Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Viator, Inc.'s headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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  Viator, Inc.

  400 1st Ave Needham, MA 02494-2815

• 

  Viator, Inc.

  777 N Rainbow Blvd STE 300 Las Vegas, NV 89107

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/29/2025

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I live in the ************* and booked a trip through Viator for an ATV ride in ********** for my girlfriend and I. It was 1 ATV that seated both of us. I went on this trip 2 days ago and while on this trip the muffler pipe exploded and melted and burned my girlfriends leg badly. I took pictures showing the exploded melted muffler pipe and pictures of my girlfriend's burned leg. I submitted these pictures to Viator whose phone *** told me I should get a refund back of the money I paid as well as some sort of compensation for my girlfriends pain and suffering from getting burned. Viator then responded that they will refund my money but issue no compensation for her getting burned. They instead told me I should reach out from the ************* to ********** and try to get compensation from the tour company who gave the *** ride. This is absurd because first of all I'm not going to pay $2 a minute to call the ****************** and second of all I paid my money to Viator and only Viator and I should be dealing with Viator for compensation and not be told to chase some company that I had absolutely no contact with when booking this event. I believe Viator should issue me some sort of a credit to use for any future event and they should do this and not pass the **** to a company overseas. Again I stress that I paid Viator and only had contact with them and they should issue the compensation for my girlfriends burned leg in the form of some Viator credit good to use on a future event. I cannot believe they're trying to pass the **** and take no blame in this matter.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/30/2025

  Viator has reviewed the booking details along with the customer statement regarding their experience. Viator takes all customer feedback and safety concerns seriously. The case has been escalated and an investigation regarding the experience will be conducted and addressed directly with the tour operator of the booking Tour Package **********. Viator has issued a full refund of USD ****** on this booking considering the circumstances.
  
  Viator is unable to offer any additional compensation on this booking. Viator provided the customer with an online platform through which they were able to make a booking directly with the operator. The operator Tour Package ********** was the provider of the tour, and not Viator. Viator will have no liability with respect to the acts, omissions, errors, representations, warranties, breaches or negligence of any Supplier or for any personal injuries, death, property damage, or other damages or expenses resulting from the customer interactions with any Supplier. This was made clear to the customer during the booking journey, and is repeatedly stated in the Customer Terms of Use governing the customer booking. The customer can refer to the Terms of Use available on Viator website.
  
  Therefore any further communication in relation to this matter would need to be made between the customer and the operator Tour Package ********** as the tour operator can assist the customer with making a claim with their insurance. 
  
  Kind regards,
  Viator *************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/30/2025

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does satisfy my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint #********. I understand that by choosing to accept the business response that my complaint will be closed as resolved. 
  
  Regards,
  
  **** *****

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/25/2025

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I purchased a tour through Viator for a recent trip to **** which cost AUD $394. The ad for the tour stated a 7 hour tour with an English speaking guide. The day before the tour, the tour operator confirmed that he would meet us as planned at the hotel in ****, however on the morning of the tour I received a message from a random number that just said "Hi." This turned out to be a friend of the tour operator who would be taking the tour instead - something we were not informed of. This replacement tour guide barely spoke English, therefore was not able to properly guide us through the tour, and as he wasn't able to explain each of the attractions we visited, we walked around ourselves and he followed close behind. Because of this, we were back at our hotel in 4.5 hours, which was not the 7 as advertised. We did not complain to the guide at the time as he wouldn't have understood. However, I did complain to the tour operator as soon as we returned to the hotel, and requested a refund for this tour through Viator. The tour operator confirmed in a WhatsApp message that he would refund the cost of the tour, however he must have told Viator something different as Viator declined to refund the tour. After returning to *********, I initiated a chargeback with **************** as the service we were charged for did not match what was advertised. I provided **************** copies of all correspondence with the tour operator and with Viator. Viator provided their response to ****************, and **************** sided with Viator and declined the chargeback request. I called **************** to express dissatisfaction with the outcome, and they advised that if I did not agree with this outcome then I would need to raise a complaint with ****.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/25/2025

  The customer has initiated a chargeback with their financial institution and Viator cannot assist with issuing a refund. The customer will need to follow the chargeback process as described by their financial institution. Once a decision has been made after the investigation performed by the customer's financial institution they will reach out and advise on the outcome. In this instance, our team would only be able to provide a full refund to the customer if there was not a chargeback pending. Otherwise, as stated above the customer will have to await the decision from their financial institution.

