Latest news with #Jet2holidays
Travel Weekly
2 days ago
- Business
- Travel Weekly
How U.K. travel packager Jet2holidays is in the social media spotlight
Nothing beats a Jet2 holiday. That's according to the now-viral audio from U.K. tour operator Jet2holidays, which has found itself in the social media spotlight. TikToks and Instagram Reels abound with audio from a January 2024 ad promoting a Jet2holidays deal that knocked 50 pounds (equal to about $67) per person off a package price. Set to a backing track from Jess Glynne's song "Hold My Hand," a voiceover cheerily begins: "Nothing beats a Jet2 holiday ...." And it caught the attention of TikTok users, who began juxtaposing the audio clip with videos showing chaotic or unfortunate moments, whether travel-related or not. Some viral examples of TikTokers using the trending audio include a video of a boater trying to enter Italy's Blue Grotto while the ocean waves repeatedly crash them against the rocks. Another shows a woman's hair catching fire as she leans forward to blow out her birthday candles. According to a Forbes report, the most-liked video using the sound has accumulated 35 million likes on TikTok. In it, a person ostensibly in a hotel room throws open the floor-to-ceiling curtains only to be confronted with a tiny window. The ad "sound" has been used 1.4 million times on TikTok; the original ad on YouTube has received 2.4 million views. A British powerhouse travel packager Jet2holidays may be a relatively unknown travel company to most U.S. travelers, but it calls itself the U.K.'s largest package holiday provider. In its preliminary results for the fiscal year that ended in March and published July 9, Jet2 said it carried a record 19.8 million passengers and 6.6 million package-holiday customers. It recorded 7.17 billion pounds in annual revenue, a 15% increase over the previous fiscal year. Like other package-holiday operators in the U.K. such as TUI, Jet2 has its own hardware: It has a fleet of 135 aircraft and is planning to acquire 132 Airbus A321neo planes over the next 10 years. According to its financial statement, it works with more than 5,000 properties across more than 75 destinations. It also works through travel advisors and is a member of the Association of British Travel Agents. In its financial report it noted that its annual advisor conferences bring together more than 350 of its top-selling travel agents, directors and senior management. How Jet2 has leaned into the viral trend Jet2 did not immediately respond to an inquiry about the viral ad. The ad concept appears to go back as far as 2022, when Jet2 said it was launching a new series of adverts called "Nothing beats a Jet2 holiday." The ads featured the Glynne song, and "the message 'contact your local independent travel agent' continues at the heart of the multichannel campaign," it said. But it has since referenced the trend. Earlier this year it unveiled a new version of the audio on TikTok and Instagram, promoting savings of about 400 pounds (about $540) for a family of four. The video amassed 1.4 million likes. The company also used the trending audio to promote a contest to win a 1,000 pound (about $1,300) Jet2holidays voucher. TikTokers who used the new sound in a video were eligible to win the contest, which ran through May 19. The operator also unveiled a discount code referencing the advertisement. It is not the first time a travel brand has catapulted into the public eye because of a viral TikTok moment. A baby, dubbed the "Four Seasons Baby," went viral last year on TikTok after showing her excitement for the Four Seasons Orlando.
Boston Globe
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
What exactly is a Jet2 Holiday and why are people talking about it?
The popular TikTok 'sound' has gone viral in recent weeks, with users adding the music and narration from a January 2024 airline ad campaign to videos, including dicey vacation moments. The Get Love Letters: The Newsletter A weekly dispatch with all the best relationship content and commentary – plus exclusive content for fans of Love Letters, Dinner With Cupid, weddings, therapy talk, and more. Enter Email Sign Up So how did the tagline from a random ad from over a year ago become this summer's ubiquitous travel meme? Advertisement The TikTok 'for you' page prioritizes content that is doing well, regardless of the time it was first uploaded, allowing users to rediscover older material and create new content incorporating it, leading to a potential snowball effect. Part of the appeal of the trend, said Jenna Jacobson, an assistant professor at Toronto Metropolitan University who specializes in social media, is its paradoxical nature — pairing a fun, lively audio with chaotic events. Advertisement 'You don't need to learn a fancy dance or anything that's complicated. You can put it with a really boring video that everyone's experiencing,' she said. 'And it builds into this remix culture.' And much like the unofficial, crowdsourced competition for 'song of the summer,' awarded to whatever catchy pop song becomes the most inescapable, a social media trend like the Jet2holidays ad remixes can spread quickly at a time when many people are sharing videos of summer escapades. Jet2holidays is not the only beneficiary of the ad's sudden virality. Zoë Lister, the actress who narrated it, recently created a TikTok video introducing herself as the voice of summer fun, and saying that she has received messages from people in Brazil, Canada, Algeria and the Philippines, to name a few. She even joked that she could not believe people in the United States were interested in the trend seeing as 'they don't even have holidays, they have vacations.' This article originally appeared in .
