UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549



                                    FORM 8-K


                                 CURRENT REPORT
                         Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
                                     of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934




                Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):
                                February 22, 2000


                       Travel Services International, Inc.
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)



                                     Florida
                 (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)

               000-29298                           ###-##-####
            (Commission File                   (I.R.S. Employer
                Number)                     Identification Number)

        220 Congress Park Drive                       33445
         Delray Beach, Florida                      (Zip Code)
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

                                 (561) 266-0860
              (Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code)


                                 Not Applicable
          (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)



<PAGE>


ITEM 5.           OTHER EVENTS

                           On February  21,  2000,  the Company  entered into an
                  Agreement  and Plan of Merger (the  "Merger  Agreement")  with
                  Airtours  plc, a corporation  organized  under the laws of the
                  United  Kingdom  ("Parent")  and Blue Sea Florida  Acquisition
                  Inc.,  a  Florida  corporation  and an  indirect  wholly-owned
                  subsidiary  of Parent  ("Purchaser").  Pursuant  to the Merger
                  Agreement,   Purchaser  will  commence  a  tender  offer  (the
                  "Offer")  within  seven  business  days of the date thereof to
                  purchase all of the  outstanding  shares of common stock,  par
                  value $0.01 per share,  of the Company (the  "Common  Stock"),
                  together with the associated common share purchase rights (the
                  "Rights" and,  together with the Common Stock,  the "Shares"),
                  at a purchase price of $26.00 per Share,  net to the seller in
                  cash,  without interest  thereon (such amount,  or any greater
                  amount per Share paid pursuant to the Offer, being referred to
                  herein as the "Offer Price").  The Merger  Agreement  provides
                  that upon  completion of the Offer and  satisfaction or waiver
                  of certain other conditions, Purchaser will be merged with and
                  into the Company (the  "Merger"),  with the Company  being the
                  surviving  corporation.  In the Merger, each outstanding Share
                  then  issued and  outstanding  (other than (i) any Shares then
                  held by Purchaser  or Parent,  all of which shall be cancelled
                  and none of which  shall  receive  any  payment  with  respect
                  thereto and (ii) Shares  held by holders  who  exercise  their
                  right under the Florida  Business  Corporation  Act to dissent
                  from the Merger and require an  appraisal  of their  shares of
                  common stock)  shall,  by virtue of the Merger and without any
                  action on the part of the holder  thereof,  be converted  into
                  and represent the right to receive an amount in cash,  without
                  interest,  equal to the price paid for each Share  pursuant to
                  the Offer.

                           A copy of each of the Merger Agreement, the Amendment
                  to the Rights  Agreement and the press release  announcing the
                  transaction  are filed herewith as Exhibits 2.1, 4.1 and 99.1,
                  respectively, and are incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

                  (c)      Exhibits.

<PAGE>

     EXHIBIT
     NUMBER                         DESCRIPTION

     2.1  Agreement  and Plan of Merger,  dated as of February 21, 2000,  by and
          among Travel Services  International,  Inc., Airtours plc and Blue Sea
          Florida Acquisition Inc.

     4.1  Amendment to the Rights  Agreement,  dated as of February 22, 2000, by
          and between  Travel  Services  International,  Inc. and American Stock
          Transfer & Trust Company.

     99.1 Press  Release of Travel  Services  International,  Inc.,  dated as of
          February 21, 2000.



<PAGE>


                                   SIGNATURES


          Pursuant to the  requirements of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,
the  registrant  has duly  caused  this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                       TRAVEL SERVICES
                                       INTERNATIONAL, INC.



                                       By /s/ Suzanne B. Bell
                                         -------------------------
                                         Name:  Suzanne B. Bell
                                         Title:  Senior Vice President, General
                                                   Counsel and Secretary



Dated:  February 22, 2000




<PAGE>


                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


     EXHIBIT
     NUMBER                        DESCRIPTION

     2.1  Agreement  and Plan of Merger,  dated as of February 21, 2000,  by and
          among Travel Services  International,  Inc., Airtours plc and Blue Sea
          Florida Acquisition Inc.

     4.1  Amendment to the Rights  Agreement,  dated as of February 22, 2000, by
          and between  Travel  Services  International,  Inc. and American Stock
          Transfer & Trust Company.

     99.1 Press  Release of Travel  Services  International,  Inc.,  dated as of
          February 21, 2000.