  
  Kind Regards,
  Viator Customer Care

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/25/2025

  Better Business Bureau:I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ********. Please add your rejection comments below; if you do not provide any details, your complaint will be closed as Answered. 

  My credit card provider reject the chargeback and sided with Viator. They advised that if I disagreed with their outcome that I could make formal complaints which is what I am doing.

  
  Regards,

  ******

   

   

  Business Response

  Date: 04/29/2025

  Viator has reviewed the booking details and reviewed the chargeback raised for the transaction is still ongoing. Viator **************** Team ahs reached out to the Chargeback team regarding the chargeback initiated. As the chargeback was raised with the customer financial institution, ********************** cannot provide assist the customer further in this instance. The customer will need to follow the chargeback process as described by their financial institution or contact their financial institution for an update. Once a decision has been made after the investigation performed by the customers financial institution they will reach out and advise on the outcome. The customer will have to await the decision from their financial institution.

  Kind regards,
  Viator Customer Care

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/24/2025

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  We booked a tour and the night before (at 7pm) the tour company changed the pick up location to a place that would require us to hire a driver to get there. We selected a meetup location that was walking distance. They refused to refund us because it was less than 24hours despite them making the changes. I paid $68.00 and selected a specific location for pick up. They have not replied to emails other than to tell me I could not be refunded. They also did not adhere to the requested pick up time but I am assuming they change it because they know it will take you more time to get there.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/25/2025

  Viator takes all feedback seriously and strives to work with our tour operator to provide the best experiences to our customers.  In light of your refund request, we have reviewed the inclusions and details of this tour. 
  We have reviewed that the tour operator Amigo Tours did not make any change on the advertising and conditions of the Chichen Itza, Cenote & Valladolid Tour with Tequila and Lunch after you have placed the booking. 
  We have reviewed this booking was placed on April 23 and you selected the following option "Meeting Point Tour". This option is described as "Meeting point: Select this option if you want to be picked up at any of the meeting points available in ******".
  For this booking, you have selected at the checkout page "Meeting point : **************************************************************************************". This location is in ****** and not in ******
  We have reviewed the tour operator sent the details of the pick up location for this tour, which was correctly Oasis Smart in *************, ******, at 9:05am.
  After careful consideration of the information available on our website, ticket, and messaging, we have not found any verifiable discrepancies. Therefore, we are unable to issue a refund for this booking.  
  
  

  Kind Regards, 

  Viator customer care

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/25/2025

  Better Business Bureau:I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ********. Please add your rejection comments below; if you do not provide any details, your complaint will be closed as Answered. 
  

  They have stated that they did not make changes and that they held up their agreement but that is not true. I provided an image of the address I selected and the address that changed it to which includes a 30 min walk. That is not what I agreed to, furthermore the tour was set to start at 8am. It is clearly stated on their website and also on my booking page. Once submitted the changed the time to 9am. This is a long tour and getting back an hour later in conjunction with the added walking time is not what I paid for.

  civil, courteous and polite in their responses to complaints. It is important to remain professional and productive when participating in the BBB complaint process.
  
  FAQ
  
  Regards,

  Lacey

   

   

  Business Response

  Date: 04/29/2025

  Viator has done a secondary review of the bookings details, the Viator voucher sent to the customer and the communications between the customer and the tour operator.
  
  ********************** has reviewed the meeting point the customer selected at the time of booking and the address is : ***************************************************************************************************. ************* is a notable street located in the center of ****** heading towards the south of ******. The tour description page also indicates that the exact pick-up place and time will be confirmed the day before the tour. Viator has reviewed the exact location of the meeting point on ************* of the meeting point was present on the Viator voucher sent to the customer at the time of booking. The exact location of the meeting point is the office Smart Oasis Cancun on ************** 
  
  Viator has reviewed that this information was accessible to the customer with enough notice prior to the travel time in order to make the necessary transport arrangement.
  
