TUI is planning to open stores in 20 new locations in the UK after seeing an increase in bookings from its existing retail network.
New Managing Director Neil Swanson said the locations identified for new stores were in ‘white spaces’ where there are customers but no TUI shops.
TUI currently has 332 shops, a small handful of which have opened in the past few months, and Neil said footfall and bookings are ‘just’ up this year.
The operator announced its intention to expand its intention to expand its retail network in May, but, speaking from the ABTA Travel Convention in Greece, Neil said: “We are broadly at the right size, we are not looking at a big expansion, this is about plugging some gaps.
“Ninety per cent of the UK population lives within 10 miles of a TUI store and they are happy to travel there, but we have identified where we have ‘white space’ we’d like to fill.”
Neil said there was no timeframe for opening new shops, which will depend on whether TUI can find ‘the right units at the right rents’.
“I love having the brand out there,” he added. “This is something we have that Jet2 and easyJet don’t.”
However, Neil was adamant that TUI will continue working with third-party agents after rekindling its relationships with independent retailers last year.
“Our message to independent agents is we want to work with you,” he said. “It is clear to me that customers who are going to retailers want a relationship with the staff. They bring them presents from holiday and show them their photos.
“If we are not working with agents we are missing out.”
TUI is continuing to see ‘significant’ year-on-year double-digit growth in bookings from independent agents, said Neil. It has a trade team of 17, including ‘six or seven’ on the road, who have visited 1,700 agents over the past 12 months.
“Any feedback we get from agents, if we hear they are not happy we are going to be straight on it,” he added.
TUI also took 170 agents on overseas trips this year, and it is looking at expanding its fam trip programme for 2025. “Our fam trips will grow, there is no substitute for travel agents with first-hand knowledge of a holiday,” said Neil.
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New Managing Director Neil Swanson said the locations identified for new stores were in ‘white spaces’ where there are customers but no TUI shops.
TUI currently has 332 shops, a small handful of which have opened in the past few months, and Neil said footfall and bookings are ‘just’ up this year.
The operator announced its intention to expand its intention to expand its retail network in May, but, speaking from the ABTA Travel Convention in Greece, Neil said: “We are broadly at the right size, we are not looking at a big expansion, this is about plugging some gaps.
“Ninety per cent of the UK population lives within 10 miles of a TUI store and they are happy to travel there, but we have identified where we have ‘white space’ we’d like to fill.”
Neil said there was no timeframe for opening new shops, which will depend on whether TUI can find ‘the right units at the right rents’.
“I love having the brand out there,” he added. “This is something we have that Jet2 and easyJet don’t.”
However, Neil was adamant that TUI will continue working with third-party agents after rekindling its relationships with independent retailers last year.
“Our message to independent agents is we want to work with you,” he said. “It is clear to me that customers who are going to retailers want a relationship with the staff. They bring them presents from holiday and show them their photos.
“If we are not working with agents we are missing out.”
TUI is continuing to see ‘significant’ year-on-year double-digit growth in bookings from independent agents, said Neil. It has a trade team of 17, including ‘six or seven’ on the road, who have visited 1,700 agents over the past 12 months.
“Any feedback we get from agents, if we hear they are not happy we are going to be straight on it,” he added.
TUI also took 170 agents on overseas trips this year, and it is looking at expanding its fam trip programme for 2025. “Our fam trips will grow, there is no substitute for travel agents with first-hand knowledge of a holiday,” said Neil.
The post TUI identifies 20 towns for new shops as high street bookings rise appeared first on Travel Gossip.
Continue reading...
