TUI Franchises Out Ten Exclusive Tours While a Stricken Cruise Ship and a US Charter Bid Keep the Group Busy
Published on 11/15/2026 at 04:01 | Editorial boerse-global.de
TUI has moved on two fronts this week, widening a franchise distribution deal while managing the fallout from a damaged cruise ship and awaiting a US regulatory ruling on its airline. The common thread is control over where and how the group sells its product.
Berge & Meer and TUI Franchise agreed on Thursday to extend their cooperation into the 2027 season. The arrangement covers ten round trips developed exclusively for the roughly 400 TUI franchise travel agencies, meaning the itineraries will not be available through other sales channels. Exclusivity within that network is the selling point the partners are leaning on.
The group is also redrawing the map of its own distribution. According to a Handelsblatt report published yesterday, TUI is restructuring its in-house sales operation in response to competition from online platforms and artificial intelligence. Benjamin Jacobi has been in charge of marketing the group's hotels and resorts since November, and the company intends to push its own hotels and cruise offerings more heavily through group-owned channels.
Repairs in Bremerhaven Run Long
On the cruise side, TUI Cruises cancelled the "Mein Schiff 3" Norway voyage scheduled for 14–28 November, announcing the decision on 5 November. Repair work in Bremerhaven is taking longer than expected, according to company statements. The ship had collided with two container vessels on 25 October, and the extended yard time has now cost passengers a second sailing beyond the trips scrapped immediately after the incident.
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TUI Cruises will not pay commission to travel agencies for the fully cancelled Norway trip, a point the line confirmed to a trade publication and which media reports highlighted on 6 November. The reasoning given was the complete loss of the voyage.
A US Charter Application With a Mid-November Deadline
TUI Airways, meanwhile, is waiting on Washington. The British carrier filed an application with the US Department of Transportation in mid-October to register as a foreign charter operator, according to reports from yesterday. The registration would let it market public charter flights to and from the United States directly to end customers. A decision from the US authority is due by 16 November.
Travel Trends and a December Date for the Books
TUI also published its travel trends for 2027 on Tuesday, built on a survey of 2,000 people conducted by Appinio on the company's behalf. The company singled out several short breaks, long-haul destinations and cruises aimed at different generations — themes it is presenting as travel trends on the strength of the commissioned polling.
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Investors have 9 December circled. TUI will release its 2026 annual results that day, alongside the annual financial report, an analyst event and the balance-sheet press conference. Media reports indicate fourth-quarter 2026 figures are expected on the same date.
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