As all the tourism’s actors TUI Blue suffered a lot during the pandemic. But now that people are travelling again around the world, the leisure industry is making a strong comeback. And TUI Blue wants to be part of this recovery while positioning itself as a leader of leisure hospitality with a consistant pipeline.

TUI Group, one of the world’s leader tourism group, continues to expand its hotel segment called TUI Blue. The ambition is to grow to 300 hotels in key markets which are Southeast Asia, China, Africa, Europe and the Middle East. To drive this future growth strategy TUI Blue develops international partnerships in which TUI Blue hotels are operated either under management contracts or by franchisees. 

TUI has a an unrivalled strong expertise in designing, developing and successfully operating leisure hotel brands as well as developing holiday destinations. TUI Blue's new management and franchise model allows our future partners to benefit from this and offer guests unique holiday experiences. Together, we aim to become the leading leisure hotel brand with more than 300 hotels worldwide.

Erik Friemuth, Managing Director of TUI Hotels & Resorts

According to Fritz Joussen, CEO of TUI Group, the leasure travel industry will be prosperous again soon because two leading trends guarantee te return of leisure travels. The first reason is that nowadays people live longer and thus have more time and more money to spend on holidays. This first trend was already existing before the pandemic and will continuing even growing. The second reason is that this sector is driver for economy prosperity all around the world. It is the « corner stone » of destinations’ economy.

With a slowdown in activity during the pandemic tourism’s professionals has to invest less in order to survive. But 2022 marks the end of this as booking rates are now very high, catching up 2019 levels. Travellers even spend more in this post-pandemic area. And to be in tune with new customers’ needs, TUI Blue have invested in experiential tourism, a growing segment.

The group wants a faster growth and this relies notably on its open system wich is made to attract third parties. And technology is an important tool used for conversions and to attract more and more investors. TUI Blue is also the creator of the first hotel fund. 

TUI Blue is driven by the will to create local experiences within authentic destinations. 

Erik Friemuth, Managing Director of TUI Hotels & Resorts

Nowadays TUI Blue is present in 17 destinations with 96 leisures hotels. The strength of the brand is that it can relies on its own multi channel distribution resulting in 25% of direct sales. The brand is also committed in sustanibility, and wants to be one of the first hospitality group becoming carbon neutral.