SCORES of staff at a Hampshire travel agent are fearing for their futures in the wake of massive multi-billion industry mergers.

Major job losses at Thomas Cook branches are thought more likely today after it emerged cost savings forecast to flow from the historic firm's £3 billion merger with My Travel have grown by £20m to £95m.

Although the two travel companies, which will adopt the name Thomas Cook Group, did not reveal the extent of the redundancies, experts claim as many as 2,000 jobs could go from the 19,000 UK staff.

Bosses talked of a "rationalisation of the retail estate", suggesting many of the combined chain of more than 1,000 UK high street travel agencies could close over the next two-and-a- half years.

The news comes hard on the heels of another massive travel industry merger between Thomson and First Choice, which could also see cuts across the region.

Thomas Cook employs scores of staff at 12 branches across the region, including Winchester, Eastleigh, Fareham, Locks Heath, Gosport and two in Southampton.

The new package holiday giant will be Europe's second largest with a turnover of £8 billion and 19 million customers a year.

Peter McHugh, the chief executive of MyTravel, said: "There will certainly be some job cuts."

Manny Fontenla-Novoa, the chief executive of Thomas Cook, said that the deal created huge opportunities for the bigger business.

Another vast new holiday company was formed earlier this year when tour operator First Choice merged with the tourism division of German company Tui, which includes Thomson Holidays.

Now Europe's biggest travel firm TUI Travel, which has revenues of about £12 billion, is expected to concentrate on cutting costs and streamlining its retail shop operation as well as building up Internet sales.

That could be bad news for many Thomson and First Choice staff, who fear their branches could shut.

First Choice has eight Hampshire shops, including branches in Fareham, Andover, Eastleigh, Gosport and a Holiday Hypermarket in Southampton's West Quay Retail Park. Thomson has branches across the region, including in Winchester, Totton, Eastleigh, Fareham, Lymington and three in Southampton.