Dreams of cheap holidays have turned into a financial nightmare for customers of a holiday points scheme after the company behind it collapsed into liquidation.

Gold Sun Holdings Pty Ltd, which operated The Resort Club from Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, was placed into creditors’ voluntary liquidation on July 20, leaving members and other creditors scrambling to recover their losses.

The Resort Club sold memberships to a holiday points scheme, with customers paying upfront for credits they could later redeem for cheap stays at resorts across Australia and New Zealand.

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Members booked accommodation through the company rather than directly with hotels, with weekly “Red Hot Deals” emails promoting discounts of up to 70 per cent on selected resorts.

Liquidator William Roland Robson told 7NEWS.com.au 12 creditor claims worth $724,896.01 had already been lodged, including six consumer claims, although that number was expected to rise. 

While consumer claims are not expected to make up the largest portion of the company’s debts, Robson said there were minimal assets available.

“At this time I do not expect that there will be a return to any class of creditors,” he said.

A selection of holiday destinations promoted by The Resort Club on its website before the company entered liquidation. Credit: Google

Gold Sun Holdings began operating in 2005, according to ASIC records, while the Australian Business Register lists The Resort Club as operating from a retail address in Mooloolaba.

The collapse follows years of mounting customer complaints, many alleging refund delays, aggressive sales tactics and difficulties redeeming membership points.

All 53 Google reviews left for the business gave it one star.

On ProductReview.com.au, the company held an average rating of just 1.2 out of five stars from 223 reviews, with customers repeatedly raising concerns about refunds, repeated sales calls, upgrade fees and difficulties redeeming memberships.

One reviewer said they had been waiting more than six months for a $450 refund after returning documents and vouchers requested by the company, while another alleged they had made about 50 phone calls over four months without receiving promised money back.

“This company sells you a product they can not deliver,” one customer wrote.

“What an absolute nightmare this company is to deal with regarding a refund,” another said.

“I have found NO value, NO Usefulness from The Resort Club,” a customer said.

Several reviewers alleged they were repeatedly contacted by sales staff despite asking to be removed from call lists, while others claimed accommodation advertised could often be booked cheaper directly through hotels or third-party booking websites.

“They hound you for years to join,” a member wrote.

“Getting a refund was almost impossible, and the sales calls never stopped,” another added.

The Resort Club attracted a one-star Google rating from 53 reviews and a 1.2-star average from 223 reviews on ProductReview.com.au. Credit: Google/ProductReview.com.au

ProductReview.com.au echoed concerns raised in Google reviews, with hundreds of complaints spanning more than three years about refunds, upgrade fees and difficulties redeeming points.

“(They) promise you the world and give you an atlas,” a reviewer said.

Customers repeatedly described “high pressure tactics” to pay upgrade fees of around $475 to $500 after being promised thousands of dollars’ worth of holiday credits, only to later struggle to secure bookings, obtain refunds or even contact the company. 

One customer said they felt even felt “bullied” into paying into an expensive upgrade called the Prestige Club.

Others claimed they accumulated tens of thousands of membership points but struggled to redeem them, with one long-term member saying they had amassed nearly 35,000 points over 15 years but still could not secure a free night’s accommodation.

“I have almost 35,000 points accumulated and I still can not get a free night! Nor can I get a decent deal. I’m supposedly in the so-called ‘Prestige Club’ pfft what a joke! I email and call and I am treated with distain and rudeness unless I am willing to hand over even more cash,” they said.

A Resort Club Prestige Pass, an upgraded membership tier sold to existing customers as part of the company’s holiday points scheme. Credit: ProductReview.com.au

Others alleged they were encouraged to upgrade memberships multiple times over many years, only to discover accommodation was unavailable, required substantial additional payments or could be booked elsewhere for less. 

“The hot deals you can book are anything but,” one person wrote.

One ProductReview.com.au reviewer said they only received a refund after filing a Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) claim, alleging the money appeared in their bank account within two days of serving the company with tribunal paper.

Tribunal records showed a consumer dispute involving The Resort Club was finalised in in 2024, while another minor debt dispute remains before QCAT.

Since 2023, Queensland’s Office of Fair Trading has received 34 complaints about The Resort Club.

“Complaints related to a variety of issues with the most common being consumers cancelling their bookings and seeking refunds, and problems around receiving and using gift certificates,” an Office of Fair Trading spokesperson told 7NEWS.com.au.

“Of the complaints received, over 80 per cent were satisfactorily resolved, including through redress for impacted Queenslanders.”

Left: The message displayed on The Resort Club’s website after the business ceased operating. Right: The Resort Club logo. Credit: The Resort Club

The company’s online presence now reflects its collapse.

By the time 7NEWS.com.au sought comment a day after the company entered liquidation, much of The Resort Club’s online presence had disappeared.

Its homepage stated, “This business is no longer operating. Please contact your resort directly,” while its contact page returned a 404 error.

Calls to the company’s listed phone number were met with a recorded message stating: “Unfortunately this business is no longer in operation. Please contact your resort directly and they will be able to assist you.”

The advice effectively directed customers back to accommodation providers, potentially leaving hotels and resorts to field questions and complaints after The Resort Club ceased operating.

An email sent to the company’s published contact address also bounced back as undeliverable.