Hanover, 4 March 2024

TUI strengthening brand experience and awareness through new international sports sponsorship strategy

  • CEO Sebastian Ebel: “Together with our destination partners, we want to create sports and leisure experiences that encourage people to travel, appeal to new and existing customers, and that can be booked as packages via all our sales channels.”

  • TUI Sports Sponsorship: A new global approach will focus on sports closely linked to destination tourism

  • ‘TUI Palma Marathon Mallorca’: From 2024, TUI is the title sponsor and exclusive distribution partner for the Balearic race  

TUI is the new title sponsor and exclusive distribution partner of the renowned marathon on Mallorca, now known as the ‘TUI Palma Marathon Mallorca’. The agreement covers the 2024, 2025 and 2026 editions and reinforces TUI’s commitment to the Balearic Islands, with over two million TUI customers expected to visit during 2024. The TUI Palma Marathon Mallorca is the first international sporting event to be held under the TUI brand during 2024 and it introduces a new global approach to sports sponsorship, leveraging the natural alignment between travel, TUI’s brand and customers’ wishes, and the sport offerings available in TUI’s hotels and clubs around the world.

Sport often plays a central role in travel, with fans of tennis, surfing, diving, golf or skiing organising their holidays around these activities. The TUI Group's various hotel brands, including ROBINSON, TUI MAGIC LIFE, RIU and TUI BLUE, offer extensive sports facilities, such as over one thousand sports, tennis and football courts, and a variety of personal training options. TUI Cruises vessels also have modern sports facilities and equipment, including dedicated fitness decks.

"Nothing is as emotional as travelling - except sport, of course. This sponsorship initiative will support TUI’s growth through the strong combination of sports and travel, and the additional visibility of an internationally successful sports event. Together with our destination partners, we want to create sports and leisure experiences that encourage people to travel, appeal to new and existing customers, and that can be booked as packages via all our sales channels." Added Sebastian Ebel, TUI Group CEO.

"TUI combines its own airlines, hotels, activities and infrastructure in over 100 countries around the world, as well as an international sales organisation throughout Europe and beyond - TUI can therefore create innovative sporting events in holiday destinations against dream backdrops. We are starting with the marathon in Mallorca, which is the first in a series of running events, with other sports to follow." Added Magnus Hüttenberend, who is reorganising TUI’s sports sponsorship as part of the Group Corporate & External Affairs team.

The TUI Palma Marathon Mallorca, organised by Kumulus, takes place on October 20th, 2024. The 42km course follows the coastal path near Palma de Mallorca and enters the city centre, with participants passing key architectural landmarks, including the Cathedral, La Llotja and Es Baluard. If a marathon is a step too far, runners can also opt to enter the half marathon or a 9km course.

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.