It's only been eight years since the merger of Thomson and First Choice was hailed as the “synergistic” coming together of Thomson's differentiated mainstream product with First Choice's growing portfolio of specialist businesses. No hint then that the future would gravitate towards volume component ownership – hotels, airlines, cruise ships and destination services – little space in that world for niche specialist businesses which need to be managed with a light touch; nurtured and developed over time. Tui's recently announced global brand strategy and their ownership of niche businesses go together like a horse and marriage.

In truth, this is less of a garage sale, more of a “new to you” sale. The Specialist Group (I can’t bring myself to call it Travelopia just yet) through a series of acquisitions under different businesses, each with their own strategies, has ended up with a collection of not too shabby brands. When new, they were good enough to be on someone's Christmas list, but they've been left on the shelf for too long, gathering dust and neglected. With a new kid to treasure them they could once again be as good as new.

Tui may be all grown up now and the old toys are being sold, but you know how it works; the sequel will be along soon enough: Tui Story 3 – the one where Mr Potato Head remembers the benefits of an asset-light portfolio business model and sets out to find his old friends!