Interview with TUI CEO Joussen: Corona acts like a fire accelerant

Mr Joussen,TUI has brought the first holidaymakers to Mallorca. Of normality can be no question. How long will it take until the tourism of Corona recovered?

Interview with TUI CEO Joussen: Corona acts like a fire accelerant

Mr Joussen,TUI has brought the first holidaymakers to Mallorca. Of normality can be no question. How long will it take until the tourism of Corona recovered?

Timo Kotowski

editor in the economy.

F. A. Z.

Christian Müßgens

economic correspondent in Hamburg.

F. A. Z.

the holiday has been held since June, this is a step out of the crisis. We have experienced with the downtime from mid-March at a time, we had zero sales. That was brutal. In addition, clients are flown down funds for refunds of booked travel. Now money comes into the Treasury – through new bookings and because the customer paid can make summer traveling and now have to pay. The should allow us, in the summer, at least a portion of the operating costs to recoup. While we are focusing this year on the liquidity, we will be working next year, again increasing in profitability. I'm sure that in 2022, the business then comes back full. People want to travel.

How the booking situation is at the Moment?

the beginning of The year was very strong. We had a history, posting the strongest January in the group. Of course, we had benefits that Thomas Cook was eliminated in the fall of 2019, and no major international competitor for more next to us. Prior to the Lockdown, we had sold the summer program to 35 percent. Then went from one day to the other nothing more than if you put the bike to a stick in the spokes. Currently our offer is booked to around 25 percent.

the decline to the fact that many customers have cancelled?

We could because of the worldwide travel warnings in April and may and into June, no trips to offer. In addition, customers have cancelled their bookings for later dates, or with the decisions to be serviced. This is not so, on the contrary, whenever a country flying can be and Hotels are open, come the Postings. Since you know that traveling to Greece, Spain and other holiday destinations, demand increases significantly.

people really in the mood to travel?

The desire to travel and go on holiday, in the unbroken people. The crucial question is whether security can be with a nice holiday. I am convinced that. Many customers see it the same way. Trips are currently different than usual, because the holiday destinations are empty. The has advantages. Take Mallorca, because so few visitors as thirty years ago are at the Moment. Acuminate said: the focus is on the beautiful nature and not just the much-cited Party on the ball man.

In the crisis, TUI a savings program, the 8000 Places fall victim to has decided. How far the talks with the representatives of the employees are?

The liabilities of our company will rise due to the crisis significantly. Therefore, we need to reduce our costs permanently. Due to the already planned digitisation this is also without loss of quality. The processes of the global unit to be slimmer and better. Half of the degradation occurs in the target areas. The support of our customers is of digital much. So, for example, excursions and Transfers can be booked very easily via our App. Some of the remote, we will no longer fly to destinations in the next two years, probably.

Where is there still cuts?

In France, for example, we focus on the profitable club brands and plan to separate us from travel agencies. The shops there are since years in deficit, and will now be redeveloped in an orderly process. Generally speaking, The Corona-crisis acts as a accelerant and disclose the weak points mercilessly. This means that companies will change faster than in normal times.

Date Of Update: 23 June 2020, 02:20