TUI Group, the world leader in the travel industry with annual revenues of 24 bn. EUR, has officially launched its operations on the Romanian market. This strategic move aims at a complex approach, as the group intends to simultaneously develop the outgoing segment (Romanian tourists traveling abroad), the incoming segment (bringing foreign tourists to Romania), as well as a local IT hub.
Sebastian Ebel, CEO of TUI Group, explained in an interview with Ziarul Financiar that the decision to enter the local market was influenced by the success of the Czech operations and the attractive size of the Romanian market. Beyond distribution, the company aims for a constant and significant presence through the development of its technology center. Looking ahead, TUI is considering direct investment in hotel infrastructure, with Ebel identifying the Black Sea coast as the main investment opportunity, subject to the existence of a suitable hotel product and an urban master plan validated by the authorities. Bucharest, the Danube and the Carpathians are also targeted for specialized tourism products.
On the commercial segment, the launch offer includes over 460 hotels from the group’s portfolio and over 30 destinations, both European and exotic. According to Adinei Serac, Head of Sales at TUI, the all-inclusive summer packages are available with prices starting from €399 per person, requiring a 5% deposit. The services are accessible through a dedicated online platform and were presented at the Romexpo Tourism Fair.