World’s largest integrated tourism group to operate charter flights to SL this winter

By Zahara Zuhair
TUI, the world’s largest integrated tourism group will be operating weekly charter flights to Sri Lanka after a lapse of six years, starting from December 2016 until March 2017.

It will operate from Stockholm and Helsinki, each flight with 300 clients, expecting over 4,000 Scandinavians during the period.

“It is called TUI Nordic. They will be operating after about six years, and from December to April they will be doing a weekly charter, one week from Sweden, one week from Finland. Danish and Norwegians will be joining the charter from Stockholm. That will make about 13-14 flights for the season, each will bring about 300 passengers,” an Aitken Spence Travels official told Mirror Business at the AGM of Sri Lanka-Nordic Business Council held recently.
The reason to bring in the charter flights as noted was the US $ 100 million beach resort built by TUI in Ahungalla called RIU, which was opened last August.
“Basically there weren’t any proper hotels for them to fill a charter. The hotel built here in partnership with Aitken Spence has resulted in bringing in the charter flight to fill the hotel,” he noted.

The 501-room hotel was built as a joint venture with Aitken Spence, which is also the largest beach resort operator in Sri Lanka.

Additionally, TUI also will have charters from UK, Germany etc., it was noted.
TUI owns over 300 hotels and resorts worldwide and operates 136 aircraft and 12 cruise ships. The group has 40 percent ownership in Sri Lanka’s RIU where the rest is held by Aitken Spence with whom they enjoy a 35-year working relationship. To further strengthen ties with Sri Lanka, a high profile TUI delegation headed by the Group CEO Fritz Joussen visited the country last March.