Camping specialist Welcome France ceases trading

The Irish subsidiary of a British tour operator has had its licence to operate revoked.

A statement from the Commission for Aviation Regulation yesterday said that French Freedom Holidays, trading as Welcome France, with an address at Summerhill South in Cork, had ceased trading.

It advised holidaymakers who may be out of pocket to contact the regulator to make a claim. However, those who had booked accommodation only will not be entitled to reimbursement.

On its website, the commission says: “The Commission for Aviation Regulation has revoked licence number 0630 and called down the bond that was held by French Freedom Holidays Limited trading as Welcome France.

“Passengers that have made bookings for forward travel may be entitled to make a claim from the bond. Unfortunately if you had a booking for accommodation only, in accordance with the 1982 Transport Act, you will not be covered under the CAR bond. However, if you paid by credit card you may be able to seek a charge-back, and we suggest you contact your credit card provider in this instance.”

A nearby, wholly Irish-owned company, Hello France, which is located on the corner of Southern Rd and Langford Row, has no connection with the British operation and continues to trade normally.

“We have absolutely nothing to do with them,” Derry Cremin, owner of Hello France, told the Irish Examiner. “We are a longstanding family business and we have no problems at all, so our customers can rest assured. In fact, things are going very well for us at the moment.”

The regulator, which administers a bonding scheme for travel agents and tour operators, warned yesterday that while Welcome France held an operating licence up to last Friday — the day it ceased trading — the company was not in possession of a valid licence from the start of November last year to Jan 21. Those who booked between Nov 1 and Jan 21 will not be entitled to a refund of any deposits as Welcome France was not bonded during that period.

Repeated attempts to contact Welcome France at its Cork office were unsuccessful, although the company’s website was yesterday still inviting customers to book holidays.

French Freedom Holidays, with headquarters in Lincolnshire, has not made any comment on the position of its Irish operation and did not respond to requests for clarification.

While anybody who booked with Welcome France from Jan 21 to date is protected, they will have to apply to the regulator to get back any money they have paid the tour operator.

All Irish-based tour operators and travel agents are required by law to be licensed and bonded to sell overseas travel. A list of all those travel agents who have a current licence can be found www.aviationreg.ie.

A spokeswoman for the regulator said: “Anyone who books arrangements through a licensed tour operator or travel agent is covered as long as there is a travel element (whether by air or sea) originally made in their contract on submitting a valid claim to CAR.”

* Queries and claims can be made by going online to www.aviationreg.ie, phoning 01 6611700,or email [e-mail]