Global Vision International (GVI), a UK-based travel company specializing in conservation and voluntourism placements, has entered liquidation after 28 years of operation. The Exeter-based firm has cancelled all current and future programs, leaving customers, particularly gap year students, facing significant financial losses.
Immediate Cancellation of All Programs
GVI's website now states that "all current and future GVI programs have been cancelled." The company advises affected participants that they will receive formal correspondence detailing the liquidation process and instructions on how to lodge a claim for refunds. The sudden closure has stranded many travellers who had paid thousands of pounds for placements worldwide.
CEO Statement on Closure
Andrew Valentine, CEO of GVI, released a statement expressing deep regret over the closure. "It is with an incredibly heavy heart that I write to share that GVI is today closing its doors," Valentine said. He added, "I deeply regret the effect that GVI’s closure will have on staff, projects and customers, and we are committed to providing clear information to those affected as GVI goes through a formal liquidation process."
Impact on Gap Year Students
Among those affected is Amy Taylor, a 21-year-old wildlife conservation and zoo biology student from Manchester. She had booked an internship in South Africa through GVI, which she described as "gut-wrenching" to lose. "I was so happy within myself when I got accepted. I was just so excited about the future that I might have," Taylor told BBC Newsbeat.
Taylor is now relying on her bank to reclaim her money, as her travel insurance was also booked through GVI. She expressed concern about recovering the funds, stating, "If I don't get the money back, I can't go anywhere else and I don't really trust anyone at the moment to be able to go anywhere else." She noted that the company appeared professional and not in financial difficulty prior to the collapse.
Financial and Emotional Toll
The closure has left many customers out of pocket, with some losing thousands of pounds for trips that included conservation work and volunteering opportunities popular among school leavers and gap year students. The company's website has been replaced with the liquidation notice, and affected individuals are urged to follow the formal claims process.