The Independent
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Jess Glynne finally meets Jet2 voiceover artist who has become viral sensation
has finally met the woman responsible for taking over social media with the viral Jet2holidays advert. Zoe Lister is well known for declaring "Nothing beats a Jet2 holiday", set over Glynne's 2015 hit "Hold My Hand" in promotional videos for the airline's deals. The memorable jingle has been used in viral videos on social media. The pair recreated the moment live in the Capital Breakfast studio. "When I do my gigs, I feel like when I go to sing the hook, I feel like they're waiting for me to go 'nothing beats a Jet 2 holiday'. It is tempting but I need to take this seriously it can't be a joke," Glynne explained.
Times
5 days ago
- Times
10 of the best tour operators
Whether turning up at a port to see the ferry melting over the horizon or thinking you're heading to an authentic Mexican cantina only to find a generic cocktail bar, a trip to a new place inevitably contains moments of disappointment. However, booking with the right operator can ensure you're spending your holiday budget, and more importantly time, in the way that feels most meaningful to you. More than doing the admin, offering on-the-ground knowledge and crafting thoughtful itineraries, they also offer a steady hand to hold when things go awry. From high-end adventures to budget-conscious journeys, these are the companies that go the extra mile so you can travel with confidence. This article contains affiliate links, which may earn us revenue Jet2holidays is now the UK's largest tour operator and has won awards for its excellent service at reasonable prices. It refunded customers quickly during the pandemic, has promised not to apply surcharges this year and, unlike many fly-and-flop merchants, includes hold luggage in its headline prices. It has beach holidays in two to five-star hotels in 65 destinations across the Mediterranean, Canary Islands and other corners of Europe, from ten UK airports, as well as city breaks. Try this: Seven nights' all inclusive at the four-star Landmar Costa Los Gigantes in Tenerife on June 19 starts at £994pp, based on two adults sharing, including baggage allowance, flights and transfers. • Read our full guide to the world's best adventure holidays Inntravel was pioneering slow travel long before it became mainstream. It specialises in self-guided walking, cycling and cross-country snowshoeing holidays, which come with minutely detailed trip dossiers and work with a network of small, locally owned hotels and guesthouses. Many of its holidays are also designed with rail travel from London. Try this: Journey by Rail Along the Camino de Santiago in Spain. Perfect for those who don't have the fitness or 30 days spare to do this section of the journey on foot, it includes stays in five cities en route including Burgos, where you'll find El Cid's tomb, and Monforte de Lemos, built around a fortress, which now houses a stunning parador where Inntravel customers stay. Nine nights' B&B and rail travel start from £1,105pp, based on two sharing. Jules Verne runs escorted tours and cruises worldwide, from Croatia to Cuba, and is great for solo travellers who aren't necessarily looking for trips especially for singles, but do want holidays that don't involve paying a swingeing supplement if they don't want to share a room. The group size on each tour is typically about 15 and nearly 40 per cent are travelling solo. More than half of its escorted tours have departures where no single supplement applies. Try this: The Golden Road to Samarkand escorted tour of Uzbekistan has no single supplements on selected dates as well as solo departures. Eleven nights' half board and flights starts at £2,495pp. Owned and managed by the same family for more than 50 years, this is your go-to for lesser-known/undiscovered Greece and its islands (Cyprus, Portugal and the Azores, Scandinavia and Latin America are also in its portfolio). Forget glitzy and soulless all-inclusives, it specialises in value-for-money small hotels and resorts as well as villas with pools and its holidays are brilliant for getting under the skin of a destination. Try this: The two-bedroom Anthilia Cottages in Sivota on Greece's Epirus coast are a ten-minute walk from the village and beaches and seven nights' self-catering costs from £709pp, including flights and transfers. A trip to Japan is top of many people's wishlist but to make the most of it you need a specialist tour operator with impeccable attention to detail. InsideJapan has this in spades, offering group tours and self-guided trips that come with an indispensable, personalised 'bible' of tips and advice. All of its team have have had years of experience living, working and travelling in Japan, and know all the best spots, whether you want to see cherry blossom or hunt down the best manga stores in Tokyo. Try this: The 14-night Gastronomic Adventure is a whistle-stop tour of all the best food and culture hotspots across Japan and starts at £3,060pp, based on two travelling and excluding flights. Trailfinders has specialised in round-the-world tickets and multi-city flights for more than 50 years and now provides everything from tropical fly-and-flops to city breaks and escorted tours; while it has an online presence, you have to ring to book and will always get a bespoke deal. It really came into its own during the pandemic because of its finance model: it ring-fences customers' money in a separate account, so could refund quickly. Try this: The Worldwide Explorer around-the-world package includes flights and five nights' accommodation (room only) on a route from London