Thomas Cook is one of the world's oldest and most recognised travel brands, tracing its roots back to 1841 when Thomas Cook & Son was founded in Leicester, England. For over 175 years the company helped millions of British holidaymakers explore the world, pioneering the package holiday concept as far back as 1855. At its peak the group operated 555 UK retail stores, its own airlines, and a portfolio of hotel brands including Casa Cook and Cook's Club. In September 2019 the business entered compulsory liquidation, and in 2020 Fosun International relaunched the Thomas Cook brand as an online-only travel company.
Thomas Cook built its reputation on making foreign travel accessible to ordinary British families. The range spanned sun-and-sea breaks in the Canary Islands and Balearics, city breaks across Europe, long-haul escapes, and everything in between. Alongside full package holidays, the company offered flight-only deals, hotel-only bookings, car hire, and travel insurance, positioning itself as a single destination for all holiday planning. Exclusive adults-only collections sat alongside family-friendly resort programmes, so customers could find a trip suited to their needs whatever their party size or budget.
All Thomas Cook holidays that included flights were protected under the UK's ATOL scheme (ATOL number 11806), meaning customers' money was safeguarded if a supplier failed and repatriation flights would be arranged if travellers were stranded abroad. Non-flight packages were covered by ABTA membership (numbers P8283 and Y6720). This dual protection gave customers confidence when booking, and it was a central part of Thomas Cook's marketing to UK holidaymakers throughout the brand's history.
On 23 September 2019 Thomas Cook Group plc entered compulsory liquidation, weighed down by debts of approximately £1.6 billion and a rapidly changing travel market. The closure stranded around 600,000 customers overseas, triggering Operation Matterhorn – described as the UK's largest peacetime repatriation. The Civil Aviation Authority flew approximately 140,000 British holidaymakers home over two weeks. Hays Travel subsequently acquired all 555 UK high-street stores. In September 2020 the Thomas Cook brand was relaunched by Chinese conglomerate Fosun International as an online-only travel business.
Thomas Cook Group plc collapsed into compulsory liquidation on 23 September 2019 after failing to secure emergency funding. The company had accumulated debts of around £1.6 billion and faced intense competition from online travel agencies. The UK government and CAA mounted Operation Matterhorn to repatriate approximately 140,000 stranded British tourists, at a reported cost of over £100 million.
The original Thomas Cook Group no longer exists, but the brand was relaunched in September 2020 by Fosun International as an online-only travel company. The new Thomas Cook operates without a high-street store network and focuses on package holidays booked through its website. It is a separate legal entity from the company that collapsed in 2019.
Yes. Flight-inclusive Thomas Cook package holidays were protected by the ATOL scheme (number 11806), administered by the Civil Aviation Authority. Non-flight packages were covered under ABTA membership (P8283 and Y6720). When the company collapsed in 2019, ATOL protection meant eligible customers could claim refunds through the CAA rather than losing their money entirely.
The CAA launched Operation Matterhorn, which repatriated around 140,000 UK-based Thomas Cook customers who were abroad at the time of the collapse. It was the largest peacetime repatriation in UK history. Customers with ATOL-protected bookings were entitled to refunds; those who had booked flights directly or through third parties were advised to contact their card issuer or travel insurer.
Hays Travel purchased all 555 former Thomas Cook travel agency stores in October 2019, saving a significant number of retail jobs. Hays Travel continued to operate those locations under its own brand. The online Thomas Cook brand was separately acquired by Fosun International, which relaunched it as a digital-only holiday business in 2020.
The Thomas Cook travel business was founded by Thomas Cook, a Baptist minister and temperance campaigner, in Leicester, England in 1841. He initially organised railway excursions for members of a temperance society, before expanding into broader leisure travel. By 1855 Cook was offering fully packaged tours including transport, accommodation, and food – an innovation that helped establish the modern package holiday industry.
This travel newsletter listing is part of the Catalink archive and may no longer be available to order. The information above describes Thomas Cook and its history as a UK travel brand. For current details, visit the company's official website.
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