Tui to check out of 48 retail locations

Holiday giant Tui is preparing to close 48 retail stores, in the latest blow to the high street and travel industry. Tui stated: “The travel industry and the British high street are both facing unprecedented pressure. We can therefore confirm that we are proposing to close 48 retail stores. “All colleagues at risk of redundancy will be offered roles in other stores where there are vacancies, or in the new homeworking retail and contact centre team.” The closures will affect 273 jobs. The tour operator did not disclose which locations were at risk, but said that it will offer around 290 new roles. These will be a mix of part-time and full-time positions. The latest closures come after the company outlined plans last year to shut 166 stores in the UK and Republic of Ireland. Tui said it was “imperative that we make these difficult cost decisions” during “such unprecedented uncertainty”. It added that the pandemic has “strengthened a change in shopping habits”, with more of its customers seeking to buy online or “speak with travel experts from the comfort of their own home”. To send feedback, e-mail pui-guan.man@egi.co.uk or tweet @PuiGuanM or @estatesgazette