KUONI, which has grown into not only the largest travel company in Switzerland, but also one of the leading travel organisations in the world, was founded by Alfred Kuoni in 1906. Born in Switzerland in 1874, at the beginning of his professional life, Alfred spent a few years working abroad. During thistime, three of his brothers opened a freight forwarding agency in Zurich. On returning to Switzerland in 1905 he entered his brothers’ trade and soon suggested the addition of a travel agency to the already prospering freight business. From the humble beginnings of a one franc tour to a mountain on the outskirts of Zurich, today Kuoni is one of world’s leading tourist travel corporations.
KUONI arrived in the UK in 1965, and for the past 44 years, has led the UK longhaul holiday market and has consistently been this country’s most successful specialist tour operator. In recent years the company as expanded, acquiring a number of specialist companies including Voyages Jules Verne, Kirker Holidays, CV Travel, Journeys of Distinction and Carrier. All of these retain autonomy for sales, service, product and marketing, but benefit from the financial strength and the central infrastructure of the Kuoni Group.
Currently, Kuoni offer the widest range of product of any UK tour operator, with a huge choice of holidays, from tailor-made itineraries to escorted tours throughout the world, with particular specialism in the Far East, Indian Ocean and Africa.
1965 Kuoni purchases Challis and Benson in London’s Bond Street.
1966
Peter Diethelm establishes the Kuoni UK tour operation.
1970
Kuoni takes 2000 UK visitors to the Expo 70 exhibition in Japan, and introduces the first holiday charter flight to the Far East.
1974
Kuoni takes over Houlders World Holidays and launches longhaul tour programme. The tour operation relocates to new headquarters in Dorking where they remain to this day.
1980
Kuoni installs computerised reservations system revolutionising the speed and flexibility of tailormaking holidays
1981 First comprehensive programme of summer holidays to Switzerland introduced.
1983
Kuoni wins the first Travel Weekly award for Britain’s Best Longhaul Tour Operator.
1984
Kuoni operates the first of a series of chartered Concorde flights to the Caribbean; so successful that BA begins to operate it as a scheduled service.
1987
Kuoni operates the first commercial Round the World charters by Concorde. Introduction of first ever charter to the Maldives.
1988
Launch of KUDOS Reservations System for travel agents, the first system to offer a considerable degree of flexibility.
1992
Kuoni is the first and only travel organisation to win both the TTG and Travel Weekly award as “Best Longhaul Operator” for 10 consecutive years. Introduction of the world’s first fully automated transparent link from Kuoni’s computer reservation system to Galileo, providing flexibility to customise holidays and use last seat availability.
1995
Kuoni launches innovative Late Availability Search automatically monitoring changes on 5000 selected flights in Galileo, believed to be the only system of its kind at the time.
1998
Kuoni wins first ever award for ‘World’s Best Tour Operator’ at the World Travel Awards and Kuoni acquires Voyages Jules Verne.
1999
Kuoni launches www.kuoni.co.uk, becoming the first longhaul UK tour operator to offer on-line booking of holidays.
2000
Kuoni World Class is launched, a new programme for the ultimate in luxury holidays.
2001
www.kuoni.co.uk upgraded to allow travel agents and consumers to create individual tailor-made holidays. Sue Biggs becomes MD of Kuoni UK, whilst Peter Diethelm remains Executive Chairman.
2002
Kuoni wins Travel Weekly’s ‘Best Longhaul Tour Operator’ award for the 20th consecutive year.
2005
In spite of the challenges of the tsunami, international tensions and a difficult hurricane season, Kuoni continues its tradition of innovation with the launch of its Kuoni Specialist Collection, a selection
of destination specific brochures. Peter Diethelm retires after 40 years.
2006
Kuoni celebrates its Centenary year and operates an epic ‘Cairo to Cape’ journey for charity. Wizard, a ground-breaking tailormade on line booking service for the USA, Canada, Australasia and Round the World itineraries, is launched. Another great year for awards with 25 being acquired throughout the year. Kuoni acquires Journeys of Distinction, a small, specialist top-end escorted tours operator, and the award winning city break specialist, Kirker Holidays.
2007 Kuoni is voted ‘Best Longhaul Tour Operator’ for the 25th year and the Daily Mail’s ‘Favourite Longhaul Tour Operator’ at the Travel Weekly Globes. Kuoni acquires luxury villa specialist CV Travel and launches World Class Europe. Nick Hughes takes over as Managing Director of Kuoni UK.
2008
Kuoni relaunches with a greater lifestyle emphasis, new-look brochures and considerable product development. Two new flagship stores opened in London and Manchester and fifteen highly experienced Personal Travel Consultants recruited. Kuoni Concierge is introduced to offer additional services prior to departure as well as various Kuoni exclusive products on offer. In addition various website enhancements are implemented including Tripadvisor content added, a dynamic price calendar and a guaranteed best rate search facility along with Kuoni i-travel – a new online travel guide. Kuoni acquires luxury operator, Carrier to complement the Kuoni UK portfolio. Kuoni's award winning success story continues, as voted for by readers of the Telegraph's Ultra Magazine, Daily Mail, Sunday Times Travel Magazine and the trade.