A TRAVEL agent has closed its doors after 42 years, as the owner shares why he made the “very sad and tough decision.”
Guernsey’s Trafalgar Travel has shut down after blaming rising costs and the shift to online bookings.
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The Picquet House agency has stopped taking new bookings and will close for good at the end of May.
Manager Charlie Coyle announced the closure with a heavy heart, calling it a “very sad and tough decision.”
He explained that the increasing trend of customers booking trips online, combined with rising costs, made it impossible for the agency to continue.
‘As you can imagine this has been very difficult for staff at this time, however we all remain 100% committed to ensuring a very smooth transfer of bookings to another agency,” he said.
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All bookings before June 1, 2025, will be handled as usual by the Trafalgar Travel team, with customers receiving their travel documents as planned.
Bookings scheduled for after this date will be transferred to another travel agency, and affected customers will be contacted soon with further details.
“Every booking has been a pleasure for us to manage and your support has meant we have continued to do the job we all love doing all these years. We can’t thank you enough.”
The agency may relocate to its parent company’s Travel House offices near Smith Street before its final closure, but this has yet to be confirmed.
Trafalgar Travel’s closure reflects a nationwide trend, as the number of UK travel agencies has dropped by nearly 18% in the past five years.
According to Statista, there were over 4,200 travel agency shops in March 2019, but that number fell to just 3,500 by June 2023.
The struggles of UK travel firms were further highlighted recently when Jetline Holidays, a major UK-based travel agency, went bust, leaving nearly 5,000 British holidaymakers stranded.
Many of those affected had booked cruise holidays with Princess Cruises, Cunard, and Holland America, which were cancelled due to a “breach of contract.”
Some travellers were forced to pay again for their holidays or risk having their trips cancelled altogether.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) issued warnings to affected customers, advising them to check their flight e-tickets, as only some packages remained valid.
However, those who booked only cruises or accommodation without flights found themselves without ATOL protection, meaning they may not get their money back.
“We understand that Jetline acted as an agent for other ATOL holders, so not all bookings are covered,” the CAA confirmed.
Holidaymakers affected by the collapse took to social media to voice their frustration.
One customer said: “Our holiday, including flights, hotels, and a cruise, has completely disappeared. We can’t get hold of Jetline at all.”
Another added: “I was told I had 48 hours to pay again, or my holiday would be cancelled.”
Industry experts warn that more UK travel agencies could collapse, as rising costs and changing consumer habits continue to impact the sector.
Last year, German-based tour operator FTI, which was linked to UK travel agents such as loveholidays, also went bust.
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