Carmen Riu Güell honoured with TUI Lifetime Achievement Award at the TUI Global Hotel Awards 2025

International

TUI is proud to announce that the former CEO of RIU Hotels & Resorts, Carmen Riu Güell, has been honoured with the TUI Lifetime Achievement Award at the TUI Global Hotel Awards 2025. A visionary, a pioneer, and an icon of hospitality - She has made an indelible mark on the industry.

Carmen Riu Güell began her remarkable career in 1977 as the manager of the RIU Bali Hotel in Playa de Palma. From the start, she demonstrated exceptional talent and dedication to the then small family-run business. After the passing of her father, Luis Riu Bertrán, in 1998, she and her brother Luis Riu took on the role of co-CEOs of RIU Hotels & Resorts, leading the company to the international success it is today. Under her leadership, RIU expanded internationally, growing from one to 98 hotels across 21 countries and welcoming 6.7 million guests in 2024.

Under Carmen and her brother's leadership, RIU Hotels & Resorts expanded globally, establishing a presence in key holiday destinations and major cities like New York, Berlin, and Madrid. Her significant contributions to the development of holiday hotel tourism in the Balearic and Canary Islands have been particularly impactful. The longstanding partnership with TUI has been a prime example of successful collaboration in the tourism industry, allowing both companies to strengthen their market positions and grow together. On the occasion of the Award Ceremony in Berlin Sebastian Ebel, CEO of TUI group, said: “Working with Carmen throughout many decades has been an absolute privilege. Her dedication, vision, and unwavering loyalty have been truly inspiring. She steadfastly guided us through challenging times, and we grew stronger because of it. She has not only been a leader but also a friend. Her decision to retire in 2024, after nearly five decades of service to our industry, marks the end of an era, but her legacy of innovation, expansion, and dedication to quality will continue to shape the company and the industry for generations to come.”

The strong partnership between TUI Group and RIU Hotels & Resorts goes back decades, and the joint venture enabled both companies to strengthen their respective market positions while growing together. She served on TUI AG's supervisory board from 2005 until she stepped down in 2019. Her leadership helped guide TUI through significant transformation and challenges, ensuring TUI's competitive edge in the tourism sector.

Carmen's professionalism and dedication played a big part in TUI's success story, and she had a crucial role in strengthening the economic significance of tourism in Spain. Her influence on the industry is immense, driving the growth of RIU Hotels & Resorts and setting standards for hospitality globally.

“I would like to congratulate Carmen on receiving the TUI Lifetime Award. It is truly deserved and celebrates the achievement of building the company along with her brother and made it into what it is today. RIU Hotels & Resorts is a global player, setting a new standard in hospitality, precent in no less than four continents. A remarkable achievement. Herzlichen Glückwunsch, Felicidades, says Dr. Ralf Corsten, former CEO of TUI and close collaborator of Carmen Riu Güell for many years.

As Carmen Riu Güell steps down from her operational role, she has taken on the chairmanship of the Group's Governing Board to further strengthen the company's corporate governance. Her legacy as a true pioneer of the industry will continue to inspire.