GoldTrail gone bust

GoldTrail Travel Limited - 03090844 ceased trading on Friday 16th July 2010 joining the list of 9 other british tour companies that have failed this year.
International Flights Limited - 04183165 (ceased trading 2nd July 2010)
Malachite Travel Limited - 06240051 (ceased trading 2nd July 2010)
Birdseekers (ceased trading 28th May 2010)
Wigmore Holidays and Travel Limited - 02912210 (ceased trading 10th May 2010)
Finlay's Ski-ing Limited - SC095316 (ceased trading 27th April 2010)
Adventura Limited - 03314315 (ceased trading 15th April 2010)
Love Holidays Limited - 06705128 (ceased trading 24th March 2010)
The Flight Bureau UK Limited - SC169353 (ceased trading 24th March 2010)
Scantours Limited - 00916330 (ceased trading 2nd March 2010)
Business Travel services Limited - 01792321 (ceased trading 28th January 2010)

In addition, GoldTrail's sister company Quickstep Leisure Limited - 03545230 also ceased trading on 20th July 2010.

The business, which has reportedly left some 16,000 holidaymakers stranded this weekend has ended the fairytale for another 30,000 individuals who hoped to travel to Turkey this summer for a cheap trip.

The words 'If it looks too good to be true, it probably is' will be ringing in the ears of a good proportion of those would-be sunseekers as other retailers in the tourist industry wonder why GoldTrail was allowed to continue trading over a year longer than anyone expected.

In March 2009, the BBC's consumer programme 'Watchdog' featured the complaints of a many a GoldTrail customer who would not be repeating the experienc due to low quality accomodation, lack of hygience in the serving and presentation of goof and general loack of service from the tour representatives.

Considering that similar holiday packages were offered with alternative operators at 5 times the price that GoldTrail had asked, it is of no surprise that GoldTrail were discounting too heavily - trying to encourage more clients to buy, with no hope of making enough money to pay the various hoteliers and air carriers. The Litera and Med Hotel chains based in the Eastern Mediterranean part of the word provided the accomodation for GoldTrail customers. Many of the holidaymakers that were in these hotels when the administration announcement was made on Friday were asked to pay further monies to continue their stays as the hotel had not been paid by the GoldTrail business.

The rumour mills have been doing the rounds and suggest that although GoldTrail had been cutting financial and service corners for some time, other factors brought the demise sooner rather than later. On 23rd June 2010, KTHY a Turkish Cypriot airline carrier suspended all operations. This company were one of GoldTrail's main airline carriers and by all accounts, GoldTrail had their work cut out re-scheduling flights for their customers on alternative flights. In addition, the other carriers that were approached to take passengers (Atlas Air and Flypig) demanded that they were paid upfront for the service.

An education in what the Civil Aviation Authority have been called on to give prospective holidaymakers. Tour operators and Travel Agents are pleading with the regulator to ensure that the GoldTrail pactive is not repeated - not even when the demand because of the economic downturn appears to be exactly what is required.

So, although GoldTrail were trying to be the Fairy Godmother, in affording overseas holidays to thos ehow considered it was out of their reach, they are in fact the Wicked Witch, leaving manay a stranded, out-of-pocket, disheartened traveller in their wake.