TORONTO - Vacationing Canadians continue to struggle with the fallout from the demise of Conquest Vacations and the resulting disputes over whether they should have to cover bills the travel firm didn't pay at their sunshine destinations.

Some travellers arrived home Friday after deciding to pay the outstanding bills, while others continued with their scheduled holidays while fighting the additional charges.

But reports of disputes between customers and management spread to Cuba, while one Mexican resort apologized for its behaviour and said it would offer discounts to the customers.

The problems stem from Conquest Vacations Inc. suddenly shutting down its operations on Wednesday due to a decline in travel bookings because of the economy.

Afterwards, Canadian travellers said hotel management at some resorts were demanding they pay for their room and board, even though the tourists had already given Conquest the money.

On Friday, a Canadian foreign affairs spokesman emphasized that most hotels affected by Conquest's closure haven't been asking for more money.

But he said that Canadian officials are aware that some hotels in both Mexico and Cuba told customers they couldn't leave the hotel property until they paid extra charges.

"We have apprised local authorities of this situation and of complaints that Canadians are being threatened," said Andre Lemay in a statement emailed to The Canadian Press.

"They are taking our concerns seriously. Already today we have witnessed a marked change in the number of Canadian" problems being reported.

Peter Kent, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs (Americas), said consular officials have advised travellers involved in a dispute with their hotel to pay first and try to get back the money paid upon returning to Canada.

"When they return home, depending on the tourist regulator in their respective province, that they then deal with their travel agency or their travel regulator or the Canadian Association of Tour Operators to figure out how to resolve this," said Kent, who is part of the Canadian delegation attending the Summit of the Americas in Trinidad.

"There are a variety of solutions that the tourist industry in Canada is seeking to apply."

Still, stories continued to be reported to the offices of Richard Vanderlubbe, president of travel booking agency Trip Central in Hamilton, Ont.

He said one of his clients was being asked to pay an extra US$8,900 for a hotel in Mexico to compensate for Conquest's failure to pay the bill.

Vanderlubbe said he was telling clients to either refuse to pay the fees or negotiate their room price lower.

"This is a contract between one business and another, and if that particular business -- being the hotel -- decided to extend credit to a tour operator it's their problem, not our customer's problem," he said.

Vanderlubbe also said that his business, which sold Conquest's vacation packages, has also lost out on sales commissions it's owed through the sale of the company's holiday deals.

Some Canadian provinces, like Ontario, have consumer protection organizations specifically for travellers who used registered travel agencies. The organization will presumably help them recoup their money.

Vanderlubbe said he fired off a terse letter to hotel managers he believes have been inflating the amount from a cheaper package deal through Conquest.

He said he's spoken to others by phone, and some managers have told him that since they didn't get paid by Conquest, they need to get paid by somebody.

"The general response has been atrocious," he said.

"There's got to be a move afoot here to really discourage this behaviour from these hoteliers from industry, the government -- from all sources."

Late Thursday, a group of Canadians staying at the Golden Parnassus hotel clashed with security guards when they tried to leave the premises after disputing their bill, according to one of the travellers.

Vacationer Christopher Lee said pushing and shoving ensued as the situation escalated and the hotel prevented them from leaving for the airport until they paid their bills.

"If we tried to leave they would physically push us back into the building," Lee said Thursday in an interview.

Four local police officers were called in by the hotel staff and the group of Canadians was forced to pay, he said.

A reservations manager at the hotel has disputed the claim that police were involved, and said the hotel is trying to compromise, even though she said it hasn't received money from Conquest.

Lee arrived home in Toronto late Thursday night and said he will continue to dispute the US$700 room charge he talked down from the initial US$1,900 that the Golden Parnassus demanded.

However, changes appeared to be making their way to some hotels, including the Oasis Cancun in Mexico, according to a spokesman.

Enrique Klein, who represents Oasis hotels, said the company is trying to notify all customers that they will be given a discounted rate that is slightly below what Conquest would've paid.

That means that if everything goes according to plan, Toronto-resident Bissoongai Seepersaud shouldn't be forced to pay the full US$6,000, which hotel managers claimed was owed by Conquest for her time at the resort.

On Thursday, Seepersaud said that managers threatened to call police if she didn't pay.

Klein said it is "possible" such words were said "not only at Oasis but at any other property."

But he said the hotel never sent anyone to jail and never had any guests detained.

"We actually had people who left the property without paying and we are in no position to hold them hostage," Klein said in a phone interview from Atlanta.

"We did not create this situation, and just as the customers, are victims."

"We're in the same boat because we'll have a substantial amount of money that will not be recouped from Conquest."

He said travellers already at their Oasis hotels will be given a 40 per cent discount on their rooms, or refund the difference.

Klein is also offering them a complimentary return stay at an Oasis hotel for the same number of nights with the same number of people.

Conquest's president Errol Francis has remained silent since the company announced it was going under, and was unavailable to answer questions.