Tour operator TUI has launched its new accommodation-only platform in the Nordic region, with plans to bring it to the UK market "in the next 12 months". The platform, which has launched in Sweden, is part of TUI's attempt to “broaden its offering” beyond traditional holiday packages and attract more new customers.
As Fitur 2023 was held in Stockholm in Madrid, TUI CEO Sebastian Ebel insisted that the package market remained its "core" and that new developments, such as the accommodation-only service, did not create "any risk" for your ability to sell more packages. Ebel added: “We have a very clear path for growth. We want to sell more products to existing customers and also get new customers. “It’s about having a broader customer base.”
The hosting-only platform, which is now operational in Sweden, will roll out to Denmark, Norway and Finland in February. TUI wants to compete with major online travel agencies by offering a more "flexible" range of hotel rates, along with a host of other travel "components", for both existing and new customers. Separately, TUI is open to a new major shareholder after Russian billionaire Alexey Mordashov was sidelined by European Union sanctions over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, Chief Executive Sebastian Ebel said.
