Thomson’s 600-plus stores have officially rebranded as Tui and the operator has launched a “monumental” advertising campaign about its name change.
Thirty stores a night have had their signs updated in recent weeks, agents will get new uniforms and content on Thomson’s website will move over to Tui.co.uk.
ui’s 4,000 retail staff started updating customers this week as the company finally says goodbye to the Thomson name after more than 50 years.
Nick Longman, managing director of Tui UK and Ireland, said: “As Thomson we modernised the package holiday and as Tui we’ll push the boundaries even further.”
Tui’s “all-singing, all-dancing” multimillion-pound campaign is led by a 60-second TV advert from today (October 19) in which a woman becomes “the star of an epic holiday finale” with Tui staff helping her with an “entirely personalised” customer journey.
Tui will take top slot on YouTube’s homepage, run a 30-second radio ad and advertise on national newspaper covers.
More than 6,000 hoardings in major UK cities will go up at bus stops, railway stations, on buses and at major UK and Irish airports.
The travel giant has been slowly introducing the Tui name change with its slogan ‘We cross the T’s, dot the I’s and put U in the middle’ over the past six months.
Thomson Holidays was founded in 1965 as part of Thomson Travel Group following the acquisition of Skytours, Riviera, Luxitours, Gaytours and Britannia Airways by businessman Roy Thomson.
The Tui Group claims it is now the world’s largest travel company based on passenger numbers. It made a profit of €1 billion on a turnover of €17.2 billion in the 2015-16 financial year.
The Tui Group includes Tui UK and Ireland, First Choice, Tui Airways, which replaces Thomson Airways, and Marella Cruises, which replaces Thomson Cruises.