Oasis Overland has ceased operations in the wake of the Covid-19 shutdown of travel.
The company specialised in small group expeditions by truck across Africa and other key overland destinations worldwide such as South America and Central Asia, alongside hotel-based trips in Pakistan, Bolivia, Peru and south-east Asia.
The news was reported by AITO.
Martyn Sumners, executive director of AITO, said: “Chris Wrede and his team had been in business since 1998 – more than 22 years – and joined AITO in 2008, just over 12 years ago.
“He was a valued member of the AITO family and will be much missed.”
Oasis Overland had just launched a new and exciting 93-day long trip by truck through Africa, from Nairobi to Johannesburg, but Covid-19 restrictions as a result of the South African variant of the virus meant that it has now had to admit defeat.
Wrede said: “We are devastated to be unable to continue to trade.
“The past 11 months have been extremely tough, and the outlook is very bleak for our type of adventure until the world is clear of Covid-19.
“We are very sorry that we could not deliver our adventures as promised, and our thoughts go out to all our clients, loyal UK staff, leaders, drivers and the many local people and businesses around the world that were the bedrock of our adventures.”
Details of how to claim refunds from Oasis Overland are available here.
Other AITO members to ceased trading earlier in the pandemic include Cities Direct, based in Cheltenham, and London-based Tucan Travel.