TUI Group, one of the world's leading tourism companies, announced on Friday its official entry into the Romanian market, where it had previously operated through franchises, offering Romanian travellers access to more than 1,500 holiday packages across over 30 European and long-haul destinations.
The offer includes more than 1,000 hotels, over 460 of which belong to the TUI chain, including well-known brands such as TUI Magic Life, TUI Blue and RIU.
"TUI's entry into the Romanian market marks a new step in our growth strategy: we are opening up a new market, reaching new customer segments and expanding our product portfolio, thereby strengthening the group's geographical diversification and reducing dependence on traditional markets. With this launch, Romania becomes a new core market for TUI. At the same time, we see significant potential for Romania to become an attractive destination for European tourists and will work closely with local partners to contribute to the long-term development of the tourism sector," said Sebastian Ebel, CEO of TUI Group, at the company's launch conference in Romania, one month after beginning operations in the country.
The launch of TUI Romania forms part of the group's strategy to build a scalable platform dedicated to Eastern Europe. Countries in this region represent one of the most dynamic growth areas in the European tourism industry, with significant potential to attract new customer segments. The regional cluster currently includes Poland and the Czech Republic, with Romania being the latest market added. TUI's operations in Poland serve as a strategic model for regional development. Global technology platforms are being implemented with minimal adjustments, while products and customer communication are tailored to each market.
"Poland provided the strategic model, the Czech Republic is experiencing strong growth, and Romania represents the next step in consolidating a solid TUI platform anchored regionally in Eastern Europe. We continue to see significant potential in this region and aim to expand into additional markets by 2030," said Mircea Tudose, Managing Director Expansion Businesses at TUI Group and responsible for the Eastern Europe growth cluster.
At launch, TUI's portfolio focuses on established holiday destinations popular among Romanian consumers, with charter flights and all-inclusive packages. These include Turkey, Greece, Spain, Cyprus, Egypt and Tunisia. Travellers can also book holidays in more than 20 exotic destinations such as Zanzibar, Jamaica, Mexico and the Maldives. Initially, TUI Romania offers departures from four airports: Bucharest (OTP), Cluj-Napoca (CLJ), Timisoara (TSR) and Iasi (IAS), with plans to expand departure options to additional regions of the country.
TUI provides travellers with multiple booking options, both through digital platforms at [www.tui.ro](http://www.tui.ro) and the TUI app, as well as via local partners, offering 24/7 support throughout the entire travel experience, from departure to return. Customers can secure bookings with a deposit of just 5%.
"TUI is entering the Romanian market with a long-term strategy. We aim to become an integral part of the market and to work closely with local partners. Our objective is to offer Romanian travellers the confidence that their holiday is a personalised journey - easy to plan, well organised and worry-free," said Andreea Petrisor, Managing Director of TUI Romania.
TUI Romania will implement a hybrid distribution model combining personal advisory services through trusted partners with digital accessibility. At launch, the main sales channels include a physical distribution network comprising an initial portfolio of 200 partner travel agencies, as well as the website tui.ro and the TUI app. The partner network is expected to expand to 500 agencies by the end of 2026.
In parallel, TUI Romania plans to open up to five of its own agencies in 2026, with further openings envisaged in response to Romanian tourists' preference for personalised advice when choosing travel destinations, alongside a simple and efficient digital booking experience.
TUI representatives stated that business growth in Romania will be gradual and based on a long-term approach, with a continuous focus on quality, reliability and added value for travellers.
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