Hays Travel has agreed to buy the entire retail portfolio of 555 former Thomas Cook shops after the travel company fell into administration last month.
This could mean that up to 2,500 jobs could be saved.
Hays Travel has said in a statement that it has already employed over 25% of the Thomas Cook retail employees, and is planning to re-open stores immediately where possible.
Over 100 of the new jobs will be based at Hays Travel’s headquarters in Sunderland, and the rest will be based in shops across the UK.
Hays Travel is jointly owned and managed by husband and wife team John and Irene Hays, and currently operates 190 UK stores. The company plans to employ as many of the 2,500 Thomas Cook workforce as possible and double its workforce.
Irene Hays said: “Thomas Cook was a much loved brand and a pillar of the UK and the global travel industry. We will build on the good things Thomas Cook had – not least its people – and that will put us in even better stead for the future.
“We all share a passion for the travel industry and we want to continue to build the company’s reputation for first class service and being a great place to work and develop a career.”
