Ireland West Airport Knock is delighted to announce the introduction of new tour operator brands, Panorama and Sunworld Holidays, to the Airport and the West and North West Region. Panorama and Sunworld Holidays, who are part of the Thomas Cook Group - the world’s third largest travel group, are to introduce a new holiday charter programme to Faro, Portugal from Ireland West Knock for summer 2009. The new charter will commence on 30th April and will operate a weekly service until 1st October 2009; seats will be on sale from the 27th November.  Panorama and Sunworld Holidays offer a fantastic choice of 14 resorts along the stunning, sun-drenched Algarve coast line, where holiday makers will find some of the most beautiful, award-winning beaches in Europe.

Commenting on the new partnership, Brian Nevin, Head of Sales Marketing and Distribution Sunworld and Panorama (Ireland) part of Thomas Cook Plc said:  “On behalf of the Thomas Cook Group Holidays and our brands Panorama and Sunworld Holidays we are absolutely delighted to be offering residents in the West of Ireland package holidays direct from Ireland West Airport to Faro (Portugal) for summer 2009. We believe that the demand is there and details of our holidays can be found in our first edition brochure, available now in your local travel agent.  With great offers including family holidays for as little as EUR 899  (price based on 2 adults and one child) and lots of extra savings including free child places and savings of up to EUR100 per adult, there really never had been a better time to book your summer 2009 holiday. Travelling with the Thomas Cook Group Ireland means that our clients can be assured that they are with a major tour operator offering fully bonded holidays.”

Welcoming the news Annette Kearney, Marketing and Route Development Manager said: “It is a significant boost for Ireland West Airport Knock to have the world renowned Thomas Cook Group and two of Ireland’s leading tour operator brands, Panorama and Sunworld Holidays, join the Airport’s tour operator portfolio. This is indeed a vote of confidence in Ireland West Knock and our region after a particularly challenging time within the travel industry in Ireland. We are confident that the addition of the Panorama and Sunworld Holidays to the Airport will be well received by the public and travel agents in the region and we hope these holiday packages to the Algarve in Portugal prove to be hugely successful as they offer with some fantastic incentives such as free child places.  We look forward to working with the Panorama and Sunworld Holidays teams in the forthcoming seasons and wish them every success in their new venture at the Airport.”

Panorama Holidays is one of Ireland's leading sun and ski tour operators and is one of its best-known holiday brands. Today, the company employs 65 team members and carries in excess of 200,000 holidaymakers’ annually. Sunworld Holidays voted Ireland's Best Sun Holiday Tour Operator for five years in a row is Ireland's fourth largest tour operator and is market leader to Turkey and Portugal. Thomas Cook Group plc was formed in June 2007 by the merger of Thomas Cook AG and MyTravel Group plc. The new company is one of the world's leading leisure travel groups with sales of around £9 billion, 19 million customers, 30,000 employees, a fleet of 97 aircraft, a network of over 3,000 owned or franchised travel stores and a number of hotels and resort properties. Currently the Thomas Cook Group the second largest leisure group in Europe and the third largest in the world.