News

Travel giants TUI and First Choice have merged to form TUI Travel.

The new group will comprise 200 brands worldwide, 30 million customers from at least 20 source markets, a fleet of 155 aircraft in Europe and nearly 3,600 retail shops in the UK, Ireland and continental Europe.

The two companies announced plans to merge just over a month after a similar deal between their rivals MyTravel and Thomas Cook.

Links to news, opinion and analysis on the TUI and First Choice merger are listed below.

News

October 2007

• TUI Travel announces distribution management team - 16 Oct 2007

September 2007

• TUI Travel 'already seeing benefits of merger' - 26 Sep 2007
• Thomson and First Choice staff urged to 'help each other out' - 20 Sep 2007
• TUI Travel announces its UK and Ireland board - 04 Sep 2007
• First Choice and Thomson brands survive merger - 04 Sep 2007
• TUI and First Choice merger complete - 03 Sep 2007

July 2007

• First Choice shareholders approve TUI merger - 25 Jul 2007
• First Choice and TUI publish merger prospectus - 29 Jun 2007
• TUI/First Choice 'will close fewer shops than rivals' - 7 Jun 2007
• EC approves First Choice / TUI merger - 4 Jun 2007

May 2007 

• Thomsonfly staff threaten strike over job losses - 3 May 2007

April 2007

• New travel giants must increase margins, warns Accenture - 12 Apr 2007

March 2007

• Rothwell reveals speed of TUI and First Choice talks - 22 Mar 2007
• First Choice boss denies merger was timed to scupper rivals' deal - 22 Mar 2007
• TUI Travel bosses rule out mass shop closures - 22 Mar 2007
• TUI Travel fleet to be cut and rebranded - 22 Mar 2007
• TUI and First Choice to merge to create TUI Travel - 19 Mar 2006

Features and analysis

• Comment: The trade is reeling, but there are opportunities ahead - 22 Mar 2007
• New merger could hinder consolidation - 22 Mar 2007
• Opinion: Big two makes sense for the industry - 19 Mar 2007
• Thomson and First Choice: the statistics - 22 Mar 2007

From the blogs

• TW Blog: More reaction to First Choice and TUI
• TW Blog: Reactions to the First Choice and TUI merger
• TW Blog: First Choice and TUI: more questions than answers
• TW Blog: Now it's First Choice and TUI's turn...
• Travolution Blog: So what about the Big, erm, Two then

External links

Analysis

• What the analysts say - The Guardian
• Merger mania returns - Jeremy Warner, The Independent
• Strategic move or a spoiling tactic? - Harry Wallop, The Telegraph
• First Choice had no alternative - James Harding, The Times

Information from First Choice and TUI

• Merger presentation webcast from First Choice (requires registration)
• Official press release from First Choice (pdf)
• Official press release from TUI Group

Discussion

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