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TUI AG

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FY2017 Annual Report · TUI AG
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A N N U A L  R E P O R T

2017 

C O N T E N T S & F I N A N C I A L  H I G H L I G H T S   

Financial  highlights

TUI Group 2017 in numbers

€

18.5

€ million

bn

2017

€ 1,102.1 m

2016
restated

Var. %

Var. % at 
 constant 
 currency

Turnover

18,535.0

17,153.9

+ 8.1

+ 11.7

year-on-year

+ 11.7 %1
turnover

Underlying EBITA 1
Hotels & Resorts
Cruises
Source Markets
  Northern Region
  Central Region
  Western Region
Other Tourism
Tourism
All other segments
TUI Group
Discontinued operations
Total

+ 12.0 %1
underlying
EBITA

year-on-year

356.5
255.6
526.5
345.8
71.5
109.2
13.4
1,152.0
– 49.9
1,102.1
– 1.2
1,100.9

303.8
190.9
554.3
383.1
85.1
86.1
7.9
1,056.9
– 56.4
1,000.5
92.9
1,093.4

EBITA 2, 4

1,026.5

898.1

Underlying EBITDA 4

1,541.7

1,379.6

EBITDA 4

Net profi t for the period
Earnings per share4 

56 %2
from hotels & 
cruises content

Equity ratio (30 Sept.)3 
Net capex and investments (30 Sept.)
compared with 30 %2 at time of merger
Net cash (30 Sept.)4
Net cash (30 Sept.) 5
Employees (30 Sept.)

€

%

1,305.1

1,490.9

23.6 % ROIC
6.75 % WACC

464.9
0.61

910.9
1.36

24.9
1,071.9
583.0
–
66,577

22.5
634.8
31.8
318.0
66,779

+ 19.2
+ 38.0
– 4.0
– 8.4
– 15.8
+ 27.0
+ 124.6
+ 11.2
+ 3.4
+ 12.0

+ 17.3
+ 33.9
– 5.0
– 9.7
– 16.0
+ 26.8
+ 69.6
+ 9.0
+ 11.5
+ 10.2
n. a.
+ 0.7

+ 14.3

+ 11.7

+ 14.2

+ 95.9
+ 123.0

+ 2.4
+ 68.9
n. a.
n. a.
– 0.3

Formats

The Annual Report and 
the Magazine are 
also available online

Online

Mobile

http://annualreport2017.
tuigroup.com

€ 1.14

€

65

cents

Compass

Diff erences may occur due to rounding
This Annual Report of the TUI Group was prepared for the fi nancial year from 1 October 2016 to 30 September 2017. The 
terms for previous years were renamed accordingly.
Due to the following changes to segmental reporting the prior year’s reference fi gures were restated accordingly:
The main part of the Specialist Group (Travelopia), carried under discontinued operations in previous year, was sold June 2017. 
Prior to that Crystal Ski and Thomson Lakes & Mountains, previously part of the Specialist Group, were transferred to the 
 segment Northern Region. Blue Diamond Hotels & Resorts lnc., former part of Northern Region was reclassifi ed to the Hotels & 
Resorts segment. Marella Cruises (former Thomson Cruises, Northern Region) was transferred to the Cruises segment.
1   In order to explain and evaluate the operating performance by the segments, EBITA adjusted for one-off  eff ects (underlying 
EBITA) is presented. Underlying EBITA has been adjusted for gains/losses on disposal of investments, restructuring costs 
 according to IA S 37, ancillary acquisition costs and conditional purchase price payments under purchase price allocations and 
other expenses for and income from one-off  items.

+ 33.7 %1
underlying EPS

Dividend
per share

year-on-year

2   Our defi nition of EBITA is earnings before net interest result, income tax and impairment of goodwill and excluding the result 

from the measurement of interest hedges.

3  Equity divided by balance sheet total in %, variance is given in percentage points.
4  Continuing operations
5  Discontinuing operations

1  At constant currency rates
2   Share of underlying EBITA TUI Group, based on 2017 Year End and 2014 Year End reported numbers

This is a page 
reference.

