Inspiring Vacations

Japan and south Korean tour with this company was the worse tour I've taken, and I've taken a few. Accommodation poor, bus transport was uncomfortable, time on bus to go from one attraction to another was mostly underestimated, entry fees were often not included. They discount tour prices ongoing, but discounted prices more closely reflects the… Read more

quality of tours. If you are looking for a cheap holiday, maybe this company is for you. Most of the 40 people on my tour would not travel with them again. Not enough room to list everything that was poor.

Buyer Beware! If you book a package which includes flights you can be charged extra for the flights prior to departure. We booked the 16 day Sri Lanka and Maldives trip departing this month. With less than four weeks to go we had no confirmed flights and therefore could not apply for visas. Despite receiving an email that stated we would… Read more

receive a quote for flights "60 days prior to departure", we were slugged with an extra $1,176 (for 2 people). We were backed into a corner with no alternative flight options offered with less that 4 weeks to go. I lodged a complaint with IV to no avail and with very little understanding or consideration. The communication with their flight department was appalling! We are experienced travelers and will NEVER use IV again. There are too many alternative companies out there to have to put up with poor customer service, poor communication and total lack of understanding in regard to the mistakes they made during the flight booking process. NEVER AGAIN!

We just came back from our "25 Day Inspiring South America with Santiago Small Group Tour". During the tour, we found there was a big price discrepancy for the optional tour - Tango Dinner Show. We paid AUD 264 per personx2=AUD 528 before the trip; while some other people who didn't book/paid the show in advance were offered USD 95 per person for… Read more

the same show. According to the exchange rate USD 95= AUD 132.18, while we paid AUD 264 per person, about double the price. The difference for 2 persons we paid is about AUD 264 more. We noticed we paid more for the other optional tours as well, however they seemed not as much difference as this one. We contacted Inspiring Vacations after the trip and [Name Removed]-Customer Success Specialist refused to do anything about the extreme high price of the Tango Show.

I went to Vietnam with inspiring vacations, to be totally honest my trip was nothing like what was sold to me. I realised during the tour , I’d been tacked on to a total different tour and only encompassed about 25% of what I was sold. I did get an… Read more

itinerary very late in the piece and tried to qualify it quickly but they were constantly getting back to me witch never happened. The wellness shopping trip that I was put on was far from the sandy beaches I was sold.

This company loses you in the fine print and I feel like I’ve been robbed.

Don’t give them your money until your 100% sure what you’re getting untrustworthy.

Good tour spoilt by mis management – Inspiring vacations did a wonderful job in organising a memorable trip to Morocco. We visited memorable places, saw fantastic sights but getting to those sights was literally a pain. Problem was the transportation provided by Inspiring was totally… Read more

inadequate. On our tour we has 16 people on the tour with an average age of approx 60. Unfortunately the tour guide had no spare room on the bus to even have water and with temperatures in the high 30s the ride was very uncomfortable with some people getting very sick. Issues were bought to the attention of Inspiring and their response was "speak to your tour guide". We all felt that we were ignored by inspiring, very disappointing

Most calm and professional advice on our many changes and questions with regard to flight departure airports, return dates and costs involved. Thank you very much Mike. Show details ·  2

Just finished the South America 30 day trip. BAD POINTS *Stranded at mid night at airport with no assistance from guide or Inspiring hotline (Aus) still awaiting out of pocket $65 for taxi to another airport? *Standby bookings by Inpiring for flights *Early flights and late arrivals, layovers at Airports with flight changes rather than direct… Read more

flights. No doubt due to cheap rates by airlines to Inspiring. * Members of our group told they were left of flights due to no booking / seat allocation. *Issues prior leaving Sydney, with Inpiring call centre no accommodation details until 1 week prior departure. Pre booked accommodation pre tour in Santiago paid premium price but hotel was changed to hotel which I could have booked for less than half the rate charged by Inspiring. Emails sent to Inspiring and response was that’s how it is !! *Trip advertised at a lower cost prior to travel, Inspiring reply after sending form and follow up , your trip was leaving soon under 120 days No Refund valid for over charge.

GOOD POINTS The majority of hotels were good standard. * countries visited were great and people friendly * Qantas flight which we booked was great * Bus and airport transfer in clean buses and on time

