Luxury travel agency tailored to Black women abruptly shuts down, cancels trips

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Ga. — Customers from across the country are asking where their money is after a Georgia travel agency that specialized in luxury group vacations for African American women abruptly shut down.

Virginia Gasber is supposed to be in Dubai this week on a trip through Ladies and Luggage. Instead, she’s stuck in Chicago after paying Ladies and Luggage nearly $11,000.

“I’m disappointed that the trip was canceled and I’m disappointed that she is jerking us around about the money,“ Gasber told Channel 2 Consumer Investigator Justin Gray.

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Deborah Wells is retired and living on a fixed income in California. She paid more than $3,000 for a New Year’s vacation to Negril, Jamaica.

It was supposed to be her second trip with Ladies and Luggage. She had previously taken a trip to see Usher in Las Vegas and had become active on the company’s Facebook group for travelers.

“It was a sisterhood. And so now you could imagine your sister saying, we’re not doing it anymore. Wait, what?” Wells said.

Owner Dacia Woods posted a 14-minute video to the company’s Facebook page telling customers, “I am focused on making sure that every person who is due is going to be made whole.”

In an email to customers, Woods explained “why we are unable to process refunds immediately.” She blamed predatory loans, an unexpected tax lien and the exit of a business partner in part for the company’s financial problems. Woods wrote she would be “sending out letters for those who have travel insurance, which you can use to file claims.”

Wells says that does not explain what happened to the money she paid every month in installments for her trip.

“You’re not telling me how to get my money back, though,” Wells said. “We’re on a fixed income and we’re making these payments, for these promised great locations. And here we are.”

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In an email to Channel 2 Action News, Dacia Woods said, “Unfortunately, there were significant details about the business and its operations that were not disclosed to me, and these undisclosed issues ultimately contributed to the challenges we are now facing…. I am working closely with my attorney to connect with each customer individually, ensuring that every claim is addressed, and each person is made whole.”

Gasber and Wells say they still have not seen any of the money they paid returned.

“That means that $3,143 should be back in my bank account. But that has not happened,” Wells said.

The attorney for Ladies and Luggage Brittany Anderson says no customer money was spent inappropriately and that “all customer payments were directed towards appropriate expenses. Ms. Woods’ records and accounting fully support this.”

Customers who feel they are owed money are asked to reach out to the company’s attorney here.

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