This is a 
web link.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
C O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T  R E P O R T 

C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

T O O U R S H A R E H O L D E R S  

O U T L O O K  

»Three years after the merger, 
we are in an ideal strategic 
 position to turn our sights onto 
new horizons. We will pursue 
consistent growth, investments 
to generate value and effi  ciency 
through digitalisation.«

 Friedrich Joussen, Chief Executive Offi  cer of TUI AG

Contents

2 
5 
6 
8 
15 

20 
30 
47 

51 
72 
88 
91 
96 

Letter to our  shareholders
Outlook
Group Executive Committee
Report of the Supervisory Board
Audit Committee Report

COMBINED 
MANAGEMENT  REPORT

Corporate profi le
Risk report
 Overall assessment by the Executive Board 
and report on expected developments
Business review
Non-fi nancial Group declaration 
Annual fi nancial statements of TUI AG
TUI share
Information required under takeover law

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

100 
103 

Executive Board and Supervisory Board
 Corporate Governance Report

CONSOLIDATED  FINANCIAL 
 STATEMENTS AND NOTES

134 
134 
135 
136 
138 
140 
141 

241 
242 
250 

  Income statement
Earnings per share
Statement of comprehensive  income
Financial position
Statement of changes in Group  equity
Cash fl ow statement
Notes

Responsibility  statement by management
 Independent auditor’s report
Forward-looking statements

Financial  highlights

2017

2016
restated

Var. %

Var. % at 
 constant 
 currency

18,535.0

17,153.9

+ 8.1

+ 11.7

€ million

Turnover

Underlying EBITA 1
Hotels & Resorts
Cruises
Source Markets
  Northern Region
  Central Region
  Western Region
Other Tourism
Tourism
All other segments
TUI Group
Discontinued operations
Total

EBITA 2, 4

356.5
255.6
526.5
345.8
71.5
109.2
13.4
1,152.0
– 49.9
1,102.1
– 1.2
1,100.9

1,026.5

303.8
190.9
554.3
383.1
85.1
86.1
7.9
1,056.9
– 56.4
1,000.5
92.9
1,093.4

898.1

Underlying EBITDA 4

1,541.7

1,379.6

EBITDA 4

1,490.9

1,305.1

Net profi t for the period
Earnings per share4 

€

%

Equity ratio (30 Sept.)3 
Net capex and investments (30 Sept.)
Net cash (30 Sept.)4
Net cash (30 Sept.) 5
Employees (30 Sept.)

910.9
1.36

24.9
1,071.9
583.0
–
66,577

464.9
0.61

22.5
634.8
31.8
318.0
66,779

+ 19.2
+ 38.0
– 4.0
– 8.4
– 15.8
+ 27.0
+ 124.6
+ 11.2
+ 3.4
+ 12.0

+ 17.3
+ 33.9
– 5.0
– 9.7
– 16.0
+ 26.8
+ 69.6
+ 9.0
+ 11.5
+ 10.2
n. a.
+ 0.7

+ 14.3

+ 11.7

+ 14.2

+ 95.9
+ 123.0

+ 2.4
+ 68.9
n. a.
n. a.
– 0.3

Diff erences may occur due to rounding
This Annual Report of the TUI Group was prepared for the fi nancial year from 1 October 2016 to 30 September 2017. The 
terms for previous years were renamed accordingly.
Due to the following changes to segmental reporting the prior year’s reference fi gures were restated accordingly:
The main part of the Specialist Group (Travelopia), carried under discontinued operations in previous year, was sold June 2017. 
Prior to that Crystal Ski and Thomson Lakes & Mountains, previously part of the Specialist Group, were transferred to the 
 segment Northern Region. Blue Diamond Hotels & Resorts lnc., former part of Northern Region was reclassifi ed to the Hotels & 
Resorts segment. Marella Cruises (former Thomson Cruises, Northern Region) was transferred to the Cruises segment.
1   In order to explain and evaluate the operating performance by the segments, EBITA adjusted for one-off  eff ects (underlying 
EBITA) is presented. Underlying EBITA has been adjusted for gains/losses on disposal of investments, restructuring costs 
 according to IA S 37, ancillary acquisition costs and conditional purchase price payments under purchase price allocations and 
other expenses for and income from one-off  items.

2   Our defi nition of EBITA is earnings before net interest result, income tax and impairment of goodwill and excluding the result 

from the measurement of interest hedges.

3  Equity divided by balance sheet total in %, variance is given in percentage points.
4  Continuing operations
5  Discontinuing operations

Formats

The Annual Report and 
the Magazine are 
also available online

Online

Mobile

http://annualreport2017.
tuigroup.com

Compass

This is a page 
reference.

