TUI hopes for strong summer for travel despite inflation

BERLIN (Reuters) – TUI, the world’s largest holiday company, is seeing growing demand for travel despite the energy crisis and double-digit inflation, the company said on Monday, as it sets its sights on strong business in the summer of 2023.

The number of people booking early for the popular summer holiday season was up on the same period last year, said Stefan Baumert, the head of the group’s German business, upon presenting the company’s 2023 summer programme.

Rather than giving up on vacationing altogether due to high living costs, consumers are instead choosing new destinations or tweaking the duration of planned trips.

“We are optimistic for the coming year because interest in travel is high,” Baumert said.

Inflation in Germany reached its highest level in decades earlier this year after a plunge in Russian energy deliveries following the Ukraine invasion drove up prices for businesses and households. It eased somewhat in November to reach 11.3%.