“The merger will result in the creation of the world’s number one integrated leisure tourism business… with enhanced long-term growth prospects,” a joint statement from the two companies said.
Today’s news follows an announcement in June that had revealed a merger in principle.
Following the all-shares merger, the combined group will be domiciled in Germany and have a premium listing on the London Stock Exchange.
Existing TUI Travel shareholders will own 46% of the new company, with the remainder controlled by TUI stakeholders.
The merger is expected to eventually deliver cost savings of at least €45m a year, the statement added. The combined group will have a market value of about €6.5 billion.
“The potential cost savings are significantly higher than expected at the start of the negotiations,” said TUI chief executive Friedrich Joussen.
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“The new TUI will definitely be a truly international group and thus also one of the most international employers in Europe,” he added.
One-off costs as a result of the merger are estimated at €45m, the statement added.
Joussen and TUI Travel chief executive Peter Long will be joint CEOs of the new group until February 2016, at which point Joussen will become sole head.
