With different estimates pinning the total number of travel agencies registered in the United Kingdom in 2026 at between 16,887 to 17,519, the country surpasses many others on this front due to a historically strong travel culture and national interest in group tours and package holidays.
But amid the rise of online booking platforms and wider economic challenges brought on by the war in Iran, many have not survived the current headwinds. The United Kingdom has seen a particularly strong domino effect of travel agency collapses since the start of 2026.
Some British travel companies that either ended up in insolvency proceedings or ceased operations entirely in 2026 include Trav Expert, Groupia, Salamander Voyages, Travel Bespoke, Regen Central, Set Sail Cruises, Yourtravelshop.com, Ski Yodel, and TS Travels Group, among a number of others.
Barnes Worldwide Travel travel company shuts down operations
The most recent name to join that list is Liverpool-based Barnes Worldwide Travel Ltd. As was first reported by several British outlets, the travel company founded in 2007 ceased operations on Sept. 9.
Barnes Worldwide Travel booked tours to countries such as Greece, Cyprus, Türkiye and Egypt as well as New York and Las Vegas in the U.S. to local Liverpool travelers.
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“We are sorry to inform you that Barnes Worldwide Travel Ltd has ceased trading on 9 September 2026,” ABTA, the British organization representing travel agents and tour operators formerly known as Association of British Travel Agents, said in a statement.
The ABTA also offers consumer protection for packages purchased in the Unted Kingdom that include a flight but not for bookings that are only for accommodation.
What to do if you bought a recent trip with Barnes Worldwide Travel
As the company was not an independent tour operator but a travel agent selling other companies’ organized tours, the ABTA is encouraging travelers with booked trips to check directly with the tour provider to see whether the trip is still taking place and that they have a valid booking (in some cases over the years, travel agencies were shut down by regulators after it was discovered that they sold packages with invalid bookings).
“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,” ABTA said further. “Your booking should continue as normal, and they will be your direct point of contact.”
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Some travel agencies filed for bankruptcy in 2026:
- AVG Travels: The Melbourne-based travel agency selling cheap vacation packages to travelers in Australia and New Zealand sent more than 200 customers an email saying that the trips were canceled before entering bankruptcy in May 2026.
- GoPlay Sports: In April 2026, the men’s basketball team of the University of Dallas was left without a planned trip to compete in the United Kingdom after Boston-based GoPlay Sports Tours LLC accepted two payments of $30,000 and then went unreachable.
- Havantur: Havantur was forced to shut down its main European office in France at the beginning of 2026 after tourist numbers to the Caribbean country plummeted due to U.S. military actions in Venezuela and threats against the country.
- Vegas Vacations and North America Destinations: Two travel agencies in the Canadian province of British Columbia, Vegas Vacations and North America Destinations, were shut down by regulators within a few days of each other in January 2026 after multiple travelers complained of buying trips and receiving invalid plane tickets and hotel bookings.
Related: 45-year-old tour company shuts down, cancels all trips
