United Kingdom
United States
Asia Pacific
TUI reports healthy third quarter profit
TUI managed to increase operating profits by 57% to £102 million in the third quarter to June 30.
It said this was helped by £21m of synergy benefits from the merger of First Choice.
The company said demand for summer was as strong as ever, but customers are booking later.
Summer mainstream bookings in the UK are down by 12%, but this has been offset by 15% capacity reductions so that it has fewer summer holidays left to sell than last year.
TUI was less upbeat about winter bookings, which are currently down 21%.
However, it said trading in the last four weeks has improved to show a 6% fall in bookings.
Chief executive Peter Long said: “We anticipate market conditions will remain challenging and expect the later booking pattern to continue in the next financial year.
“We will continue to maintain a high degree of flexibility in our business model to allow us to alter capacity in line with market conditions.â€
UK trading profits were up by £8 million in the quarter, helped by the better timing of Easter.
But this was offset by the impact of the swine flu outbreak, which resulted in a £7 million hit in the third quarter.
By Bev Fearis
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
Walt Leger on New Orleans’ Resilience and Major Events Ahead
Cindy Mackin Shares Estes Park’s Winter Thrills
Mark Jaronski of Explore Georgia on FIFA World Cup 2026
Connecting Small Businesses to Global Tourism Markets: Nate Huff of Tourism Exchange
North Carolina’s Resilience: Wit Tuttell on Recovery and Tourism
Kittipong Prapattong’s Plan for Thailand’s Tourism Growth: Taxes, Visas, and Campaigns
James Jin: Didatravel’s Journey from China to Global Reach and the Impact of AI on Travel
Darien Schaefer on Pensacola’s Evolution: From Small Town to Global Destination
Florida Tourism’s Next Frontier: Dana Young on Expanding Beyond the Classics
Patrick Harrison on Tampa Bay Tourism’s Resilience and Marketing Strategy
Bubba O’Keefe on Clarksdale’s Vibrant Music Scene
Commemorating Elvis and Embracing Tupelo’s Culture with Jennie Bradford Curlee
BA suspending all Heathrow to Abu Dhabi flights
Unexpected wave rocks cruise ship
Report: Cruise guest died after ship lashed in heavy storm
British teen in serious condition after paraglider collision
JetBlue scraps London Gatwick flights