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92-520: It fully or partially owns several travel agencies , hotel chains , cruise lines and retail shops as well as five European airlines . These activities involve the operation of 353 hotels with 275,144 beds and it allows its brand to be used for another 65 hotels operated by third parties. These hotels accommodate 21 million guests a year. It also operates 16 cruise ships under the TUI Cruises , Hapag-Lloyd Cruises and Marella Cruises brands, as well as

184-470: A fee to the end users. Hotel owners and tour operators typically pay a higher commission rate to travel agencies, whereas airlines typically pay no commission. The customer is normally not made aware of how much the travel agent is earning in commissions and other benefits. A 2016 survey of 1,193 travel agents in the United States found that on average 78% of their revenue was from commissions and 22%

276-625: A healthy diet are also recommended. Supportive care in severe cases includes treatment to relieve symptoms , fluid therapy , oxygen support and prone positioning , and medications or devices to support other affected vital organs. More severe cases may need treatment in hospital. In those with low oxygen levels, use of the glucocorticoid dexamethasone is recommended to reduce mortality. Noninvasive ventilation and, ultimately, admission to an intensive care unit for mechanical ventilation may be required to support breathing. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has been used to address

368-615: A variant of concern (VoC) or a variant of interest (VoI). Many of these variants have shared the more infectious D614G . As of May 2023, the WHO had downgraded all variants of concern to previously circulating as these were no longer detected in new infections. Sub-lineages of the Omicron variant (BA.1 – BA.5) were considered separate VoCs by the WHO until they were downgraded in March 2023 as no longer widely circulating. As of 24 September 2024 ,

460-562: A 30% interest in the tourism conglomerate TUI (founded 1968), increased to 100% by 1999. In addition the company acquired 25% of Thomas Cook shares in 1997, which it doubled the following year. On 2 February 1999, the Carlson Leisure Group merged with Thomas Cook into a holding company owned by the German bank Westdeutsche Landesbank , Carlson Inc and Preussag. However, in mid-2000 Preussag acquired Thomas Cook's rival Thomson Travel and

552-493: A comprehensive international study. Such deaths include deaths due to healthcare capacity constraints and priorities, as well as reluctance to seek care (to avoid possible infection). Further research may help distinguish the proportions directly caused by COVID-19 from those caused by indirect consequences of the pandemic. In May 2022, the WHO estimated the number of excess deaths by the end of 2021 to be 14.9 million compared to 5.4 million reported COVID-19 deaths, with

644-471: A fleet of 134 aircraft. It is trading as TUI AG on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and Hanover Stock Exchange. The origins of the company lie in the industrial and transportation company Preussag AG, which was originally formed as a German mining company. It was incorporated on 9 October 1923, as Preußische Bergwerks- und Hütten-Aktiengesellschaft (Prussian Mine and Foundry Company). In 1927 it

736-1167: A host agency. This is a popular model in the United States, with surveys show anywhere from 43-85% of leisure agencies now booking under a host agency. Travel agencies use the services of the major computer reservations systems , also known as global distribution systems (GDS), including: Amadeus CRS , Galileo GDS , Sabre , and Worldspan , which is a subsidiary of Travelport , which allow for comparison and sorting of hotel and flight rates with multiple companies. Bookings made via travel agents, including online travel agents, may or may not be confirmed instantly. Unlike online travel agencies, metasearch engines and scraper sites , such as Skyscanner , Kayak.com , Rome2rio , and TripAdvisor , travel agencies may or may not have their own booking engine, and instead provide results for search queries and then divert traffic to service providers or online travel agencies for booking. Travel agents may also work with airline consolidators . Some companies use technology to promote sustainable tourism and bring carbon-neutrality . Travel agencies can be multinational companies , referred to as "multiples" in

828-590: A large number of people". During the COVID-19 pandemic, as with other pandemics, the meaning of this term has been challenged. The end of a pandemic or other epidemic only rarely involves the total disappearance of a disease, and historically, much less attention has been given to defining the ends of epidemics than their beginnings. The ends of particular epidemics have been defined in a variety of ways, differing according to academic field, and differently based on location and social group. An epidemic's end can be considered

920-448: A median range of 0.24% to 1.49%. IFRs rise as a function of age (from 0.002% at age 10 and 0.01% at age 25, to 0.4% at age 55, 1.4% at age 65, 4.6% at age 75, and 15% at age 85). These rates vary by a factor of ≈10,000 across the age groups. For comparison, the IFR for middle-aged adults is two orders of magnitude higher than the annualised risk of a fatal automobile accident and much higher than

