Retail travel agencies in the United Kingdom
In the UK, there are several types of retail travel agents, referred to as multiples, miniples, or independents. Multiples are large companies operating a chain of retail outlets, the major player being TUI. In 2020, the annual revenue of TUI UK Limited, part of the German-based tourism group TUI AG, added up to 1.9 billion British pounds, declining by over three billion British pounds compared to 2019 due to the health crisis.On the other hand, miniples and independents refer to companies with a smaller number of branches, in some cases only operating in one town/region or niche markets such as luxury travel or ski holidays. It is common for many small and independent agencies to join a consortium, where collectively they can compete with the bigger market players. Advantage Travel Partnership is one of the largest consortia in the country, with 322 travel shops as of July 2021. As of that month, it ranked second, behind Hays Travel, in the list of the leading travel agencies in the United Kingdom based on the number of stores.
