# MyTravel Group
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> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MyTravel_Group
> Source revision: 1357174607
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{{Short description|Former UK travel agency}}
{{redirect-distinguish-text|Airtours|[British Airtours](/source/British_Airtours), a BA subsidiary airline}}
{{About|MyTravel Group before its merger with [Thomas Cook AG](/source/Thomas_Cook_AG)|the new company|Thomas Cook Group}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019}}
{{EngvarB|date=December 2019}}
{{Infobox company
| fate = Merged with [Thomas Cook AG](/source/Thomas_Cook_AG)
| name = MyTravel Group
| logo = MyTravel.png
| logo_size = 250px
| former_name = Airtours Group plc
| type = [Public](/source/Public_company)
| traded_as = {{lse|MT-S}}
[FTSE 250 Component](/source/FTSE_250_Index)
| founded = {{start date and age|1972}} (as Airtours Group)
| founder = [David Crossland](/source/David_Crossland)
| defunct = {{end date and age|2007|06|19|df=yes}}
| successor = [Thomas Cook Group plc](/source/Thomas_Cook_Group)
| key_people = Michael Beckett (Chairman)
Peter McHugh (CEO)
| num_employees = 13,000 (2006)[{{cite web|url=http://www.mytravelgroup.com/media/cr2006.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070317184342/http://www.mytravelgroup.com/media/cr2006.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=2007-03-17|title=Corporate Responsibility text from the 2006 Annual Report|date=2006|publisher=MyTravel Group plc (archived)|access-date=9 November 2019}}]
| parent = [Thomas Cook Group](/source/Thomas_Cook_Group) (2007)
| subsidiaries = MyTravel Tour Operations
[MyTravel Airways](/source/MyTravel_Airways) (UK)
[MyTravel Airways Scandinavia](/source/Thomas_Cook_Airlines_Scandinavia)
BCT Travel Group
Direct Holidays
Tjæreborg
Spies
Ving
ALBA Tours
Sunquest Vacations
| industry = [Hospitality](/source/Hospitality), [tourism](/source/tourism)
| products = Charter and scheduled passenger airlines, [package holiday](/source/package_holiday)s, [cruise line](/source/cruise_line)s, hotels and resorts
| revenue = {{Profit}}£2,790 million (2006)
| website = {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041128032035/http://www.airtours.com/|title=airtours.com}}
}}
''MyTravel Group plc'' was a British, global travel group headquartered in [Rochdale](/source/Rochdale), [England](/source/England). It was founded in 1972 as ''Airtours Group''. The group included two in-house airlines, [MyTravel Airways UK](/source/MyTravel_Airways) and MyTravel Airways Scandinavia, and various tour operators around the world. On 19 June 2007, the group merged with [Thomas Cook AG](/source/Thomas_Cook_AG) to form the [Thomas Cook Group plc](/source/Thomas_Cook_Group_plc), which entered [Compulsory liquidation](/source/Compulsory_liquidation) on 23 September 2019.[{{cite web|url=https://www.thomascookgroup.com/news/23092019/compulsory-liquidation-of-thomas-cook-group-plc|title=Compulsory liquidation of Thomas Cook Group plc|website=Thomas Cook Group|access-date=23 September 2019|archive-date=23 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190923025049/https://www.thomascookgroup.com/news/23092019/compulsory-liquidation-of-thomas-cook-group-plc|url-status=dead}}]
== History ==
The group was founded under the ''Airtours'' brand in 1972, when [David Crossland](/source/David_Crossland) purchased a series of small [travel agencies](/source/travel_agency) in [Lancashire](/source/Lancashire), United Kingdom.[{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2000/nov/19/theobserver.observerbusiness10|title=Journey's end for the king of the costas?|date= 19 November 2000|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=21 September 2019}}] The group began operating package holidays and launched its own in-house charter airline, '''Airtours International Ltd.''' in late 1990.[ It offered their first [charter flights](/source/charter_flights) to the [Caribbean](/source/Caribbean) in the following year for just £299.][{{cite web|url=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 |archive-url=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 |archive-date=18 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Profile: Rise of the holiday maker: David Crossland will be in his|website=[Independent.co.uk](/source/Independent.co.uk) |date=7 March 1993|access-date=27 November 2017}}]