1012-525: A million customers. In March 2022, TUI AG terminated the brand use agreement with TUI Russia; TUI Russia is no longer a TUI Group company. The last shares in TUI Russia were sold in 2021. A 2018 study in the UK found that Tui had the largest gender pay gap reported to date by a major UK company, with its male employees paid more than twice what female employees are paid. In August 2018, some air passengers questioned

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1104-637: A rally in Loughborough in exchange for a commission. He formed Thomas Cook & Son , which later became The Thomas Cook Group . It filed bankruptcy and underwent liquidation in 2019. In 1871, Dean and Dawson was founded in the United Kingdom and in the 1950s, it was acquired by Thomas Cook. In 1870, the Polytechnic Touring Association was founded in the United Kingdom. In 1887, Walter T. Brownell established Brownell Travel,

1196-815: A random sample have consistently found that total infections considerably exceed the reported case counts. Many countries, early on, had official policies to not test those with only mild symptoms. The strongest risk factors for severe illness are obesity, complications of diabetes , anxiety disorders, and the total number of conditions. During the start of the COVID-19 pandemic it was not clear whether young people were less likely to be infected, or less likely to develop symptoms and be tested. A retrospective cohort study in China found that children and adults were just as likely to be infected. Among more thorough studies, preliminary results from 9 April 2020 found that in Gangelt ,

1288-614: A request for information, by saying that they were not aware of the company's history. In May 2022, it was reported that the major stakeholder and Russian oligarch Alexei Mordashov had made a transfer of a holding of 29.9% of the company: TUI failed to follow the rules and verify the new owner of the shares. In addition, the transfer was a violation of the sanctions against Russia by the European Union, which sanctioned Mordashov personally. [REDACTED] Media related to TUI at Wikimedia Commons Travel agency A travel agency

1380-457: A social phenomenon, not just a biological one. Time reported in March 2024 that expert opinions differ on whether or not COVID-19 is considered endemic or pandemic, and that the WHO continued to call the disease a pandemic on its website. During the initial outbreak in Wuhan , the virus and disease were commonly referred to as "coronavirus", "Wuhan coronavirus", "the coronavirus outbreak" and

1472-469: A specific region. A travel agency's main function is to act as an agent , selling travel products and services on behalf of a supplier. They are also called Travel Advisors. They do not keep inventory in-hand unless they have pre-booked hotel rooms or cabins on a cruise ship for a group travel event such as a wedding , honeymoon , or other group event. Travel agencies often receive commissions and other benefits and incentives from providers or may charge

1564-539: A strong side-line in travel at the back of the Baldwins Stationery shop at 27 Grosvenor Road. In 1905, Nippon Travel Agency became the first travel agency in Japan . Originally, travel agencies largely catered to middle and upper-class customers but they became more commonplace with the development of commercial aviation . In 1923, after being treated badly by a British travel agency, K. P. Chen formed what became

1656-451: A test. Conversely, deaths of people who died from underlying conditions following a positive test may be included. Countries such as Belgium include deaths from suspected cases, including those without a test, thereby increasing counts. Official death counts have been claimed to underreport the actual death toll, because excess mortality (the number of deaths in a period compared to a long-term average) data show an increase in deaths that

1748-667: A value of $ US9.7 billion. The merger was completed on 17 December 2014 and the combined business began trading on the Frankfurt and London stock exchanges. Prior to this merger, Alexey Mordashov, the largest private shareholder in TUI Travel, held a blocking stake in TUI Travel through his S-Group. After the merger, Mordashov's stake was reduced to less than a blocking stake of 25%. On 12 December 2016, Mordashov increased his stake in TUI Group from 18% to more than 20%. In October 2018, his 24.9% stake

1840-557: Is a private retailer or public service that provides travel and tourism -related services to the general public on behalf of accommodation or travel suppliers to offer different kinds of travelling packages for each destination. Travel agencies can provide outdoor recreation , arranging logistics for luggage and medical items delivery for travellers upon request, public transport timetables , car rentals , and bureau de change services. Travel agencies can also serve as general sales agents for airlines that do not have offices in

1932-428: Is an example of a franchised travel agency, giving agents access to internal systems for product and bookings. While most point-to-point travel is now booked online, traditional agents specialize in niche markets such as corporate travel, luxury travel, cruises, complicated and important trips, and specialty trips. Other niche markets for traditional travel agencies include travelers with disabilities, travelers over

