Balkan Holidays cancelled: Major UK travel company closes down immediately and scraps all future holidays - will holidaymakers get refunds?

Balkan Holidays said it had ceased trading as of April 24, following nearly 60 years of providing trips. Though travellers currently on their holidays will be able to complete them, anyone with upcoming bookings will instead be made to accept refunds, leaving them scrambling for other routes to their destinations.

Direct customers have been asked to contact the company directly to arrange refunds, but expectant travellers who booked trips via a third party have been told they will need to speak to their travel agent to get their money back. The company, which offered holidaymakers trips to Bulgaria, Croatia, Montenegro, Slovenia, Malta and Northern Cyprus, said it would aim to process refunds as fast as possible, working in order of departure date.

Balkan Holidays was launched nearly six decades ago, and specialised in trips to Bulgaria. It offered departures from 17 British airports, more than any other UK tour operator. At its peak, it served 130,000 people a year.

But its numbers have dwindled in recent years, with it being licensed to carry just 27,817 Atol-protected passengers in the year to the end of March 2026. It said in a statement on its social media pages and website: “We regret to inform you that Balkan Holidays Ltd has, as of 24th of April 2025, closed for business in the UK.

“The company has not gone into liquidation, however all forward holiday bookings have been cancelled. All clients will be notified and refunded in full.

“May we kindly ask for patience as we process the refunds and appreciate your understanding. Thank you for your past business and please accept our most sincere apologies for the disappointment and inconvenience.”

It added: “For all direct clients, if you need to contact us about refunds, please email [email protected]. If you booked through a travel agent, please contact them for your refund. All travel agents can email [email protected]. We will work as fast as we can and will prioritise refunds in departure date order.”