Tui Group chief executive Sebastian Ebel outlined plans to up the number of Tui shops in the UK this week during a quarterly results call. 

He said he hoped to add more shops “not by 100 or 200 but smaller numbers”. 

With the additional two shops in County Durham and Suffolk, the travel giant now has 327 branches across the UK, with 21 of them being in Next stores. 

The Bishop Auckland shop’s features include customer booths, a double bureau exchange counter, advice bar and coffee machine. 

Emma Love, retail manager of Tui Bishop Auckland, said: “In the first day of opening, we welcomed hundreds of customers in and booked dream destinations for many travellers. 

“The feedback we have had about the store has been fantastic with many customers being delighted to have us on the high-street, with many saying they feel like they are on holiday the moment they walk in.” 

She added: “Marella cruises have been the front-runner in popularity so far with European destinations such as Spain and Greece not being far behind. 

“The team all have particular expertise across cruise, Europe, the Caribbean, the US and Asia, so we are ready to help our customers explore the world and create lasting memories with their loved ones.’’ 

The Lowestoft store is part of Tui’s whitespace strategy to bolster its retail offering with stores in selected Next outlets around the UK alongside stand alone Tui shops. 

It will have seven full-time staff with desks and booths for customer consultations and a foreign exchange service. 

Regional Store Manager Joanne Eccleston said: “We were so excited to see the first customers come through the doors when we officially opened and there has been such a buzz in the air since.

"People are genuinely delighted that Tui is back in Lowestoft as part of this new chapter with Next, and we can’t wait to welcome even more customers in the coming weeks.”

She added customers had enquired about Marella Cruises and summer package breaks so far.