Virginia Gasber is supposed to be on the vacation of her dreams. She saved $11,000 for a group trip with other Black women to Dubai, planned by a Georgia-based travel agency.
Instead, she’s home in Chicago, her vacation canceled and her money gone.
“I’m at the point of life, spending this type of money, where my next expense is going to be a wheelchair,” Gasber said.
Ladies and Luggage Travel Group for Black Women, based in Douglas County, just west of Atlanta, announced it was no longer in business in a Facebook video dated Oct. 19. Vacations the agency had taken money for and allegedly planned were abruptly canceled. A direct link to the video is no longer available.
Just nine days earlier, Ladies and Luggage was promoting trips to Nashville, Los Cabos and Egypt.
So what happened?
Dacia Woods, the owner of Ladies and Luggage, said she was met with “barrier after barrier” in her efforts to receive traditional funding. There were few specifics presented in the video.
“I’m not the only business owner at this time that’s lived this difficult path,” she said. “We did what we could. I sincerely appreciate every bit of support.”
She spent much of the video decrying “smear campaigns” against her.
“There’s going to be a lot of hearsay,” said Woods, denying any “malicious intent.”
Woods promised to make her clients, predominantly Black women, including many seniors, “whole” but didn’t detail how or when their money would be returned. Instead, she offered to send letters that would help those who have travel insurance to file claims.
“New Year’s Eve I was going to be dancing on the shores of Jamaica,” said retiree Deborah Wells, who lives in California. “She had something for us older ladies, called us the aunties.”
Wells had taken one Ladies and Luggage trip, to Las Vegas to see Usher. She had been saving a little bit each month to reach the $3,000 required for the Jamaica vacation.
“It was a sisterhood,” Wells said. “And so now, you can imagine, your sister … oh yeah, we’re not doing it anymore. Wait, what?!?”
And she’s still waiting to be made “whole.”
“You’re not telling me how to get my money back, though,” said Wells, owed $3143 by Woods. “We’re on a fixed income and we’re making these payments, for these promised great locations. And here we are.”
Woods told Atlanta TV station WSB “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.”
She said predatory loans, an unexpected tax lien and the departure of a business partner forced her to shut down.
“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,” she continued.
Brittany Anderson, Woods’ lawyer, said “all customer payments were directed towards appropriate expenses. Ms. Woods’ records and accounting fully support this.”
But Gasber and others are worried they’ve been ripped off.
“I’m disappointed she’s jerking us around about the money,” Gasber said of Woods.
