A Long Island travel agent has been charged with multiple counts of grand larceny and schemes to defraud after stealing over $50,000 from clients, police confirm.
Tavia Thomas, 47, of Hempstead, New York, was the CEO and Destination Travel Specialist of her company, Destiny Travel.
Authorities allege that she defrauded families by taking payments for vacations and failing to actually book them, PIX 11 reported.
Some of the victims were hoping to sail on Royal Caribbean cruises. In July 2024, for example, she supposedly received $35,753.98 from nine people to book a Royal Caribbean cruise out of Bayonne, New Jersey.
(Credit: LongIsland.com)
Unfortunately, when the victims arrived at the terminal to board their cruise, they were informed that their booking confirmations were fake, officials said. As such, they were denied boarding.
Just one week later, Thomas was hired to arrange a resort reservation for a destination wedding through ALG Vacations. However, the reservation was never made, and the clients did not receive a refund for the $5,000 they had paid.
LongIsland.com shared that several members of the wedding party also made payments to Thomas, totaling over $2,600, which were never refunded.
A reporter from The Shade Room spoke with Denise Perez-Horton to learn more about the impact of Thomas' alleged actions.
"Final payment comes, and I’m like, 'Okay, where’s the reservation number?'" she told Justin Carter. "…She’s like, 'Well, the resort had a child that was electrocuted in the pool…and they have mold...' downplaying the resort, and I’m like, 'What? What is going on?'"
Perez-Horton was then informed that the reservation was moved to another resort, though they still did not receive flight or hotel confirmations. When she called the resort, she learned that the business "never" got the booking from Thomas.
In another case, a family of 50 paid Thomas over $10,000 for a celebratory birthday trip to the Dominican Republic. According to Nassau County police, she never booked the accommodations and failed to return the family’s money.
Thomas faces three counts of third-degree grand larceny, three counts of first-degree scheme to defraud, and two counts of fourth-degree grand larceny.
Her arraignment was held on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026, at the First District Court in Hempstead.
It's important to do your research before trusting a travel agent
A travel agent's job is to make your life easier by handling all the meticulous details of planning a trip, from confirming your stateroom to helping book specialty restaurants and arranging transportation. If they do it right, all you have to do is focus on enjoying your well-earned vacation.
Unfortunately, as Thomas proved, not all travel agents operate with the same level of professionalism or client care as others.
That's why it is important to check reviews, verify credentials, and even ask for references before giving a stranger any payment information.
If you aren't sure where to start, ask friends and family members for recommendations. You can also look for agents affiliated with reputable organizations, like the American Society of Travel Advisors (the world's leading association of travel professionals).
At Royal Caribbean Blog, we love working with MEI-Travel. Having now booked over one dozen cruises with MEI, I can attest that their employees are professional, timely, and dedicated to ensuring you have the best experience possible from start to finish.
Read more: I always ask my travel agent for 4 things on every cruise I book to make my cruise easier
