A Brit on holiday says she was told to pay again for her hotel room or risk getting locked out - as FTI Group's insolvency sent shockwaves through tourist hotspots. Nicola Bartholomew, 46, booked her break through travel agent Loveholidays and checked into Labranda Targa Club Aqua Parc near Marrakech, Morocco , on June 2. But less than 24 hours after she had arrived news filtered in that the collapse of tour operator FTI Group could have a knock-on impact on her holiday.
The FTI Group is the parent company of of Youtravel and Meeting Point - two of Loveholidays suppliers. Nicola, who is from Guildford, Surrey, said letters had been put under their door instructing the guests to go to reception - which soon became a scene of mayhem. Nicola said the hotel had asked her to put down an extra £300 to keep her hotel room until her departure.
She said: "It was absolutely diabolical. They wanted Loveholidays to confirm they would get the money.'' FTI Group, the third largest tour operator in Europe and the parent company to Youtravel and Meeting Point, has confirmed it was filing for insolvency.
Nicola, who is a widow, mum of four and grandma of nine, has fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis and was travelling with her carer and her carer's five-year-old son. Nicola said there were "around 100 of us" hanging around reception with no food and drink who were told to pay again or risk being locked out. She said there was no Loveholidays representative on hand to help and the single media re.
