COMPANY·HISTORIES
NAIC 561520

Tour Operators

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

42companies1906–1996founding years38still active4no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedKuoni Travel Holding Ltd.
1906
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedAttica Enterprises S.A.
1918
FoundedKarstadt Quelle AG
1920
FoundedFinnair Oyj
1923
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression spreads worldwide.
FoundedAir CanadaFoundedIcelandair
1937
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
FoundedSociété Luxembourgeoise de Navigation Aérienne S.A.
1948
FoundedGulf Air Company
1950
FoundedJapan Airlines Company, Ltd.
1953
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
FoundedPleasant Holidays LLC
1959
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedKoç Holding A.S.
1963
FoundedGenting Bhd.
1965
FoundedAir Jamaica Limited
1968
FoundedSelectour SA
1970
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; currencies float.
FoundedFirst Choice Holidays PLC
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins.
FoundedEurope Through the Back Door Inc.
1976
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher worldwide.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
FoundedHong Kong Dragon Airlines Ltd.
1985
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall sharply around the world.
1989
HistoryThe Berlin Wall falls; global markets open up.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
FoundedCarlson Wagonlit Travel
1994
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit worldwide.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

Haci Omer Sabanci Holdings A.S. →
Active · Turkey
Haci Omer Sabanci Holdings A.S.
Haci Omer Sabanci Holdings A.S. →
Active · Turkey
Haci Omer Sabanci Holdings A.S.
Kuoni Travel Holding Ltd. →
Active · founded 1906 · Switzerland
Kuoni Travel Holding Ltd.
Kuoni Travel Holding Ltd. →
Active · founded 1906 · Switzerland
Kuoni Travel Holding Ltd.
Attica Enterprises S.A. →
Active · founded 1918 · Greece
Greece's Attica Enterprises S.A.
Attica Enterprises S.A. →
Active · founded 1918 · Greece
Greece's Attica Enterprises S.A.
Karstadt Quelle AG →
Defunct · founded 1920 · Germany
Karstadt Quelle AG is the product of the 1999 merger between German retail powerhouse Karstadt Aktiengesellschaft and…
Karstadt Quelle AG →
Defunct · founded 1920 · Germany
Karstadt Quelle AG is the product of the 1999 merger between German retail powerhouse Karstadt Aktiengesellschaft and…
Finnair Oyj →
Active · founded 1923 · Finland
Based in Helsinki, Finnair Oyj is the national airline of Finland and the fifth oldest airline in the world.
Finnair Oyj →
Active · founded 1923 · Finland
Based in Helsinki, Finnair Oyj is the national airline of Finland and the fifth oldest airline in the world.
Air Canada →
Active · founded 1937 · Canada
Air Canada is the only national, full-service airline based in Canada.
Air Canada →
Active · founded 1937 · Canada
Air Canada is the only national, full-service airline based in Canada.
Icelandair →
Active · founded 1937 · Iceland
Icelandair (Fluglei'ir hf.), Iceland's largest publicly traded company, has played off its unique mid-Atlantic location…
Icelandair →
Active · founded 1937 · Iceland
Icelandair (Fluglei'ir hf.), Iceland's largest publicly traded company, has played off its unique mid-Atlantic location…
Société Luxembourgeoise de Navigation Aérienne S.A. →
Active · founded 1948 · Luxembourg
Société Luxembourgeoise de Navigation Aérienne S.A.
Société Luxembourgeoise de Navigation Aérienne S.A. →
Active · founded 1948 · Luxembourg
Société Luxembourgeoise de Navigation Aérienne S.A.
Gulf Air Company →
Active · founded 1950 · Bahrain
Gulf Air Company is the national airline of Bahrain, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Gulf Air Company →
Active · founded 1950 · Bahrain
Gulf Air Company is the national airline of Bahrain, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Japan Airlines Company, Ltd. →
Active · founded 1953 · Japan
Japan Airlines Company, Ltd.
Japan Airlines Company, Ltd. →
Active · founded 1953 · Japan
Japan Airlines Company, Ltd.
Sime Darby Berhad →
Active · founded 1958 · Malaysia
Sime Darby Berhad is the largest conglomerate in Malaysia and one of the largest in southeast Asia.
Sime Darby Berhad →
Active · founded 1958 · Malaysia
Sime Darby Berhad is the largest conglomerate in Malaysia and one of the largest in southeast Asia.
Pleasant Holidays LLC →
Active · founded 1959
Pleasant Holidays LLC is a Westlake Village, California, company that offers wholesale tour packages to Hawaii,…
Pleasant Holidays LLC →
Active · founded 1959
Pleasant Holidays LLC is a Westlake Village, California, company that offers wholesale tour packages to Hawaii,…
Koç Holding A.S. →
Active · founded 1963 · Turkey
Koç (pronounced "coach") is a name immediately recognized in Turkey, but virtually unknown elsewhere.
Koç Holding A.S. →
Active · founded 1963 · Turkey
Koç (pronounced "coach") is a name immediately recognized in Turkey, but virtually unknown elsewhere.
Genting Bhd. →
Active · founded 1965 · Malaysia
Genting Bhd.
Genting Bhd. →
Active · founded 1965 · Malaysia
Genting Bhd.
Air Jamaica Limited →
Active · founded 1968 · Jamaica
Air Jamaica Limited operates the national airline of Jamaica.
Air Jamaica Limited →
Active · founded 1968 · Jamaica
Air Jamaica Limited operates the national airline of Jamaica.
Selectour SA →
Active · founded 1970 · France
Selectour SA is France's leading network of independent travel agencies.
Selectour SA →
Active · founded 1970 · France
Selectour SA is France's leading network of independent travel agencies.
First Choice Holidays PLC →
Active · founded 1973 · United Kingdom
Having escaped a hostile takeover attempt by larger rival Airtour Plc, and at the same time seeing the collapse of a…
First Choice Holidays PLC →
Active · founded 1973 · United Kingdom
Having escaped a hostile takeover attempt by larger rival Airtour Plc, and at the same time seeing the collapse of a…
Europe Through the Back Door Inc. →
Active · founded 1976
Europe Through the Back Door Inc.
Europe Through the Back Door Inc. →
Active · founded 1976
Europe Through the Back Door Inc.
Hong Kong Dragon Airlines Ltd. →
Defunct · founded 1985 · Hong Kong
Hong Kong Dragon Airlines Ltd., better known as Dragonair, is Hong Kong's second largest airline.
Hong Kong Dragon Airlines Ltd. →
Defunct · founded 1985 · Hong Kong
Hong Kong Dragon Airlines Ltd., better known as Dragonair, is Hong Kong's second largest airline.
Carlson Wagonlit Travel →
Active · founded 1994
With more than 3,000 offices in more than 140 countries, Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT) is the second-largest travel…
Carlson Wagonlit Travel →
Active · founded 1994
With more than 3,000 offices in more than 140 countries, Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT) is the second-largest travel…
Expedia, Inc. →
Active · founded 1996
Expedia, Inc.
Expedia, Inc. →
Active · founded 1996
Expedia, Inc.
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