Thomson and First Choice Confirm the Package Holiday is Alive and Kicking

LONDON, December 5, 2011 -

• Thomson and First Choice record customer satisfaction scores with over 93% of customers rating their holidays as good or excellent
• TUI Travel PLC (parent company of Thomson and First Choice) confirm TUI UK & Ireland operating profits of £149 million and profit is up £22 million
• Thomson and First Choice remain committed to designing and delivering the best holiday experience possible

Following the release of TUI Travel PLC’s results to the city, Thomson and First Choice can confirm that the holiday market, despite the economic uncertainty, is in good shape. 

As recent news of the turbulence experienced by another holiday company broke, much of the media questioned how relevant package holidays were to today’s consumer. However Thomson and First Choice believe that while customers are certainly savvier and more aware of the different types of getaways available to them, quality holidays, which offer peace of mind, great value and exemplary service are still very much in demand.

“Over the last few years our strategy has been to listen to what our customers want from their holidays and invest in hotels and resorts, so that our holidays are tailored to suit our customers’ needs,” says David Burling, Managing Director for Thomson and First Choice.

“We believe that selling high quality holiday experiences, that are exclusive to Thomson and First Choice, sets us apart from our competition, and I think today’s news demonstrates just how good our holidays are. We will continue to come up with new hotel concepts and look for gaps in the market, in order keep our existing customer base happy and encourage new customers to book with Thomson and First Choice.”

TUI Travel PLC’s results today confirm the strength of Thomson - Your holiday to a T - and First Choice’s - The home of all inclusive - strategy for selling holiday experiences that are exclusive to them. These hotel concepts, including the Sensatori and Couples collection for Thomson and Holiday Villages and SplashWorld for First Choice, are out-performing the company’s standard holidays and have a strong fan base of repeat customers.

TUI Travel PLC is the world’s leading international leisure travel group operating in approximately 180 countries worldwide. It serves more than 30 million customers in over 27 source markets. Headquartered in the UK, the Group employs approximately 49,000 people and operates a pan-European airline consisting of 147 aircraft.  The company is organised and managed through four business Sectors: Mainstream, Specialist & Activity, Accommodation & Destinations and Emerging Markets. In the financial year ended 30 September 2010 TUI Travel had revenues of £13.5bn and an underlying operating profit before tax of £447m.

For further information contact the Thomson and First Choice Press Office: Chloe Joint, +44(0)1582-645-336 or Andy Cockburn, +44(0)1582-645417. INTERVIEWS WITH MANAGEMENT AVAILABLE