Holidayers stranded as AVG Travels goes into liquidation

Australian tour company AVG Travels is under fire for leaving thousands of customers in the lurch after going into liquidation.

"You pack your bags, get insurance ... and this is what I get in return," said Pearl Rodriguez, who booked a trip to China.

When Pearl visited the head office in Melbourne today, the lights were off and no one was there.

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On the door, a sign stated that McGrath Nicol Restructuring had taken over AVG Travels' financial affairs.

"You cannot cheat people like this. It's people's hard-earned money and we want a holiday ... you can't do something like this," Pearl told A Current Affair.

Holidaymakers currently overseas with AVG Travels fear they won't make it home.

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Linda Birchhome told A Current Affair she was stranded at the airport in Sri Lanka and had to pay for accommodation in the Maldives, which AVG should have already covered.

"They wouldn't transfer us to the island until accommodation was paid," Linda said.

According to Linda, a tour guide working for AVG Travels paid for her reimbursement and that of her travel group out of his own pocket.

"To make sure we had our accommodation and flights," Linda said.

It's been a turbulent week for AVG Travels after hundreds of customers had their trips to China cancelled at the last minute.

In a statement released by AVG Travels last week, customers were told they would receive their refund "within 30 business days".

"It should have been refunded on the spot over the phone as soon as I rang up," said John from Sydney.

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A Current Affair first spoke to John and Louise last week after their China trip was cancelled.

The couple then made the long drive to the AVG Travels head office in Melbourne, with the A Current Affair camera crews in tow.

John received his reimbursement as they sat in the AVG Travels waiting room.

More customers flowed through the doors of the office.

Some were refunded, but many others were turned away by staff.

With news of the liquidation, travellers are now trying to accept they will never see a cent.

"Liquidation means they're out of business, so all those tours that they're meant to be running will no longer run," travel commentator Quintin Long said.

"Most travellers will be unsecured creditors, so they're at the end of the line for anybody who gets their money back."

Statement from McGrathNicol

McGrathNicol Restructuring confirms that Partners Mark Holland and Matthew Hutton have been appointed Liquidators of travel agency, AVG Travels, effective 26 May 2026.

AVG Travels is an Australian-based travel agency that provides tour packages to destinations across Asia, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas.

Immediate objectives

The Liquidators have assumed control of AVG Travels' affairs and are undertaking an urgent review of AVG's financial position and business operations to determine the best course of action to preserve value for stakeholders.

At this stage, ongoing operations have been suspended and the Liquidators will be contacting all customers who have booked travel with AVG Travels.

Further information will be provided as it becomes available.