This is a 
web link.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
T O O U R S H A R E H O L D E R S  

O U T L O O K  

L E T T E R   T O   O U R 
S H A R E H O L D E R S

Dear shareholders,

2017 was another very good year! We were able to continue our 
success story. With underlying EBITA up by 12 per cent, TUI Group 
increased its operating result by more than ten per cent for the 
third time in a row. We are keeping our promise. Above all, the stra-
tegic alignment for the new TUI is clearly correct. Our focus on 
hotels and our investment in cruise liners is reaping  rewards. We 
owe the Group’s positive economic performance to our customers, 
to our 67,000 employees in over 100 countries and to your loyalty 
as shareholders of TUI AG. This year too, we want you to share 
in TUI’s success with a very attractive dividend. We have therefore 
proposed to the Annual General Meeting to increase the dividend 
to 65 cents per share for the completed  fi nancial year. 

We operate in a growth industry. People want to travel, regardless of 
global political events. With the exception of 2009 at the peak of 
the fi nancial crisis, our sector has grown faster than gross domestic 
product every year. These are favourable conditions for picking 
up further market share and continuing to build on our position as 
the world’s leading tourism group. That is our goal, and we are 
devoting our full energy to achieving it.

How are we framing this growth? In this fi nancial year alone, we 
opened ten new hotels, while our cruise fl eet acquired two more 
vessels to make 16. Our own hotels and cruise ships now account 
for 56 per cent of our earnings. Attaching greater weight to these 
operations in our earnings portfolio brings defi nite advantages. 
These businesses generates stronger margins and are is much less 
seasonal. Whereas the earnings contributions from our tour oper-
ators are posted almost entirely in the last three months, the infl ow 
from our hotel and cruise business is more evenly spread over the 
year and every quarter is positive. This trend has strengthened TUI 
and makes us more attractive to investors and the capital market.

We enhanced our leeway for growth even further during the last 
 fi nancial year by selling our specialist travel brands. The disposal 
of Travelopia to the private equity company KKR generated an 
enterprise value of around 370 million euros. We also spun off  our 
remaining stake in Hapag-Lloyd AG. This fi nal exit from container 
shipping and the sale of non-core businesses complete the trans-
formation. TUI is now a pure play tourism group. Our vision 
‘Think Travel. Think TUI.’ aptly refl ects our aspirations. And our 
strategic positioning ensures that we can provide every module 
in the tourism value chain from advice and booking to travel, ac-
commodation and destination services. The TUI brand symbolises 
quality and trust. Diff erentiated product is above all secured by 
our own hotels, clubs and ships. Brands like TUI Blue, Robinson, 
Riu and TUI Magic Life, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises with the MS Europa 
and TUI Cruises with the ‘Mein Schiff ’ fl eet guarantee TUI quality 
for holidaymakers all over the world. We don’t just sell this travel 
experience; we are setting standards, because TUI is at once 
developer, investor and operator.

So we want to build on the success of our traditional markets and 
activities. And we want to expand our business into regions and 
countries of the globe where we do not yet have a presence. That 
includes a number of countries in Southern Europe. In Italy and 
Portugal, the TUI brand is familiar because they are important 
destinations and many of our customers travel there. As a holiday 
provider, however, we have so far had almost no market visibility. 
Emerging economies like Brazil and China are also shifting further 
into our focus. Their new middle classes are growing fast and 
 increasingly discovering the joys of travel for themselves. We want 
to profi t from that, but in those markets we do not intend to 
create a dense network of travel agencies. Instead, we will rely 
exclusively on our online presence and on strong local partners. 

C O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T  R E P O R T 

C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

T O O U R S H A R E H O L D E R S  

O U T L O O K  

Friedrich Joussen, CEO of TUI AG

T O O U R S H A R E H O L D E R S  

O U T L O O K  

Our goal is ambitious, but we believe in these markets. As part of 
our strategy programme ‘TUI 2022’, the target for this expansion 
over the next fi ve years is to win one million new customers and 
generate an additional one billion in turnover. This expansion entails 
big opportunities for our hotel investments in those parts of the 
world, because the demand for capacity will no longer come solely 
from Europe like now, but also from the surrounding region. The 
Caribbean has set a shining example: our hotels there enjoy excel-
lent occupancy rates – thanks to long-haul tourists from Europe 
combined with guests from the United States and Canada. We can 
achieve the same in South-East Asia. For our new hotels and in-
vestments, the occupancy risk is tangibly reduced because our target 
groups are broader, more  diverse and increasingly international.

