Special report: TUI and First Choice merger
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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