Will package tours ever be the same again?  

Marek Andryszak CEO – TUI Deutschland will be speaking today at the ITB Berlin NOW Convention in a panel discussion on “Package travel in transition: what remains after Corona?” We asked him to give us a little foretaste of what we will hear.

We expect the package holidays to international destinations to rebound faster than individually booked vacations. Prospects for tourism are good, with holidaymakers spending more on their trips and booking higher quality. Many have extra room to manoeuvre in their budget, then choose a 5-star hotel over a 4-star hotel. Some also hold vouchers from 2020 because they had given up holidays in 2020 due to the Covid 19 crisis.

How bright is the future of package tours?
Generally speaking, the pandemic has spawned the come-back of package holidays. Guests can rely on the fact that they can cancel their booking in case of a travel warnings and will be repatriated – a big advantage over an individually booked trip.

Where will the “sweet spots” be in 2021?
The main destinations in the summer will be the classics: Spain, Greece, Turkey, Cyprus and Portugal – that is, Mediterranean first. We also expect high demand for land destinations, especially for Germany, Austria, Italy and Croatia.

What are your thoughts about the format of this year’s ITB Berlin NOW?
ITB was the global one-spot meeting point for the travel industry. In Berlin, you could meet many business partners and experience the best travel destinations. Of course, we have learned that this is also possible digitally, but it can’t replace the personal interaction. For 2021 ITB Berlin NOW is a good solution and I am optimistic that we will reconvene next year in Berlin, again.

ITB Podiumsdiskussion:
Pauschalreise im Umbruch: Umtauschrechte, Flextarife, neue Anzahlungsregeln – was bleibt nach Corona?
Wednesday, 10 March 2021 – 12:25 – 12:55
ITB Berlin NOW Convention Stage 1