I also believe there are major opportunities for TUI in our clear 
strategy for digitalisation. This digitalisation will not only help us 
tap into new markets like China. It is happening throughout the 
company. Data enable us to reach out to our customers in a better, 
more personal manner and to market new services. For me, more 
digital means more service – and better service – for the customer, 
and more effi  ciency for the company. TUI’s use of blockchain has 
attracted a lot of attention. Ever more so because we aren’t just 
talking about the potential, but actually began placing it in the 
service of our hotels in summer 2017. As an integrated tourism 
group, we accompany our customers right along the value chain, 
from the moment they seek advice and book a holiday to the 
services they require at the destination and their accommodation 

in the hotel or on board the liner. This teaches us about their 
likes and preferences, enabling us to off er personalised add-ons. 
Personalised means relevant – products and services that off er 
these customers genuine added value. In recent months, we have 
rolled out a centralised, effi  cient IT infrastructure across the 
Group. It provides the technical basis for TUI to gain a single view 
of the customer and the customer experience. Our investments 
in IT are easily summed up: more service for our customers and 
more value for us as a company. It is my fi rm conviction that in 
this fi eld we are setting the standards for our industry.

TUI is in bouncing good health, and TUI is ready for more growth. 
Those two factors will enable us to continue to outperform the 
market in the coming years. That is why we are so confi dent that 
we can increase underlying EBITA by at least 10 per cent a year 
until 2020. Those are bright prospects for you as shareholders. 
Thank you for your interest and support over the last year. Your 
trust and encouragement are important to us. Let’s take the next 
steps together.

Kind regards, 

Friedrich Joussen
CEO of TUI AG 

C O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T  R E P O R T 

C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

A N N U A L   R E P O R T 2 0 17

 Letter to our  Shareholders

T O O U R S H A R E H O L D E R S  

O U T L O O K  
O U T L O O K  

5

K E Y
F I G U R E S
Outlook 2017 1

Turnover in € bn 

in excess of

3 % 2, 4

EBITA (underlying) in € m 

at least

+ 10 % 2

Adjustments in € m 

100 4 
costs

Net capex and investments in € bn 

1.0 5

Net debt in € bn 

broadly
neutral 4

O U T L O O K
A C H I E V E M E N T
Actual 2017

O U T-
L O O K
2018

19.2 + 11.7 % 2

approximately 

+ 3 % 2, 3

1,121 + 12.0 % 2

at least 

+ 10 % 2

76
costs

0.9 5

0.6
net cash

~ 80
costs

~ 1.2 6

slightly 
negative

1  As published on 8 December 2016, unless otherwise stated
2   Variance year-on-year assuming constant foreign exchange rates are applied to the result in the current and prior period and based on the 

 current group structure

3  Excluding cost infl ation relating to currency movements
4  Target adjusted 
5  Excluding aircraft orderbook fi nance
6  Assuming acquisition of Mein Schiff  1 for Marella Cruises

G R O U P   E X E C U T I V E 
C O M M I T T E E

DAVID BURLING
Member of the Executive Board;
Nothern Region, Airlines, 
Hotel Purchasing

DR HILKA SCHNEIDER 
Group Director Legal, 
Compliance & Board Offi  ce

THOMAS ELLER BECK 
Group Director Corporate & 
External Aff airs

ELIE B RUYNINCK X
CEO Western Region

KEN TON  JARV IS
Group Director Controlling 
and Financial Director 
Tourism

FRIEDRICH JO US SEN 

CEO

C O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T  R E P O R T 

C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

T O O U R S H A R E H O L D E R S  
T O O U R S H A R E H O L D E R S  

7

DR ELK E ELLER
Member of the Executive Board;
Human Resources, Personnel Director

SEBA ST IAN EBEL 
Member of the Executive Board;
Central Region, Hotels and Resorts, Cruises, 
TUI Destination Services

ERIK FRIEM UTH 
Group Chief Marketing Offi  cer

FR AN K ROS ENBERGER
Member of the Executive Board;
IT, New Markets

HEN RIK HOMANN
Group Director Strategy

Please refer to our 
website for CVs
www.tuigroup.com/en-en/
about-us/about-tui-group/
management

HORST BAIER 
Member of the Executive Board;

CFO

8

R E P O R T  O F  T H E 
S U P E R V I S O R Y   B O A R D

Ladies and Gentlemen,

TUI AG has delivered on its promise! With the completion of fi nancial 
year 2017, your Company has delivered the considerable year-on-year 
increase in earnings promised in the wake of the merger in 2014 for the 
third consecutive year. This success is the result of major, joint eff orts 
by the Executive Board, employees and Supervisory Board – and we are 
proud of it! In a geopolitical situation characterised by continued uncer-
tainty and risks, TUI AG has sent an important signal of reliability to you, 
its owners, but also to its employees. The trust you placed in the merger 
between TUI AG and TUI Travel PLC was justifi ed. 