  

  Regards,

  Viator Customer Care

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/29/2025

  Better Business Bureau:I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ********. Please add your rejection comments below; if you do not provide any details, your complaint will be closed as Answered. 

  Per the cancellation and modification policy from Viator, I was not satisfied with the changes to my pickup location and the tour start time. These changes were significant and I was not provided enough time to make arrangements for those changes. I made multiple attempts to contact the tour guide company and Viator to address the modifications but both parties failed to respond in a timely manner. 

  Businesses and Customers should be civil, courteous and polite in their responses to complaints. It is important to remain professional and productive when participating in the BBB complaint process.
  
  FAQ
  
  Regards,

  Lacey

   

   

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/24/2025

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I booked a tour through Viator (Booking Ref #**********) for my elderly parents, which was confirmed multiple times in advance. The tour was scheduled for **********, and my parents flew from ***** to join the tour. However, upon landing in **********, they were informed that the tour had been abruptly canceled, with no prior notice and no alternative *********** a result, they were forced to return to the **** immediately. This caused us to incur non-refundable costs for flights (booked via ***************), a hotel (via ***********), local taxi transportation, and a meal totaling $1,068.31.Viator refunded only the tour fee but refused to take responsibility for the consequential financial damages. Despite multiple attempts to resolve this through customer service, we were told ********************** would not reimburse the losses, even though their platform confirmed the tour multiple times before travel began.We are seeking reimbursement for these costs, which were incurred solely due to Viators failure to deliver a confirmed and paid-for service.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/25/2025

  
  By way of reminder, Viator, Inc. provided the customer with an online platform through which the customer were able to make a booking directly with the operator. This was made clear to the customer during the booking journey, and is repeatedly stated in the Customer Terms of Use governing your booking. 
  
  
  Here is a copy of the Terms of Use for your reference: ***********************************************************************. It may be worth the customer while reviewing the following provisions in particular, as well as the very first paragraph, which reiterates that "we [Viator] are not a travel or tour agency, and Viator do not provide such experiences ourselves. When the customer make a booking, the customer will be purchasing a tour, ticket or other service directly from the third-party supplier":
  
  
  Section 1.1, 1.3 and 1.4 (Introduction): this sets out an introduction to Viators business, and the roles that Viator, Inc. and the operator play in any booking. 
  Section 10 (Products and Booking Reservations), which goes into more detail about Viators role as the provider of a platform through which the customer contract with an operator, and explicitly states that "Viator will have no liability with respect to the acts, omissions, errors, representations, warranties, breaches or negligence of any Supplier or for any personal injuries, death, property damage, or other damages or expenses resulting from your interactions with any Supplier."
  Section 18 (Our Liability), which explains in detail the extent of Viators liability in relation to any booking. 
  
  
  As we have previously informed the customer, if the customer wish to pursue additional compensation beyond the refund already issued to the customer, then the customer will need to contact the operator of the tour directly. 
  

  Kind Regards,

  Viator Customer Care

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/22/2025

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Subject: Re: Case Refund Request Clarification Dear Viator Team,Thank you for your ********** requesting a refund for this booking due to an unexpected change in my travel plans that made it impossible for me to attend the scheduled event. I had booked the experience only a few hours before visiting ************ in person to explain the situation. The staff there were very understanding and professional after I showed proof of my travel change, including my flight details, and they advised me to cancel the booking online in order to receive a refund.Unfortunately, because my trip ended earlier than expected, I wasnt able to complete the cancellation through the Viator platform in time due to the hours in the day and time from when I booked, and the event would begin the next day it would be impossible to meet the deadline. However, I made every effort to notify the provider directly and follow the process I was advised to take. The staff assured me that, given the short window between booking and the scheduled event, and my circumstances, I would be eligible for a refund.They also mentioned that I could contact my bank for support in case any issues arose with processing the refund, and that I could provide proof of my travel changes if needed which I have done.I was truly looking forward to this experience and hope to rebook through Viator in the future for additional experiences. I appreciate your understanding and am happy to provide any additional documentation to assist in resolving this matter.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/26/2025

  The customer has initiated a chargeback with their financial institution and Viator cannot provide assist the customer further in this instance. The customer will need to follow the chargeback process as described by their financial institution. Once a decision has been made after the investigation performed by the customer's financial institution they will reach out and advise on the outcome. The customer will have to await the decision from their financial institution.

