Tour Operator Ceases Operations, Strands Clients

Image: PHOTO: Sunset over the Cliffs of Moher in County Clare along Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way. (photo courtesy of upthebanner / iStock / Getty Images Plus)
Image: PHOTO: Sunset over the Cliffs of Moher in County Clare along Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way. (photo courtesy of upthebanner / iStock / Getty Images Plus)
Janeen Christoff
by Janeen Christoff
Last updated: 2:44 PM ET, Fri September 14, 2018

In an email to its travel partners, RTS Travel Limited trading as Exploring Vacations, notified recipients that the company has ceased operations as of September 13, 2018.

Further course of action will be taken on October 3:

"The Board of the Company intends to convene a meeting of creditors, to be held on 3 October 2018, at which a Liquidator will be appointed to the Company. Notice of the Creditors Meeting will sent to all creditors in due course," says the statement.

However, that may not help travelers already on trips organized by the tour operator or those who have trips departing soon.

According to a report in the Irish Examiner, guests could be made to pay twice as payments have not been received by hotels, guides, etc.

"Now the guests that are with me are not aware that the company is gone and that they actually have all their other accommodation also booked with Exploring Vacations. They are going on to Killarney and on to Galway and back to Dublin and as far as they are aware their accommodation has all been paid for and sorted. Unfortunately, I have to tell them this evening when they come back from their day that that is not the case," said Noreen Sweetman, owner of the Kilcatten Lodge in Cork, Ireland.

The same notice that was sent via email to its travel partners is also posted on the Exploring Vacations website.

Exploring Vacations offered a variety of tours in Ireland and Scotland, including coach tours, city breaks, ground tours, private and self-guided journeys.


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Janeen Christoff

Janeen Christoff

Executive Editor - AGENTatHOME | TravelPulse Content Strategy

Editor Executive Editor - AGENTatHOME | TravelPulse Content Strategy true [email protected] 9088 14744 Janeen Christoff caught the travel bug while living in London, England. After two years on the road, she settled in Los Angeles and focused her writing on

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