Toronto

Sinorama Holidays ends operations in Ontario

After losing its licence in Quebec, Sinorama Holidays Inc. travel agency has ended its operations in Ontario.

Well-known tourism company, based in Markham, ceased activities in early August

'We are concerned that Sinorama customers won't get the travel they paid for,' said Tatiana Chabeaux-Smith, a spokesperson for the travel industry regulator. (Radio-Canada/Tourismeplus.com)

After losing its licence in Quebec, Sinorama Holidays Inc. travel agency has ended its operations in Ontario.

The Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO) says Sinorama was placed under trusteeship on July 24 after an $11 million shortfall and voluntarily ceased its activities in Ontario on August 8, terminating its Ontario Travel Industry Act, 2002 registration.

The Markham-based travel agency, which was well known, specialized in small group tours to China.

Trips scheduled after early August have been cancelled and TICO said on its website on Sunday that it is not aware of any travellers in transit.

Travellers who have booked trips with the company will have to file claims with the board of directors of the Ontario Tourism Industry Compensation Fund Corporation. People have six months to file a claim.

The travel agency had been operating in Ontario for 13 years.

TICO, which regulates travel agencies in Ontario, governs about 2,400 travel retailers and travel wholesalers in the province.