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2024-518: Is associated with COVID-19 and is reported in as many as 88% of cases. The disease is mainly transmitted via the respiratory route when people inhale droplets and small airborne particles (that form an aerosol ) that infected people exhale as they breathe, talk, cough, sneeze, or sing. Infected people are more likely to transmit COVID-19 when they are physically close to other non-infected individuals. However, infection can occur over longer distances, particularly indoors. SARS‑CoV‑2 belongs to

2116-600: Is discouraged altogether by the World Health Organization (WHO), due to limited evidence of its efficacy. The severity of COVID-19 varies. It may take a mild course with few or no symptoms, resembling other common upper respiratory diseases such as the common cold . In 3–4% of cases (7.4% for those over age 65) symptoms are severe enough to cause hospitalisation. Mild cases typically recover within two weeks, while those with severe or critical diseases may take three to six weeks to recover. Among those who have died,

2208-439: Is intended to provide acquired immunity against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‑CoV‑2), the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 ( COVID-19 ). Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, an established body of knowledge existed about the structure and function of coronaviruses causing diseases like severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). This knowledge accelerated

2300-485: Is not explained by COVID-19 deaths alone. Using such data, estimates of the true number of deaths from COVID-19 worldwide have included a range from 18.2 to 33.5 million (≈27.4 million) by 18 November 2023 by The Economist , as well as over 18.5 million by 1 April 2023 by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation and ≈18.2 million (earlier) deaths between 1 January 2020, and 31 December 2021, by

2392-452: Is the ratio of deaths to diagnoses. This metric can be misleading because of the delay between symptom onset and death and because testing focuses on symptomatic individuals. Based on Johns Hopkins University statistics, the global CFR was 1.02 percent (6,881,955 deaths for 676,609,955 cases) as of 10 March 2023. The number varies by region and has generally declined over time. Several variants have been named by WHO and labelled as

2484-406: Is the seventh known coronavirus to infect people, after 229E , NL63 , OC43 , HKU1 , MERS-CoV , and the original SARS-CoV . The standard method of testing for presence of SARS-CoV-2 is a nucleic acid test , which detects the presence of viral RNA fragments. As these tests detect RNA but not infectious virus, its "ability to determine duration of infectivity of patients is limited." The test

2576-614: Is typically done on respiratory samples obtained by a nasopharyngeal swab ; however, a nasal swab or sputum sample may also be used. The WHO has published several testing protocols for the disease. Preventive measures to reduce the chances of infection include getting vaccinated, staying at home or spending more time outdoors, avoiding crowded places, keeping distance from others, wearing a mask in public, ventilating indoor spaces, managing potential exposure durations, washing hands with soap and water often and for at least twenty seconds, practising good respiratory hygiene, and avoiding touching

2668-639: The 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine . In March 2023 it was announced that TUI would seek to raise $ 1.8 billion by selling shares at a discount to existing investors, excluding Mordashov as a result of sanctions under German securities law. The following people have served in key roles: The company's shares are listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, the London Stock Exchange, as well as the Hanover Stock Exchange. In spring 2007,

2760-644: The Abreu Agency was established in Porto by Bernardo Abreu, becoming the world's first agency to open its services to the public. In 1841, Thomas Cook , a Baptist preacher who believed that alcohol was to blame for social problems, reached an agreement with the Midland Railway to organize the transportation of 500 members of his temperance movement from the Leicester Campbell Street railway station to

2852-532: The Airlines Reporting Corporation in the United States also serve those purposes. ABTA – The Travel Association the Association of Canadian Travel Agencies (ACTA) The American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA), represent travel agencies in the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States respectively. In 1758, Cox & Kings became the first travel agency in modern history. In 1840,

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2944-639: The China Travel Service , the first travel agency in China . The industry suffered during World War II . However, the Post–World War II economic expansion in mass-market package tours resulted in the proliferation of travel agencies catering to the working class . In 1929, Intourist was formed as the official state travel agency of the Soviet Union , with the goal of convincing outsiders to visit

3036-501: The Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market there, but it is possible that human-to-human transmission began earlier. Molecular clock analysis suggests that the first cases were likely to have been between October and November 2019. The scientific consensus is that the virus is most likely of a zoonotic origin, from bats or another closely related mammal. While other explanations such as speculations that SARS-CoV-2

3128-407: The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation estimating the true number of cases as of early 2022 to be in the billions. One measure that public health officials and policymakers have used to monitor the pandemic and guide decision-making is the test positivity rate ("percent positive"). According to Johns Hopkins in 2020, one benchmark for a "too high" per cent positive is 5%, which was used by

