Kwikchex suspends travel firm over bonding doubts

Reputation management company Kwikchex revealed today it had suspended the membership of a gay travel travel firm following customer complaints against the company, doubts about its bonding arrangements and its ownership.

East Grinstead-based Mantrav International claims on its website that all its bookings are fully protected by First Fidelity Trust, but Kwikchex said the Swiss-based insurers claimed no knowledge of Mantrav.

Kwikchex, which helps companies' build and protect their reputations, carried out a rigorous investigation into Mantrav following its application to join the organisation. Its investigations led it to believe Mantrav had made a number of other false statements.

Chris Emmins of Kwikchex said: "We suspended membership because Mantrav failed to provide verification of bonding,  because of non-compliance with mandatory legal aspects regarding information pertaining to ownership, a data security issue on the website and because of what we regarded as a failure to abide by the standards we require in terms of customer service – specifically the aspect of refunds to customers."

Kwikchex was unable to verify the ownership of Mantrav, which sells tours and accommodation specifically for the gay market. On applying to Kwikchex for accreditation, Mantrav said it was owned by the Zyra Group but Kwikchex said the company does not exist.

Previously Mantrav, set up by Malcolm Hardy, claimed their holding company was Mantrav Holdings UK, but this company was dissolved in 2010. Other connected businesses include Mantrav International Ltd, also dissolved, and Mantrav International Tours, which was the subject of a winding up order in 2011.

On December 20, Mantrav claimed it was going into administration following a drop in bookings, prompted by an alleged smear campaign by a former employee, Andrew Jones, who was awarded more than £66,000 by an employment tribunal which found he had been unfairly dismissed by Hardy 18 months ago. All four directors, including Malcolm Hardy, resigned from Mantrav on December 19.

However, the company is continuing to take bookings and it now claims it never stated its intention to cease trading.

Kwikchex and TravelMole have received complaints from clients who say they are owed money by the company after it cancelled their bookings to a men-only resort in Gran Canaria but failed to issue refunds.

Some clients claim they arrived at the resort to find that instead of being a men-only, clothing-optional property, they arrived at the address they were given for the "Club Mancha" resort in Playa del Ingles to find that it was a family-oriented resort, called San Valentin. They said they were turned away and forced to pay for alternative accommodation.

Mantrav admitted to TravelMole in December that it had had to cancel holidays to Club Mancha, claiming problems with the resorts owners, but said it was arranging refunds. A handful of clients have contacted TravelMole to say they have received only offensive and threatening emails from Mantrav, but no cash.

Another client contacted TravelMole claiming Mantrav had sold him a holiday to the men-only Club Mancha resort, flying out today (January 6), but only told him yesterday that the resort was not available and he would have to re-book and claim a refund from his credit card company.

When asked to comment on the claims against Mantrav, Hardy said he was no longer a director of the company.