Tour Operators

Tourism Giant TUI Group Bears Up Under European Heat and Maintains Sunny Outlook

Patrick Whyte, Skift

Just like Ryanair in the airline industry, TUI's relative strength means that it is able to weather external factors much better than its rivals.

6 days ago

Every One of Thomas Cook’s 17 Brands, Explained

Patrick Whyte, Skift

Thomas Cook, the man, organized his first trip in 1841, and the travel company that bears his name is still going. After a series of mergers and acquisitions the company now has 17 key brands to focus on. Read our take on each.

1 week ago

European Heat Wave to Singe Thomas Cook’s Profits

Patrick Whyte, Skift

The impact of the heat wave isn't as bad as some expected, but it has put a damper on what was turning out to be a good year.

2 weeks ago

Thomas Cook Shares Spike on Speculation It May Sell Its Airline

Richard Weiss, Bloomberg

We've been here before with Thomas Cook and its airline. It could do with the money of course, but the needs of its tour operator businesses complicate matters.

2 weeks ago

Mixed Fortunes for European Tour Operators as Summer Season Begins

Patrick Whyte, Skift

Periods of prolonged hot weather can hurt tour operators with potential customers staying at home or booking a domestic trip instead. However, it shouldn't be used as an excuse to mask other problems within a business.

1 month ago

Travel Industry Feeling Spry as More of the World Goes Gray

Patrick Whyte, Skift

Instead of doing nothing when they retire, older people increasingly want to travel more. This is good news for the travel industry but it needs to work out better ways to target the baby boomer generation.

2 months ago

Video: Why the Reported Demise of Packaged Travel Was Greatly Exaggerated

Hannah Sampson, Skift

Speaking at Skift Forum Europe in Berlin, analyst Richard Clarke made the case that packaged travel is back in style. But how does that square with the push for authentic, one-of-a-kind experiences?

2 months ago

Royal Caribbean Tour Venture GoBe Calls It Quits

Hannah Sampson, Skift

As we've said repeatedly: Everyone wants a piece of tours and activities, but not everyone can be successful. Royal Caribbean Cruises tried something different for a cruise company with GoBe, but the space was crowded.

3 months ago

Thomas Cook Is Pulling the Plug on Its Spring-Break Style Vacation Brand

Richard Weiss, Bloomberg

It's funny how the definition of cool can change over the course of a generation. Like Beanie Babies, AOL Instant Messenger, and mixtapes – Club 18-30 vacations belong to a different era.

3 months ago

Thomas Cook’s Personalization Ploy Is Paying Off

Patrick Whyte, Skift

Thomas Cook is desperate to shake off the impression that it's old fashioned and the 176-year-old travel company is trying different ways to make itself relevant to young travelers. Not every one will work but at least it is trying.

3 months ago

TUI Has Big Plans for Its Soon-to-Be Enlarged Tours and Activities Business

Patrick Whyte, Skift

Connecting up such a diverse, offline industry like tours and activities is not going to be easy, but the reward for a company like TUI is massive.

3 months ago

New Skift Research Report Offers Best Practices For Attracting Chinese Tourists

Meghan Carty, Skift Research

Chinese outbound travel continues to boom and shows high potential for future growth. Travel brands and destinations need to understand the evolving behaviors and preferences of Chinese travelers in order to most effectively appeal to this market.

3 months ago