{{Short description|Former UK travel agency}} {{redirect-distinguish-text|Airtours|British Airtours, a BA subsidiary airline}} {{About|MyTravel Group before its merger with 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 | name = MyTravel Group | logo = MyTravel.png | logo_size = 250px | former_name = Airtours Group plc | type = Public | traded_as = {{lse|MT-S}}<br> FTSE 250 Component | founded = {{start date and age|1972}} (as Airtours Group) | founder = David Crossland | defunct = {{end date and age|2007|06|19|df=yes}} | successor = Thomas Cook Group plc | key_people = Michael Beckett (Chairman)<br>Peter McHugh (CEO) | num_employees = 13,000 (2006)<ref>{{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}}</ref> | parent = Thomas Cook Group (2007) | subsidiaries = MyTravel Tour Operations<br>MyTravel Airways (UK)<br>MyTravel Airways Scandinavia<br>BCT Travel Group<br>Direct Holidays<br>Tjæreborg<br>Spies<br>Ving<br>ALBA Tours<br>Sunquest Vacations | industry = Hospitality, tourism | products = Charter and scheduled passenger airlines, package holidays, cruise lines, 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}}<!--From https://web.archive.org/web/19991012125129fw_/http://carnivalcorp.com/CCFamily.htm --> }} ''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, which entered Compulsory liquidation on 23 September 2019.<ref>{{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}}</ref>
== 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.<ref name=guardian>{{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}}</ref> The group began operating package holidays and launched its own in-house charter airline, '''Airtours International Ltd.''' in late 1990.<ref name=guardian/> It offered their first charter flights to the Caribbean in the following year for just £299.<ref>{{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 |date=7 March 1993|access-date=27 November 2017}}</ref>
In 1993 Airtours purchased Aspro Holidays and their in-house airline Inter European Airways. The aircraft were merged into Airtours International and repainted in their livery.<ref>{{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}}</ref>
In 1994, Airtours purchased Scandinavian Leisure Group and in 1996 it bought Simon Spies Holding, a Danish rival.<ref>{{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}}</ref>
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.<ref>{{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}}</ref>
In November 2003, MyTravel sold off its North America Cruise Division to NLG (National Leisure Group) of Woburn, Massachusetts.<ref>{{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}}</ref>
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.<ref name=":0">{{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}}</ref> The airline operations were merged into Thomas Cook Airlines in March of the following year.<ref>{{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}}</ref>
== Operations ==
=== Tour Operators === {| class="wikitable" |+ !Name !Country !Fate |- |MyTravel Tour Operations Limited |United Kingdom |Merged into Thomas Cook Tour Operations<ref name=":0" /> |- |Panorama Holiday Group Limited |United Kingdom |Transferred to Thomas Cook Group (2007)<ref name=":0" /> Dissolution (2014)<ref>{{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}}</ref> |- |BCT Travel Group Limited |United Kingdom |Transferred to Thomas Cook Group (2007)<ref name=":0" /> Rebranded to Thomas Cook Scheduled Tour Operations Limited (2008)<ref name=":1">{{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}}</ref>
Dissolution (2015)<ref name=":1" /> |- |Direct Holidays plc |United Kingdom |Dissolution (2013)<ref>{{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}}</ref> |- |Tjæreborg |Denmark<br/>Finland |Transferred to Thomas Cook Group (2007)<ref name=":0" /> |- |Spies |Denmark |Transferred to Thomas Cook Group (2007)<ref name=":0" /> |- |Ving |Denmark<br/>Norway<br/>Sweden |Transferred to Thomas Cook Group (2007)<ref name=":0" /> |- |ALBA Tours |Canada |Transferred to Thomas Cook Group (2007)<ref name=":0" /> |- |Sunquest Vacations |Canada |Transferred to Thomas Cook Group (2007)<ref name=":0" /> Sold to Red Label Vacations (2013)<ref>{{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}}</ref> |}
=== Airlines === {| class="wikitable" |+ !Airline !Country !Image !Description !Fate |- |MyTravel Airways Limited |United Kingdom |frameless|125x125px |MyTravel Airways Limited was a British scheduled and charter airline, formerly known as Airtours International. |Transferred to Thomas Cook Group (2007)<ref name=":0" /> Merged with Thomas Cook Airlines UK (2008)<ref name=":0" /> |- |MyTravel Airways A/S |Denmark |frameless|124x124px |MyTravel Airways was a Scandinavian scheduled and charter airline. |Transferred to Thomas Cook Group (2007)<ref name=":0" /> Rebranded to Thomas Cook Airlines Scandinavia (2008)<ref name=":0" /> |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041128032035/http://www.airtours.com/|title=Airtours}}<!--From https://web.archive.org/web/19991012125129fw_/http://carnivalcorp.com/CCFamily.htm --> {{Thomas Cook Group}} {{Tourism in the United Kingdom}}
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Category:Travel and holiday companies of the United Kingdom Category:British companies established in 1972 Category:Transport companies established in 1972 Category:Transport companies disestablished in 2007 Category:Companies formerly listed on the London Stock Exchange Category:2007 mergers and acquisitions