TUI, the prominent travel agency, has announced the appointment of Bart Quinton Smith as the new marketing and sales director for the UK and Ireland, effective January 1, 2025. Smith's transition follows Neil Swanson's promotion to the managing director of TUI UK & Ireland, after the departure of Andrew Flintham in October 2024. This important role, which was vacant, is expected to facilitate TUI's strategic objectives, particularly its aim to strengthen sales and marketing operations.
Bart Quinton Smith has been with TUI since 2010, starting his career as a graduate trainee. Over the years, he has taken on various leadership positions across commercial, digital, and mobile services sectors. His experience includes two years as industry director at Google, before he returned to TUI as the digital marketing and CRM director in 2018. TUI’s managing director for the UK and Ireland, Neil Swanson, expressed his satisfaction about Smith's appointment, stating, "I am delighted to announce... Bart has extensive experience..."
On taking on this new challenge, Smith himself voiced his enthusiasm: "I am absolutely delighted to be taking on this role following Neil’s appointment as managing director for the UK and Ireland region. When I joined TUI, my first experience was in sales and marketing, so the opportunity to now lead this important area of the business is a real privilege. Under Neil’s leadership, our teams have worked hard to develop TUI’s relationship with independent travel agent partners, and it remains my priority to... successfully sell TUI’s extensive range of holidays to their customers." His commitment reflects TUI's dedication to enhancing the customer experience and fostering strong ties with travel partners.
Simultaneously, TUI has also announced its title sponsorship of the TUI Mediterranean Marathon League, covering the events for the years 2025, 2026, and 2027. This initiative is part of TUI's broader strategy to merge travel experiences with sports events, providing travelers with unique opportunities to explore popular holiday destinations through athletic challenges. Magnus Hüttenberend, TUI's chief communications officer, highlighted the significance of this sponsorship by stating, "The TUI Mediterranean Marathon League is more than just..." This series of races aims to celebrate the fusion of sports and travel, inviting participants from across the globe.
The Mediterranean Marathon League will kick off on March 9, 2025, in Paphos, Cyprus, followed by several other key events, including the Alexander the Great Marathon on April 6, 2025, and the TUI Palma Marathon on October 19, 2025. The final race of the league is set to take place on November 15, 2025, in Palermo, Sicily. TUI's sponsorship of this league showcases its commitment to providing extraordinary sports tourism opportunities, with over 26,000 athletes from around the world expected to participate.
George Kakourides, founding member of the Mediterranean Marathon League, also reflected positively on the partnership, stating, "We’re thrilled to welcome TUI as our title sponsor..." This collaboration aims to highlight the unique beauty of Mediterranean destinations and to offer unforgettable experiences for participants and their families.
On the promotional front, TUI is preparing for the upcoming peak season with substantial offers for travelers. The company is pushing exclusive discounts through its MyTui app, where customers with accounts can access early savings from December 20. TUI has outlined substantial claimed discounts, offering reductions of £100 on package bookings of £1,000 and increasing to £300 on bookings of £3,000, for travel up until the end of summer 2026. They are also providing numerous free child places and room upgrades at select hotels.
Marella Cruises, part of TUI, is running parallel promotional campaigns, including significant discounts for Caribbean and European sailings. These offers are also expected to draw travelers during key vacation periods.
Other travel operators are also ramping up their offerings for the peak season. Jet2holidays and easyJet holidays, competitors of TUI, have released similar promotional campaigns to encourage bookings, emphasizing partnerships with travel agents and substantial financial incentives for early customers. Both companies are positioning themselves competitively as they gear up for the busy booking period.
With these strategic movements—including key personnel appointments, strategic sponsorships, and compelling customer offers—TUI is poised for continued growth and success as it seeks to expand its reach and influence within the travel industry.
