The collapse of various travel firms in 2025 has halted the UK travel industry. As a result, thousands of British travellers face cancelled holidays and ruined plans. The great Little Escape is one of the most significant casualties. It is a Berkshire-based company that has been offering holiday plans to some of the world’s most magical cities.
The collapse of this travel firm is a part of a worrying trend, and with it also multiple travel firms are going bust. It is affecting the travellers who planned for holidays in the UK. The people who booked flights, cruises, and packages would be affected by the UK travel firm’s collapse.
Great Little Escape operated under several brand names, including Your Holidays, Tunisia First, and through some high-profile websites. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) issued a notice stating that the firm’s collapse left many travellers without bookings, and also without refunds in some cases. THE authority advised consumers not to claim refunds yet, as they would be cancelled. The travel agents with Great Little Escapes are instructed not to refund the customers until they get instructions from the Air Travel Trust.
This situation left so many customers in uncertainty regarding their bookings, payments, and refunds.
The collapse of Great Little Escape, Balkan Holidays, and Jetline Travel reflects an extended trend in the UK’s travel sector. Many small travel firms are facing financial pressure in the current year. This left travellers aggressive about travel disruptions and lost deposits.
The collapse reveals another recent failure of the travel sector. Jetline Travel, which is a London-based firm and has operated for 25 years, went into administration in March after ceasing as an ATOL holder.
Balkan Holidays, which is a renowned travel company and has been offering trips to destinations like Croatia, Bulgaria, Northern Cyprus, and more for nearly 60 years, ceased trading in April 2025.
Travellers who have booked directly from Belkan Holidays are instructed to contact the company for a refund. This latest collapse of the travel industry will shake the confidence of prospective holidaymakers.
However, some social media users have advised the travellers, saying, “Better off booking with big travel agents”.
The recent collapse also reminds travellers to be cautious when they would book for vacations and to ensure they are ATOL and ABTA protected companies. When travellers book their holidays with ATOL or ABTA members, travellers would be given a certain level of security. So, it would significantly ease the burden if the company fails.