First Choice

First Choice Holidays PLC is a leading European leisure travel company comprising mainstream and specialist tour operations, travel retail and aviation businesses.  First Choice employs 14,000 people, operating from 13 countries worldwide.  Last year over 5 million holidaymakers chose to travel with a First Choice Group company.

Our strategy
Create a platform for growth and sustainable competitive advantage by developing the portfolio of specialist businesses and further differentiating the mainstream tour operations.

We aim to:

  • Generate at least 50% of the Group's profit from the specialist businesses portfolio;
  • Continue to operate using flexible and low cost business models;
  • Create a sustainable, robust, and quality income stream;
  • Generate the highest leisure travel profit margins in Europe.

The strategy is working
We have successfully demonstrated the benefits of building strong positions in specialist growth markets and reducing our dependence on mainstream tour operations, thereby reducing the volatility of our operations. That in turn is delivering higher margins, better quality earnings and increased long-term profitability.

Specialist, Choice, Growth
Our strategic focus on specialisation and differentiation across all our Divisions has benefits for both customers and shareholders.  A broad choice of products services and booking methods is necessary to respond to changing trends in the market place and ensure that we are providing the range of holidays and booking options expected by the 21st century leisure traveller. Our ability to respond to consumer demand through product innovation and the flexibility of our business model have created a robust business and a strong platform for growth.

Our Business
The First Choice Group has been evolving the structure of its divisional groupings, in line with its established strategy of reducing independence on mainstream holidays. As a result the group now has five Divisions, each of which offers strong organic growth potential and characteristics that differentiate it from the competition.

The Divisions are Activity - focused on marine, soft adventure and ski; European Specialist Businesses - a destination led and lifestyle division; Hotelbeds & Destination Services - focused on business to business on-line hotel accommodation, destination services and events management; UK & Ireland - offering mainstream holidays but with an increasing focus on 'exclusive' product; and Canada - a destination focused business.