Contact:  Joseph V. Vittoria - (561) 266-0860


                          TRAVEL SERVICES INTERNATIONAL
                      AGREES TO ACQUISITION BY AIRTOURS PLC

DELRAY  BEACH,  FL,  February  21, 2000 - Travel  Services  International,  Inc.
(NASDAQ:  TRVL)  announced  today that it has entered into a  definitive  merger
agreement  providing for the acquisition of the Company by Airtours plc for cash
consideration of $26 per share, or an aggregate of  approximately  $385 million.
Airtours, based in the U.K., is one of the largest tour operators in the world.

Joseph Vittoria, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, commented:
"The  combination with Airtours brings great  shareholder  value to our existing
holders.  It also provides the Company with significant  opportunities to expand
its product offerings to its customers and continue its strategic investments in
technology and the Internet. As a member of the Airtours group, the Company will
have enhanced  resources to further its  development as a global  distributor of
leisure and travel services."

Airtours  will  commence a cash tender offer to purchase all of the  outstanding
shares of the  Company's  common  stock no later than March 1, 2000.  The tender
offer will remain open for 20 business  days,  unless  extended  pursuant to the
merger  agreement,  and is conditioned  on the tender of a sufficient  number of
shares to give  Airtours  ownership of at least a majority of the fully  diluted
outstanding shares of the Company.  Shares not tendered will be converted in the
merger  into the right to  receive  the same $26 per share in cash.  The  merger
agreement  contains customary closing  conditions,  including the need to obtain
regulatory approvals.

Travel Services  International  is a leading  specialized  distributor of travel
products   including  cruise   vacations,   vacation   packages,   domestic  and
international  airline  tickets  and  European  auto  rentals,  and is a leading
provider of travel  services,  such as electronic  hotel  reservation  services,
specialized  hotel  programs and services and  incentive  travel  programs.  The
Company  provides its services to both travel agents and  travelers,  offering a
unique combination of specialized expertise, the ability to compare options from
multiple travel providers and competitive  prices.  More  information  about the
Company can be found at www.mytravelco.com.

The  Airtours  group is the largest air  inclusive  tour  operator in the world,
carrying 10 million  passengers per annum. The group's earnings derive from tour
operations in the U.K., Ireland, Scandinavia, the U.S., Canada, Poland, Belgium,
France,  Holland  and,  through  its  associate  FTi,  in  Germany,  Austria and
Switzerland.  In addition,  Airtours  operates retail travel  agencies,  hotels,
vacation ownership  developments,  aircraft and cruise ships. Shares of Airtours
are listed on the London Stock Exchange.

CERTAIN  STATEMENTS MADE IN THIS RELEASE ARE  FORWARD-LOOKING  STATEMENTS WITHIN
THE  MEANING OF THE  PRIVATE  SECURITIES  LITIGATION  REFORM  ACT OF 1995.  SUCH
STATEMENTS  ARE BASED ON  CURRENT  EXPECTATIONS  AND ARE  SUBJECT TO A NUMBER OF
RISKS AND  UNCERTAINTIES  THAT COULD CAUSE  ACTUAL  RESULTS AND  PERFORMANCE  TO
DIFFER MATERIALLY FROM ANY EXPECTED FUTURE RESULTS OR PERFORMANCE,  EXPRESSED OR
IMPLIED,   BY  THE   FORWARD-LOOKING   STATEMENTS.   THE   COMPANY   ASSUMES  NO
RESPONSIBILITY TO UPDATE ANY OF THE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS CONTAINED HEREIN.

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NEITHER AN OFFER TO PURCHASE NOR A SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER
TO SELL SHARES OF THE COMPANY. AT THE TIME THE OFFER IS COMMENCED, AIRTOURS WILL
FILE A TENDER OFFER STATEMENT WITH THE U.S.  SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE  COMMISSION
AND THE COMPANY WILL FILE A  SOLICITATION/RECOMMENDATION  STATEMENT WITH RESPECT
TO THE OFFER.  THE TENDER OFFER  STATEMENT  (INCLUDING  AN OFFER TO PURCHASE,  A
RELATED   LETTER  OF   TRANSMITTAL   AND   OTHER   OFFER   DOCUMENTS)   AND  THE
SOLICITATION/RECOMMENDATION  STATEMENT WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT  INFORMATION WHICH
SHOULD BE READ CAREFULLY  BEFORE ANY DECISION IS MADE WITH RESPECT TO THE OFFER.
THE OFFER TO PURCHASE, THE RELATED LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL AND CERTAIN OTHER OFFER
DOCUMENTS, AS WELL AS THE  SOLICITATION/RECOMMENDATION  STATEMENT,  WILL BE MADE
AVAILABLE TO ALL SHAREHOLDERS OF THE COMPANY,  AT NO EXPENSE TO THEM. THE TENDER
OFFER  STATEMENT  (INCLUDING  THE  OFFER TO  PURCHASE,  THE  RELATED  LETTER  OF
TRANSMITTAL  AND ALL OTHER OFFER  DOCUMENTS  FILED WITH THE  COMMISSION) AND THE
SOLICITATION/RECOMMENDATION STATEMENT WILL ALSO BE AVAILABLE AT NO CHARGE AT THE
COMMISSION'S WEBSITE AT WWW.SEC.GOV.