What are the best alternatives to Original Travel?

These 16 luxury tour operators sell the same kind of trip as Original Travel, on what their own websites say: each says it sells tailor-made trips and names ATOL protection. Of them, Audley Travel, Black Tomato and Red Dot Tours have the most Google reviews.

What does Original Travel say about itself?

What Original Travel's own website says, so each alternative below can be set against it.

• What it is: A specialist travel organiser that operates out of the UK. Source
• What it sells: Sells mostly private holidays, with set departure dates only for things like cruises aboard the Steam Ship Sudan on the Nile. Source
• Money protection: Holds ATOL number 5922 from the Civil Aviation Authority. Package holidays without a flight are protected by a bond held by ABTA. Source

What are the best alternatives to Original Travel?

These 16 luxury tour operators sell the same kind of trip as Original Travel, on their own websites; Audley Travel, Black Tomato and Red Dot Tours have the most Google reviews. Original Travel's own facts come first on this page, so each alternative can be read against it.

Which of these companies protect your money?

16 of the 16 name a scheme that protects guest payments on their own websites, such as ATOL for UK flight packages, ABTA or USTOA membership, or a trust account; the rest do not name one on the pages read.

• Abercrombie & Kent: ATOL number 2881 covers flight-inclusive packages sold by its UK company; its US terms name no trust account or bond.
• Ampersand Travel: ATOL number 6065 covers its air holiday packages.
• Audley Travel: ATOL number 4817 covers its flight-inclusive trips and ABTOT covers trips that do not include flights.
• Black Tomato: ATOL number 10531 covers the flight-inclusive packages it sells as agent of Hays. It says non-flight packages are covered by a scheme through ABTA that refunds advance payments if it becomes insolvent.
• Carrier: ATOL number 2968 covers its flight-inclusive holidays. As an ABTA member (number V0391) it says bookings are financially protected under the Package Travel Regulations if it becomes insolvent.
• Cazenove+Loyd: Holds ATOL number 3208, issued by the Civil Aviation Authority.
• Cookson Adventures: ATOL number 12608 protects flight-inclusive packages on certain bookings, usually where clients are based or book in the UK. It may not protect all services.
• Do Not Disturb: ATOL number 11108 covers flight packages for UK customers departing from the UK and ABTOT member number 5598 covers non-flight packages; non-package bookings have no financial protection.
• Lightfoot Travel: Says each sales location has the maximum level of industry bonding possible, including ATOL membership in the UK, with licensing in Singapore and Hong Kong; no ATOL number is given.
• Mahlatini: Some flight-inclusive holidays are protected by the ATOL scheme. Guests' money is also held through its travel trust, Trust My Travel; no ATOL number is given.
• Red Dot Tours: ATOL number 5517 covers its flight-inclusive packages. ABTOT membership number 5664 covers non-flight packages.
• Sovereign Luxury Travel: ATOL number 0285 covers its flight packages. A bond held by ABTA (number V4068) protects packages without flights.
• Steppes Travel: ATOL covers its flight-inclusive packages and ABTOT covers non-flight packages (number 5488). Money for ATOL-protected bookings is held in an independent trust account managed by Serenity Trust; no ATOL number is given.
• The Luxury Holiday Company: Holds ATOL and ABTOT licences, with ABTOT cover entered under Wexas Ltd number 52; no ATOL number is given.
• Turquoise Holidays: ATOL number 5875 covers its package holidays; land-only arrangements it books as agent are not financially protected.
• Wexas Travel: Holds ATOL and ABTOT licences, but where it acts as agent protection comes from the tour operator or cruise line; no ATOL number is shown.

Who to contact first

Start with the 16 companies on this page that name a scheme protecting your payments on their own websites, then add any other card that fits your dates.

• Abercrombie & Kent
• Ampersand Travel
• Audley Travel
• Black Tomato
• Carrier
• Cazenove+Loyd
• Cookson Adventures
• Do Not Disturb
• Lightfoot Travel
• Mahlatini
• Red Dot Tours
• Sovereign Luxury Travel
• Steppes Travel
• The Luxury Holiday Company
• Turquoise Holidays
• Wexas Travel

What to ask each one to set out in writing:

• What the price includes and excludes, line by line: stays, guides, transfers, internal flights, park or entry fees.
• The deposit, when the balance is due and what you lose if you cancel.
• Which scheme protects your money and the number to check it.

Richard Jasinski · Uncompromised Travel · written from Valencia · first published 4 November 2026 · updated 4 November 2026