Balkan Holidays has closed for business in the UK, with all forward bookings cancelled.
The operator, which was established nearly 60 years ago, confirmed it has ceased trading in the UK, effective 24 April 2025. Customers currently abroad with Balkan Holidays will be unaffected, while forward bookings will be refunded.
Balkan Holidays Ltd offered a summer programme flying into Bourgas for beach holidays. The company also chartered its own flights to Sofia for skiing and snowboarding holidays. In addition, it offered holidays to Croatia, Montenegro, Slovenia, Malta and Northern Cyprus.
The company operated departures from 17 UK airports – more than any other UK tour operator – and at its peak carried more than 130,000 passengers in a single year.
In a message on its website, the operator said: “We regret to inform you that Balkan Holidays Ltd has, as of 24th of April 2025, closed for business in the UK. Clients currently on holiday will be unaffected.”
The message stressed the company has not gone into liquidation but that forward holiday bookings have been cancelled.
It continued: “All clients will be notified and refunded in full. May we kindly ask for patience as we process the refunds and appreciate your understanding.
“Thank you for your past business and please accept our most sincere apologies for the disappointment and inconvenience.”
Direct clients have been told to email [email protected], while those who have booked through a travel agent have been asked to contact their agent for a refund. Travel agents have been told to email [email protected].
The operator added: “We will work as fast as we can and will prioritise refunds in departure date order.”
Balkan Holidays Ltd UK managing director Alexander Stoyanov said: “It is really sad that the company should cease trading in the UK after all these years. The company is solvent, but it has become increasingly difficult to be competitive and profitable in the UK.
“Nobody will be left out of pocket and all suppliers will be paid and I thank them sincerely for their support over the years. I am really sorry to disappoint our loyal customers and the fantastic travel agents, who have booked holidays with us for this summer and beyond and have given us so much business over the years; all customers will be refunded in full.
“Based in London is a fantastic, dedicated team of travel professionals, some I have personally worked with since I joined the company 26 years ago and unfortunately redundancies are unavoidable. We were hoping to celebrate 60 years in business next year, but it is not meant to be.”
Balkan Holidays had an ATOL to carry 27,800 passengers to the end of March 2026.
