RSD travel scam

traveller25

 Avoid these scam cowboys

RSD used to provide good value well organised coach trips to many countries. Now these holidays are potentially twice the headline cost and built on dull shopping visits and shabby hotels.

You could double the advertised cost when you add the additional excursions and half board, not to mention the airport surcharges for most dates. Our Cyprus trip looked cheap but there was intense pressure right from the start to purchase additional excursions.

We were told that if we did not pay immediately for these extras we would be stuck in isolated hotels with nothing to do. This was a clear lie- the hotel ran a regular free shuttle to an excellent beach.

RSD keeps prices low by sheer volume- the whole plane was on the same trip, with five coaches shuttling round the island, but they also depend on sponsorship from shopping outlets. Hours are spend hanging about in dismal car parks on industrial estates, whilst the most attractive elements of the tour-like the sandy turtle beach mentioned in the advertising-are allocated only 20 minutes.

On several days lunch was delayed by shopping stops to mid-afternoon after a very early start. The guides were often unpleasant and abrasive, even though almost everyone on the trip was elderly and many were frail with disabilities.

When we complained RSD blamed one bad apple, made some empty promises, and gave us a derisory £30 refund (not that we wanted one). They ignored the issue of a corporate culture of misleading marketing and upselling of “optional” extras.

Holidaymakers beware- those cheap RSD deals are not what they say on the tin.