Two divisional heads are to run the hotels and resorts division of Tui Group as Europe’s largest travel company seeks to expand in the accommodation sector.
Half of the group’s profits are already generated by its own hotels and cruise companies as part of a re-organisation initiated by chief executive Fritz Joussen.
The company wants to further accelerate this growth with a new management structure in the hotel division, which will see a major push to further expand the Tui Blue lifestyle brand.
In addition to his current responsibilities, chief marketing officer Erik Friemuth will also be in charge in-house hotel brands Tui Blue, Robinson and Tui Magic Life.
Thomas Pietzka will be separately responsible for hotel joint ventures.
The move come as Tui aims to increase the portfolio of own hotels by 40 to 45 properties by the end of the 2018/19 financial year.
As head of Tui Hotels, Friemuth will promote the growth of the company’s own hotel brands.
He will take over the commercial management of the brands in addition to his group marketing duties.,
Pietzka will be responsible for the hotel joint ventures and will pay particular attention to the further development of the partnerships and joint ventures in the hotel segment.
These include long-standing partnerships with Riu, Atlantica, Grupotel, Barut Hotels and Hamed el Chiaty, plus regional companies like TTH Turkey and Nordotel, which operate concepts such as Tui Sensimar or Tui Family Life as well as other hotels.
Both will report to Sebastian Ebel, who is responsible on the Tui executive board for the hotel and cruise segment, Tui destination services, and the tour operating business in the central region covering Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Poland.
Friemuth remains a member of the group executive committee and will also report into Joussen.
A spokesman said: “With its strategic focus as an integrated tourism group, Tui is able to differentiate itself from the competition thanks to a comprehensive brand experience which extends from booking a trip through on-site services to accommodation in the hotel or on the cruise ship.
“With his many years of experience in marketing and sales, Erik Friemuth shall implement this unified brand philosophy even more consistently in the group’s hotels.
“The own hotel brand Tui Blue will thereby play a key role. It will serve as a strong driver of the desired growth path. The expansion of Tui Blue’s offer is to be achieved both through new projects and the conversion of existing hotels.”
More:
Tui reports solid summer trading after late Easter hit
Tui chief targets €1bn extra turnover and one million new customers