Australian wholesaler Excite Holidays has ceased trading.
KPMG has been appointed as administrators with phone calls to the London office being referred to the business services firm.
A message on Excite’s trade portal advises customers with enquiries about their bookings to email KMPG on: au-fmexcite@kpmg.com.au.
Excite Holidays Europe posted on its Facebook page on December 30 that it was “experiencing system issues which have affected a number of our bookings and calls”.
The company added at the time: “Both our system and customer service teams are working through these issues now to ensure we can service our agents as quickly as possible. Please bear with us as we manage the situation at hand.”
Advantage leisure director Kelly Cookes said: “It’s really sad to start the year with another supplier failure and we’re thinking of the staff impacted.
“Our priority will be supporting members and their customers.”
She said Excite was a “relatively small” partner but an “important one to some members which did “bigger volumes”.
Gavin Lapidus, company director at TTNG member E Shores, said: “We are saddened that we are starting the year with another brand going into administration.
“We have been preparing since the rumours started yesterday and already have secured several clients’ bookings. We would ask as always for suppliers to be supportive and not increase prices.
“Our priority as always will be looking after our customers.”
Agents reported receiving emails directly from hoteliers offering to take over booking they have made with Excite.
One read: “We are happy to takeover the booking under the same economics, and collect payment directly from you.
“It seems to me that the travelers will be disputing the charge to Excite Holidays with their credit card companies, so the result should be no financial harm to traveler. We want to make the travel experience flawless for these consumers and we are here to help.”
Excite was set-up in 2002 and has offices in Sydney, New Zealand, the US, Thailand, Singapore, Greece and the UK.
As well as hotels, the business sold “adventure and cultural tours” and ferry and transfer services.