Tui Travel has rebranded its Splash resorts for summer 2012 following a trademark dispute with Splash Holidays, a small operator specialising in the youth market.
First Choice’s Splash product, which was launched for summer 2009 to cater for the family market, will be rebranded SplashWorld for summer 2012.
A statement on Buckingham-based Splash Holidays’ website said it had been forced to cancel its 2011 programme due to the conflict with Tui.
Travel Weekly was unable to contact Splash Holidays owner Chris Read.
The statement said: “Unfortunately reaching an agreement with Tui took longer than expected and resulted in the decision to cancel our 2011 programme and focus on 2012. We would like to thank everyone during this difficult time for Splash.”
Travel Weekly understands negotiations between the two companies were amicable and did not involve legal action.
A First Choice spokeswoman said: “As the Splash brand developed, First Choice encountered an issue with the name and its similarity to another operator’s trading name.
“While it is unlikely that any confusion would have arisen given the marked difference between the two products, First Choice feels the name SplashWorld better describes the ever-growing collection of family holidays.”
Splash was originally a section in First Choice brochures highlighting hotels with on-site water parks or access to one nearby. The Splash resorts were then featured in a dedicated brochure, the Splash Collection, for summer 2010.
The operator has 20 SplashWorld resorts for summer 2012 in destinations including Ibiza, Majorca and Tenerife.