ABTA has confirmed the closure of a UK travel company that offered trips to the likes of New York, Las Vegas and Greece, with issued advice for customers with existing bookings
The UK travel agent has gone bust after almost 20 years(Image: Getty Images/Stock Image)
A UK travel firm that provided worldwide holidays has shut down after nearly two decades in business.
Barnes Worldwide Travel Ltd was an independent travel agent in Liverpool that offered holidays to destinations around the world, ranging from New York and Las Vegas, to Egypt, Greece and Cyprus. It was established in 2007, but on Wednesday, 9 September, ABTA confirmed that the company has ceased trading.
ABTA said: “We are sorry to inform you that Barnes Worldwide Travel Ltd has ceased trading on 9 September 2026. If you’ve booked travel arrangements with Barnes Worldwide Travel Ltd, you should follow the specific advice set out below.”
Holidays already booked through Barnes Worldwide Travel Ltd should remain unaffected as the firm is a travel agent, rather than an operator. ABTA explained: “If you booked through Barnes Worldwide Travel Ltd, the tour operator or other principal travel business with whom they booked your holiday will be named on your paperwork. If you booked a flight-inclusive holiday, the tour operator or other principal travel business will be named on your ATOL Certificate under, ‘Who is protecting your trip’.
They further advised: “To ensure your holiday continues as planned, you will need to contact the credit control department of your tour operator or other principal travel business with whom you have a contract. Your booking should continue as normal, and they will be your direct point of contact. Please ensure that you have your documentation with you, as they may require information from this to assist you.” Barnes Worldwide Travel Ltd’s website has since gone offline. But it’s not the only UK travel firm to go under this year.
Golf Villa Rentals Ltd, based in Seaford, East Sussex, stopped trading on August 18, 2026. The firm specialised in golf package holidays worldwide, providing accommodation in villas and apartments for both small and large groups.
An ABTA spokesperson said: “We are sorry to inform you that Golf Villa Rentals Ltd has ceased trading with effect from 18 August 2026. The company sold package holidays which included accommodation and travel (excluding flight) and/or other services.”
Frasers Travel, a family-run business based in Scotland, was also confirmed to have gone bust after more than 40 years of operation. In a statement posted on its Facebook page last month, it read: “We regret to inform you that Frasers Travel Ltd has today ceased trading. We would like to thank all our past clients for their loyalty and support. If you have an existing booking can you please email details to info@mclenancorporate.com.”
In addition, TS Travel Realisations Ltd and Yourtravelshop.com Ltd were both confirmed as ATOL failures this month, a classification that can arise when a company stops trading or becomes insolvent. Travel Bespoke Ltd and Trav Expert Limited also shut their doors in May, while back in January, Asiara UK Ltd, Simply Florida Travel Ltd, and Regen Central Ltd were all confirmed by ATOL as no longer protected by their schemes.
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