JG Travel Group to resurrect National Holidays brand

Coach holiday specialist JG Travel Group is to bring back the National Holidays brand.

JG Travel, which owns Just Go! Holidays and Omega Breaks, has bought the name, website, social media accounts and database of the company.

National Holidays ceased trading when its owner Specialist Leisure Group collapsed in May this year.

A message on the National Holidays site says: "We are delighted to announce that National Holidays has joined the JG Travel Group, following the acquisition of the brand by an affiliated company. National Holidays has an enviable reputation in the coach holiday market, giving customers many years of wonderful experiences, since 1976.

"The JG Travel Group has operated UK and European breaks for almost 25 years, through Just Go! Holidays and Omega Breaks to UK customers, and Albion Journeys to US customers.

"We pride ourselves on delivering a diverse, exciting and great value for money range of tours, focussing on excellent customer service – which includes nationwide pick-up points.

"We are absolutely thrilled that we can add National Holidays to our portfolio, and we look forward to welcoming previous National Holidays’ customers to get back out enjoying their tours.

"Our aim is to take the essence of National Holidays and replicate many tours, pickups points and even staff. We will be using coach operators from the same regions, so you may well recognise some of the drivers.

"We are working hard to put together our initial 2021 holiday selection for you; the first set of tours will be announced very soon- keep your eyes open for our countdown when we reveal how you can be first to book one of our new tours. We will be updating the website regularly, along with the National Holidays Facebook page and will give you details on when and how you can book."

The company added it plans to have ‘many of the old favourites we know you loved back on sale shortly along with some new and exciting tours too’.

But it said it cannot help previous National Holidays customers still awaiting refunds following the collapse of SLG.

JG Travel said: "We are extremely sorry for the sad collapse of the Specialist Leisure Group, and in particular to all the staff and their customers. We have only purchased the brand of National Holidays which includes the name, the website, the social media accounts and the customer data.

"We have no involvement at all in relation to holidays that were booked prior to 22 May 2020 when the Specialist Leisure Group, who owned National Holidays, went into administration.

"Whilst we are delighted we will be able to offer many of the holidays we know you loved, we appreciate some customer are still waiting for refunds from previous bookings prior to 22 May 2020."

Paul Mason, Director of Product and Operations at JG Travel Group added: "National Holidays is a brand that I have admired all my working life, going back to the mid-1980s when they were based in Dewsbury and I was a retail travel agent in West Yorkshire. I recall selling many holidays for them and even taking group allocations, which I often used to accompany as a tour leader.

"In more recent years National Holidays has developed further and is a hugely respected and popular brand in the North of England with a very loyal following for the great value breaks offered. As a proud Yorkshireman I am delighted to see this brand join the group and the team here will be striving to continue to deliver a wide range of popular coach holidays."

By Lisa James, Deputy Editor (UK)