Thomas Cook launches “DIY” holidays to Majorca

A travel brand allowing customers to package their own holidays to destinations such as Majorca, has been created as part of a new Thomas Cook company targeting the leisure and entertainment market. Cultura Trips was formed following 18 months' research, which revealed demographic barriers are now so blurred holidaymakers cannot be linked by age, sex, job or income. Instead of targeting a specific audience, it is aimed at confident, independent travellers with a “young mentality” who want to create their own flexible holidays or buy components separately. Products available include accommodation, scheduled, charter or no-frills flights, nightclub tickets, boat excursions, transfers, car hire and holiday insurance. Destinations featured are Ibiza, Majorca, Cyprus and Rhodes. Cultura Trips is the leisure arm of Cultura, part of a new company Up Trips Limited, to be run by former Club 18-30 managing director Andy Tidy. Although Tidy still has a say in the running of Club 18-30, he is now managing director of Up Trips, which he founded with Club 18-30 consultant John Davis and overseas general manager Paul Little. Tidy said: “The main difference between us and other tour operators is we're totally flexible and you can design your own trip. You will never feel like you are on a package. Agents are excited about this because, in the past, people have asked them for four–night trips to places outside of cities and they could not offer it.”