Thomson is to ditch its long-established youth operator 2wentys and instead re-package holidays for 18 to 35 year olds under the Thomson Scene brand.
The brand will be split into two, Scene Hub for the budget end of the youth market, and Thomson Scene Style for older, more affluent under 35s.
Thomson Scene Hub will appeal to 2wentys’ customers, said managing director David Burling, while Scene Style will target more sophisticated clientele looking for ‘celeb-style hangouts’.
While Hub will focus on party resorts such as Ayia Napa and Magaluf, Style will feature more upmarket resorts in destinations including Ibiza, Santorini and Mykonos in Greece, plus long haul destinations such as Cancun, Mexico, Goa and Thailand.
Announcing the move at ABTA’s Travel Convention in Slovenia, Burling said it was part of Thomson’s plans to offer holidays ‘from the cradle to the grave’.
He admited the operator ‘was not strong in the 18 to 30s market’, despite having the 2wentys brand, which was established 20 years ago.
"We see there is more demand for sophisticated, stylish hotels like the Sirenis in Ibiza" he said, "think Bali beds by day and cocktail bars at night." He said Thomson would work with its hotel partners to expand the Style brand.
In total, Thomson Scene will feature 86 hotels in 34 resorts in 20 countries for next summer.
Burling said he saw the greatest growth coming from Scene Style as Thomson would be able to add more elements to the holiday. Excursions on offer include sunset cruises, elephant rides in Goa or a tiger safari in Thailand.
Thomson Scene will be unveiled to the public at a 2wentys 20-year reunion in Butlins, Skegness from November 14 to 16.
