A travel agency has been suspended by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB)
It has received 14 complaints about Journey of Dream Pte Ltd, including unprofessional conduct and not providing the travel packages its customers had paid for.
The company's People's Park Office is now closed and houses a cosmetics business.
During the suspension, the agency cannot accept new bookings but is required to fulfil existing obligations to its customers.
Last month, Chinese evening daily Lianhe Wanbao reported that 97 Journey of Dream customers had problems with their bookings after one of the agency's staff members went missing.
A subsequent report said a $5,000 compensation cheque issued by the agency to a family of eight bounced, and that the boss could not be contacted.
Attempts by The Straits Times to reach the company at its Sin Ming Lane head office and its People's Park Complex branch were unsuccessful.
The STB is monitoring the situation. In a statement on Thursday it said it "adopts a serious view against errant travel agents and will not hesitate to take necessary actions to protect consumers' interests and safeguard the reputation of Singapore's tourism sector".
It also advised the public to exercise due diligence when making travel arrangements, purchase travel insurance upon making payment, and pay by instalments if travel dates are far in advance.
