Editing MyTravel Group

{{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 company|Public]]
| traded_as = {{lse|MT-S}}<br> [[FTSE 250 Index|FTSE 250 Component]]
| foundation = {{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|Thomas Cook Group plc]]
| location = [[Rochdale]], [[England]]
| 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)
| subsid = MyTravel Tour Operations<br>[[MyTravel Airways]] (UK)<br>[[Thomas Cook Airlines Scandinavia|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 holiday]]s, [[cruise line]]s, hotels and resorts
| revenue = {{Profit}}£2,790 million (2006)
| homepage = 
}}
'''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|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]].

The successor to MyTravel Group: [[Thomas Cook Group]], entered [[Compulsory liquidation]] on 23 September 2019.

== History ==
The group was founded under the ''Airtours'' brand in 1972, when [[David Crossland]] purchased a series of small [[travel agency|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, in the early 1990's.<ref name=guardian/> It offered their first [[charter flights]] to the [[Caribbean]] at that time 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 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.<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|Thomas Cook Group plc]].<ref name=":0">{{cite news |title=MyTravel and Thomas Cook merging |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/6353023.stm |newspaper=BBC News |date=12 February 2007 |access-date=6 October 2013}}</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|MyTravel Airways Limited]]
|United Kingdom
|[[File:MyTravel A321 G-OMYJ.jpg|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" />
|-
|[[Thomas Cook Airlines Scandinavia|MyTravel Airways A/S]]
|Denmark
|[[File:Mytravel Airways Airbus A330-300; OY-VKI@ZRH;03.11.2006 436dd (4262638855).jpg|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}}

{{Thomas Cook Group}}
{{Tourism in the United Kingdom}}

{{Authority control}}

[[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]]

[[fi:MyTravel]]