Dear Paula,
We are genuinely surprised and disappointed by your severe accusations of "mismanagement and corruption" simply because you could not join a sold-out tour without a reservation.
I was personally at the meeting point that morning and spoke with you. Here are the facts regarding the situation:
Peak Holiday Demand & Alternatives: First, we are not the "ONLY" company that organizes tours to Rila Monastery. While we are proud to be the oldest operator with the best reviews, there are at least 5 or 6 other companies offering daily departures from Sofia. You were attempting to travel during the May 1st holiday weekend, the absolute busiest time of the year. Due to high demand, our tour was fully booked well in advance.
The Payment Issue: You showed me a screenshot of an error message at the payment stage. As I explained to you on-site, this was an issue with your specific payment method/bank authorization, not a failure of our booking platform. Hundreds of other customers successfully booked and paid for their seats on our website for that exact same day without any issues.
No Reservation = No Seat: As is standard practice globally, our tours require an advance online reservation. We strictly advise against showing up at the meeting point without a confirmed ticket, as our buses are dispatched based entirely on the confirmed passenger manifest.
We understand your frustration at missing out on the monastery, but blaming us—when the reality is that you tried to join a fully sold-out tour at the last minute on a major holiday and your bank card failed—is completely unfair. We operate transparently and professionally, welcoming thousands of happy travelers every year.
Best regards,
Atanas Zahariev
Manager, Traventuria Ltd.
