TUI at ITB 2025: Awards, new leisure hotel and travel trends - Get updated on what's happening in tourism!

“Travel continues to be a growth market. Trends, strategy and operational performance are in line. TUI is growing and intends to expand its profitable growth”, said TUI CEO Sebastian Ebel.

TUI Global Hotel Awards 2025: Travellers rank the best hotels globally

To mark the start of ITB 2025, the TUI Group has announced the winners of the TUI Global Hotel Awards 2025 on behalf of more than 20 million guests. The awards are based exclusively on guest reviews and recognise hotels and resorts with outstanding service quality. Hoteliers from all over the world, industry leaders, top hotel brands and hotel professionals attended the awards ceremony in Berlin to honor the best hoteliers. “The winners represent an unprecedented level of quality. Their commitment to excellent service makes all the difference”, so TUI CEO Sebastian Ebel.

Lifetime Achievement Award for Carmen Riu Güell: A pioneer in the hotel industry

With the TUI Lifetime Achievement Award 2025, the TUI Group honours Carmen Riu Güell, former CEO of RIU Hotels & Resorts, for her extraordinary life's work. She is an industry visionary who led the family business to become a global brand with 98 hotels in 21 countries. Her leadership, innovation and tireless commitment have established RIU as one of the most respected hotel chains in the world. “Carmen Riu has not only turned RIU Hotels & Resorts into an international success story, but has also played a key role in shaping the hotel industry in key destinations such as the Balearic and Canary Islands," said Sebastian Ebel. The decades-long partnership and the joint venture between RIU and TUI are prime example of successful cooperation in the tourism industry.

New travel trends: Mediterranean still the favourite, Asia and Africa on the rise, solo travel in demand

A recent TUI survey confirms it: European holiday destinations will continue to dominate in 2025, while exotic destinations in Asia and Africa are becoming increasingly popular. Alongside classics such as Majorca, Greece and Turkiye, up-and-coming regions such as Bulgaria and Egypt are particularly popular. In the long-haul segment, the USA, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates are experiencing strong growth. Vietnam is moving into the limelight thanks to the new Robinson Club Nam Hoi An, and Zanzibar and Kenya are also establishing themselves as popular holiday destinations. Another result of the latest TUI survey: solo holidays are becoming increasingly popular. One in nine TUI guests already travels alone, especially to club resorts such as Robinson Cala Serena on Majorca or TUI Magic Life Masmavi in Turkiye. Families continue to prefer summer holidays, with growing interest in all-inclusive offers and hotels with large family rooms.

Morocco: TUI launches 500th hotel project

The TUI Group has reached a significant milestone in its growth strategy with the launch of its 500th hotel project. The start of construction of TUI Magic Life Agadir was announced at ITB 2025. The new all-inclusive resort is being built directly on the beach on Morocco's Atlantic coast and is part of the strategic expansion of TUI Hotels & Resorts. With the opening of the resort in summer 2027, TUI is increasing its focus on the Moroccan market, which is seen as an up-and-coming holiday destination with growing numbers of guests from Europe and North Africa. “With TUI Magic Life Agadir, we are opening the first resort of this TUI hotel brand in Morocco - a destination with great potential for sustainable growth. We are convinced that this project will not only increase the attractiveness of the destination but also strengthen the long-term strategy of TUI Hotels & Resorts”, said Peter Krueger, member of the TUI Executive Board and CEO of Holiday Experiences. The TUI Group plans to expand its hotel portfolio from currently 433 to 600 hotels in the medium term. The focus will be on sustainable concepts, exclusive locations and high-quality all-inclusive offers to meet the changing needs of travellers.

Hotel growth in the Caribbean: TUI Global Hospitality Fund invests in Jamaica

At the ITB in Berlin, TUI Global Hospitality Fund and the hotel brand Royalton CHIC Resorts announced their expansion in Jamaica. The international hotel fund, initiated by TUI and HANSAINVEST Lux S.A., has acquired an existing hotel in Runaway Bay, which will be transformed into Royalton CHIC Jamaica Paradise Cove, An Autograph Collection All-Inclusive Resorts - Adults Only, by the end of 2026. The resort will feature 345 luxury suites with exclusive Diamond Club™ room categories, four fine dining restaurants and an international buffet. Peter Krueger emphasised the importance of the Caribbean to the company: "With our growing hotel portfolio in the Caribbean, we are focusing on high quality all-inclusive offerings that are in demand worldwide. The new resort will be the third asset in the TUI Global Hospitality Fund, alongside existing resorts in Zanzibar and Cape Verde.”

TUI and Oman Air: Innovative holiday packages for new markets

TUI and Oman Air have entered into a strategic partnership to offer digital holiday packages to travellers. The partnership will enable guests to book flights, hotels, transfers, experiences and more as individual services or combine them into dynamic packages. The platform will be integrated with Oman Air's existing digital offers and will open up new opportunities for travellers to discover destinations in Oman, Europe and the Far East. “With this partnership, we are combining Oman Air's excellent in-flight experience with TUI's world-class holiday experiences. This will enable our guests to travel in an even more flexible and personalised way. Especially for travellers from Europe, the platform will provide a direct and convenient way to discover Oman as a destination starting this summer. Both TUI and Oman Air will reach new customer segments and generate additional revenue," said David Schelp, CEO Markets & Airlines of the TUI Group. “This new cooperation follows on seamlessly from the many new agreements with European and global airlines that we have signed in recent weeks – we are strategically and dynamically expanding our offers”, added Schelp.

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