3220-524: The London Stock Exchange retaining its listings on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and the Hanover Stock Exchange. In the 2022 financial year, the Hotels & Resorts segment comprised a total of 353 hotels with 275,144 beds. With 322 properties, the majority are four- or five-star hotels. 53% were operated under management contracts, 38% were owned by the respective hotel company, 8% were leased and 1% of

3312-466: The United Kingdom . They can also be medium-sized organizations, referred to as "miniples" in the United Kingdom, or can be independent, small companies. They can be structured as a limited liability company , a sole proprietorship , or can be set up as a host, franchising , or consortium structure. A traditional travel agent may work for a travel agency or work freelance . Helloworld Travel

3404-597: The basic reproduction number (R 0 ) for COVID-19 in January 2020 were between 1.4 and 2.5, but a subsequent analysis claimed that it may be about 5.7 (with a 95 per cent confidence interval of 3.8 to 8.9). In December 2021, the number of cases continued to climb due to several factors, including new COVID-19 variants. As of that 28   December, 282,790,822 individuals worldwide had been confirmed as infected. As of 14 April 2022 , over 500 million cases were confirmed globally. Most cases are unconfirmed, with

3496-474: The variants of interest as specified by the World Health Organization are BA.2.86 and JN.1, and the variants under monitoring are JN.1.7, KP.2, KP.3, KP.3.1.1, JN.1.18, LB.1, and XEC. Symptoms of COVID-19 are variable, ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Common symptoms include headache, loss of smell and taste , nasal congestion and runny nose , cough, muscle pain , sore throat , fever, diarrhoea , and breathing difficulties . People with

3588-429: The "Wuhan coronavirus outbreak", with the disease sometimes called "Wuhan pneumonia ". In January 2020, the WHO recommended 2019-nCoV and 2019-nCoV acute respiratory disease as interim names for the virus and disease per 2015 international guidelines against using geographical locations (e.g. Wuhan, China), animal species, or groups of people in disease and virus names in part to prevent social stigma . WHO finalised

3680-407: The 2022 income for travel agents that earn salary + commissions (25% of travel advisor employees) at $ 88,909, those that earn salary/hourly only at $ 50,792 (44% of employee travel agents), and commission only travel employees at $ 21,932 (31%). However, job prospects should be best for travel agents who specialize in specific destinations or particular types of travelers. Several reports show that

3772-488: The 3% thresholds on 24 February 2014. Russian oligarch Alexei Mordashov joined TUI at the beginning of 2008. By July 2008, he had increased his stake to 15.03% and in March 2012 to 25.29%, and later to 34%. He was thus the largest single shareholder. Mordashov has been on the EU sanctions list since 28 February 2022 and, according to a corresponding voting rights notification, transferred control of most of his indirectly held shares to

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3864-811: The Norwegian shipowner and financial investor John Fredriksen acquired a 15.01% stake in TUI. At TUI's AGM in May 2008, Fredriksen demanded a split-up of the group and the dismissal of TUI CEO Michael Frenzel. At the AGM on 13 May 2009, Fredriksen demanded that Supervisory Board Chairman Jürgen Krumnow be voted out of office so that he could then join the Supervisory Board himself. However, these attempts were unsuccessful. On 28 February 2014, Monteray Enterprises Ltd (John Fredriksen) notified TUI that its share of voting rights in TUI had fallen below

3956-619: The TUI Group are (as at the financial year ending 30 September): On 16 April 2009, TUI Travel and S-Group Travel Holding of the Russian shareholder Alexey Mordashov declared the formation of a joint venture in Russia with investments of 30 million euros to develop tourism activities in Russia and Ukraine. The intention was to take over the tour operators VKO Group and Mostravel in Russia and Voyage Kiev in Ukraine, which had over 160 travel agencies and over half

4048-581: The Virgin Islands-based company Ondero Limited, controlled by Marina Mordashova, on that date. Due to an investigation by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection regarding the transfer of the shares to Ondero Limited, the transfer is suspended. The shareholding in TUI AG therefore continues to be held (indirectly) by Mordashov. Due to the capital increase in spring 2023, in which Mordashov

4140-636: The WHO in the past. As of 10 March 2023, more than 6.88   million deaths had been attributed to COVID-19. The first confirmed death was in Wuhan on 9 January 2020. These numbers vary by region and over time, influenced by testing volume, healthcare system quality, treatment options, government response, time since the initial outbreak, and population characteristics, such as age, sex, and overall health. Multiple measures are used to quantify mortality. Official death counts typically include people who died after testing positive. Such counts exclude deaths without

