5 HOT STORIES NEWS YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS WEEK
This week’s top stories: 1. Kuoni continuity plea 2. Thomson name to go 3. ATT surplus concerns 4. Suitors eye Cruise1st 5. ITM slams Lufthansa
1
At the Kuoni Summit in Sri Lanka are, from left: Jeanne Lally, Travel Bureau; Amanda
Darrington, Kuoni; Peter Giles, World Market Travel; and Nick Marks, Baldwins Travel
Indie agents urge Kuoni’s new owner to retain strong relations
Juliet Dennis
Independent agents have urged Kuoni’s new German owner to retain its strong relationships with third-party retailers. Kuoni Group’s tour operating business
was sold this week to Rewe Group, parent of travel group Der Touristik, for an undisclosed sum. The takeover includes the entire
Kuoni UK group and tour operations in Switzerland, Scandinavia and the Benelux region, which employ 2,350 staff and generated turnover of CHF2 billion (£1.36bn) last year. The UK group includes the Kuoni tour
operating brand, 34 Kuoni-branded stores and John Lewis concessions, and specialist brands Carrier, CV Villas, Kirker Holidays and Voyages Jules Verne. They will be run as part of the Der
Touristik travel division under their existing brands. Nick Harding-McKay, managing
director of Travel Designers, a Kuoni Premium Light store, said: “As long as they leave the UK management team in place, it’s irrelevant who owns it. The main thing for me is continuity.”
4 •
travelweekly.co.uk — 25 June 2015 Paul Dale, head of specialist businesses
at Central England Co-operative, said he would like to see Kuoni continue to work closely with independents. “It’s an evolving relationship and
perfect for us,” said Dale, whose 21 stores sell Kuoni as a preferred supplier. Danny Wooller, director of Kuoni
Select store Dreamtime Travel, added: “I’d be disappointed if the owners take issue with how things currently work.” Peter Giles, owner of Kuoni partner
store World Market Travel in Bath, said: “If the owners don’t want specialist agents, it would not be the end of the world, but it’s highly unlikely, and I’d prefer that not to happen.” Travel Bureau co-owner Jeanne Lally said: “I don’t think it’s bad news.” The acquisition positions Der Touristik as a leading pan-European travel company and gives it new competitive advantages in the beach holidays market and in international flight and hotel purchasing, a statement said. The acquisition is subject to approval
by competition authorities. ❯ Special Report, page 10 ❯ Kuoni Summit, page 12
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76