What if you could completely reimagine the hotel experience for holidaymakers? That was the exciting challenge our colleagues faced just over ten years ago when they were asked to create a new hotel brand. It required creativity, operational expertise and a great deal of energy to bring the vision to life. Here, some of the team members who were involved in the creation of TUI BLUE look back on the early days and the unique spirit that helped shape the brand:

Mirko Fritsche, Operations TUI BLUE

It all started in the summer of 2014 with a simple question: did we have an idea for a new hotel brand? The early days were hard work for a small team. In the final days before the first opening, we were doing what felt like everything at once: finalising SOPs (our operational standards), running app training sessions, checking construction handovers, onboarding staff and much more.

On the evening before opening, we had almost made it. The lobby shone in its new design and the TUI BLUE feeling was finally there. The background music was playing, we had goosebumps and felt a little proud. All the ideas had come together to create a completely new experience called TUI BLUE. We were absolutely blown away.

Then the big moment arrived. The first guest was welcomed and had the honour of cutting the ribbon together with the General Manager and Hotel Director. It was a scene that would be repeated many times in the years that followed.

Lisa Krause, Team Lead Digital Hotel Operations

I was a working student, one year before the opening of our first TUI BLUE hotels. From the very beginning, one of the key pillars of the brand was the hotel app. The vision was to collect direct guest feedback, provide a digital guest directory and reduce queues at the guest relations desk by offering services such as restaurant reservations digitally.

We wanted to create a modern and innovative hotel brand for the open-minded target audience, which was already highly digital at the time. Instead of searching for information on large notice boards, guests would be able to access everything they needed anytime and anywhere, ideally while relaxing by the pool or on the beach.

Preparing the app content and testing an initial prototype became my first independent project. It was both exciting and challenging, especially as a recent university graduate managing an agency that worked entirely in English. Those first training sessions and implementation experiences quickly showed us what really mattered to guests and hotels. The insights were so influential that I later wrote my master's thesis on the topic.

Now, ten years later, the app has become an integral part of our hotels and a natural component of both the holiday experience and hotel operations.

Christoph Marzinowski, Senior Manager B2B Marketing, TUI BLUE

After two years of working on the TUI BLUE concept, we were incredibly excited to witness the openings of TUI BLUE Sarigerme and TUI BLUE Palm Garden. Former loyal guests of the hotels came back and some were moved to tears with joy. The first reactions to the renovations and the new concept were overwhelmingly positive, and guest satisfaction was exceptionally high from day one.

The best part of my job is introducing travel agency colleagues to our hotels and the experiences surrounding them. They leave feeling happy, inspired and full of TUI BLUE impressions. That gives me great satisfaction, knowing how much our hotel teams contribute to these experiences and that we are helping create new ambassadors for the brand.

Mirjana Illic, Manager OnPage

Before the hotels opened, I was responsible for writing the content for the TUI BLUE website. At the time, everything felt quite abstract and theoretical because I had never seen the hotels myself. When they finally opened, it was a real wow moment that made the brand tangible and brought it to life for me.

What continues to impress me most are our colleagues in the hotels. They deliver on everything we promise our guests through marketing and represent the brand brilliantly every day. Guests become repeat visitors when their expectations are exceeded during their stay.

The greatest compliment I can receive is when readers comment on one of my blog articles saying, “It was exactly as you described it,” or “We booked because your description convinced us.” In the beginning, it felt like working for a start-up. Today, we are a global brand. Sometimes when I wear a staff shirt on holiday, people ask me whether I work for TUI BLUE. Knowing that the brand has become so widely recognised makes me incredibly proud.

Jessica Kuthe, Director Portfolio Management

Ten years ago, I had the privilege of leading the project that created TUI BLUE, and looking back, it has been an incredible journey. One of the most emotional moments remains the opening of TUI BLUE Sarigerme Park in Türkiye. Walking into the hotel for the first time after its renovation is a memory I will carry with me forever. What made TUI BLUE unique from the very beginning was its foundation: for the first time in TUI’s history, every aspect of the brand was built entirely on customer insights. From the brand identity and guest experience to the architecture and design, everything was shaped by a deep understanding of our target audiences. I firmly believe that this customer-centric approach is the key reason why TUI BLUE continues to thrive today. Seeing the brand grow from an idea into a global portfolio of more than 100 hotels is something I am incredibly proud of. As we celebrate this milestone, I would like to congratulate all TUI BLUE colleagues around the world on our 10th anniversary and thank them for making the brand something special every single day.