4232-419: The WHO, US, European Union, and Australia. On 12 November 2022, the WHO released its Global Vaccine Market Report. The report indicated that "inequitable distribution is not unique to COVID-19 vaccines"; countries that are not economically strong struggle to obtain vaccines. On 14 November 2022, the first inhalable vaccine was introduced, developed by Chinese biopharmaceutical company CanSino Biologics , in

4324-536: The age of 60, women traveling alone, LGBT tourism , or a particular group interested in a similar activity, such as a sport . Other examples of travel niches include StudentUniverse , which specialize in youth travel , or CWT , which caters to corporate travel. Many traditional travel agencies are now home-based to reduce overhead. Agents can act as "travel consultants" with extensive knowledge of destination regions and specialize in topics like nautical tourism or cultural tourism . Many traditional agents prefer

4416-407: The airlines, that was decided on appeal in 2009. In 2007, the launch of the iPhone and related mobile apps increased travel bookings made online. In 2008, the launch of Airbnb created an online marketplace for spare bedrooms and apartments. In 2011, the launch of HotelTonight highlighted instantaneous same-day hotel room booking. In 2021, travel agency Baldwins Travel Group, which

4508-448: The broad family of viruses known as coronaviruses . It is a positive-sense single-stranded RNA (+ssRNA) virus, with a single linear RNA segment. Coronaviruses infect humans, other mammals, including livestock and companion animals, and avian species. Human coronaviruses are capable of causing illnesses ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS, fatality rate ≈34%). SARS-CoV-2

4600-630: The centre of a major infection cluster in Germany, 15 per cent of a population sample tested positive for antibodies . Screening for COVID-19 in pregnant women in New York City , and blood donors in the Netherlands, found rates of positive antibody tests that indicated more infections than reported. Seroprevalence -based estimates are conservative as some studies show that persons with mild symptoms do not have detectable antibodies. Initial estimates of

4692-746: The city of Shanghai, China. For the first two years of the pandemic, no specific and effective treatment or cure was available. In 2021, the European Medicines Agency's (EMA) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) approved the oral antiviral protease inhibitor , Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir plus the HIV antiviral ritonavir ), to treat adult patients. FDA later gave it an EUA. Most cases of COVID-19 are mild. In these, supportive care includes medication such as paracetamol or NSAIDs to relieve symptoms (fever, body aches, cough), adequate intake of oral fluids and rest. Good personal hygiene and

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4784-839: The country. In 1931, the US trade organization ASTA (originally the American Steamship and Tourist Agents Association, now the American Society of Travel Advisors) was created. During the Cold War , travel agents were used by people from Western countries to travel behind the Iron Curtain . In 1951, the precursor to Helloworld Travel became one of the first travel agencies in Australia . In 1955, Henderson Travel Service in Atlanta , Georgia became

4876-480: The cumulative number of infected individuals (including asymptomatic and undiagnosed infections and excluding vaccinated infected individuals). It is expressed in percentage points. Other studies refer to this metric as the infection fatality risk . In November 2020, a review article in Nature reported estimates of population-weighted IFRs for various countries, excluding deaths in elderly care facilities, and found

4968-441: The development of various vaccine platforms during early 2020. The initial focus of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines was on preventing symptomatic and severe illness. The COVID-19 vaccines are widely credited for their role in reducing the severity and death caused by COVID-19. As of March 2023, more than 5.5 billion people had received one or more doses (11.8 billion in total) in over 197 countries. The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine

5060-708: The distribution of gendered stickers to children on a flight: "future pilot" for boys, "future cabin crew" for girls. TUI has become the main airline carrying out charter deportation flights for the UK Home Office. It is estimated that in November and December 2020 TUI carried out the deportation of more than 150 people in 13 flights to 23 destinations for the Home Office. On 20 May 2022, the German TV Programme ZDF-Magazin Royale dedicated an episode to

5152-513: The eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands. Those diagnosed with COVID-19 or who believe they may be infected are advised by healthcare authorities to stay home except to get medical care, call ahead before visiting a healthcare provider, wear a face mask before entering the healthcare provider's office and when in any room or vehicle with another person, cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue, regularly wash hands with soap and water and avoid sharing personal household items. A COVID-19 vaccine

