The police have launched an investigation after several holidaymakers were notified that their vacation had been abruptly cancelled.

By 7pm yesterday more than 15 reports had been filed and the police said they were holding a person to help them with their investigation into misappropriation of money.

The police would not say which company was being investigated but in the meantime, Times of Malta received complaints from people who had booked a holiday with Fantasy Tours and were notified by text message that their holiday was being cancelled.

The company made no announcement but its Facebook page featured several posts by people expressing their anger and demanding their money back.

The company was still advertising tours for September.

It said on its website that it had recently undergone a restructuring process and was now under new management.

Some travellers were meant to leave for Corfu tomorrow. Sources said that about seven flights to Corfu, throughout August and September, had been cancelled.

An Air Malta spokesman confirmed that some flights to the island, on the request of the charterer – Fantasy Tours – had been cancelled.

However, those who are scheduled to return to Malta from Corfu on Air Malta tomorrow will still be brought over, even though the plane going to collect them will be empty.

Their return flight is being paid by the charterer but those booked to go to Corfu tomorrow have had their return flight cancelled.

Most of those who booked their trips with the operator, including cruises, have expressed concern over whether they will get theirmoney back.

“I am one of the many who booked and prepaid a holiday with Fantasy Tours (also known as Golden Travel Club).

“I have just received an SMS that the company is ceasing operations and that my travel arrangements cannot be entertained,” a man told this newspaper, asking whether he would be refunded.

Another person said they had booked a holiday for Corfu for later this month, spending more than €1,000 on hotels and excursions, but had just been informed of the cancellation via an SMS.

In November, the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority issued a warning that the travel agency was offering an “unsatisfactory” service. It had been repeatedly established that Fantasy Tours failed to abide its obligations, it said.

Several calls to a spokesman for Fantasy Tours remained unanswered yesterday.