Today, we can regard the merger and the integration of the two companies 
and cultures as completed. The Executive Board has fully delivered and 
in  some  key  areas  even  outperformed  the  synergies  promised  in  the 
wake of the merger. As the global employee survey carried out for the 
third consecutive year has shown, TUI’s executives and employees show 
far above-average engagement. They trust the work performed by the 
Executive Board and the strategy, which focuses on the transformation 
from a conventional trading company and tour operator to a vertically 
integrated content provider. We thus continue to be on track. 

In  fi nancial  year  2017,  the  Supervisory  Board  supported  in  particular 
the further development of key issues of relevance to the Company. We 
intensively discussed the Group’s future strategic orientation with the 
Executive Board. Apart from the infl uence of blockchain technology on 
today’s business model, the situation at TUI fl y and the ultimately failed 
negotiations about a European aviation joint venture, we also discussed 
the Group’s strategy in Asia and held in-depth  discussions about  the 
impact  of  Brexit  on  the  Company.  In  order  to  prepare  the  strategic 
debates of the Supervisory Board, the Strategy Committee formed in 
2016 again proved to be a valuable, focused platform. The Committee also 
discussed, inter alia, TUI Group’s airline strategy and its platform strategy 
(e. g. IT, brand, marketing) and the associated Group-wide systems. 

Corporate  Governance  issues  were  another  focus  of  our  work.  Apart 
from  features  derived  from  the  further  development  of  the  German 
and the UK Corporate Governance Codes, we also dealt with a review of 
the remuneration system for the Executive Board. Following the merger, 
we had deliberately placed the focus on continuity. We merely shifted 
the remuneration for Supervisory Board members to a system of purely 
fi xed remuneration two years ago. Nevertheless, we recognise that our 
shareholders regard the remuneration system applied for a number of 
years as being in need of revision. Following careful review and analysis, 
we  managed,  taking  into  account  and  weighing  up  the  interests  of 
many stakeholders – including cross-border stakeholders – and following 
intense debates about numerous alternatives, we fi nally succeeded in 

adopting  a  remuneration  system  meeting  all  legal  requirements  and 
manifold  recommendations.  It  will  be  applied  with  retroactive  eff ect 
from 1 October 2017, as all Executive Board members have agreed. The 
new system will increase the transparency of the exercise of discretion 
by  the  Supervisory  Board  in  individual  performance  assessment 
through alignment with a target system. Moreover, we have abandoned 
the possibility of paying discretionary bonuses for good. The payment 
hurdles for the variable remuneration have become signifi cantly more 
ambitious following your legitimate comments, and they off er the Execu-
tive Board new opportunities. My colleagues on the Supervisory Board 
and I are convinced that the new, unanimously adopted compensation 
system  for  the  Executive  Board  members  harmonises  the  sometimes 
diverging  interests  of  shareholders,  employees  and  Executive  Board 
members in the best possible manner. Based on this conviction, we will 
submit the remuneration system, described concerning its major elements 
and amendments on page 116 of the Annual Report, to the Annual 
General Meeting 2018 for its approval. 

We  have  also  repeatedly  dealt  with  the  future  composition  of  the 
Supervisory  Board  and  its  chair,  after  Peter  Long  announced  that  he 
was no longer seeking to assume the role as chairman of the Supervisory 
Board. Peter Long will remain Chairman of the Strategy Committee and 
successfully  continue  its  work  in  cooperation  with  the  members.  The 
Supervisory  Board  also  plans  to  elect  Mr  Long  as  its  second  Deputy 
Chairman when Sir Mike Hodgkinson leaves the Supervisory Board at 
the Annual General Meeting 2018. 