5244-479: The facilities were operated under franchise agreements. In addition, 65 hotels were operated by third-party hoteliers under TUI's international concept brands as at 30 September 2022, bringing the total number including third-party hotels to 418. TUI's cruise segment operates a total of 16 cruise ships under three brands: TUI owns several airlines operating under the brands TUI fly and TUI Airlines which are managed by TUI Airline Management. The key indicators of

5336-433: The first African-American-owned travel company and the first to take large groups of black American tourists to Africa. In the early 1980s, American Airlines ' Sabre unit created a direct-to-consumer booking tool for flights, hotels and cars called eAAsySabre. In 1989, with the liberalization of travel for South Koreans , Mode Tour became the first travel agency in the country. In 1991, Hotel Reservations Network,

5428-546: The first airline ticket via the World Wide Web. In October 1996, Expedia.com , funded with hundreds of millions of dollars by Microsoft launched as the first large online travel agency. At the same time, Cheapflights started as a listing service for flight deals from consolidators. In 1998, Lastminute.com was founded in the United Kingdom. In 1999, Expedia went public on the Nasdaq stock exchange. From 1999 to 2006,

5520-514: The first travel agency in the United States, and led 10 travelers on a European tour setting sail from New York on the SS Devonia . In 1895, Baldwins Travel was founded by Alfred K Baldwin, originally a printer, bookbinder and publisher in Tunbridge Wells. Baldwins begins selling railway tickets and helping friends to travel to Europe and beyond. News spreads and the former printers slowly build

5612-525: The general public beginning in December 2020, made available through government and international programs such as COVAX , aiming to provide vaccine equity . Treatments include novel antiviral drugs and symptom control. Common mitigation measures during the public health emergency included travel restrictions , lockdowns , business restrictions and closures, workplace hazard controls , mask mandates , quarantines, testing systems, and contact tracing of

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5704-609: The history of TUI. It reported that Preussag was active in World War II producing bombs for the Nazi Party . Later Preussag also provided chemicals to Saddam Hussein 's in Iraq, so facilitating the development of chemical weapons. The company were also supportive of the regime of Muammar Gaddafi in Libya and helped to build a factory for the production of chemical bombs. The management responded to

5796-515: The holiday home provider Wolters Reisen GmbH and the round trip specialist Wolters Rundreisen GmbH, of which TUI Group owned 100% of the shares via an investment company, were sold to the Frankfurt-based company e-domizil. In August 2020, the company reported a net loss of €2.3 billion (from October 2019 to June 2020) as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic . Out of the sum, €1.5 billion loss related to

5888-657: The infected. The pandemic caused severe social and economic disruption around the world, including the largest global recession since the Great Depression . Widespread supply shortages , including food shortages , were caused by supply chain disruptions and panic buying . Reduced human activity led to an unprecedented temporary decrease in pollution . Educational institutions and public areas were partially or fully closed in many jurisdictions, and many events were cancelled or postponed during 2020 and 2021. Telework became much more common for white-collar workers as

5980-439: The issue of respiratory failure. Existing drugs such as hydroxychloroquine , lopinavir/ritonavir , and ivermectin are not recommended by US or European health authorities, as there is no good evidence they have any useful effect. The antiviral remdesivir is available in the US, Canada, Australia, and several other countries, with varying restrictions; however, it is not recommended for use with mechanical ventilation, and

6072-404: The largest Norwegian privately held stake in TUI Travel and had a significant influence upon TUI Travel's direction and strategy. As Alexey Mordashov through his S-Group Travel Holding increased his stake in TUI Travel to a stake larger than Fredriksen's stake, the shipping business had to be sold. In June 2014 the company announced it would fully merge with TUI Travel to create a united group with

6164-576: The majority of the unreported 9.5 million deaths believed to be direct deaths due the virus, rather than indirect deaths. Some deaths were because people with other conditions could not access medical services . A December 2022 WHO study estimated excess deaths from the pandemic during 2020 and 2021, again concluding ≈14.8 million excess early deaths occurred, reaffirming and detailing their prior calculations from May as well as updating them, addressing criticisms. These numbers do not include measures like years of potential life lost and may make

6256-470: The number of people using travel agents to book travel has been increasing. COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic ), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 ( SARS-CoV-2 ), began with an outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan , China, in December 2019. It spread to other areas of Asia, and then worldwide in early 2020. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared

6348-413: The number of travel agents in the United States plunged from 124,000 to 88,000 as many Americans switched to making their own travel arrangements online. Also in 1999, European airlines began eliminating or reducing commissions, while Singapore Airlines did so in parts of Asia . In 2002, several airlines in the United States did the same, which led to an unsuccessful lawsuit alleging collusion among

