Peterborough-based Thomas Cook relaunch as online travel agent in wake of pandemic
The Peterborough-based holiday firm Thomas Cook has relaunched as an online travel agent.
It was bought by Chinese firm Fosun Tourism Group for £11 million after it collapsed a year ago, resulting in the loss of nine thousand jobs.
Thomas Cook was the UK's oldest travel company, trading for 178 years.
The Civil Aviation Authority launched the UK's biggest ever peacetime repatriation to bring more than 150,000 holidaymakers home when it collapsed last September.
The company, which will employ around 50 people, will begin selling holidays online and over the phone on Wednesday and unlike before, does not have any stores.
It will retain the brand's logo and only sell "destinations on the travel corridor list."
The company's revival comes as travel companies face an uncertain future due the impact of the pandemic.
Alan French, who was group strategy and technology director at Thomas Cook when it collapsed, has been hired as UK chief executive of the new travel agency and described the relaunch as "an honour".
"What happened last year was a tragedy at a personal level for many thousands of my former colleagues, our business partners and of course our loyal customers", he said.
"We have reinvented one of the most recognisable names in British travel.
"We are launching now clearly aware of the short-term challenges posed by the pandemic.
"We know Brits are keen to travel but feel nervous about safety and any changes to Government rules on quarantine. We are only selling destinations on the travel corridor list and all the hotels are flexible. We also won't charge customers a fee to change their holidays if Government rules change."