Lithuanian tourism body revokes Travelonline Baltics' license

VILNIUS - The Lithuanian State Tourism Department said on Monday that it is revoking the license of Travelonline Baltics, adding that prosecutors have launched a pre-trial investigation into possible criminal activity by the tour operator and individuals connected to it.

Tadas Zentelis, head of the department's Division of Tourism Activities Supervision, says that it is possible that tourists will not suffer any losses.

"Thanks to close cooperation and information exchange with other tour operators, whose trips Travelonline Baltics was reselling, and the insurance company, it is possible that tourists will not incur any financial losses," he said in a press release.

Travelonline Baltics CEO Egle Lenkoviciene and Paulius Jasaitis, the company's shareholder, are prohibited from engaging in travel organizing business for five years.

Travelonline Baltics has a 120,000-euro insurance coverage by the Lithuanian branch of BTA Baltic Insurance Company. According to information available to the Tourism Department, the tour operator has concluded 44 travel contracts with 122 tourists.

The following online travel booking sites are linked to Travelonline Baltics: Easytravel.lt, Toptravel.lt, Judek.lt, Keliones.lt, Kruizai.lt, Skrydziai.lt, 24fly.com, 24fly.lt, Rezervacijos.lt, Viesbuciai.lt and Kelionesinternetu.lt.

Travelonline  Baltics, which is wholly owned by Aviahero, a company owned by Jasaitis, posted a net profit of 5,500 euros on revenue of 2.113 million euros for 2016.