TUI Adds Juniper Travel as New Experiences Distribution Partner

Young travelers are hungry for adventure, and it’s taking them to Africa. 

TUI-owned FirstChoice.co.uk has relaunched as a vibrant new travel and experiences booking platform as the brand looks to strengthen its position with the flexible, independent traveler.

TUI Group wants to shift more than 50% of its bookings to its TUI App, an ambitious long-term goal for Europe’s largest holiday package tour operator, given that app bookings account for less than 10% of its sales in key markets like the UK and Germany. 

Earning miles and points is easy for consumers who sign up for credit cards or special rewards programs. But knowing where and how to use those points to make their travel dreams come true has proven much more challenging – an estimated $30 billion in loyalty points go unredeemed each year.  

The American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) claims that American Airlines has removed 40% of its fare inventory from distribution channels used by travel agents and travel management companies following the implementation of new systems with the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) New Distribution Capability (NDC) technology.

The Middle East’s almost year-long summer is its competitive advantage when attracting the European market. However, the region would do well to add more beachfront properties and curate experiences beyond its Uber-luxury eccentricities.

Travel giant TUI (TUIGn.DE) reported on Friday a boost in demand for luxury holidays, driving sales for the winter 2022/23 period higher than they had been in the corresponding 2018/19 period, before the COVID-19 pandemic hit international travel.

Flight Centre, the Australian-based travel agency well known for its mass-market brands, is firmly fixed on tapping into the rising demand for luxury experiences with an expected 15 percent growth in revenue for the segment.

It’s the classic coin flip of a great beach vacation: Do you prefer to swim in the ocean or a pool? Thankfully, some resorts in Europe or Australia don’t require such a choice because they offer natural swimming pools replenished with fresh seawater. Now the first natural swimming pool has opened in the Caribbean. Wymara Resort + Villas on Grace Bay Beach in Turks and Caicos features a 3,900-square-foot-pool on Sunset Cove. The ocean pool is part of the property’s Villa Beach Club and is accessible for all villa guests and available to all resort guests for a small fee.

Flight Centre Travel Group reported record travel booking inquiries for January and February, pointing to a continued uptick in performance in 2023 for Australia’s largest travel agency as it sees marked recovery from previous losses in 2022. The company is juggling a greater emphasis on online sales while reducing costs for in-person sales.

The Travel Corporation has merged its six brands into one Global Tour Rewards program, with brand awareness behind this seemingly vanilla approach to loyalty. Trafalgar, Insight Vacations, Luxury Gold, Costsaver, Brendan Vacations, and Contiki are now aligned under one rewards program. 

TUI’s winter bookings might have been lackluster, but early summer bookings for the world’s largest tour operator have picked up, as the company plans to focus on giving more flexibility to travelers in booking flights, hotels and activities individually, in addition to its wholesale packaged tours, to grow its customer base in underrepresented markets.