TUI

TUI is the retail franchise arm of a large integrated tourism group. As a franchisee you run a high-street travel shop (or a home-based advisory practice) under a recognizable brand instead of building a no-name agency from scratch. What sets the model apart is the vertical integration behind the storefront: the same group owns the airline, hotels, cruise lines and tour-operator product the agency sells — so alongside third-party suppliers you also sell the group's in-house product, on which you have better terms.

The franchisor supplies the brand and national advertising, the booking and mid-office systems connected to the group platform, distribution terms and supplier agreements, a modern shop fit-out concept and signage, a dedicated regional partner-management team, and structured product and sales training through academies, webinars and partner meetings. In several markets a mandate/agency variant exists where the customer contracts directly with the group, which then carries the legal and financial responsibility for each file and handles supplier payments and accounting centrally — the operator simply sells and records takings. As the partner you bring the local premises (or home office), hire and lead the counter staff, and drive local sales and day-to-day operations.