"There's been a sharp deterioration in the past year for travel agents," Opus Restructuring insolvency practitioner Nick Hood told the BBC Radio 4's 'You and Yours' programme on Monday.
"Around 15 per cent of all the companies are 'zombies', i e they have balance sheets that are negative by £5,000 or more," Mr. Hood told reporter Samantha Fenwick, adding that a "gentle a puff of wind it would take to blow them away."
However, his speculations were met with fierce condemnation from the UK tourism industry.
The Tourism Industry Hits Back
Association of Independent Tour Operators chairman Derek Moore told Sputnik that he expected better of the BBC than "presenting alarmist so-called facts on You & Yours without seeking input from those affected by such rumour-mongering, ie travel agents and tour operators."
"These ridiculous claims are made by someone who knows very little about our industry, which is one of the most highly-regulated sectors of British business and indeed in Europe," Mr. Moore said. "Consumer money is never at risk if bookings are made with reputable and fully-licensed members of AITO and ABTA; this applies Brexit or no Brexit."
READ MORE: Commonwealth 2022 Games in Birmingham to Bring Investors, Fund Housing—Spokesman
He added that the UK Civil Aviation Authority and ABTA insisted on "high liquidity levels and full financial bonding for consumer protection," and that customers only assume risks when booking through "unknown and unregulated companies on the web".
"Trying to save money is a false economy," he said. "Let the buyer beware — book only with bonded and trusted UK travel companies."
Despite this, the UK tourism industry reported only falls in foreign visitors to the UK and spending per visit compared to 2017, but reported record level visits of UK residents abroad compared to foreign residents to the UK, Office of National Statistics figures show. British tourists also spent more money than foreigners and travelled more during the summer with spikes in tourism in August, the ONS report said.
The views and opinions expressed by the speaker do not necessarily reflect those of Sputnik.