Wheat Ridge-Based Travel Company To Refund More Than $800,000 For Trips Canceled At Beginning Of Pandemic

DENVER (CBS4) -- The Denver office of the United States Attorney General announced Monday a settlement reached with Voyageurs International to reimbursement high school students and their families who had paid for trips to Europe that were canceled in March of 2020.

The agreement affects 400 Coloradans. They and other people from across the country paid Voyaguers for travel on the 2020 Ambassadors of Music Tour.

Voyageurs, according to the attorney general's press release, kept a $1,900 cancellation fee from each customer, and hundreds of additional dollars from each student and adult who had purchased four-day extensions of the trip.

The attorney general's office accused the company of violating consumer protection laws.

Per the terms of the settlement, Voyaguers will repay $793,300 in cancellation fees to Colorado customers and $59,925 to residents of other states.

"Many families in Colorado are facing new and additional financial hardships due to the COVID-19 pandemic," said Attorney General Phil Weiser. "Companies should not be withholding money from consumers that they were charged for a service that they didn't receive. We are pleased to see this money returned to Colorado families."

The AG's Office provided the story of one Coloradan, Amanda Wilker of Loveland, who said her daughter, Faith, worked two jobs to saved money for the trip. Faith expected the trip to be a highlight of her senior year. Instead, the refund will go toward her first year of college.

"We've experienced enough loss this year," Amanda Wilker said.

CBS4's calls to Voyageurs International's Wheat Ridge headquarters were not answered Monday.