As announced, TUI Group has ended the financial year 2023 with a significant increase in operating earnings. Following a good final quarter, underlying Group EBIT climbed by 139 percent year-on-year to 977 million euros. At 20.7 billion euros, revenue reached a record level and was significantly higher than the last total revenue before the pandemic (2019: 18.9 billion euros). All segments contributed to the significant improvement in earnings with positive operating developments. Sebastian Ebel, CEO of TUI, at the presentation of the financial figures in London, UK: "2023 was a good year for TUI. We have significantly strengthened our core business and have new growth areas. The transformation is taking effect and the focus on quality, operational excellence and execution has visibly paid off. Hotels and cruises are growth areas and highly profitable, while some segments such as the tour operator business are undergoing transformation in order to also return to very good profitability. Our goal remains to make TUI more profitable, more efficient and stronger in all segments. By 2023, we will have created a good basis for TUI's further sustainable and profitable growth. Because now we are looking ahead: in 2024, our strategic initiatives and measures will make a very significant contribution to increasing value, we will win more customers with more products and expand our market share. The current winter bookings and the first indications for next summer lead us to expect a further improvement in 2024. We therefore expect underlying EBIT to grow by at least 25 percent and revenue to increase by at least 10 percent. Our guidance for the current financial year reflects our ambition and our confidence in the brand, our market position and the commitment of our employees. In a market environment that remains challenging, the entire TUI team has proven that we have the right strategy, the right business model and the right people who are committed, creative and passionate about serving our guests every day." In financial year 2023, TUI also significantly reduced its net debt by 1.3 billion euros compared to the previous year. As at 30 September 2023, net debt stood at 2.1 billion euros. This positive development was supported by the net proceeds from the rights issue in April 2023 and a positive cash inflow from operating activities. The WSF loans were repaid in full in the reporting period and the credit lines were not drawn.
In financial year 2023 (1 October 2022 to 30 September 2023), TUI again recorded very high demand for holidays and strong operating business with around 19 million guests. Following a good fourth financial quarter, underlying Group EBIT more than doubled to 977 million euros for the full year 2023 (previous year: 409 million euros). The tourism group's revenue rose by 25 percent and, at 20.7 billion euros, broke through the 20 billion euro mark for the first time (previous year: 16.5 billion euros).
The focus remains on quality and operational excellence and the implementation of our commercial initiatives. Our strategic roadmap, strong operational recovery and measures to strengthen our balance sheet form the basis for future profitable growth. The guidance for the 2024 financial year is set against the backdrop of current macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainties, particularly in the Middle East. It is based on the current positive booking momentum for Winter 2023/24 and Summer 2024 as well as a normalised hedging policy.
In the medium term, TUI expects:
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 20 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.