A UK travel company specialising in trips to Europe, the Middle East, North America, and North Africa, has officially shut its doors.
Global Travel Partners, which has assisted over 100,000 customers over the years, has suspended all services and gone into liquidation.
First launched in 2011, the company, with employees both in the UK and the US, curates and organises itineraries for major international clients, some of which included the likes of Toshiba, Samsung, and American Airlines.
If a corporate travel request comes through, Global Travel Partners would be responsible for everything from booking flights and hotels to managing travel policies and keeping track of client expenses.
Over the course of the last 15 years, the company has booked upwards of 35,000 hotel rooms in countries around the globe.
Offering an ‘end-to-end’ service, the company previously stated on its website: ‘We don’t just book trips – we build travel systems that scale, adapt, and support your business at every step.’
‘Our goal is to help you save money, simplify your travel experience, and make every journey as smooth and stress-free as possible so you can focus on what matters most – closing deals, building business relationships, and growing your business while we handle the logistics,’ it continues.
However, they’ve now entered creditors’ voluntary liquidation (CVL) and have ceased trading.
According to multiple news outlets, Ian Douglas Yerrill of Yerrill Murphy was officially appointed as liquidator for the business on October 7.
Which UK travel companies have shut down in 2026?
This year has been incredibly tough for a number of travel operators, with dozens in the UK forced to pull the plug.
In January, Regen Central Ltd, which sold flight and hotel holiday packages for Europe and Southeast Asia, went into liquidation, leaving customers without refunds.
And just a few weeks later, UK-based coach-operator Gold Crest Holidays also ceased trading, completely shutting down the business with immediate effect.
Then, over the summer, Groupia Ltd, once a prominent group holiday agency specialising in everything from stag and hen weekends to golf trips, entered into administration on June 16.
And in August, it was SkiYodl Ltd’s turn – a Norwich-based travel company that sold ski trips to several European destinations.
How will customers be affected?
There is not currently any information on the Global Travel Partner’s website in regard to how customers might be impacted by the recent news.
Recently, ATOL (Air Travel Organisers Licensing) and ABTA (Association of British Travel Agents) issued guidance to Brits affected by other travel company collapses – helping them seek financial protection and submit claims.
However, given the fact that Global Travel Partnerships specialised in corporate travel services, rather than selling ABTA-protected holiday packages to general consumers, it’s not clear what the protocol here is.
According to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the UK’s independent aviation regulator, corporate travel doesn’t tend to be covered by the same financial protections as consumer holidays.
Therefore, whether or not a business is protected against its travel management company’s collapse may come down to a number of different things, such as contracts, payment arrangements or specific insurance wording.
Metro has contacted Global Travel Partnership for comment.
What are ATOL and ABTA and what protection do they offer if your holiday gets cancelled?
Both ATOL and ABTA provide financial protection for UK travellers if a the company they booked their holiday through goes bust.
ATOL covers flight-based holidays, and helps customers with refunds, and getting home if they’re stranded abroad.
ABTA covers holidays that don’t involve flights (trains, cruises, road) and helps with complaints and refunds.
Regardless if your trip is ATOL or ABTA protected, you must always still get travel insurance.
According to Citizens Advice, you’re entitled to a full refund if the company cancels your holiday.
Through ATOL protection, you’ll get a refund for the package itself, but it won’t cover any other elements booked separately, such as car hire. And while it may also be able to find another operator to take over your trip, Money Saving Expert says this is ‘rare and not guaranteed.’
‘If you are due to travel on an ATOL protected trip and your travel company has ceased as an ATOL holder, we will offer advice on what steps to take,’ the UK Civil Aviation Authority website explains.
‘We’ll let you know how to claim an ATOL refund. Our advice will often be either not to travel or, if you are in possession of flight tickets issued by the airline and they have confirmed they are valid, you can travel but you may need to pay for the cost of replacement services and then claim for these.’