6440-495: The official names COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2 on 11 February 2020. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus explained: CO   for corona , VI   for virus , D   for disease and 19 for when the outbreak was first identified (31 December 2019). WHO additionally uses "the COVID-19 virus" and "the virus responsible for COVID-19" in public communications. WHO named variants of concern and variants of interest using Greek letters . The initial practice of naming them according to where

6532-534: The outbreak a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) on 30 January 2020, and assessed the outbreak as having become a pandemic on 11 March. COVID-19 symptoms range from asymptomatic to deadly, but most commonly include fever, sore throat , nocturnal cough , and fatigue. Transmission of the virus is often through airborne particles . Mutations have produced many strains (variants) with varying degrees of infectivity and virulence . COVID-19 vaccines were developed rapidly and deployed to

6624-407: The pandemic 2021's leading cause of death . The time between symptom onset and death ranges from   6 to 41 days, typically about 14 days. Mortality rates increase as a function of age. People at the greatest mortality risk are the elderly and those with underlying conditions. The infection fatality ratio (IFR) is the cumulative number of deaths attributed to the disease divided by

6716-491: The pandemic evolved. Misinformation circulated through social media and mass media , and political tensions intensified . The pandemic raised issues of racial and geographic discrimination , health equity , and the balance between public health imperatives and individual rights . The WHO ended the PHEIC for COVID-19 on 5 May 2023. The disease has continued to circulate, but as of 2024, experts were uncertain as to whether it

6808-463: The period from April to June 2020, while the revenue for the same period was €75 million, 98% less than the same period in 2019. TUI's chief executive officer, Fritz Joussen announced that the firm was considering selling the Marella cruise line. In March 2022, the company's largest single shareholder, Alexey Mordashov, a Russian oligarch and confidante of Vladimir Putin , was placed under sanctions due to

6900-415: The population's age structure and the age-specific pattern of infections. There have also been reviews that have compared the fatality rate of this pandemic with prior pandemics, such as MERS-CoV. For comparison the infection mortality rate of seasonal flu in the United States is 0.1%, which is 13 times lower than COVID-19. Another metric in assessing death rate is the case fatality ratio (CFR), which

6992-413: The precursor of Hotels.com , was founded. At first, hotels did not pay much in commissions. With the advent of the internet , travel agencies migrated online and underwent disintermediation by the reduction in costs caused by removing layers from the package holiday distribution network. In 1994, Travelweb.com launched as the first online directory of hotels. In 1995, Internet Travel Network sold

7084-458: The risk of dying from seasonal influenza . In December 2020, a systematic review and meta-analysis estimated that population-weighted IFR was 0.5% to 1% in some countries (France, Netherlands, New Zealand, and Portugal), 1% to 2% in other countries (Australia, England, Lithuania, and Spain), and about 2.5% in Italy. This study reported that most of the differences reflected corresponding differences in

7176-496: The same infection may have different symptoms, and their symptoms may change over time. Three common clusters of symptoms have been identified: one respiratory symptom cluster with cough, sputum , shortness of breath, and fever; a musculoskeletal symptom cluster with muscle and joint pain, headache, and fatigue; a cluster of digestive symptoms with abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhoea. In people without prior ear, nose, and throat disorders, loss of taste combined with loss of smell

7268-705: The shipping sector, were kept separate and bundled within Hapag-Lloyd AG. A majority stake in Hapag-Lloyd was sold to the Albert Ballin consortium of investors in March 2009 and a further stake was sold to Ballin in February 2012, as TUI worked to exit from the shipping business and to optimize its tourism business with expansion in Russia , China and India under Michael Frenzel . Prior to August 2010, John Fredriksen held

7360-563: The term "travel advisor" as opposed to "travel agent" to emphasize their advice, expertise, and connections that are of great value. In many countries, all travel agencies are required to be licensed by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Many are also bonded and represented by IATA, and, for those that issue air tickets, the Air Travel Organisers' Licensing (ATOL) in the United Kingdom, and

7452-411: The time from symptom onset to death has ranged from two to eight weeks. Prolonged prothrombin time and elevated C-reactive protein levels on admission to the hospital are associated with severe course of COVID-19 and with a transfer to intensive care units (ICU). Between 5% and 50% of COVID-19 patients experience long COVID , a condition characterised by long-term consequences persisting after

