Great Little Escapes Travel Company Collapse Updates

Have Great Little Breaks gone bust?

Yes. Great Little Escapes (trading as Great Little Breaks) finally lost its and could no longer sell any legally protected package holidays. That left a lot of customers wondering about their bookings or their refund.

Loss of ATOL status from a travel company typically indicates serious financial problems. For holidaymakers, this immediately raises questions about whether their cash and trips are safeguarded.

Which UK travel firm has just collapsed?

The UK travel firm that has just collapsed is Great Little Escapes LLP in Sandhurst, Berkshire.

The company had operated under a number of popular brand names by:

  • Your Holidays
  • Tunisia First
  • Themaldives co.uk
  • Yourholidays co.uk
  • Thecaribbean com
  • Greatlittleescapes co.uk

At these three brands the sites are down, causing frustration and disappointment for many holidaymakers.

Who owns Great Escapes Travel?

Ownership details of Great Escapes Travel are not widely published, but records show the firm had been operating since 2002 under ATOL licence number 5933.

It operated a number of associated brands, indicating that it was not just a single travel agent but operated out of a wider group of trading names. Additional information about ownership is expected to follow as administrators or the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) provide more details.

Which travel agent has gone bust?

Aside from Great Little Escapes, a number of other UK travel firms have collapsed recently:

  • Jetline Holidays: has gone out of business with the loss of around 5,000 passengers.
  • Balkan Holidays: shut on 24 April 2025 with all forward bookings invalid.
  • Trafalgar Travel: went under after 42 years, saying high costs and the move of bookings online had made it too hard to continue.

These closures illustrate the pressure on old-school travel firms in today’s digital-first market.

Are travel agents dying out?

Unfortunately, the trend indicates that they probably are.

  • High street travel agencies have declined by about 18% over the past five years in the UK.
  • What this means is that the trend towards net-booking platforms continues to grow, consumers simply want to research, compare and book their own holiday.
  • Rising operational costs, economic headwinds and rapidly changing consumer behavior are some driving the drop.

Travel agents still exist, especially for high-end trips, but the industry is losing steam and, on the whole, rather small.

Which travel company has collapsed?

Here’s a quick round-up of major UK travel firms that have collapsed recently:

  • Great Little Escapes LLP: ATOL licence withdrawn on 13 June 2025.
  • Jetline Holidays: collapse left thousands out of pocket.
  • Balkan Holidays: stopped trading in April 2025.
  • Trafalgar Travel: closed after decades of service.

This string of failures shows that no travel business, big or small, is immune from the changing market.

What does ATOL cancellation mean for customers?

Losing ATOL protection is serious because it means:

  • Your holiday may no longer go ahead as planned.
  • If you paid by credit card, you could try to make a claim under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act.
  • If you paid using any other method, you will need to make a claim to ATOL using the CAA’s claim form.
  • Flights may remain valid if booked directly with airlines, but hotels and transfers probably wouldn’t be covered.

But the failure of Great Little Escapes causes financial and mental stress to customers.

Steps travellers should take now

If you’ve booked with Great Little Escapes or one of its brands, here’s what you should do:

  • Check the CAA website for the latest updates and claim forms.
  • Contact your credit card provider if you paid this way you may be covered under Section 75.
  • Submit an ATOL claim if eligible. Ensure you include the “Negative Response Letter” issued by the CAA.
  • Check if your flight tickets are still valid with the airlines.
  • Save all correspondence, receipts and confirmations for your claim.

Lessons for UK travellers and the industry

  • Book only ATOL-protected holiday if you want your cash to be safe.
  • Use a credit card whenever possible for extra consumer protections.
  • Be careful with small or little-known agencies, no matter how appealing the prices look.
  • Acknowledge recession trend, traditional agencies down, online booking sites up.

The fall of Great Little Escapes is another example of how vulnerable portions of the travel industry have grown.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: Is Great Little Escapes finally over?

A1: Yes. The company’s ATOL expired on 13 June 2025 and it doesn’t currently hold a licence.

Q2: Will I get my money back for my holiday?

A2: Section 75 If you have paid by credit card you may be able to claim using the Section 75 protection. Otherwise, make an ATOL claim through the CAA.

Q3: Is my flight ticket still applicable?

A3: In some cases, yes. If airline has confirmed you on another flight, it could still be an option to travel, but you may not be covered for accommodation and extras.

Q4: Which other UK travel firms have gone bust recently?

A4: Jetline Holidays, Balkan Holidays and Trafalgar Travel have also stopped trading.

Q5: Are the UK’s travel agents a vanishing breed?

A5: Well, yes, the industry is shrinking. In the UK one in five travel agents have shut in the past five years as a result of the battle online and rising costs.

A6: What can I do to protect myself when planning future holidays?

A6: Book with ATOL/ABTA-protected firms every time, pay by credit card and purchase thorough travel insurance.

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