Thomas Cook to return

Thomas Cook to return

THE Thomas Cook brand will return to the Australian market after an 18-year absence, announcing plans to launch a new range of financial products from regional headquarters in Hobart.

The UK-based travel group will revive its local presence with Thomas Cook Money, offering products including travel insurance, foreign exchange and a pre-paid travel card.

The company is also planning to offer free global wi-fi as part of its insurance packages, which are underwritten by Allianz.

“Thomas Cook Money is leveraging the company’s extensive heritage in the global travel industry to deliver fairer, simpler and digitally-led products that look after holiday money for 365 days of the year, not just when you are on holidays,” said the company’s Asia Pacific md Mark Tarring.

“We’re not a bank. We’re a holiday company with a mission to help make holiday money easier to manage for everyone.”

The company’s return to Australia is part of an expansion of its financial services division, launched recently in the UK.

It says it also plans to use its Australian base as a springboard into other markets in the Asia Pacific region.

However the company does not plan to sell via Australian travel agencies, saying it will operate as a “digital first business”, with potential to establish partnership deals in the future.

Source: traveldaily