Hanover/Shanghai, 11 May 2017

TUI Group to strengthen presence in China

  • Successful completion of negotiations to extend existing joint venture
  • Long-term agreement until 2033
  • "TUI 2022" growth targets for South East Asia with focus on China
  • TUI Group CEO Fritz Joussen: “Following city breaks, new trend among young Chinese: ‘Western-style’ sun, sea and sand travel”

TUI Group is strengthening its presence in China. In the framework of TUI Group CEO Fritz Joussen’s visit to China, the joint venture with the Chinese CTS Group was extended by 15 years to 2033. TUI China was established by CTS and TUI in 2003. “We are seeing new travel trends, in particular among young Chinese travellers. For a long time, the focus was on city breaks, culture and shopping. Young Chinese consumers are now discovering ‘Western-style’ sun and beach holidays, sports, wellness and relaxation”, said Joussen. According to Joussen, TUI is well prepared for this second wave of Chinese outbound tourism thanks to its successful, trust-based joint venture with CTS.

TUI’s current footprint in China consists of offices in Beijing and Shanghai. At the beginning of the year, TUI Group CEO Fritz Joussen presented the strategic programme “TUI 2022”. By 2022, the world’s number one tourism group is aiming to tap new growth markets and further expand its business in South East Asia. “We already take European tourists to China, while Chinese tourists are travelling to Europe with us. In future, China will be a travel hub within Asia. We are aiming to offer Chinese customers holidays in Malaysia, Thailand or Vietnam the way we are offering travel within Europe for German, French or Swedish customers,” said Joussen. “Winning an additional one billion euros in turnover and an additional one million customers, focusing on China – and all based on digitalisation”, this is TUI’s target by 2022.

About TUI Group

TUI Group is the world’s number one integrated tourism group operating in around 180 destinations worldwide. The company is domiciled in Germany. The TUI Group’s share is listed in the FTSE 100 index, the leading index of the London Stock Exchange and in the German open market. In financial year 2015/16, the TUI Group recorded turnover of €17.2bn and an operating result of €1.001bn. The Group employs 67,000 people in more than 100 countries. TUI offers its 20 million customers comprehensive services from a single source. It covers the entire touristic value chain under one roof. This comprises leading tour operator brands and 1,600 travel agencies in Europe, five European airlines with around 150 modern medium and long-haul aircraft, more than 300 Group-owned hotels and resorts with premium brands such as RIU and Robinson. With cruise ships ranging from the MS Europa and MS Europa 2 luxury class vessels to the “Mein Schiff” fleet of TUI Cruises and the vessels of Thomson Cruises in the UK, TUI is also strongly positioned in the growing cruise sector. Global responsibility for sustainable economic, ecological and social activity is a key feature of our corporate culture. TUI has joined the UN Global Compact and, as the only tourism group, it is listed in the renowned Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) World.

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