While many travel agencies have been struggling in the current market of high airfare and low consumer demand, there are instances of fraud that leave travelers who saved for long-awaited trips without travel arrangements.
In April 2026, the entire men’s basketball team of the University of Dallas was left without an organized tour to compete in the United Kingdom after Boston-based GoPlay Sports Tours LLC accepted two payments of $30,000 and then stopped replying to their attempts to reach them.
In two separate cases in the Canadian province of British Columbia, what were presented as travel agencies ended up getting closed down by regulators after multiple complaints of customers paying for flight tickets and hotels that ended up being invalid.
Thai authorities strip licenses of four travel agencies run by Europeans
On the Thai island of Koh Samui, regulators have revoked the licenses of four travel agencies this month after discovering that they were operated by Westerners with no right to run a business in Thailand. Under Thai law, Thai citizens need to make up at least two-thirds of the company directors of any travel agency working in the country.
To get around this requirement, foreign nationals who launch travel agencies in the country will sometimes find local “Thai nominees” to be registered on their behalf and hide the fact that the agency is run primarily by non-Thai people.
Related: Thailand may crack down on visa-free access for Americans
This type of business activity is illegal under Thai law and, amid recent government statistics showing a massive increase in foreigners entering on tourism visas and working illegally, Thai authorities have started cracking down on businesses suspected of operating illegally on top of regular enforcement actions taking place periodically throughout the year.
As first reported by local press, the Samui Tourist Police and the Surat Thani Tourism and Sports Office investigated 12 travel agencies selling tours to Koh Samui to tourists from Western countries and revoked the licenses of four found to be run by French, Belgian and Italian citizens.
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As illegal activity spikes, Thailand cracks down on tourist entry
Both the foreign and Thai citizens behind the agencies have been banned from launching travel agencies in the country for the next five years while also facing potential fines over breaching local laws.
Earlier this year, Thailand’s Cabinet has voted in plans to bring down the number of days citizens of countries such as the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom and nations making up the EU from 60 to 30 days after finding that the entry change passed in 2024 led to a spike in Westerners entering as tourists and then launching illegal businesses.
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The travel pattern statistics presented to lawmakers for consideration showed that the majority of those who come to Thailand for tourism stay for fewer than 22 nights while illegal commercial activity tends to disproportionately spike among those who stay longer.
“The objective was to promote tourism, which is important, as tourism generates significant revenue and contributes to Thailand’s GDP,” Thai Minister of Foreign Affairs Sihasak Phuangketkeow said at a press briefing in March 2026. “However, today, the ministry, through the visa committee that we chair, believes that 60 days may be too long.”
Related: Another travel agency shuts down, cancels 200 trips
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