Broken promises and terrible communication cost me time and money I am writing this review prior to my trip due to an incredibly frustrating experience with Inspiring Vacations' flight booking portal and customer service.Immediately after booking, I noticed the flights loaded into my portal did not match what I selected; they included much longer… Read more

layovers. I called within 10 minutes to fix this, but my experience over the next two days consisted of broken promises and missed call-backs: Day 0, 9:35 pm: Told the flight specialist wasn’t in yet. Arranged a call-back for 10:35 am due to my work commitments. The call never came. Day 1, 10:50 am: I called them. I was assured a specialist would call within the hour, and the agent promised to follow up personally in 1.5 hours. No one called. Day 1, 1:50 pm: I called again and waited on hold for 25 minutes. Despite warning them I had to return to work, I was left on hold and had to hang up. Day 1, 4:00 pm: I called back and waited on hold for 46 minutes. I was finally told my tickets were already issued at 1:31 pm—well after my repeated attempts to reach them—and I would now have to pay a change fee. The specialist promised a change quote by the end of the day. It never arrived. Day 2, 3:15 pm: Having received no email, I called again and waited on hold for another 45 minutes. The new specialist pushed the timeline out further, promising the quote in 24 to 48 hours. The problem is still unresolved. I am now stuck waiting to see how much they intend to charge me for an error that could have easily been fixed before ticketing if their team had followed through on any of their promised call-backs. The lack of communication and accountability is completely unacceptable.

Read the small print. Really hard to get a refund even during Iran war, staff just send standard emails and offer one third of amount paid while suggesting they don't even have to do that. Do big events with large discounts to get you to sign up but really poor service once you do. Change the itinery to decrease costs without passing savings on. Avoid Show details

THIEVES!! We spent $6900 on a tour in Morocco as part of a larger tour to Egypt & Jordan. We were unable to fly there because of the war in Iran. Inspiring knew we couldn't get there and our whole trip had to be cancelled. They only gave us $1600 back as a "Credit" DO NOT USE THEM!! Show details

Just at the start of booking process Thani was great ,and then My fault things went a bit pear shaped Again my fault Went on chat and Vena was wonderful,even with all the auto correct mistakes.She understood it all Thanks again.They are so helpful to fix my mistake Looking forward to my up coming trip wth them Show details ·  1

Booked a $12,500 tour with Inspiring Vacations. 30 days out and THEY cancel the tour. NO refund and only offering a credit (minus THEIR unrecoverable costs) or a tour to be booked by 2 PM today! They don't give a toss. You will NEVER talk to the same consultant. NEVER! Is this the company you want in charge of your money or your bookings? Never Again. Show details

Found the tour flawless, accomodation, very comfortable, tour guide was knowledgeable and very inclusive and our group of 16 people were great, we all got along really well. Show details ·  1

WARNING DO NOT BOOK OR PAY for your trip until you receive confirmation of your holiday. I had attended two of the Inspiring Vacations webinars and was impressed with the team and the trips they offered. I spent many hours researching and found a trip that Inspiring Vacations was offering. I really wanted to support their business as I enjoyed… Read more

working with the travel booker.

Fri 13/2/2026 at 11.13 – 11.16am (3 minutes) I received a phone call from the Inspiring Vacations representative. I couldn’t hear her properly due to road noise, so she suggested she call me back later in the day. I told her I wanted to book the trip.

Friday 13/2/2026 at 5.27 – 5.38pm (11 minutes) CALL - The Inspiring Vacations representative rang to discuss the final quote for the tour and to organise that she would call me on Sunday 15/2/26 to confirm the tour and take the $99 deposit. I asked if the Inspiring Vacations flight booking team could book my flights but was told that there was a 3-week backlog and best if I book them myself. I agreed and said I would book my flights. (THERE WAS NEVER ANY MENTION NOT TO BOOK MY FLIGHTS)

Fri 13/02/2026 5:54 PM EMAIL - Final quote received showing if payment was made in full I would receive a $1,852 discount.

Sun 15/02/2026 10:27 – 10.40 AM (13 minutes) CALL - The Inspiring Vacations representative and I talked about the trip and payment. I was happy to pay for the total amount in one transaction. The Inspiring Vacations representative advised she could only take the $99 deposit over the phone and that I would need to pay the next payment online. She also said that if I paid more than the deposit, like $4,000 they would take me seriously and put me on the tour. She also said if I paid in full as laid out in her previous email, I would receive a discount of $1,852 if paid by the 23rd February. I explained that I would pay in full after our call. I also discussed that I had booked all my flights and another tour prior to joining the Inspiring Vacations tour. The $99 deposit was taken.

Sun 15/02/2026 10:37 AM EMAIL - I cannot share the actual email due to their privacy laws, but it states, "big congratulations on locking in your next adventure". (I thought this was the final confirmation email)

AFTER THIS EMAIL WAS RECEIVED, I PROCEEDED TO PAY FOR THE TOUR IN FULL TO RECEIVE THE DISCOUNT

Sun 15/02/2026 10:39 AM EMAIL - I did not read this email until later in the night. I cannot share the actual email due to their privacy laws, but it states, "Congratulations you are on your way to ....... For your booking, we partner with a third party operator who fufils the bookings arrangements. For this reason your booking is on request. Kindly note that you should not book flights or make any other arrangements until you receive an official notification from our team that your booking is confirmed.

Mon 17/02/2026 8.50am, 8.53am CALL - I rang the Inspiring Vacations travel representative to find out what was going on?

