Third Turkey travel specialist bankrupt

Wednesday 05 August 2009

The foundation that operates the holiday guarantee scheme (SGR) on Wednesday called for a compulsory stamp of approval for new travel companies.

The call follows news yesterday that a third firm specialising in package deals to Turkey has gone bankrupt, reports broadcaster Nos.

The SGR points out that at present anyone can set up a travel agency. If the company is affiliated to the SGR, the foundation has to reimburse the public if the travel agency goes bust.

On Tuesday it emerged that the owner of BeachHolidays in Amsterdam had, as the Volkskrant put it, ‘disappeared’ taking with him three million euros and the firm’s book-keeping.

SGR director Piet Hein Debets told the paper that the collapse of the company had left 2,000 holiday-makers stranded in Turkey and that the foundation would have to pay for their return flights.

It will also have to reimburse another 5,800 people who have booked with BeachHoldays (which also operates under the names Tourmax and Turkijticket), the paper said.

Earlier this year two other travel firms specialising in trips to Turkey, Golden Tours and Tourplan went bankrupt with a combined debt of almost €4m.

Everyone who books a holiday with a travel agency affiliated to the SGR pays an insurance premium.

© DutchNews.nl

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