Hanover, 6 June 2024

TUI Group leading the way in support for guests and hotel partners amid FTI insolvency

  • TUI's Senior Leadership team is actively engaging with hoteliers and local authorities across destinations such as Spain, Turkey, Greece, and Egypt

  • Special offers for customers from various markets in Europe for FTI and new customers

  • TUI supports FTI customers in destination – Balearics, Greece, Maldives, Mexico, Cuba and Dominican Republic covered

TUI Group cares and is taking decisive action to support both guests and hotel partners affected by the recent insolvency announcement from European tour operator FTI.

“The insolvency of FTI is disheartening news and our sympathies are with the guests and employees impacted by this event. Our entire senior leadership team is currently exploring avenues to assist our hotel partners and those travelers who had a summer holiday planned with FTI. I was myself in talks with the Turkish Tourism Minister and hoteliers, and we will support opportunities to create alternative and new travel options,” said Sebastian Ebel, CEO of TUI Group.

The insolvency has also impacted numerous TUI hotel partners. TUI’s Senior Leadership team is meeting with hoteliers and local authorities across destinations such as Spain, Turkey, Greece, and Egypt to collectively navigate the challenges posed by this situation. David Schelp, the CEO of Markets & Airline, is meeting stakeholders in Egypt while Peter Krueger, CEO of Holiday Experiences, has been in talks with the Delegate Island Councilor for Tourism in Fuerteventura and local hoteliers. Helen Caron Group, Director of Product & Purchasing, is currently in Crete meeting with partners and affected hoteliers from Greece. Earlier, Peter Ulwahn, the CEO of TUI Musement, met with partners on the Balearic Islands and Marco Ciomperlik, TUI’s Chief Airline Officer took some extra time after the IATA AGM in Dubai to meet members of the tourism sector from the UAE.

“Our commitment to our hotel partners is unwavering, and the insolvency of FTI has significantly affected many of them. With a substantial number of holiday bookings from Austria, Netherlands, Germany, and Switzerland being canceled recently, we are currently in talks about how we can support hoteliers in this challenging time,” added Helen Caron, TUI Group Director Product & Purchasing.

Recognising the significance of summer holidays for many Europeans, markets like Germany and the Netherlands are now introducing special booking conditions. “We know how important the summer vacation is and that's why we want to make a special offer to former FTI, but also new guests. Even though we have already started this summer season promisingly, we will put together additional offers with the hoteliers in the next few days”, said Stefan Baumert, Managing Director of TUI Germany.

In agreement with the German Travel Assurance Fund (DRSF), TUI will take over the support of FTI customers who are in the destinations Balearic Islands, Greece, Maldives, Mexico, Cuba and the Dominican Republic. Customers who have booked a package holiday with FTI and are currently in one of these destinations are covered by the DRSF. TUI has taken over the support for these customers to ensure that the booked trip can continue as planned. If the FTI representative is no longer available to customers, the TUI team will take over with immediate effect. Affected FTI customers will be informed by SMS and will immediately be given the new contact details.

“During the last days we have started working together closely with our partners to support FTI guests in destination. For us, it goes without saying that we support the FTI guests. As in other crisis situations, this makes it clear that travellers can rely on broad cooperation within the German travel industry”, adds Mirjam Chlouba, Head of the TUI Crisis Team in Hanover.

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.