7544-694: The typical convalescence period of the disease. The most commonly reported clinical presentations are fatigue and memory problems, as well as malaise , headaches, shortness of breath , loss of smell, muscle weakness , low fever and cognitive dysfunction . Many countries attempted to slow or stop the spread of COVID-19 by recommending, mandating or prohibiting behaviour changes, while others relied primarily on providing information. Measures ranged from public advisories to stringent lockdowns. Outbreak control strategies are divided into elimination and mitigation. Experts differentiate between elimination strategies (known as " zero-COVID ") that aim to completely stop

7636-543: The variants were identified (e.g. Delta began as the " Indian variant") is no longer common. A more systematic naming scheme reflects the variant's PANGO lineage (e.g., Omicron 's lineage is B.1.1.529) and is used for other variants. SARS-CoV-2 is a virus closely related to bat coronaviruses , pangolin coronaviruses, and SARS-CoV . The first known outbreak (the 2019–2020 COVID-19 outbreak in mainland China ) started in Wuhan , Hubei, China, in December 2019. Many early cases were linked to people who had visited

7728-443: Was accidentally released from a laboratory have been proposed, as of 2021 these were not supported by evidence. Official "case" counts refer to the number of people who have been tested for COVID-19 and whose test has been confirmed positive according to official protocols whether or not they experienced symptomatic disease. Due to the effect of sampling bias , studies which obtain a more accurate number by extrapolating from

7820-999: Was forced to sell its majority 50.1% stake in Thomas Cook by regulatory authorities. In 2002, Preussag renamed itself TUI AG. TUI announced a merger of its travel division with the British tour operator First Choice in March 2007, which was approved by the European Commission on 4 June 2007, on the condition that the merged company sell Budget Travel in Ireland. TUI held a 55% stake in the new company, TUI Travel PLC, which began operations in September 2007. In April 2008, Alexey Mordashov , who purchased his first shares in TUI Travel in autumn 2007, purchased additional TUI Travel shares under S-Group in order to expand TUI Travel into Eastern Europe and Russia . Its logistics activities, concentrated in

7912-557: Was founded in 1895 was bought by business group Inc & Co. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics , in 2022, there were 66,300 people who were employed as travel agents for their full-time jobs . That number is projected to increase by 3% over the next 10 years. In 2022, the BLS lists the median travel agent salary as $ 46,400 per year. Host Agency Reviews lists employee salaries by compensation structure, listing

8004-406: Was generated from fees. Travel agencies are recognized by vendors through their accreditation numbers. In the United States, the main accreditation numbers are issued by Airline Reporting Corporation , Cruise Lines International Association , International Air Transport Association . If more than one travel agency is booking under the same accreditation number, the agency of record is called

8096-523: Was merged with the Ruhr coal company, Hibernia AG, and electricity utility to become the Vereinigte Elektrizitäts und Bergwerks AG (VEBA AG) (United Electrical and Mining Company). After the sale of Salzgitter AG and purchase of Hapag-Lloyd AG (the navigation and logistics company) in 1997, Preussag AG became a global enterprise in the service and leisure industry . At that time, Hapag-Lloyd held

8188-496: Was not allowed to participate due to his sanction, his shareholding has meanwhile decreased significantly. According to the voting rights notifications of the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority of 16 May 2023, 10.87% shares in TUI AG have been indirectly attributable to Mordashov since 19 April 2023, while Marina Mordashowa holds 0% in TUI AG. In February 2024, the company decided to leave

8280-457: Was still a pandemic. Pandemics and their ends are not well-defined, and whether or not one has ended differs according to the definition used. As of 24 November 2024, COVID-19 has caused 7,075,455 confirmed deaths. The COVID-19 pandemic ranks as the fifth- deadliest pandemic or epidemic in history . In epidemiology , a pandemic is defined as "an epidemic occurring over a very wide area, crossing international boundaries, and usually affecting

8372-461: Was the largest privately held stake in TUI Group. In June 2019, Mordashov transferred 65% of his stake to the KN-Holding, owned by his sons Kirill and Nikita Mordashov. TUI stated in a statement that they ”welcomed the second generation of the family amongst its shareholders”. Berge & Meer and Boomerang Reisen as well as Atraveo were sold to the holding company GENUI in 2019. At the end of 2019,

8464-445: Was the most widely used. According to a June 2022 study, COVID-19 vaccines prevented an additional 14.4 million to 19.8 million deaths in 185 countries and territories from 8 December 2020 to 8 December 2021. On 8 November 2022, the first recombinant protein-based COVID-19 vaccine (Novavax's booster Nuvaxovid ) was authorised for use in adults in the United Kingdom. It has subsequently received endorsement/authorisation from

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