Ankara/Istanbul, 6 September 2024

Growth leap for TUI in Türkiye – TUI CEO Ebel reaffirms commitment with ambitious growth plans

  • TUI CEO Sebastian Ebel meets with Tourism Minister Mehmet Ersoy and leading Turkish hoteliers
  • Ambition to grow TUI's presence in Türkiye in all business segments
  • Strengthened collaboration with Turkish hotel partners and further expansion of TUI’s own hotel brands
  • Strong commitment to sustainability – Türkiye to become first carbon-free destination for TUI Hotels and Resorts
  • Ebel: "We are proud to work alongside our incredible hotel partners in Türkiye and we are committed to further grow in Türkiye. TUI sees enormous potential for the further development of tourism in Türkiye."

During a recent visit to Ankara and Istanbul, TUI Group CEO Sebastian Ebel has reaffirmed the company's commitment to further developing the tourism sector in Türkiye. This underpins TUI’s decades-long relationship with Türkiye, a destination renowned for its hospitality and status as a high-value destination, cherished by guests from all over the world.

Following a strong summer season Ebel met with Tourism Minister Mehmet Ersoy to discuss how TUI's growth can be further accelerated. TUI is strengthening its collaboration with Turkish hotel partners to drive the number of TUI guests travelling to Türkiye. The company will also expand the portfolio of its own hotel brands in Türkiye. Today, there are already 33 TUI Hotels and Resorts in Türkiye with more than 25.000 beds. The two most recent additions to the strong hotel portfolio opened this year – the TUI BLUE Angora Beach and the TUI MAGIC LIFE Beldibi.

While Türkiye is well-known as a summer hotspot, TUI will also be focusing on extending the season to include fall and winter tourism. Germany and the UK are among the markets that already offer Türkiye as a year-round destination. Other source markets will also expand their programmes into the winter season, to achieve the ambitious growth plans of TUI’s tour operators. TUI will also target customers from new markets – with a special focus on Eastern Europe as well as international travelers from non-European markets.

Sustainability continues to play a key role in TUI's growth plans. Türkiye is on the path to becoming the first destination worldwide where TUI Hotels and Resorts are operating carbon-free – thanks to the development of extensive photovoltaic plants. Three solar power plants have gone into operation in the last months in cooperation with strong Turkish partners. Three additional green energy plants are currently in development.

TUI CEO Sebastian Ebel: "Türkiye has been a guest favorite for years, and this year we see it further solidified with impressive growth from all markets. The country offers a unique combination of being a high value destination with exceptional detail to quality. We want to grow our presence in Türkiye in all segments of our business – with our tour operators and airlines, our leading hotel brands and also in the activities segment as well as with the cruise business. Türkiye's tourism sector is amongst the most successful in the world and it has enormous potential to develop further – for the benefit of Türkiye and its people. We are very proud of our outstanding hotel partners in Türkiye and we are committed to taking our strong partnerships to the next level. I look forward to working together to further expand our joint successes."

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.