MyTravel Group explained

Fate:Merged with Thomas Cook AG
MyTravel Group
Former Name:Airtours Group plc
Type:Public
Traded As:
FTSE 250 Component
Foundation: (as Airtours Group)
Founder:David Crossland
Successor:Thomas Cook Group plc
Location:Rochdale, England
Key People:Michael Beckett (Chairman)
Peter McHugh (CEO)
Num Employees:13,000 (2006)[1]
Parent:Thomas Cook Group (2007)
Subsid:MyTravel Tour Operations
MyTravel Airways (UK)
MyTravel Airways Scandinavia
BCT Travel Group
Direct Holidays
Tjæreborg
Spies
Ving
ALBA Tours
Sunquest Vacations
Industry:Hospitality, tourism
Products:Charter and scheduled passenger airlines, package holidays, cruise lines, hotels and resorts
Revenue:£2,790 million (2006)

MyTravel Group plc was a British, global travel group headquartered in Rochdale, England. It was founded in 1972 as Airtours Group. The group included two in-house airlines, MyTravel Airways UK and MyTravel Airways Scandinavia, and various tour operators around the world. On 19 June 2007, the group merged with Thomas Cook AG to form the Thomas Cook Group plc.

The successor to MyTravel Group: Thomas Cook Group, entered Compulsory liquidation on 23 September 2019.

History

The group was founded under the Airtours brand in 1972, when David Crossland purchased a series of small travel agencies in Lancashire, United Kingdom.[2] The group began operating package holidays and launched its own in-house charter airline, in the early 1980s.[2] It offered their first charter flights to the Caribbean in 1987 for just £299.[3]

In 1994, Airtours purchased Scandinavian Leisure Group and in 1996 it bought Simon Spies Holding, a Danish rival.[4]

In 2002, Airtours Group plc, rebranded under the new company-wide banner of MyTravel Group plc. This included a name change for Airtours International and Premiair to MyTravel Airways.[5]

In November 2003, MyTravel sold off its North America Cruise Division to NLG (National Leisure Group) of Woburn, Massachusetts.[6]

On 12 February 2007, MyTravel Group plc announced that they had agreed terms on a merger with Thomas Cook AG to form Thomas Cook Group plc.[7]

Operations

Tour Operators

!Name!Country!Fate
MyTravel Tour Operations LimitedUnited KingdomMerged into Thomas Cook Tour Operations
Panorama Holiday Group LimitedUnited KingdomTransferred to Thomas Cook Group (2007)Dissolution (2014)[8]
BCT Travel Group LimitedUnited KingdomTransferred to Thomas Cook Group (2007)Rebranded to Thomas Cook Scheduled Tour Operations Limited (2008)[9]

Dissolution (2015)

Direct Holidays plcUnited KingdomDissolution (2013)[10]
TjæreborgDenmark
Finland
Transferred to Thomas Cook Group (2007)
SpiesDenmarkTransferred to Thomas Cook Group (2007)
VingDenmark
Norway
Sweden
Transferred to Thomas Cook Group (2007)
ALBA ToursCanadaTransferred to Thomas Cook Group (2007)
Sunquest VacationsCanadaTransferred to Thomas Cook Group (2007)Sold to Red Label Vacations (2013)[11]

Airlines

!Airline!Country!Image!Description!Fate
MyTravel Airways LimitedUnited KingdomMyTravel Airways Limited was a British scheduled and charter airline, formerly known as Airtours International.Transferred to Thomas Cook Group (2007) Merged with Thomas Cook Airlines UK (2008)
MyTravel Airways A/SDenmarkMyTravel Airways was a Scandinavian scheduled and charter airline.Transferred to Thomas Cook Group (2007)Rebranded to Thomas Cook Airlines Scandinavia (2008)

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Corporate Responsibility text from the 2006 Annual Report. https://web.archive.org/web/20070317184342/http://www.mytravelgroup.com/media/cr2006.pdf. dead. 2007-03-17. 2006. MyTravel Group plc (archived). 9 November 2019.
  2. Web site: Journey's end for the king of the costas?. 19 November 2000. The Guardian. 21 September 2019.
  3. Web site: Profile: Rise of the holiday maker: David Crossland will be in his. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220618/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/profile-rise-of-the-holiday-maker-david-crossland-will-be-in-his-seventh-heaven-selling-two-million-1496206.html . 18 June 2022 . subscription . live. . 7 March 1993. 27 November 2017.
  4. Web site: £10m Danish buy takes Airtours to Finland. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220618/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/pounds-10m-danish-buy-takes-airtours-to-finland-1319273.html . 18 June 2022 . subscription . live. 16 February 1996. The Independent. 21 September 2019.
  5. Web site: Airtours and Going Places pilot new My Travel brand. 6 March 2002. The Drum. 21 September 2019.
  6. Web site: National Leisure Group Becomes Largest Cruise Seller with Acquisition of MyTravel's U.S. Cruise Brands. 21 November 2003. Businesswire. 21 September 2019.
  7. News: MyTravel and Thomas Cook merging . BBC News . 12 February 2007 . 6 October 2013.
  8. Web site: Panorama Holiday Group Limited. 9 November 2019. Companies House (HM Government). 9 November 2019.
  9. Web site: BCT Travel Group Limited. 9 November 2019. Companies House (HM Government). 9 November 2019.
  10. Web site: Direct Holidays PLC. 9 November 2019. Companies House (HM Government). 9 November 2019.
  11. Web site: Thomas Cook North America Sold to Red Label Vacations. 21 March 2013. Travel Market Report. 9 November 2019.