Kuoni plots further brand growth following state-of-the-art office move

Jones this week told TTG Kuoni’s move to its new Dorking office heralded a “new era” for the brand, now fully co-located with DER Touristik UK: “We’ve been on quite a journey over the past 10 years,” said Jones, who joined Kuoni in 2008 and was managing director during DER Touristik’s 2015 takeover.

“We’ve gone from a very traditional long-haul tour operator to a major retail presence,” he said. “Our ambition now is to grow in the UK and invest more in our brands - it finally feels like we are looking to the future rather than the past.

“We have built a good relationship with our new owners, and we are ambitious. I think [the move] is quite timely. The new office will create a whole new environment for us.”

Back in February, Kuoni announced a new, still yet unnamed online brand, its first for a decade, designed to bridge the gap between package travel and tailor-made travel.

Initially slated for a late-June launch, Jones said venture would revisit Kuoni’s previous unsuccessful attempts at online modular packaging, geed on advances in web technology.

“I can confirm it’s still on track,” said Jones. “It’s coming in the next three to four months - certainly within four months.”

Jones though said while Kuoni was satisfied with the size of its retail operation, currently hovering around the 50 store mark, the group may yet pursue further acquisitions to bolster its brand portfolio. Kirker Holidays, Jules Verne and Carrier, like Kuoni, are all subsidiaries of DER Touristik UK.

“We always look to build our own brands,” said Jones. “But if the opportunity came up through an acquisition, we would have the backing of our owner.

“We have a very clear brand strategy. While we [DER Touristik] nurture them, we want them to live alone and have their own identities. It’s a fine line, but everyone gets it.”

On retail, Jones added: “We don’t plan to grow retail significantly. We have a good base. We never planned to be massive. We don’t want to be ubiquitous.

“Every three to five years, high streets come and go. We are happy with our size and shape. We’re flexible.”