Articles tagged “tui”

The absence of Thomas Cook has left a big gap to fill in a number of European markets. The early signs in the key January booking period point to a pretty good year for tour operators. Although as we know from experience, that can quickly change.

Not only is TUI making a big bet on its own branded hotels, it wants to try and get independent hotels onto its new digital platform. How many are really going to want to get involved, and might it be better to try to fix its underperforming tour operator division?

TUI continues to have ambitious plans, and its quest to move away from the traditional tour operating market seems sensible given the problems endured by one of its biggest competitors. But good intentions often get derailed by outside circumstances. Can it stay the course in 2020?

On the Beach's purchase of Classic Collection Holidays now looks like a strategic masterstroke in light of the collapse of Thomas Cook. Brick-and-mortar travel agents in the United Kingdom lost a holiday supplier, and the company has a ready-made alternative on offer.

Given Fosun's desire to help keep Thomas Cook afloat, the news shouldn't come as a surprise, especially since the Chinese company's Foliday ecosystem features the storied brand name.

Package holidays are changing and under pressure, but in markets such as the UK, Germany, China, and Canada, these offline options still have their place. Failure to adapt was a contributing factor in Thomas Cook's demise, but there were a whole bunch of other things going on as well.

Thomas Cook's collapse was a disaster played out in slow motion. An ill-fated acquisition spree, a bloated retail footprint, and a commoditized product left it unable to deal with changes in consumer behavior and economic shocks.

The Max grounding overshadowed a decent set of results. TUI will be hoping the safety issues are ironed out well in advance of next summer, the period when profits can be the most robust.

Amadeus’ Luis Maroto came out on top in 2018. His executive compensation is appropriate, given that the company is the most valuable European travel firm.

Package holidays are still popular across much of Europe, and companies like Sunweb think there are plenty of opportunities for growth. Buying up rival tour operators helps with scale, as does the struggles of a competitor like Thomas Cook.