Thomas Cook To Let Guests Choose Their Own Rooms as Operator Accelerates Hotel Improvements

An improvement in the geo-political climate as well as ongoing investment in its own hotel brands has helped Thomas Cook continue its comeback under chief executive Peter Fankhauser. Up until recently Thomas Cook was way behind tour operator rival TUI Group in the quality of the hotels it had on offer. It still has some way to go but it is encouraging to see how much emphasis the company now puts on its properties. Among the changes, in the summer of 2018 Thomas Cook plans to let travelers choose their own hotel rooms before they travel at 300 of its most popular hotels, the company said. The company has already tested the initiative and will now look to roll it out more widely, starting with its own property brands. The start of the summer is when European tour operators start making their money as customers head south for their holidays. Although the fourth quarter tends to be the most lucrative, Thomas Cook’s third quarters are a good indication of where it is heading. Revenue during the period increased by 22.8 percent to £2.3 billion ($3.02 billion) thanks to continued growth in Greece as well as long-haul destinations. The loss before tax was cut by more than half to £31 million ($40.7 million). Thomas Cook’s outlook for the remainder of the summer is also positive. Bookings are up 11 percent with average selling prices 1 percent higher than last year. There