Aito member Oasis Overland, which was founded in 1998, went into administration on 17 February due to the severe impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on its business.

But the brand is going to be relaunched by Encounters Travel offering a range of overland expeditions and adventures.

Ralph Foulds, managing director at Encounters Travel, said: “The situation is far from ideal, and we feel for everyone at Oasis, their great crews and UK team, and their customers who had their future travel plans disrupted.

“It’s our strong feeling that Oasis and their multi-country tours were hit especially hard by the coronavirus pandemic and without it would still be going strong.”  

Foulds added Encounters was “committed to offering as many of Oasis’s previous trips as we can, using the same ground suppliers, trucks, crew, and tour leaders wherever possible”.

Although he admitted it was going to be “some time until everything will be up and running again” because of the ongoing pandemic.

Oasis Overland founder Chris Wrede said the brand would be “in safe hands” with its new owner and he would continue to be involved with the overland operations “to help with continuity”.

“I’m excited to be able to look forward with some positivity now to getting our trucks back on the road again, as soon as Covid will allow anyway,” said Wrede. 

“We did our best to handle the closure of Oasis Overland as professionally as possible, ensuring that our ground suppliers were paid, and our customers refunded.”