Although I have been elected for a term of offi  ce that will expire at the 
Annual General Meeting 2021, I had already announced at my re-election 
in  2016  that  I  was  going  to  exercise  my  functions  for  an  appropriate 
period of time. I intend to step down from my offi  ces as at 30 Septem-
ber  2018.  Against  this  backdrop,  my  activities  but  also  those  of  the 
Nomination  Committee,  Presiding  Committee  and  Supervisory  Board 
were devoted in part to the search for a successor. I am delighted that 
the Supervisory Board, at its meeting on 12 December 2017, proposed 
Dr  Dieter  Zetsche  as  a  candidate  for  election  by  the  Annual  General 
Meeting 2018 and has announced its intention to elect Dr Zetsche as 
Chairman of the Supervisory Board upon my departure should he be 
elected by the shareholders. I am convinced that TUI AG has gained a 
high-calibre,  experienced  entrepreneur  with  extensive  international 
experience and a far-reaching understanding of strategically important 
issues with Dr Zetsche. 

C O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T  R E P O R T 

C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

A N N U A L   R E P O R T 2 0 17

 Report of the Supervisory Board 

9

Cooperation between the Executive Board and the 
Supervisory Board

In a stock corporation under German law, there is a mandatory strict 
separation of the executive board and the supervisory board. While the 
management  of  the  company  is  the  exclusive  task  of  the  executive 
board, the supervisory board is in charge of advising and overseeing the 
executive board. As the oversight body, the Supervisory Board provided 
on-going advice and supervision for the Executive Board in managing 
the Company in fi nancial year 2017, as required by the law, the articles 
of association and our own terms of reference. 

Its  actions  were  guided  by  the  principles  of  good  and  responsible 
corporate  governance.  Our  monitoring  activities  essentially  served  to 
ensure that the management of business operations and the manage-
ment of the Group were lawful, orderly, fi t for purpose and commercially 
robust. The individual advisory and oversight tasks of the Supervisory 
Board are set out in terms of reference. Accordingly, the Supervisory 
Board  is,  for  instance,  closely  involved  in  entrepreneurial  planning 
processes and the discussion of strategic projects and issues. Moreover, 
there is a defi ned list of specifi c Executive Board decisions requiring the 
consent of the Supervisory Board, some of which call for detailed review 
in advance and require the analysis of complex facts and circumstances 
from a supervisory and consultant perspective (own business judgement).

TUI AG falls within the scope of the German Industrial Co-Determination 
Act (MitbestG). Its Supervisory Board is therefore composed of an equal 
number of shareholder representatives and employee representatives. 
Employee representatives within the meaning of the Act include a senior 
manager (section 5 (3) of the German Works Council Constitution Act) 
and three trade union representatives. All Supervisory Board members 
have the same rights and obligations and they all have one vote in voting 
processes. In the event of a tie, a second round of voting can take place 
according to the terms of reference for the Supervisory Board, in which 
case I as Chairman of the Supervisory Board have the casting vote.

In  written  and  verbal  reports,  the  Executive  Board  provided  us  with 
regular,  timely  and  comprehensive  information  at  our  meetings  and 
outside  our  meetings.  The  reports  encompassed  all  relevant  facts 
about strategic development, planning, business performance and the 
position of the Group in the course of the year, the risk situation, risk 
management and compliance, but also reports from the capital markets 
(e. g. from analysts), media reports and reports on current events (e. g. 
crises). The Executive Board discussed with us all key transactions of 
relevance to the Company and the further development of the Group. 
Any deviations in business performance from the approved plans were 
explained in detail. The Supervisory Board was involved in all decisions 
of fundamental relevance to the Company in good time. We fully discussed 
and adopted all resolutions in accordance with the law, the Articles of 
Association and our terms of reference. We were comprehensively and 
speedily informed about specifi c and particularly urgent plans and pro-
jects, including those arising between the regular meetings. As Chairman 
of the Supervisory Board, I was also regularly informed about current 

The Supervisory Board of TUI AG at its meeting on 
17 October 2017, TUI AG Hannover.

Back row: Dr Dierk Hirschel, Coline Lucille Mc Conville, 
Mag. Stefan Weinhofer, Peter Long, Peter Bremme, 
Andreas Barczewski 

Third row: Michael Pönipp, Carola Schwirn, 
Angelika Giff ord, Wolfgang Flintermann

Second row: Janis Carol Kong, Anette Strempel, 
Ortwin Strubelt, Prof. Edgar Ernst

Front row: Valerie Frances Gooding, Prof. Klaus Mangold 
( Chairman), Frank Jakobi (Vice Chairman), 
Carmen Riu Güell, Sir Michael Hodgkinson (Vice Chairman)

Member not in the photo:
Alexey Mordashov

10

business developments and key transactions in the Company between 
Supervisory Board meetings.