  Kind regards,

  Viator Customer Care

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/22/2025

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Transaction date was Thu, May 16, 2024, 9:00 AM I paid Viator $357 CAD They committed to provide me with an Exclusive Colosseum Underground and Ancient **************** Tour [Capped at only 12 people]The nature of the dispute is that Viator sent me an email stating that for "reasons of logistical optimization" that it was necessary to adjust my entry time to 10:45 am. I wasn't informed that this entry time was capped at 24 people. Also, since my entry time was moved to a later start time, I was unable to complete the tour since I had another Viator tour booked for a 2:30 PM entry time and had to get across town. The colosseum tour that I went on is valued at half the price that I had originally paid for my colosseum tour.The only thing that Viator has done on several occasions was to contact the service provider and inquire if the tour that I was on was capped at 12 people. They always received the same reply that the tour was for a group that was capped at ********************************************************************* I am well aware now that the tour that I took part in was capped at 24. I was told that I could escalate my case if I had additional information for them to consider. I sent them copies of my tour printouts that stated that the tour I paid for was capped at 12 people. I still got the same denial of a refund. Several other attempts also met with the same result. I am glad that all my calls have been recorded and can be reviewed for accuracy by Viator.The only advertising that I saw was on Viator's website. This is where my printouts of the tours come from.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/26/2025

  Viator has reviewed the booking details for the Exclusive Colosseum Underground and Ancient **************** Tour booked on March 27, 2024 for a total amount of CAD ******. Viator has reviewed that the tour operator notified the customer that the tour initially booked for 9:00am would not operate on the day and suggested to reschedule the booking to the 10:45am tour, which the customer accepted. ********************** has reviewed that the rescheduled tour at 10:45am had the same inclusions and conditions as the 9:00am tour and no price difference. On the other hand, Viator has reviewed that the tour description page at the time of booking was advertising conflicting information, being that the maximum number of travelers on this tour was 24 travelers and that the group was capped at 12 travelers. Viator understands this conflicting information has negatively impacted the customer experience and ********************** has processed a 50% refund on this booking on April 26, 2025. The partial refund processed on this booking is CAD ****** and the customer has been notified of the refund timeframe.
  
  Kind ************************************************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/06/2025

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does satisfy my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint #********. I understand that by choosing to accept the business response that my complaint will be closed as resolved. 
  
  Regards,
  
  **** *******

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/15/2025

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  We booked a UTV 2-hour rental for 3 people for April 7th, 2025 at 1 pm, outside ***********. Booking #*********. I had to rent a car in order to go to this activity. When we arrived at the location, 10 minutes early, there was no one there. We finally found a man who did not know anything about the company or the rental and said there weren't any keys on site for any UTVs but he offered us a small 2-seater 4-*******, not much larger than a riding mower. Although we were touched by his kindness (we could tell he felt sorry for us), we graciously declined. I immediately called and reported the issue. After a lot of back and forth, the woman on the phone stated we would be receiving our refund within 7 days. I asked for email confirmation of the conversation and she said that wasn't possible. Today is 4.15.25 and I have not received my refund, nor any communication. I called and they acted as if they had no idea what I was talking about and even said policy said no refund could be issued because this was in the past. I am FURIOUS!!!! They have NO RECORD of my call and keep bouncing me around. I demanded a supervisor and again, they acted as if they had no idea what was going on. This is a disgrace. They have STOLEN $360 from me!!! And now they say they can't "confirm" whether the supervisors will decide to reimburse me.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/16/2025

  Viator has reviewed the case. The customer made a booking on April 1, 2025 for the 2 Hour Off Road UTV Rental in *********** for April 7, 2025.  On the travel date, the tour operator, 281 ************, cancelled the tour as they were unable to provide the service. The tour operator notified the cancellation through their booking platform, **********, which sends an automatic notification to the customer's email. The voucher for this tour also instructed the customer to call the tour operator before their tour to coordinate the meeting details. Viator will review and address the issue of the phone call to the Viator call center internally with the respective agent. As the tour was not provided, Viator has processed a full refund. The refund was not processed timely due to a system error. Viator corrected the issue and processed the refund, providing the customer with the reference identification number to follow up with the customer's bank. In view of the delay, ********************** also provided a discount for USD 25 in the form of a promotional code, should the customer wish to give us another opportunity to serve her.
  
