Travel agent TUI, which has three stores in Milton Keynes, is to close 166 high street shops due to the impact COVID-19 has had on travel.
The closures will affect stores across the UK and Ireland. The full list of closures has not yet been announced, so it is unknown whether the Milton Keynes branches have been affected.
TUI currently has three stores in Milton Keynes which are at the centre:mk, the Kingston Centre and in Bletchley. These three stores have remained closed since lockdown began in March.
Managing director Andrew Flintham said of the store closures: "We want to be in the best position to provide excellent customer service, whether it's in a high street store, over the telephone or online, and will continue to put the customer at the heart of what we do.
"It is therefore imperative that we make these difficult cost decisions, look after our colleagues during such unprecedented uncertainty and also offer a modern customer service.
"Customer behaviours have already changed in recent years, with 70% of all Tui UK bookings taking place online.
"We believe COVID-19 has only accelerated this change in purchasing habits, with people looking to buy online or wishing to speak with travel experts from the comfort of their own home.
"We have world-class travel advisers at Tui, so we hope many of them will become homeworkers and continue to offer the personalised service we know our customers value."
