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Tui considers introduction of single brand across Europe

Tui Group is understood to be reviewing all its brands across Europe to assess if they can be realigned under a single Tui name.

The move means legacy brands as established as Thomson could be replaced as the company looks to consolidate its brand portfolio following the merger of Tui Travel and Tui AG.

Such a move would be an extension of the strategy it outlined in February to better organise its five charter airline brands, with the potential creation of a single airline.

Travel Weekly understands that smaller source markets with less-established brands are likely to be tackled before core markets such as the UK, where such a strategy might not make sense.

One source described the UK as needing “much deeper thought” than markets where alignment would be more straightforward.

They added: “I think the UK would be one of the last source markets to experience the alignment of brands.”

The company already uses Tui as its main brand in Germany, but also operates brands including Thomson and First Choice in the UK, First Choice in Ireland, Arke in the Netherlands, Jetair in Belgium, Marmara in France and Fritidsresor in the Nordics.

An announcement on the strategy is expected on May 13, when the company unveils its half-year earnings and outlines its forthcoming strategy.

Kuzey Esener, Tui spokesman for group corporate and external affairs, said: “No decision has been made, neither by the group nor by the local boards which would be included in such decisions.”

It is thought changes in smaller source markets could come into force within months of an announcement, but it could be two-three years before Tui implements its alignment strategy in the UK.

The adoption of a core brand would be consistent with Tui’s aims of establishing awareness of its unique products across its source markets, and would not be the first time it had attempted to align its brands under a “tourism masterbrand”.

In 2001, the ‘World of Tui’ concept and logo was created to “strengthen and link the local tourism brands by promising top quality and exceptional service at every stage of the tourism chain”.

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