that includes Singapore, Sydney and San Francisco and starts at £1,379pp, based on two travelling. If you're keen to go green, Pura Aventura, a Brighton-based tour operator, is certified B Corp and tailor-makes holidays away from the crowds to Latin America, Spain and Portugal. It donates one per cent of its revenue to fund a rural reforestation development project in Nicaragua and carbon balances every holiday by 160 per cent (a mile for every kilometre travelled) so that customers can travel 'positive'. Try this: Classic Costa Rica Away From the Crowds swaps the tourist trail for lesser-known routes in Costa Rica and starts at £4,900pp, based on two sharing, including 17 nights' B&B, some meals, transfers and activities. If insider access is your thing, A&K, which specialises in top-notch hyper-bespoke holidays, operates on the 'it's not what you know but who you know' principle and has a bulging little black book. In business for more than 60 years, it's particularly strong on Africa, whether you want a super luxe small-boat Nile cruise or a private safari — but with 55 offices in 30 countries, its reach is worldwide. Try this: A&K's Cultural Treasures: Around the World by Private Jet departs on May 6 and includes everywhere from the Taj Mahal and Abu Dhabi's modern wonders to a Sicilian wedding party and the Bhutan's tshechu festival. It costs £120,800pp. A key marker of Kuoni's reliability is that honeymoons and special occasions make up a quarter of its business; it's also strong on family holidays. All of its trips are tailor-made and it was one of the best travel companies for refunds during the pandemic. It sells holidays worldwide, including a strong European programme ranging from Malta to Montenegro, and while it's premium, it's not all top end — there's now a broader range of resorts in the Maldives, for example. It's hot on sustainability, fair employment rights and animal welfare (elephant rides have been removed entirely from its tours), and a big plus for those who'd rather chat in depth about their trip face-to-face is that it has 30 stores across the UK. Try this: Kandolhu is a tiny idyll in the Maldives that's exclusive to Kuoni. Seven nights' all-inclusive, plus flights and transfers, starts at £3,899pp. An expert in highly personalised, tailor-made private tours, Audley offers trips to more than 80 destinations. Its USP is a team of specialists who've all travelled extensively in their regions, returning each year, so they can curate trips that are out of the ordinary. You can expect the best local guides and stays in interesting hotels, homestays and lodges. Try this: An eight-night Highlights of Canada's west self-drive trip, with bear, moose and elk spotting in Banff and Jasper National Parks, starts at £2,645pp, including flights, stays in hotels and B&Bs, and car hire. • Best tours for families• Best group tours for solo travellers• Best tours for couples Additional reporting by Hannah Summers and Imogen Lepere
New York Times
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
What Exactly Is a Jet2 Holiday and Why Are People Talking About It?
As water gushed into the New York City subway system during the flash floods that occurred during torrential rains this week, videos on social media showed dramatic scenes of water pouring across subway floors and passengers standing on the orange seats. One lighthearted video captured water bubbling up outside the train's windows as a woman rested her bare feet in the floodwater. The video was set to an unexpectedly upbeat song, 'Hold My Hand,' by Jess Glynne, while a British woman enthusiastically announced, 'Nothing beats a Jet2 holiday.' What? The popular TikTok 'sound' has gone viral in recent weeks, with users adding the music and narration from a January 2024 airline ad campaign to videos, including dicey vacation moments. The original campaign for Jet2holidays, Britain's largest tour operator, showcased a deal offering 50 pounds (about $67) off holiday packages that included up to 22 kilograms (or 48.5 pounds) of luggage. The 30-second ad has been viewed more than two million times on YouTube. So how did the tagline from a random ad from over a year ago become this summer's ubiquitous travel meme? The TikTok 'for you' page prioritizes content that is doing well, regardless of the time it was first uploaded, allowing users to rediscover older material and create new content incorporating it, leading to a potential snowball effect. Part of the appeal of the trend, said Jenna Jacobson, an assistant professor at Toronto Metropolitan University who specializes in social media, is its paradoxical nature — pairing a fun, lively audio with chaotic events. 'You don't need to learn a fancy dance or anything that's complicated. You can put it with a really boring video that everyone's experiencing,' she said. 'And it builds into this remix culture.' And much like the unofficial, crowdsourced competition for 'song of the summer,' awarded to whatever catchy pop song becomes the most inescapable, a social media trend like the Jet2holidays ad remixes can spread quickly at a time when many people are sharing videos of summer escapades. Jet2holidays is not the only beneficiary of the ad's sudden virality. Zoë Lister, the actress who narrated it, recently created a TikTok video introducing herself as the voice of summer fun, and saying that she has received messages from people in Brazil, Canada, Algeria and the Philippines, to name a few. She even joked that she could not believe people in the United States were interested in the trend seeing as 'they don't even have holidays, they have vacations.' Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2025.
