Covid-19 has claimed another victim. Global destination management company Pacific World, part of TUI Group, has announced that as of November it will stop operations in the meetings and events industry.
“The coronavirus is continuing to cause unprecedented disruptions in the travel and tourism industry. As a result, TUI Destination Experiences, parent division of Pacific World, is moving to a digitalization strategy and has decided to stop participating in the meetings and events market,” TUI said in a press release. “TUI Destination Experiences will stop operating the meetings, incentives, conferences, and events (MICE) business under the Pacific World brand in November 2020.”
Pacific World is one of three brands in the TUI Group’s Destination Experiences division, along with Intercruises, which handles shore excursions and other elements of the cruise business, and Musement, an online provider for tours and activities. According to the TUI Group website, Pacific World operated in 30 countries around the world, including 15 in Asia, and “accompanied over one million events last year.” While it was best known as a destination management company, Pacific World also provided event production, strategic meetings management, and PCO services.
While TUI Group’s decision is a blow to hopes for a near-term revival of meetings and conventions, the company ended its announcement on a hopeful note, saying that “we believe the industry will recover in the future, and our passion and legacy of innovation will create future solutions for our customers.”