  Kind Regards,
  Viator Customer Care
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/17/2025

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does satisfy my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint #********. I understand that by choosing to accept the business response that my complaint will be closed as resolved. 
  
  Regards,
  
  ******* *****

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/13/2025

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Viotar violates human decency Do not ever use Viotar to book any of your tours.They have the worst customer service and are ruthless swindlers.Briefly, I booked a Lisbon Hop Off/On bus tour. The day before the tour I attempted to cancel, a mere two hours after their cancellation guarantee. My granddaughter had an emergency medical incident and I needed to get back to ********************I explained this to the ****** customer service **** I requested a voucher for a future trip, I did not request a refund. She said she required a DEATH CERTIFICATE or hospital records to validate my request.Obviously their response was not only inappropriate, but a violation of federal HIPPA ******* not ever book through Viotar.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/14/2025

  The customer has placed a booking on April 11 for 2 tickets for the City Sightseeing ****** Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour for a travel date on April 13. The customer reached out to ********************** on April 12 to request a date amendment on this booking. The terms and conditions for this product allow amendment and cancellation up to 24 hours prior to the start time of the activity. Therefore, the customer request was denied. As ********************** understands the customer faced an unexpected medical emergency, Viator requested the customer for additional documentation in order to proceed to a second review of the refund request. Viator understands that the terms used in the email communication to the customer did not refer to the customer situation and will review its process to ensure the right information is requested to the customer based on the circumstances. Regarding the initial amendment request from the customer, ********************** has reached out to the tour operator to request the date change, to which the tour operator has indicated the booking voucher remains valid for 12 months from the purchase or travel date and the customer will be able to use the voucher on an alternative date within 12 months. Viator has forwarded this information to the customer. As the customer has indicated they do not wish to use the voucher on an alternative date and based on the circumstances, Viator processed a full refund of the booking as a gesture of goodwill. Viator has emailed the customer regarding this decision.
  
  Kind regards,
  Viator Customer Care

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/12/2025

  Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Viator sell Tour with false informations see documentations

  Business Response

  Date: 04/13/2025

  Viator has reviewed the case. The customer has placed a booking with the tour operator Local Tours ASIA on August 20, 2024 for an excursion 3 Days Ha ***** Loop Tour From Sapa & return to **********, for a travel date on March 21, 2025. The amount of the booking is USD ******. The customer advised they are traveling along with other customers in the same group, these customers placed 3 other bookings on August 20, 2024 and August 25, 2025 for the same travel date. The amount of the bookings were respectively USD 398, CAD ****** and CAD ******.
  
  The customer has contacted ********************** after the travel date and has requested a refund for the 4 bookings. Viator has reviewed the information provided by the customer, being the lack of communication from the tour operator Local Tours ASIA, the unexpected change in itinerary, the transportation supplied by the tour operator and the lack of quality in the services and amenities provided by the tour operator during the tour. Viator has communicated and investigated with the tour operator Local Tours ASIA regarding the circumstances of the customer refund request. The local tour operator has denied the customer refund request.
  
  ********************** has addressed the customer statement and emailed the customer regarding the outcome of the refund request. Viator has advised to the customer that the experience booked is a shared experience, signifying that the customers booked on the same day on the same experience will be accommodated together. Viator has advised to the customer that the experience booked does not include a live guide and this information was present on the tour description present on Viator platform at the time of booking. Viator has reviewed the details of the itinerary with the tour operator and the tour operator has confirmed the itinerary was followed and the sites advertised at the time of booking were visited.
  
