‘I’m left with a year of nothing’: UK gap year students lose thousands of pounds as tour operator closes

Scores of UK students have lost thousands of pounds after eco tour operator GVI went into liquidation and cancelled all placements, leaving gap-year participants stranded and overseas conservation partners unpaid. The company, which ran volunteer and internship placements on wildlife and marine projects worldwide, removed its website on 1 July and informed customers by email that trips would not proceed and no refunds would be issued [1]. Clara Denton, who paid over £10,000 for an apprenticeship on a South African game reserve, said she had missed university application deadlines and now faces “a year of nothing” [1]. GVI was part of the “voluntourism” sector, which combines conservation work with adventure travel in developing countries [1]. The original company entered voluntary liquidation last September owing suppliers £1.5m, and its contracts were taken over by a second company run by the same founders, Andrew Valentine and Brett Akker [1]. Valentine said the business had made an “incredible” contribution to conservation over 25 years and had continued trading until 30 June on the advice of insolvency practitioners, at which point it could no longer meet its obligations [1]. The collapse has left partner organisations in financial distress. The Kawsay Biological Station in Peru, which hosts volunteers for GVI, is owed more than $56,000 (£42,000) [1]. Director Raúl Bello Santa Cruz said the station had hosted more than 60 students on the company’s behalf this year without receiving any payment [1]. “Last year they postponed our payments for six months,” he said, adding that he had been using personal savings to continue the work [1]. Customers who had signed up to monthly payment plans reported being encouraged to pay the full cost upfront in the weeks before the shutdown, with a 10% discount offered for immediate settlement [1]. Because many paid by bank transfer, their payments are not protected by credit card refund rules or the voluntary chargeback scheme operated by debit card issuers [1]. A notice on the GVI website confirmed that all current and future programmes have been cancelled and that participants will receive formal correspondence on how to lodge a claim, though customers are expected to rank behind other creditors [1]. Valentine and Akker also have links to Bushwise, another travel company offering conservation experience to students; there is no indication that Bushwise is in financial difficulty [1]. Valentine said former GVI staff were voluntarily assisting partners to create new, diversified income streams, expressing hope that “the impact can continue, even if GVI can not” [1].