Gold Crest Holidays Goes Out of Business After 30 Years - What It Means for Travellers

In a shock development for the UK travel scene, long-standing tour operator Gold Crest Holidays Ltd has ceased trading and entered voluntary liquidation as of 23 January 2026. The news was confirmed on the company’s own website, marking the end of more than three decades of coach breaks, city tours and special event packages for holidaymakers.

Gold Crest, based in Ilkley, West Yorkshire, has been a familiar name on the British short-break travel circuit since the 1990s. Known especially for its affordable coach trips to destinations like Disneyland Paris, Christmas markets across Europe and packages tied to sporting and cultural events, the company also traded under the brands Advent, Advent Tours and Overseas Dream Weddings - meaning a broader group of customers may now be affected by the closure.

What Happened?

In its announcement, Gold Crest cited a combination of lingering pressures from the COVID-19 pandemic, significant rises in operating costs, and changes in key partner arrangements that made continued trading impossible even with strong customer loyalty. Despite generally positive reviews over the years, the company said it was “deeply saddened” to make the decision to close.

Industry watchers see the development as part of a worrying trend for mid-sized UK travel operators still finding their feet in a post-pandemic market. The collapse comes shortly after another UK travel provider, Regen Central Ltd, ceased operations earlier in January.

What This Means for Customers

If you, or your clients booked a holiday with Gold Crest, here’s what you need to know:

All Future Package Holidays Are Cancelled

ABTA, the UK travel trade association, has confirmed it is treating Gold Crest as a financial failure. All future holiday packages that were sold by the company or through agents under its trading names are now cancelled.

Refund and Claims Guidance

• Booked via travel agent: Contact your agent first, they will need to work with ABTA to support your claim.

• Paid by credit card: You may be able to obtain a refund by sending a credit card referral letter to your card issuer.

• Other payment methods: Customers who paid by other means must submit a claim via the ABTA claims portal.

Tickets & Event Bookings

Some holiday packages included event tickets (for concerts, races, or festivals). While the travel and accommodation parts of your package are cancelled, individual event tickets might still be valid, check directly with the event organiser if you have them.

For Travellers Already Abroad

Unlike some past travel company failures that left hundreds of thousands of holidaymakers stranded, Gold Crest’s business model was heavily focused on coach-based short breaks around Europe. That means most customers due to travel in the next weeks and months will need to make new travel and accommodation arrangements, rather than being repatriated mid-trip.

What This Means for the Travel Industry

Gold Crest’s collapse is a stark reminder that the travel sector is still navigating a complex landscape: rising fuel and transport costs, post-pandemic financial adjustments, and supply chain pressures continue to squeeze operators, especially those focused on lower-margin coach and short-break travel.

For travel agents and advisors, this will likely prompt renewed conversations about risk management, the importance of clear payment protections, and the ways that smaller operators can safeguard their business continuity, particularly where partnerships and supplier contracts are critical to delivering holiday products.

Final Thoughts

For many travellers, Gold Crest Holidays was more than a business, it was a gateway to first trips abroad, festive celebrations with loved ones, and memories tied to European cities and events. Its closure will be felt personally and financially by thousands of customers and industry partners alike.

At Wonderland Travel, we’re here to help you understand your next steps. If your holiday was booked with Gold Crest or one of its trading names, check your booking details now, contact your travel agent, and begin your refunds process with ABTA

promptly, every day counts in a situation like this.

For the latest official updates and to begin your claim, customers should visit ABTA’s website at: www.abta.com where full guidance is available.