Pilgrim groups hit as tour operator closes
Joe Walsh holiday firm blames strict lockdown and travel rules as it shuts down after being mothballed for year
THOUSANDS of religious pilgrims, whose trips were cancelled by the pandemic over the past 12 months, saw their tour operator go bust yesterday.
Joe Walsh Tours – which pioneered the package holiday business in Ireland 60 years ago – is the latest business to fall victim to Covid-19 lockdown and travel restrictions.
Announcing it was closing, the firm blamed the Government’s strict coronavirus travel rules, branding them ‘the most restrictive in Europe’.
Before the pandemic, the company had offices in the UK, elsewhere in Europe and the US and employed more than 100 people. It is understood to currently have around 25 staff.
However, the company’s subsidiary JWT Sports – the official partner to high-flying Leinster Rugby, and which organises trips such as skiing holidays and treks on the Camino de Santiago in northern Spain – is still in operation.
Joe Walsh Tours, which has not traded since the start of the pandemic, announced yesterday: ‘Joe Walsh Pilgrimtours Ltd did everything they could to see themselves and their customers through the pandemic.
‘Travel protocols in Ireland are the most restrictive in Europe, putting Irish travel companies at a disadvantage to their European counterparts.
‘Like many travel agencies and tour operators, Joe Walsh Pilgrimtours was paying overheads, while at the same time unable to trade and also waiting on refunds from suppliers. Joe Walsh Pilgrimtours has worked full-time during the pandemic for no return.
‘Joe Walsh Pilgrimtours has business interruption insurance in place. The company had hoped to be able to continue trading with the benefit of a large refund claim from the insurers.
‘However, it has not been possible to reach agreement with the insurers at this stage. This will now be a matter for the liquidators to progress in due course.’
Irish Travel Agents Association (ITAA) chief Pat Dawson described the closure as a ‘sad day’ for the travel industry, adding: ‘This closure highlights the difficulties the travel industry has been experiencing. The ITAA call on the Government to extend income support for travel agents into 2022 when the public is back travelling and holidaying again.’
Travel industry expert Eoghan Corry said: ‘The demographic of the people who are affected by this is much older, they’re not great online and it’s very complex to get refunds.
‘A lot of them are pilgrimages that have been postponed by 12 months because of the pandemic and that will affect your consumer rights, there’s a lot of good will involved in putting a pilgrimage back by 12 months.
‘The upside of it is, there won’t be a lot of people who’ve paid the whole amount for a pilgrimage; there’ll be a lot of deposits.
‘The average cost of a pilgrimage package is around €700-€800 and the average deposit would be about €100. So people are not looking at losing a huge amount.
‘Pilgrimages don’t tend to be cheap, it’s a lot of neighbours, people travelling with elderly relatives. It’s a group which trusts their travel agent a lot so, hopefully, the process of getting their money back will not be too complicated,’ he said.
‘It’s a sad day for travel because Joe Walsh has been around since 1961, he wasn’t the country’s first [travel agent] but was the best-known.’
The company was started in 1961 by Joe Walsh, from Co. Down, and the family-run firm soon became a hit by offering affordable package holidays. As well as pilgrimages, it included trips to top sports fixtures, as well as cruises, military, heritage and school tours, and overseas weddings.
In a note on its website, the company said: ‘Joe Walsh Pilgrimtours Ltd. would like to thank customers for their loyalty over the years and for their support and understanding during this time.’
The ITAA advised last night: ‘Holidaymakers who have a holiday booking with Joe Walsh Tours and have concerns should contact the Commission for Aviation Regulation. As a licensed and bonded travel agent, customers may be eligible for a refund. Details on how to claim against the bond can be found on the CAR website: www.aviationreg.ie.’
‘Protocols are the most restrictive’ ‘A group that trusts their travel agent’