Garuda Orient Holidays has announced it will be shutting its doors in Australia, citing “tough business conditions” due to the growing online environment.
Overnight, the Indonesian-owned wholesaler revealed it will close its Sydney and Perth offices, leaving around 17 locally-based employees out of a job.
This is the second wholesaler to cease operations in Australia over the last six months and follows Creative Holidays’ closure in December last year.
Garuda Orient Holidays’ General Manager, Beanca Daluz, cited “financial reasons” for the closure, saying online businesses have made it “difficult for travel companies to survive”.
“Online Travel Agents have permanently altered the business model and more people are making their own arrangements online, forcing traditional travel arrangers redundant.”
Garuda Orient Holidays
The company is working with employees to minimise disruptions and is attempting to find jobs for staff in other parts of the Garuda Indonesia Group.
Customers with land bookings departing prior to 31 May this year will be unaffected by the closure. Those with land bookings after 31 May to 1 August this year will have the option to pay in full to finalise their booking prior to 31 May or cancel their booking and receive a full refund prior to 30 June 2016.
“We would like to assure our customers who have purchased their holiday with us that the travel arrangements they have purchased through us will be honoured or refunded if they wish.”
Beanca Daluz, Garuda Orient Holidays General Manager
The airline company, Garuda Indonesia, is not affected by this in any way.
