Open Letter to Peter Long CEO of TUI Travel PLC

Dear Mr Long

You probably have no idea what is happening between “your” company and “my” company.

I say “your” company but it is not “your” company in the same way as “my” company is mine.

Mia Tui is my company, my money, my time, my sweat and my tears.

I do not have the luxury of a big salary, share options, company cars and all the trappings that come with working for a multi-billion pound company, I used to in a former life, but now I am trying to build something for me and my family.

I am one of the millions of people who have taken the brave step to start their own company, we are called SMEs.

I am a mum 1^st and foremost, and like many Mumprenuers came up with my business idea out of a need. My need was travelling with my two small children from Vietnam to the UK, I could not find a travel bag that could cope with the demands ‘that’ requires, only a mum will understand this.

A bag that millions of your customers would understand, a bag that is big enough to take the kitchen sink, but that can also fit under the seat in-front of you, (eliminating having to clamber across a stranger just as they have fallen asleep or started to eat..!) a bag that organises you, giving a no rummage guarantee, a bag that is a travel bag on one day and a beach bag the next, a mums best friend.

I now find myself in the situation of not focusing on developing my business, but in fighting “your” company over your legal challenge of my name Mia Tui.

Mia Tui means My Bag.. “Tui” is Vietnamese means “bag” and “Mia” in Italian mean “My”

TUI means Touristik Union International

Your legal representation states that Mia Tui will confuse the public, as the marks are highly similar. How little they thing of the general public.

How can someone confuse a bag with a holiday…?

I have had to go to the press to highlight my plight, as I don’t have the financial clout to fight you on my own, you would break me into a million pieces.

Mia Tui has have amazing support from the British public, and press, we have had national/local press coverage, been on BBC 3 Counties radio, which has resulted in a Trade Mark Attorney Vicki Bennett of Saunders & Dolleymore offering to help me.  BBC Look East broadcasted the story last week.

Everyone who hears the story can’t quite believe it, and why TUI is doing this to us.

Please stop looking like a corporate bully, this is not endearing you to the public, no-one likes to see a David and Goliath story, where the small person loses.

I know you probably know nothing about this case, it is just being dealt by your legal team, and they will squash anything/body who they think has a similar name, but really do you think that Mia Tui can stop people buying a holiday?

I am not silly enough to think that people will stop booking holidays with TUI over this, you are the market leader, but you are stopping Mia Tui from growing.

I am being taken away from my business to think of ways to fight this; I am sat here on a Sunday morning writing to you, I’m not sat with my family, that's what it is like being small and having your own business.

Mia Tui does not pose any threat to TUI; I would be delighted if we did!

We should be looking at ways of working together, helping the millions of families who travel with TUI feel a little more organised, not having to keep getting up from their seats when the kids demand something else that they so desperately need from the bag in the over-head locker.! Always being able to find their things at check-in/passport control, and then having a fantastic beach/pool bag when on holiday.

Please let me get on with growing Mia Tui, and not feel like there is a “death threat” over my head, as if I can’t continue as Mia Tui, there will be NO Mia Tui, and gone is another small business, a fantastic product that wasn’t given the opportunity to develop.

And gone is a bag that can help millions of Mums / Women when travelling with TUI next year.

Yours sincerely

Charlotte Jamme - Mia Tui Founder

PS this was sent to me from an amazing customer of both yours and mine