In 1993 Airtours purchased Aspro Holidays and their in-house airline [Inter European Airways](/source/Inter_European_Airways). The aircraft were merged into Airtours International and repainted in their livery.[{{cite web|author=John Shepherd |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/airtours-sues-former-owners-of-aspro-1426338.html |title=Airtours sues former owners of Aspro – Business – News |work=The Independent |date=1994-03-01 |accessdate=2013-10-24}}]
In 1994, Airtours purchased Scandinavian Leisure Group and in 1996 it bought Simon Spies Holding, a Danish rival.[{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/pounds-10m-danish-buy-takes-airtours-to-finland-1319273.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220618/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/pounds-10m-danish-buy-takes-airtours-to-finland-1319273.html |archive-date=18 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=£10m Danish buy takes Airtours to Finland|date=16 February 1996|newspaper=The Independent|access-date=21 September 2019}}]
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''' in February.[{{cite web|url=https://www.thedrum.com/news/2002/03/06/airtours-and-going-places-pilot-new-my-travel-brand|title=Airtours and Going Places pilot new My Travel brand|date=6 March 2002|newspaper=The Drum|access-date=21 September 2019}}]
In November 2003, MyTravel sold off its North America Cruise Division to NLG (National Leisure Group) of [Woburn, Massachusetts](/source/Woburn%2C_Massachusetts).[{{cite web|url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20031121005387/en/National-Leisure-Group-Largest-Cruise-Seller-Acquisition|title=National Leisure Group Becomes Largest Cruise Seller with Acquisition of MyTravel's U.S. Cruise Brands|date=21 November 2003|publisher=Businesswire|access-date=21 September 2019}}]
On 12 February 2007, MyTravel Group plc announced that they had agreed terms on a merger with [Thomas Cook AG](/source/Thomas_Cook_AG) to form [Thomas Cook Group plc](/source/Thomas_Cook_Group).[{{cite news |title=MyTravel and Thomas Cook merging |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/6353023.stm |newspaper=BBC News |date=12 February 2007 |access-date=6 October 2013}}] The airline operations were merged into [Thomas Cook Airlines](/source/Thomas_Cook_Airlines) in March of the following year.[{{cite web|url=https://www.ft.com/content/de0c9e2a-8e75-11dd-9b46-0000779fd18c |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/https://www.ft.com/content/de0c9e2a-8e75-11dd-9b46-0000779fd18c |archive-date=10 December 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Big two UK holiday groups look set to dominate|date=30 September 2008|publisher=FT|access-date=26 April 2019}}]
== Operations ==
=== Tour Operators ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Name
!Country
!Fate
|-
|MyTravel Tour Operations Limited
|United Kingdom
|Merged into Thomas Cook Tour Operations[{{cite web|url=https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/01068464|title=Panorama Holiday Group Limited|date=9 November 2019|publisher=Companies House (HM Government)|access-date=9 November 2019}}]
|-
|BCT Travel Group Limited
|United Kingdom
|Transferred to [Thomas Cook Group](/source/Thomas_Cook_Group) (2007)[{{cite web|url=https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/00960252|title=BCT Travel Group Limited|date=9 November 2019|publisher=Companies House (HM Government)|access-date=9 November 2019}}]
Dissolution (2015)[{{cite web|url=https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/00440452|title=Direct Holidays PLC|date=9 November 2019|publisher=Companies House (HM Government)|access-date=9 November 2019}}]
|-
|Tjæreborg
|Denmark
Finland
|Transferred to [Thomas Cook Group](/source/Thomas_Cook_Group) (2007)
Norway
Sweden
|Transferred to [Thomas Cook Group](/source/Thomas_Cook_Group) (2007)[{{cite web|url=https://www.travelmarketreport.com/articles/Thomas-Cook-North-America-Sold-to-Red-Label-Vacations|title=Thomas Cook North America Sold to Red Label Vacations|date=21 March 2013|publisher=Travel Market Report|access-date=9 November 2019}}]
|}
=== Airlines ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Airline
!Country
!Image
!Description
!Fate
|-
|[MyTravel Airways Limited](/source/MyTravel_Airways)
|United Kingdom
|frameless|125x125px
|MyTravel Airways Limited was a British scheduled and charter airline, formerly known as Airtours International.
|Transferred to [Thomas Cook Group](/source/Thomas_Cook_Group) (2007)