19 July 2010

Goldtrail goes into administration

Turkey specialist Goldtrail Holidays went into administration on Friday, with 16,000 customers overseas.

The failure comes after some speculation in the industry that the company, which also sells holidays to Greece, was having financial problems.

Goldtrail Holidays has UK offices in New Malden, Surrey, and had been in business since 1996.

It claimed to be the largest independent tour operator to Turkey.

It also has four offices in Turkey and a complete overseas representative service, including a 24-hour service line.

Last Spring, it was the subject of a damaging expose of some of its Turkish properties on the BBC consumer affairs programme Watchdog.

In the programme, customers complained about poor health and safety standards at some of its supplier hotels.

The year before, the company paid out Ã&#pound;120,000 to nine people who claimed they had caught legionnaires' disease from their hotel showers.

In the same year, it was also fined Ã&#pound;11,000 by ABTA for last-minute changes to flights and accommodation.

In 2009, Goldtrail claimed it took 250,000 clients to Turkey.