A Melbourne-headquartered budget travel company that built its brand around the promise of affordable global getaways for Australian travelers has officially entered liquidation, leaving thousands of customers scrambling to salvage their upcoming holiday plans. AVG Travels, which marketed itself on the slogan of helping customers ‘travel more and spend less’ by offering discounted international tour packages, appointed insolvency specialists from firm McGrathNicol as liquidators this week, following growing public frustration and widespread reports of sudden tour cancellations ahead of scheduled departures.
For days before the formal liquidation announcement, customers had already faced cascading uncertainty, with many sharing that their pre-booked trips had been abruptly canceled or flagged for review just 48 to 72 hours before their planned departure dates. The sudden collapse caught many travelers off guard, who had booked with the company specifically for its advertised low rates on popular international routes across Asia, including Japan, Sri Lanka and China.
Curiously, AVG Travels’ public website remains active as of the latest update, still displaying promotional advertisements advertising deep discounts on holiday packages to the destinations the company has long specialized in. However, first-time visitors to the site are now greeted by a pop-up notification confirming the liquidation status, which reads: ‘Matthew Hutton and Mark Holland of McGrathNicol were appointed liquidators of AVG Travels Pty Ltd (In Liquidation) on 26 May 2026. Please direct any queries to McGrathNicol on AVGTRAVELS@mcgrathnicol.com.’ The identical notice has also been posted physically on the entrance of AVG Travels’ Melbourne headquarters, barring access to walk-in customers seeking assistance.
In an official statement released following the appointment, McGrathNicol confirmed that it has taken full control of AVG Travels’ business operations and outstanding assets. The firm said it is currently conducting an urgent, comprehensive review of the collapsed travel company’s financial standing and day-to-day affairs, with the core goal of identifying the path forward that will preserve as much value as possible for all stakeholders, including affected customers and outstanding creditors. McGrathNicol also noted that all customers holding existing, pre-paid bookings with AVG Travels will be contacted directly with updates as the review process moves forward. Further details on the outcome of the liquidation process and potential refunds or recoveries for customers are expected to be released in the coming weeks.