The problems continue for Discovery Tours.
On Monday, the troubled company was dropped from membership by the Student & Youth Travel Association, a non-profit organization that represents more than 140 travel companies from across the country and around the world.
In an email to WKYC, Executive Director Carylann Assante says Discovery Tours' membership ended due to 'noncompliance with our terms and conditions.'
Assante warned of such a move to WKYC's Danielle Serino last week, saying Assante, “If there's a greater financial situation of bankruptcy or some other charges against them, that would be caused to revoke their membership.”
Meanwhile, Discovery Tours is facing a consumer protection lawsuit filed by Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine after the agency declared bankruptcy and canceled several school field trips within the last two weeks. DeWine says an investigation by his office found Discovery Tours took money from parents and schools despite knowing it would not be able to provide the requested services. Some 5,600 families were involved.
The lawsuit, filed in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court, is demanding the company cease all illegal activities and reimburse all customers.
Discovery Tours first came under scrutiny two weeks ago after Mentor was forced to cancel an eighth grade field trip to Washington, D.C., due to problems with the agency. Other local school districts soon started voicing concerns, and eventually Discovery Tours shut its doors and scrapped all planned trips despite the fact that most payments had already been made by customers.
While some school districts have been able to find ways to go ahead with their respective trips, others have not.