Tuesday 10 September 2024
The Consumer Protection Authority has taken decisive action to protect consumers' rights by temporarily closing a travel and tourism office in Muscat Governorate (Wilayat of Bausher) through a judicial order. This suspension halts the establishment's operations until pending lawsuits are resolved, following numerous complaints of non-service delivery and financial harm caused to consumers.
The issue surfaced when the Authority's Complaints Department received a barrage of grievances against a travel and tourism office for failing to fulfill its obligations. The establishment had engaged with multiple consumers for hotel bookings and tourism programs, collecting advance payments for these services. However, the company reneged on its commitments, failing to deliver the services as agreed upon and exhibiting delays in refunding the payments.
After meticulous investigation and evidence gathering from the complaints lodged against the establishment, it was confirmed that the company violated Article 23 of the Consumer Protection Law., which stipulates that (The provider shall provide the service to the consumer in an optimal manner and in accordance with the purpose for which the service was procured and shall guarantee the service provided for a time internal that is appropriate for the nature of the service, failing this, the provider shall refund the value of such service or the an amount compensating for any shortfall therein or in the perform the service again in the optimal manner as contemplated under the regulations" .
In response to these violations, the Authority pursued legal action and referred the case to the Public Prosecution. Subsequently, a judicial order was issued to temporarily close the establishment and suspend its operations until the pending lawsuits are resolved.