  Viator has reviewed that the customer voucher, sent to the customer after placing the booking according to the tour description present on the platform, indicated that the tour included 3 nights instead of 2 nights as mentioned on the tour description present on the platform. Based on this misleading information on the voucher accessible after the booking was placed, and as Viator understands the tour operator Local Tours ASIA failed to being responsive to the customer requests prior to the travel date, Viator has processed a partial refund on each of the bookings affected as a gesture of goodwill. The partial refunds processed on the bookings were respectively USD ***** for the bookings placed in USD and CAD ****** for the bookings placed in CAD. 
  
  Viator takes complaints seriously and appreciate the customer feedback. This feedback has been passed on to Viator Supplier Support Team to ensure the service is being provided to our high standards by this tour operator.
  
  Kind regards,
  Viator *************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/13/2025

  Thank you very much for your help

  I want to comments couples of things, when VIATOR said on the communication:

  VIATOR said:  we placed a Tour with "Local Tour Asia" that's true... but in the facts, we receive the services from another local operator the name is : "Vietnam Operator Tour ******************".  The first one (Local Tour Asia) is a high level quality Operator.  That is not the case with the the second one (Vietnam Operator Tour ******************).  It is like, if you book a flight from *************** and receive the service from a lower company (Air XXXX).

  VIATOR said: The announcement of the Tour was 3 days/3 nights on the site of VIATOR (when we bought the Tour), again that's TRUE, but the reality is: The Tour began 21th of March at 08h00 and finish on the 22th of march around 16h00.  The complete Tour took 30 hours.  If you calculate correctly, the Tour took 30hours/24 hours by day = 1,25 day.  The operator offer to us 2 nights, the first one in "Ha ***** Hostel" (in a really poor room with "urine odors" in the room and with a really dirty room).  The second night was WORST.  The hostel was really, really poor, a lot of noise (Party, bikers, gaz smelling in the room, dirty, cold food. and noise until 2 ******* in the morning), me and my wife can't sleep at all. we bought a tour of 3 days/3night, we receive 1,25 days/2 nights.

  VIATOR Said: The total amount of the Tour is : 2 X 398 $US and 2 X ****** $Cdn.  Total: 796 $US (or around ******* $Cdn) and ******* $Cdn (Grand TOTAL = ******* $Cdn), That's TRUE.

  VIATOR Said:  The Local Operator Tour has denied the customer refund request.  I don't know what the local operator said, but, in my contract, the contract was not with the local operator.  It was with VIATOR.  The contract was not respect, and that's why we submit to you a large and vigorous complaint.  There is no matter about what the local operator said...we are 8 peoples, who is ready to testify that everything that I say here, is TRUE.  For example, if you want to appreciate the credibility of the local Tour, I challenge VIATOR to give me the proof that:

  1- We take a boat on the "No Que River" admiring the majestic "Canyon of the Tu San", this Visit was include in the Tour (The operator took a lot of pictures, it suppose to have that pictures, of us)

  2- In the description of the tour that we purchased, you can read clearly that we was supposed to stop at the village "Lung ************** Tourism Village"  among other things to visit the traditional house
  Hmong centenarian, which was once an opium house, (again, The operator took a lot of pictures, it suppose to have that pictures, of us)

  3- Nho Que River, We never went to the river, the accompanist (the person who was supposed to serve guide), asked us not to go there for a lot of reasons,  (again, The operator took a lot of pictures, it suppose to have that pictures, of us)
  

  These 3 visits WERE NOT CARRIED OUT, and on the Tour, that we pay for, a lot of money, include all the fees in the attractions (Boat, Entry fees, etc.) We had no compensation about that from VIATOR.  Please ask to VIATOR, to proof that all of these 3 visits was done...  WE DIDN'T GO THERE...
  

  VIATOR Said: That the experience booked does not Include a live Guide.  That's FALSE, About the Guide...it is clearly indicate in the voucher that we have "English - Guide".  First of all, the person don't speak english.  The second thing, It was not a Guide. He didn't give us ANY INFORMATION.  Please see the document (P21-Page 65 on 90).

  VIATOR Said :  The vehicule supplied was a "Voiture", that,s FALSE, the tour was made in a bus.  We bought a Tour with 2 cars (Voiture in french language).  Another case of non respect of the contract.

  VIATOR Said: Viator takes complaints seriously and appreciate the customer feedback.  That's FALSE, I try to put all the history on VIATOR site, with all the proof and VIATOR reject my Post with any reasonable reason.  In fact, VIATOR want to control what we say on his site. VIATOR only accept positive commentary.

