly on the 20th, which is right about when the shit hits the fan.


political unrest in the build-up to the scheduled handover date of 18/19 January 2017. Although the situation in The Gambia remains calm, the potential for disturbance remains and this could include Banjul International Airport being closed at short notice.

[doubleup]

I've been to The Gambia 20 or more times, twice during the time of Military coupsTom, though not for the last 15 or 20 years.

Political unrest & Military coups are comonplace. Curfews often exist at night.

To regular holidaymakers, it's not, imo, (or was not, at the time) safe to venture outside your Hotel grounds. You'd either get hassled by beach bums or hustled  by conmen or drug dealers.

As it happened, I was close friends with an Italian family who ran Casinos right along the West African Coast, & they took good carer of me, chaeuffer driuven cars everywhere & such like. We went to dinner frequently with Ministers of The Gambian Government, & it was all very shady. Later, the father was murdered, & the Mother plum disappeared. But that's a whole other story.

The weather there at this time of year is lovely, 100% blazing sunshine all day every day, but it is not a pretty country, & does not fulfil the expectation of "Africa". Eveything is charred & brown, & there is almost no wildlife at all, apart from the most wonderful variety of birdlife.

I'm not sure The Gambia would suit you & Mrs Red, to be honest.  

hmmmm I don't see your African adventures in your Wikipedia page.  No doubt someone will sort that out in due course.

[Doobs]

Demand your money back.  This has been all over the news and could clearly deteriorate into a revolution/civil war.  

Do you think we would get our money back?

We specifically asked about safety and travel outside our our resort and were assured that there was no problem although obviously we have no proof of that.

If they said it was safe, then I think you should.  They have mislead you.  

I have travelled to several dodgy countries over the years, but pretty sure I wouldn't be signing up to go there right now.  

Which is the company and when is the holiday?  It feels inevitable that there is going to be some unrest at the "handover" date.  If your holiday is after that and the country remains peaceful on that date, I'd start feeling easier.  If it does get messy, the foreign office are likely to save you.  

I don't think this matters though.  If you asked about safety and they did anything other than advise you the loser of the last election was refusing to step down then they have failed in their duty of care in my view.

Travel agent is Thomas Cook. We are scheduled to fly on the 20th, which is right about when the shit hits the fan.


political unrest in the build-up to the scheduled handover date of 18/19 January 2017. Although the situation in The Gambia remains calm, the potential for disturbance remains and this could include Banjul International Airport being closed at short notice.

I'd go back and be firm and keep escalating.  As someone else said, say you are willing to change to somewhere else and that you are flexible on dates.    

[Kev B]

Suprised someone as big as Thomas Cook giving dodgy info unless the sales person is on a commission based pay system and is close to a bonus or even the other end of the scale and is desperate.

I think if you transfer to another holiday with them they should be accommodating. Best time of year for Brits to visit Thailand BTW 😉

[hhyftrftdr]

Suprised someone as big as Thomas Cook giving dodgy info unless the sales person is on a commission based pay system and is close to a bonus or even the other end of the scale and is desperate.

I think if you transfer to another holiday with them they should be accommodating. Best time of year for Brits to visit Thailand BTW 😉

Also surprised at Thomas Cook ringing potential customers up to try and seal the deal (unless RD had asked them to get in touch of course). Pushy sales tactic would actually put me off booking with them.