Travel group TUI has seen a "comeback" in demand for holidays in North Africa and Turkey this summer, the airline division's chief executive has disclosed.
Speaking to FlightGlobal during the Farnborough air show, David Burling noted a move from western Mediterranean destinations back to south Egypt and Turkey, where hotel prices are "favourable".
TUI transported 27.4 million passengers in 2017, and Burling expects an increase this year.
He says TUI is seeking to use the Boeing 737 Max to develop new routes and is looking at farther-flung destinations, particularly for winter.
These include markets such as Germany to Cape Verde, southern Egypt and the Middle East.
Burling says the Max's range and fuel efficiency allow the leisure operator to consider destinations beyond its average 4h sector length.
The introduction of the 787 into TUI's fleet, meanwhile, led to a short-term boost in long-haul demand, and the leisure group also saw customers shifting from a 14-day long-haul holiday to a seven- to 10-day trip. However, Burling expects a slowing of the growth in long-haul demand.
Source: Cirium Dashboard