Deliberations in the Supervisory Board and its 
Committees

Prior to Supervisory Board meetings, the shareholder representatives 
on the Supervisory Board and the employees’ representatives met in 
separate  meetings,  which  were  regularly  also  attended  by  Executive 
Board members. 

Apart from the full Supervisory Board, a total of fi ve committees were 
in place in the completed fi nancial year: the Presiding Committee, Audit 
Committee, Strategy Committee, Nomination Committee and Integration 
Committee. The Mediation Committee formed pursuant to section 27 (3) 

of the Co-Determination Act did not have to meet. The Chairman of 
each Committee provides regular and comprehensive reports about the 
work performed by the Committee at the ordinary Supervisory Board 
meetings. 

In  fi nancial  year  2017,  we  again  recorded  a  gratifyingly  high  meeting 
attendance, as we have done for several years. Average attendance was 
93.8 % (previous year 96.6 %) at plenary meetings and 97.6 % (previous 
year  90.7 %)  at  Committee  meetings.  No  Supervisory  Board  member 
attended fewer than half of the Supervisory Board meetings in fi nancial 
year 2017. Members unable to attend a meeting usually participated 
in  the  voting  through  proxies.  Preparation  of  all  Supervisory  Board 
members  was  greatly  facilitated  by  the  practice  of  distributing  docu-
ments in advance in the run-up to the meetings and largely dispensing 
with handouts at meetings.

Attendance at meetings of the Supervisory Board in fi nancial year 2017

Attendance at meetings of the Supervisory Board 2017

Name

Prof. Klaus Mangold (Chairman)
Frank Jakobi (Deputy Chairman)
Sir Michael Hodgkinson (Deputy Chairman)
Andreas Barczewski
Peter Bremme 
Prof. Edgar Ernst 
Wolfgang Flintermann
Angelika Giff ord 
Valerie Frances Gooding 
Dr. Dierk Hirschel 
Janis Carol Kong 
Peter Long
Coline Lucille McConville 
Alexey A. Mordashov
Michael Pönipp 
Carmen Riu Güell 
Carola Schwirn
Anette Strempel 
Ortwin Strubelt
Stefan Weinhofer

Attendance at meetings in %
Attendance at Committee meetings in %

(In brackets: number of meetings held)
1  Chairman of Committee
2  Deputy Chairman of Committee

Supervisory 
Board

Presiding 
 Committee

Audit 
 Committee

Nomination 
Committee

Strategy 
 Committee

Integration 
 Committee

8 (8)
8 (8) 
8 (8) 
8 (8)
7 (8)
8 (8)
8 (8)
7 (8)
7 (8)
7 (8)
8 (8)
7 (8)
7 (8)
6 (8)
8 (8)
7 (8)
8 (8)
8 (8)
8 (8)
7 (8)

93.8
97.6

8 (8)1
8 (8) 
7 (8) 

7 (8)

6 (8)

8 (8)

8 (8)
8 (8)

8 (8)

8 (8)

8 (8)1

8 (8)
7 (8)

7 (8)

8 (8)

8 (8)

6 (6)
6 (6)

6 (6)
5 (6)

6 (6)1

6 (6)

1 (1)1
1 (1)
1 (1) 2

1 (1)

1 (1)

1 (1)

2 (2)1

2 (2)

2 (2)

2 (2)

93.8

96.9

100.0

97.2

100.0

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
C O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T  R E P O R T 

C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

A N N U A L   R E P O R T 2 0 17

 Report of the Supervisory Board 

11

Key topics discussed by the Supervisory Board 

The Supervisory Board held nine meetings focusing on the following 
issues:

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

 At its meeting on 26 October 2016, the Supervisory Board discussed 
the current business performance. The discussions also focused on 
strategic options for the German TUI fl y. In that context, we inten-
sively deliberated on a potential joint venture with Etihad. The de-
bate also related to the stake in Hapag-Lloyd AG (HLAG) and the 
status of the divestment process for Specialist Group. The Supervisory 
Board furthermore approved the budget for fi nancial year 2017 and 
the acquisition of a stake in Peakwork Software. 

5. 