  On thing is sure, all the thing here is TRUE.  We are 8 peoples, who travel together, on my life I visit around 500 towns, with a lot of Tours.  That one (with VIATOR) was the WORST TOUR on my life.  VIATOR didn't accept that, didn't want  to make a real offer to us.

  I can add, a lot of other thing that's gone very bad on the Tour, but, if you want more detail, you can go on the documentation to see exactly what happen.

  If you need, I can translate the present documentation in english language.

  I Have 90 pages of all the history.  I can submit everything to you, if you asked for.

  Sorry, If I make somes mistakes about sentences, my english is not perfect.

  Best regard

  ******* *******

   

   

  Better Business Bureau:I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ********. Please add your rejection comments below; if you do not provide any details, your complaint will be closed as Answered. 

  [You must provide details of why you are not satisfied with this resolution.  If you do not enter a reason for your rejection, your complaint will be closed as Answered.]
  
  Businesses and Customers should be civil, courteous and polite in their responses to complaints. It is important to remain professional and productive when participating in the BBB complaint process.
  
  FAQ
  
  Regards,

  Jeannot

   

   

  Business Response

  Date: 04/15/2025

  Viator has confirmed the experience was operated by the tour operator Local Tour Asia, and Viator is not liable for the name displayed on the tour operator WhatsApp contact details. 
  
  Viator has reviewed that the customer voucher, sent to the customer after placing the booking according to the tour description present on the platform, indicated that the tour included 3 nights instead of 2 nights as mentioned on the tour description present on the platform. Based on this misleading information on the voucher accessible after the booking was placed, and as Viator understands the tour operator Local Tours ASIA failed to being responsive to the customer requests prior to the travel date, Viator has processed a partial refund on each of the bookings affected as a gesture of goodwill. The partial refunds processed on the bookings were respectively USD ***** for the bookings placed in USD and CAD ****** for the bookings placed in CAD. 
  
  The customer has reported a lack of quality in the services and amenities provided by the tour operator during the tour. Viator has reviewed the situation with the tour operator and confirmed the services and amenities provided during the tour complied with standards of safety and quality.
  
  The customer can refer to ********************** Customer Terms of Use, to which the customer agreed when placing the booking, which reiterates that Viator is not a travel or tour agency, and Viator does not provide such experiences themself. When the customer make a booking, they will be purchasing a tour, ticket or other service directly from the third-party supplier.
  
  Kind regards,
  Viator *************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/15/2025

  Again, Again and Again

  We do not accept the version of VIATOR.  

  On my last email, we challenge VIATOR to give us a proof about pictures and visit.  Why VIATOR never answer thoses questions ?

  I will make a deal:  IF VIATOR can proof that we was going to the following sites:

   

  1- No Que River (near the river)

  2- Boat on No Que River

  3- Lung ************** Tourism Village
  

  All the sites was includes inthe Tour (I can proove it)

  IF VIATOR can proove with pictures that we was going therewe will stop all our efforts

  Thats exactly why I explain to BBB, that Viator is dishonest I repeat again, VIATOR is dishonest.

   

  Proove it and the file will end. !!

   

  we didnt Go there

  we are 8 proples who will make the proof about that

   

   

  Better Business Bureau:I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ********. Please add your rejection comments below; if you do not provide any details, your complaint will be closed as Answered. 

  [You must provide details of why you are not satisfied with this resolution.  If you do not enter a reason for your rejection, your complaint will be closed as Answered.]
  
  Businesses and Customers should be civil, courteous and polite in their responses to complaints. It is important to remain professional and productive when participating in the BBB complaint process.
  
  FAQ
  
  Regards,

  Jeannot

   

   

  Business Response

  Date: 05/04/2025

  As previously advised Viator has confirmed the experience was operated by the tour operator Local Tour Asia, and Viator is not liable for the name displayed on the tour operator WhatsApp contact details.
  
