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From Travelmole:

Travelscope goes into administration after cashflow difficulties

More than 250 people are expected to lose their jobs as escorted tours specialist Travelscope Holidays was placed into adminstration today.

The Gloucester-based company, which runs worldwide tours plus ocean and river cruise programmes, has ceased taking bookings.

Paul Clark, Phil Duffy and Andrew Stoneman of Menzies Corporate Restructuring were appointed joint administrators.

A Menzies statement said: "The most recent annual turnover for the business was £80 million and it employs 270 staff who are predominantly based at the company's Gloucester offices.

"The company has been experiencing recent cashflow difficulties and whilst it endeavours to seek options for refinancing, it has been placed into administration in order to best protect the company's customers and creditors.

"All customers who have pre-booked holidays through Travelscope Holidays Ltd will be entitled to full refunds through the company's relationships with ATOL and ABTA.

"For customers already on a Travelscope Holiday, they will receive similar protection meaning that ATOL will cover all the things included in their package for the remainder of their holiday, ensuring they come home as originally planned.
"All trading activities have been suspended and no further holiday bookings are being taken.

"Please note that both the company's and the administrator's phone lines are extremely busy at this time and therefore we would ask you to be patient."

The administrators referred inquiries to the company's website for further updates at www.travelscope.co.uk.

But is it known that staff have been told that they have lost their jobs - just three days before Christmas.

Travelscope is a member of ABTA and holds an ATOL licence with the Civil Aviation Authority and is also a member of the Passenger Shipping Association. It has been operating for 15 years.

The operator's ocean cruise programme for 2008 was based on the chartered ship MV Van Gogh operating sailings from Falmouth, Harwich and Hull.

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I know also know one person who sailed in ATHENA while on Travelscope charter and loved it. (OLS members know who I mean!)

That said, this does not entirely surprise me given the abrupt end to the company's charters of ATHENA and FUNCHAL, with overtones that perhaps CIC was not satisfied with its financial state.

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Originally posted by adriana & norway lover:
Club Cruise, the VAN GOGH' owner, has just bought the NEW FLAMENCO. The difficulty for theim now is to find a charter for this ship, and also for the VAN GOGH, now without employement ! Good luck !

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I do not know why but we seem to have two lots of postings running about the closure of Travelscope.

One is on this section and there is another in the Midships Lounge Section.

Neil ( Bob )

[ 12-29-2007: Message edited by: Neil Whitmore ( Bob ) ]

Van Gogh’s world cruise to go ahead
31/12/2007
The administrators of troubled UK tour operator Travelscope Holidays, together with ABTA (The Association of British Travel Agents) and Club Cruise (owners of Van Gogh) have reached an agreement to provide the services to enable Van Gogh’s scheduled 2008 World Cruise to sail.
The vessel will depart Falmouth for the 93-day voyage on Friday January 4. A notice issued on December 29 by joint administrator Paul Clark says he continues to examine the company’s financial and operational position in order to determine its ongoing viability. ‘With the exception of the Van Gogh world cruise, the position regarding departures due on or after January 3, 2008 remains uncertain,’ writes Clark.