Dubai/Hanover, 28 March 2022

Expansion in Asia and Africa: TUI Blue set to grow worldwide

  • Erik Friemuth: "An important milestone on the way to becoming the world's leading leisure hotel brand”
  • TUI Group’s hotel subsidiary aims for growth with management and franchise agreements
  • New development offices in Dubai and Hong Kong
  • Contracts signed for first hotels in China

TUI Group will continue to expand its successful and profitable hotel segment. Following the relaunch of its operating business, the global hotel brand TUI Blue is again focusing on expansion and aims to grow worldwide. The focus is on the development of new regions for expansion in Southeast Asia, China, Africa and the Middle East. An important driver for the future growth strategy are international partnerships in which TUI Blue hotels are operated either under management contracts or by franchisees.

"TUI has a an unrivalled strong expertise in designing, developing and successfully operating leisure hotel brands as well as developing holiday destinations", said Erik Friemuth, Managing Director TUI Hotels & Resorts. "TUI Blue's new management and franchise model allows our future partners to benefit from this and offer guests unique holiday experiences. Together, we aim to become the leading leisure hotel brand worldwide."

The TUI Blue business model was presented to investors as well as representatives of the hotel industry at a hybrid event in Dubai today. In the metropolis at the Arabian Gulf and Hong Kong, TUI Blue will establish its own hotel development team. "We are delighted that Wesam Okasha, an experienced Global Head of Business Development, has joined us. Among other roles, he previously held the position of Senior Director Development West Africa for Hilton," says Artur Gerber, Managing Director TUI Blue. "Our dedicated team in Asia has already started and has successfully managed to sign contracts for the first TUI Blue hotels in China."

The TUI BLUE model offers partners the opportunity to increase the performance and revenue of their hotels, optimise costs and make hotel operations even more efficient. In addition to TUI's operational expertise and marketing and sales power with 27 million customers per year, it also provides access to a digital hotel platform. The smart technology enables efficient hotel management and a seamless digital customer experience. For example, through the digital front office which streamlines collaboration across departments and different hotel areas in order to process the guest’s wishes faster and more efficiently. All elements of the comprehensive ecosystem are based on the long-standing know-how in designing holiday experiences.

A website has been specially designed for hotel partners and investors, offering further information and contact options.

About TUI Blue

TUI BLUE offers experience-oriented lifestyle travellers a hotel product tailored to their individual needs – for adults, families or holidaymakers interested in local culture and authentic experiences. BLUE Guides provide great hospitality with a personal touch and the BLUE App offers guests lots of activities at their choice. The experiences are tailored for all ages and range from entertainment in a relaxed atmosphere to a holistic fitness and well-being programme as well as a variety of excursions. TUI BLUE hotels stand for food experiences with a local touch, including authentic regional dishes while also catering for all dietary needs or nutrition plans. The hotel brand has more than 90 hotels worldwide and expanding its portfolio with a strong focus on Asia, the Middle East and Africa. TUI BLUE is a global brand of TUI Hotels & Resorts‘ leading leisure hotel portfolio.

About TUI Group

The TUI Group is one of the world's leading tourism groups and operates worldwide. The Group is headquartered in Germany. TUI shares are listed in the MDAX index of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and in the regulated market of the Lower Saxony Stock Exchange in Hanover. TUI Group offers its 19 million customers integrated services from a single source and forms the entire tourism value chain under one roof. The Group owns over 400 hotels and resorts with premium brands such as RIU, TUI Blue and Robinson and 17 cruise ships, ranging from the MS Europa and MS Europa 2 in the luxury class and expedition ships in the HANSEATIC class to the Mein Schiff fleet of TUI Cruises and cruise ships operated by Marella Cruises in the UK. The Group also includes Europe's leading tour operator brands and online marketing platforms, for example for hotel-only or flight-only offers, five airlines with more than 130 modern medium- and long-haul aircraft and around 1,200 travel agencies. In addition to expanding its core business with hotels and cruises via successful joint ventures and activities in vacation destinations, TUI is increasingly focusing on the expansion of digital platforms. The Group is transforming itself into a global tourism platform company.  

Global responsibility for sustainable economic, environmental and social action is at the heart of our corporate culture. With projects in 25 countries, the TUI Care Foundation initiated by TUI focuses on the positive effects of tourism, on education and training and on strengthening environmental and social standards. In this way, it supports the development of vacation destinations. The globally active TUI Care Foundation initiates projects that create new opportunities for the next generation.