Operator may still be sold, say administrators
Administrators have claimed they were in talks with several travel companies to sell the names of Travel Club of Upminster and Austria Travel, both of which ceased trading this week.
Conrad Beighton of Shipleys said Tony Freudmann, one of the directors of Alpha Construction, which owns both Travel Club and Austria, was continuing discussions with more than one interested buyer.
"The assets of the businesses are the goodwill, including the name, the customer database and the website," said Beighton. "I am hopeful of finding a buyer and discussions are continuing."
Travel Club is a well-known, independent brand. Set up by Harry Chandler more than 70 years ago, it was run as a family business until it was sold two years ago to Alpha Construction, a company set up by Tony Freudmann.
Travel Club and Austria Travel went into administration this week after admitting they were unable to pay accommodation providers. They sold hotel rooms, villas and self-catering apartments, primarily in Majorca, Portugal and Austria.
Beighton said he was unsure how much the companies owed and he could not say how many customers had been left out of pocket. As neither business had a bond, customers will have to file claims with the administrators, although those who paid by credit card may be able to claim refunds from their card issuer.
In total, the businesses employed 10 people. A skeleton staff has been retained to help with the administration, said Beighton.
By Linsey McNeill
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Global tourism exceeds 1.5 billion travelers announces UN-Tourism
Qatar Airways offers reduced timetable to over 60 destinations
WTTC global tourism reached record economic impact of 11 trillion in 2025
Hands In, UATP join forces for airline multi-card payments
Overseas travelers to the United States declined by 2.5% in 2025