February 3, 2025 - Convicted: Holy Destinations Travel Inc. and Mohamed Hachemi Bensaci
Mississauga, ONT. – After being charged by the Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO), Holy Destinations Travel Inc. pleaded guilty to:
- 29 counts of failing to deposit consumer money in a trust account;
- 29 counts of making representations that are false, misleading or deceptive; and
- One count of failing to provide the Registrar with a letter stating the date when it ceased operations and the location of where business records are kept.
Mohamed Hachemi Bensaci, as the sole Corporate Director of Holy Destinations Travel Inc., pleaded guilty to two counts of being an Officer and Director of a corporation and failing to take reasonable care to prevent the corporation from committing an offence.
Holy Destinations Travel Inc. was registered as a travel agency in Ontario from 2019 until TICO revoked its registration on July 26, 2023, after receiving consumer complaints alleging that the travel agency collected consumer payments without providing the travel services consumers had purchased.
Holy Destinations Travel Inc. specialized in Islamic holy pilgrimages, including Hajj, to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. In 2022, the Saudi Arabian government announced that Hajj travel packages for North Americans would only be sold directly through a government portal. In other words, travel agencies could no longer apply for a Hajj travel package on behalf of prospective North American Hajj attendees.
It was found that Holy Destinations Travel Inc. continued to sell Hajj packages (flights and accommodations) in 2023 to unsuspecting consumers, despite the packages no longer being available through travel agencies. Holy Destinations Travel Inc. failed to deposit the consumer funds collected in its trust account, and the funds were not returned to the affected consumers.
In total, there were 41 affected consumers who engaged TICO, with losses totalling $436,500. In some instances, the Travel Industry Compensation Fund reimbursed consumer complainants for a portion of their losses, totalling $142,000.
Mohamed Hachemi Bensaci and Holy Destinations Travel Inc. are scheduled to be sentenced in Court on May 26, 2025.
Individuals convicted in Court of offences relating to the Travel Industry Act, 2002 are subject to fines of up to $50,000 and/or prison terms of up to two years. Corporations are subject to fines of up to $250,000.
About TICO
Formed in 1997, the Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO) regulates Ontario’s approximately 1,950 travel agencies, booking websites and tour operators. TICO administers the Travel Industry Act, 2002 on behalf of the Ontario government. As a consumer protection organization, TICO facilitates a consumer complaints process and administers the Ontario Travel Industry Compensation Fund. By booking travel with a TICO-registered business, consumers have access to added protection. To verify if a company is registered with TICO, and for helpful information and resources, visit www.tico.ca.
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Media contact:
Kristina Wilson
Stakeholder Relations Manager