Tour operator and travel agent Tui is to shut 166 high street stores in the UK and the Republic of Ireland in the latest blow to the travel industry.
The firm will revert to a mainly online or telephone-led sales operation with the changes accelerated by the coronavirus pandemic.
Tui UK and Ireland managing director Andrew Flintham said of the store closures: “We want to be in the best position to provide excellent customer service, whether it’s in a high street store, over the telephone or online, and will continue to put the customer at the heart of what we do.
“It is therefore imperative that we make these difficult cost decisions, look after our colleagues during such unprecedented uncertainty and also offer a modern customer service.
“Customer behaviours have already changed in recent years, with 70 per cent of all Tui UK bookings taking place online.
“We believe Covid-19 has only accelerated this change in purchasing habits, with people looking to buy online or wishing to speak with travel experts from the comfort of their own home.
“We have world-class travel advisers at Tui, so we hope many of them will become homeworkers and continue to offer the personalised service we know our customers value.”
