Big UK travel company to shut down immediately with all holidays CANCELLED - are you eligible for refund?
A major British travel company is shutting it doors with all holidays booked via its service set to be cancelled in a blow to holidaymakers.Balkan Holidays, which has operated for nearly 60 years, is closing down just before the summer holiday season.Current holidaymakers currently will be able to complete their vacations, but with upcoming bookings will instead be made to accept refunds.This will likely leave families with set holiday plans looking for last minute routes for their destinations.Direct customers have been asked to contact Balkan Holidays to arrange refunds, however expectant travellers who booked trips via a third party will need to speak to their travel agent to get cash back.The firm is known for offering vacationers holidays to Bulgaria, Croatia, Montenegro, Slovenia, Malta and Northern Cyprus.It has stated it is aiming to process refunds as quickly as possible, working in order of customer departure dates.As part of its service, Balkan Holidays provided departures from 17 British airports, more than any other UK tour operator. Do you have a money story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing money@gbnews.uk.During its peak business years, the travel company was serving 130,000 people a year.However, in recent years, these numbers have plummeted with it being licensed to carry just 27,817 Atol-protected passengers in the year to the end of March 2026. In a statement on its website, Balkan Holidays shared: "We regret to inform you that Balkan Holidays Ltd has, as of 24th of April 2025, closed for business in the UK."The company has not gone into liquidation, however all forward holiday bookings have been cancelled. "All clients will be notified and refunded in full."May we kindly ask for patience as we process the refunds and appreciate your understanding."LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:Store closures update: Hobbycraft to shut down multiple sites this year - full listTesco announces major overhaul to 2,000 supermarket stores as part of 'pivotal rollout'Reeves told she 'can't blame Trump' for Britain's faltering economy as borrowing figures revealed"Thank you for your past business and please accept our most sincere apologies for the disappointment and inconvenience."This latest closure comes after widespread volatility within the travel agent sector in the UK.Based on data from Statistica, there were more than 4,200 agency shops in March 2019.However, by June 2023, that figure slipped to only 3,500, representing a drop of 18 per cent within a five-year period.
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A major British travel company is shutting it doors with all holidays booked via its service set to be cancelled in a blow to holidaymakers.
Balkan Holidays, which has operated for nearly 60 years, is closing down just before the summer holiday season.
Current holidaymakers currently will be able to complete their vacations, but with upcoming bookings will instead be made to accept refunds.
This will likely leave families with set holiday plans looking for last minute routes for their destinations.
Direct customers have been asked to contact Balkan Holidays to arrange refunds, however expectant travellers who booked trips via a third party will need to speak to their travel agent to get cash back.
The firm is known for offering vacationers holidays to Bulgaria, Croatia, Montenegro, Slovenia, Malta and Northern Cyprus.
It has stated it is aiming to process refunds as quickly as possible, working in order of customer departure dates.
As part of its service, Balkan Holidays provided departures from 17 British airports, more than any other UK tour operator.
Do you have a money story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing money@gbnews.uk.
During its peak business years, the travel company was serving 130,000 people a year.
However, in recent years, these numbers have plummeted with it being licensed to carry just 27,817 Atol-protected passengers in the year to the end of March 2026.
In a statement on its website, Balkan Holidays shared: "We regret to inform you that Balkan Holidays Ltd has, as of 24th of April 2025, closed for business in the UK.
"The company has not gone into liquidation, however all forward holiday bookings have been cancelled.
"All clients will be notified and refunded in full.
"May we kindly ask for patience as we process the refunds and appreciate your understanding."
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
- Store closures update: Hobbycraft to shut down multiple sites this year - full list
- Tesco announces major overhaul to 2,000 supermarket stores as part of 'pivotal rollout'
- Reeves told she 'can't blame Trump' for Britain's faltering economy as borrowing figures revealed
"Thank you for your past business and please accept our most sincere apologies for the disappointment and inconvenience."
This latest closure comes after widespread volatility within the travel agent sector in the UK.
Based on data from Statistica, there were more than 4,200 agency shops in March 2019.
However, by June 2023, that figure slipped to only 3,500, representing a drop of 18 per cent within a five-year period.
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