Hanover/Sarigerme, 28 October 2019

TUI Blue becomes global hotel brand with more than one million guests

  • Starting with 97 hotels in 18 countries
  • Further hotels in the pipeline to exceed the 100-hotel mark
  • Hotels support TUI Group’s sustainability strategy

Holiday destinations for more than one million guests: In Summer 2020, TUI Blue will start into the new season with 97 hotels in 18 countries. TUI Group’s global flagship hotel brand clusters the tailored offerings of TUI Blue, TUI Sensimar and TUI Family Life under one umbrella brand. Its portfolio additionally comprises new hotels in various locations, including promising long-haul destinations such as Vietnam or Zanzibar. By expanding TUI Blue’s footprint, the tourism group is further consolidating its leading position within the international leisure hotel sector.

“In future, TUI Blue will cater for more than one million customers per year, contributing to the brand’s strong global footprint. Our flagship hotel brand will thus be a relevant player in the leisure hotel sector from next Summer,” said Erik Friemuth, Managing Director TUI Hotels & Resorts. “Thanks to our ambitious growth strategy, we also have further hotels in our pipeline and will soon exceed the 100-hotel mark.“ The group is planning to further increase its portfolio in future. Apart from southern Europe and the Caribbean, TUI Blue’s growth regions comprise South East Asia and the Indian Ocean.

Tailored offerings for different customer needs and preferences

TUI Blue offers lifestyle- and experience-oriented holidaymakers a hotel product tailored to their specific needs and preferences, for adults, families or holidaymakers interested in local culture and authentic experiences. Three labels will offer clear guidance to holidaymakers and travel agents searching for hotel offerings to fit the customers’ preferences in future. Guests particularly interested in authentic experiences in the holiday region will find appropriate hotel offerings under the TUI Blue “For All“ label . TUI Blue “For Two“ exclusively targets holidaymakers aged 16+ focusing on time together, while TUI Blue “For Families" offers activities to suit all ages and has been specifically designed with families in mind both large and small.

Sustainable BLUE

“Creating a modern lifestyle brand also means thinking about a more sustainable way of life,” said Erik Friemuth. ”Against that backdrop, we have developed ten steps enabling our hotels to contribute to a better world under the motto ‘Sustainable Blue’”. The measures include initiatives to save water, lower the carbon emission per guest per night and reduce single-use plastic items. They also promote sourcing locally produced food items, recruiting local staff and achieving sustainability certification. TUI Blue thus supports TUI Group’s strategy to promote more sustainable tourism.

Six experience elements for TUI Blue customers

TUI Blue hotels already achieves top net promoter scores. With its new flagship hotel brand, TUI will significantly expand innovative services associated with hotel stays. The focus is on the Blue Guides as competent local contacts, the comprehensive fitness and relaxation programme Bluef!t, the modern design of the lifestyle hotels, the Blue App as a digital service assistant with all activities and information on the hotel, the comprehensive Blue Taste culinary offering, and the Blue Experiences programme.

Growth with strong partners

Apart from its focus on TUI Blue, TUI Group’s growth strategy also centres on the traditional and successful brand RIU, the two club brands Robinson and TUI Magic Life, and the 5-star resorts operated by TUI Sensatori. The strategy of building an even stronger market footprint for TUI Blue is not only being implemented by TUI’s own hotel companies, but also by cooperation schemes with joint venture partners such as RIU or Atlantica, and supported and driven ahead by third-party hoteliers. They all support TUI’s and TUI Blue’s brand promise.

Attached you will find fact sheets with further information on the TUI Blue Labels, the TUI Blue Brand Elements and TUI Blue Sustainability.

About TUI Blue

TUI BLUE offers experience-oriented lifestyle travellers a hotel product tailored to their individual needs – for adults, families or holidaymakers interested in local culture and authentic experiences. BLUE Guides provide great hospitality with a personal touch and the BLUE App offers guests lots of activities at their choice. The experiences are tailored for all ages and range from entertainment in a relaxed atmosphere to a holistic fitness and well-being programme as well as a variety of excursions. TUI BLUE hotels stand for food experiences with a local touch, including authentic regional dishes while also catering for all dietary needs or nutrition plans. The hotel brand has more than 90 hotels worldwide and expanding its portfolio with a strong focus on Asia, the Middle East and Africa. TUI BLUE is a global brand of TUI Hotels & Resorts‘ leading leisure hotel portfolio.

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 Prime Standard of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, in the regulated market of the Lower Saxony Stock Exchange in Hanover and in the FTSE 250, an index of the London Stock Exchange. 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 16 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.