  Viator has reviewed that the customer voucher, sent to the customer after placing the booking according to the tour description present on the platform, indicated that the tour included 3 nights instead of 2 nights as mentioned on the tour description present on the platform. Based on this misleading information on the voucher accessible after the booking was placed, and as Viator understands the tour operator Local Tours ASIA failed to being responsive to the customer requests prior to the travel date, Viator has processed a partial refund on each of the bookings affected as a gesture of goodwill. The partial refunds processed on the bookings were respectively USD ***** for the bookings placed in USD and CAD ****** for the bookings placed in CAD.
  
  The customer has reported a lack of quality in the services and amenities provided by the tour operator during the tour. Viator has reviewed the situation with the tour operator and confirmed the services and amenities provided during the tour complied with standards of safety and quality.
  
  The customer can refer to ********************** Customer Terms of Use, to which the customer agreed when placing the booking, which reiterates that Viator is not a travel or tour agency, and Viator does not provide such experiences themself. When the customer make a booking, they will be purchasing a tour, ticket or other service directly from the third-party supplier.
  
  Kind regards,
  Viator *************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/05/2025

  Hello

  We have discussions actually with Viator Legal Department. I hope we can reach a settlement within a week. Thank you.

  FAQ
  
  Regards,

  Jeannot

   

   

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/12/2025

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  We bought a ticket to a private speed boat trip to ***********. On the website the itinerary was detailed in "What to expect" part of the description. This trip was supposed to include:Blue lagoon and go for a swim among the fishes...**************: The most amazing location, a lake where you can stand on your feet and take great photos Freguesia de ************* Visit this interesting historical place, where population began at *********** and there is a beautiful church from the year 1843.***************** *************** Our trip contained none of these sites. We were particularly looking forward to ************** and visiting the historic church. The company did not honor their sale. They changed the itinerary and did not notify us. If we knew about the change, we would not have gone ahead.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/13/2025

  Thank you for contacting Viator Customer Support. On March 25, 2025 the customer booked the Private VIP Paradise Ilha Grande Speed Boat and Transfer from *** for a travel date of March 26, 2025. On March 27, 2025 the customer reached out to ********************** and advised that they attended the tour however they did not visit the lake nor the church both of which are listed on the website. On March 27, 2025 Viator sent a refund request to the local tour provider on the customers behalf to request a refund due to the two locations not being included in the tour. On March 27, 2025 the local tour operator responded to Viator and advised that per the information listed on the website the itinerary may change and the clients were taken to the lagoon during the tour. On March 27, 2025 Viator informed the customer the refund for the reservation was denied as it does state on the website under additional information that the itinerary may change. This information is listed on the Viator website prior to the customer booking their tour. On April 07, *************************** received a chargeback for this reservation. As a chargeback was submitted Viator customer support is no longer able to assist with this booking and the customer must contact their bank directly.

  Kindest Regards 

  Viator Customer Support 

  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/13/2025

  Better Business Bureau:I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ********. Please add your rejection comments below; if you do not provide any details, your complaint will be closed as Answered. 

  The change in itinerary was not discussed. We repeatedly voiced our desire to visit the ********* and the church. We booked the trip primarily for those locations and we felt tricked that we were not told of the change. We told our credit card company and they informed us to resolve with Viator.
  
  Businesses and Customers should be civil, courteous and polite in their responses to complaints. It is important to remain professional and productive when participating in the BBB complaint process.
  
  FAQ
  
  Regards,

  *********

   

   

  Business Response

  Date: 04/15/2025

  Viator reviewed the customer booking details. ********************** informed the customer the refund for the reservation was denied as it does state on Viator platform, in the section "Additional information" that the itinerary may change. This information was listed on the Viator platform at the time the customer placed the booking. The tour operator indicated the itinerary had to be modified on this day from the one advertised on the platform due to technical and logistic reason. On April 07, 2025 Viator received a chargeback for this reservation. As a chargeback was submitted, Viator Customer Support is no longer able to assist with this booking and the customer will need to follow the chargeback process as described by their financial institution.
  
  Kind regards,
  Viator *************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/15/2025

  Better Business Bureau:I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ********. Please add your rejection comments below; if you do not provide any details, your complaint will be closed as Answered. 

  The change in itinerary should be discussed with us and we should have been asked whether we wanted to proceed..
  Thank you!