Mon 17/02/2026 10.55am CALL - Spoke to the representative and told her I was not aware that the tour was on request! Other travel agents show whether their trips are definite departure or on request. There was nothing to state this in any of the communications received. The representative said she would get back to me.

Tue 18/2/2026 3.04pm CALL - Representatives manager calls to say the tour is sold out. I explain I had paid for the trip in full and that their website does not state that this tour is on request.

There have been many more calls since then, the Resolutions team (with no resolution) said my refund could take up to 20 days. In the meantime, I was unable to pay for another tour (different company) as the refund back to me from Inspiring Vacations took 12 days.

I am disappointed as I had to book another tour, and it isn't the tour I wanted to go on. I am also out of pocket for changes to my airfares - Total additional cost is $1,300! How can a company take money for goods and services they cannot provide. I have learnt my lesson and will never deal with Inspiring Vacations again!

Great experience with Inspiring Vacations! Excellent customer service, well organised itinerary and fantastic value for money. Everything went smoothly and exceeded my expectations. I wouldn’t hesitate to book with them again. Show details ·  1

I recently booked a holiday with Inspiring Vacations and had a fantastic experience from start to finish. The booking process was simple and straightforward, and the consultant I dealt with was knowledgeable, friendly and very responsive. Show details ·  1

We are on a 17 day tour of Vietnam. Very disappointed in the information provided by the guides so far. Feel like we are being lead around by the nose like some dumb animal. It would be appreciated if we were told what had been planned for us, what to expect, what the options were ahead of time, instead of just being ordered around. Cannot imagine signing up for another. Don’t appreciate being “controlled”. Show details

Loved the tour I completed to Japan. The arrangements were smooth, the mix of sightseeing and free time was perfect for us, and we found the guide to be excellent at communicating arrangements and keeping our group on track and informed as the tour progressed. Hotels were well located and the tour offered exceptional value for money Show details ·  1

Really helped me face the Curley questions like insurance when I was a bit lost and unsure. Wqarning me of possibility of extra costs should I not act promptly. Am very pleased with their support Show details ·  1

Turns out Inspiring Vacations are really just Travel Agents/Middlemen. They pretend they put together the tours, but in reality, they just book tour companies at the destination. They don't have or know details & are not inclined to find out when a question is asked.... couldn't even tell us what airline we would be using or flight times. In… Read more

fairness the Tour itself was fabulous, guides helpful & hotels great.... it was "UNInspiring Vacations" that was the problem & if someone would actually contact us it wouldn't be so bad BUT the only way to lodge a complaint is via email.... seems they don't care about customer service or feedback. We will never recommend this company to anyone.

DO NOT BOOK WITH THIS COMPANY December 2025 DO NOT BOOK WITH THIS COMPANY, I booked the 38 day Inspiring Antarctica & South America Tour $30,000 plus as a Solo person. I paid the additional $7000 plus single supplement 'penalty fee' for being a Solo traveler. I went online to manage my booking to book transport from Buenos Aires International… Read more

Airport to the hotel organised and booked as part of the tour. I was unable to book through the online Transport link so called the Inspiring Vacations Australia to book.

I was advised that Inspiring vacations was not able to book or assist with organising transport from the Airport to the Inspiring Vacation booked hotel where the tour starts?????

Not sure why you would have this option on the website if it is not able to be booked?

I am a single female traveler arriving late at night in a foreign city travelling on a fully organised 4-5 star tour and the tour company is unable to arrange a shuttle (as advertised on the website) or any form of transport from an international airport to the booked Emperador Hotel Buenos Aires 5 star ???

I was fully aware that there would be an additional cost or charge that it was not included in the tour price. Additionally 5 months out from the tour start date I contacted Inspiring vacations and HX that run the Antartic cruise to upgrade my cabin and add another person (buy another package on the same tour for a family member). There were cabins available as I called Hurtigurten directly to find out what was needed to be done and referred back to Inspiring vacations to book.

I rang numerous times and spoke to call desk that advised a booking team member would call back. No Call. i even emailed. Shame. This day and age on a $30,000 plus Booked Tour it is disgraceful that they are unable to assist as advertised with Airport Hotel transfers.

Lets hope that the Airport is a safe place for a single female to be late at night trying to organise own transport.

Highlights of Vietnam - what a great experience. Food, sights, the people and the activities undertaken all wonderful. Local guides were amazing in their knowledge and support. 10/10 BUT, we were extremely disappointed with the lack of support by the Australian office as we headed into an area affected by typhoons and flooding. Your promise to… Read more ·  1

your customers rings hollow when we sought advice about what could have been a dangerous situation & one that our insurance would possibly not have covered. The response from your Customer Success Assistant Team Leader days later, was simply "I hope that you enjoyed your time on tour with us despite all the weather challenges." It seems our experience is like that of others who recently travelled to Vietnam. Some serious review needs to take place of how some of your staff support clients (or in fact don't!)

We have booked another trip with IV as the trip itself was well done, but must admit we have reservations about what may transpire in an emergency situation. Chris