 At its extraordinary meeting on 23 November 2016, the Supervisory 
Board intensively discussed the status of negotiations and approval 
for the conclusion of a (non-binding) memorandum of understanding 
to form a joint venture between TUI fl y and Etihad. These extensive 
deliberations focused on essential framework parameters and the 
future alignment of the planned joint venture. 

 At the extraordinary Supervisory Board meting on 1 December 2016, 
held in the form of a conference call, we adopted the personal per-
formance factors for the annual performance bonuses for members 
of the Executive Board for fi nancial year 2016 after due deliberation. 
Following an in-depth review, we also established the appropriateness 
of the remuneration and pensions for Executive Board members.

6. 

 At its meeting on 7 December 2016, the Supervisory Board discussed 
in detail the annual fi nancial statements of TUI Group and TUI AG, 
each having received an unqualifi ed audit opinion from the auditors, 
the combined management report for TUI Group and TUI AG, the 
Report by the Supervisory Board, the Corporate Governance Report 
and the Remuneration Report. The discussions were also attended 
by representatives of the auditors. Following comprehensive debate 
of these reports and its own review carried out on the previous day 
by the Audit Committee, the Supervisory Board endorsed the fi ndings 
of the auditors and approved the fi nancial statements prepared by 
the  Executive  Board  and  the  combined  management  report  for 
TUI AG and the Group. The annual fi nancial statements for 2016 
were thereby adopted. Moreover, the Supervisory Board approved 
the  Report  by  the  Supervisory  Board,  the  Corporate  Governance 
Report and the Remuneration Report. It also adopted the invitation 
to the ordinary AGM 2017 and the proposals for resolutions to be 
submitted  to  the  AGM.  The  Supervisory  Board  discussed  various 
options relating to aircraft funding and the future approach to be 
adopted  by  the  Group.  We  also  resolved  the  2016  declaration  of 
compliance with the German Corporate Governance Code and the 
Corporate Governance Declaration required by the UK’s Corporate 
Governance Code. We moreover decided to adjust our targets for 
the composition of the Supervisory Board (see Corporate Govern-
ance Report) and considered various reports, including a report on 
the  results  of  our  2016  TUIgether  employee  survey,  the  imple-
mentation  of  the  female  and  gender  quotas  in  Germany,  the  IT 
strategy and security. In the framework of Executive Board matters, 

Frank  Rosenberger  was  appointed  as  member  of  the  Executive 
Board with eff ect from 1 January 2017 and a new business allocation 
plan  refl ecting  the  changes  in  the  allocation  of  responsibilities  to 
Board  members  was  adopted.  The  Supervisory  Board  was  also 
given a status report on l’tur and updates on the sales process for 
Travelopia and the joint venture between TUI fl y and Etihad.

 On  13  February  2017,  the  Supervisory  Board  mainly  discussed 
TUI AG’s interim statement and report for the quarter ended 31 De-
cember 2016 and prepared the 2017 Annual General Meeting. The 
Supervisory Board also discussed the structure of Executive Board 
remuneration. We dealt with the sales process for Hotelbeds Group, 
the  business  performance  and  future  strategy  for  source  market 
Germany and approved the fi nal initiation of the sales process for 
Travelopia. The Supervisory Board also discussed the expansion of 
capacity at TUI Cruises GmbH and was given reports about the 
activities of the TUI Foundation and TUI Care Foundation. We were 
given a comprehensive update on the status of negotiations regarding 
the planned joint venture between TUI fl y and Etihad (e. g. economic 
framework, open issues). We also adopted resolutions on transactions 
requiring  the  Supervisory  Board’s  consent,  including  the  issue  of 
employee  shares  for  fi nancial  year  2017  and  the  further  sale  of 
shares in HLAG. We were furthermore given a report on the status 
of the proceedings Erzberger versus TUI AG before the ECJ. 

 On 12 May 2017, we debated TUI AG’s interim report for the second 
quarter ended on 31 March 2017 and the half-year fi nancial report. 
We also resolved to extend the appointment of Sebastian Ebel as an 
Executive  Board  member  and  his  service  contract  by  a  further 
three years. The Supervisory Board moreover discussed the initial 
approaches  for  a  reform  of  the  Executive  Board  remuneration 
system  and  we  were  given  another  status  report  on  the  negoti-
ations  regarding  the  planned  joint  venture  between  TUI  fl y  and 
Etihad. The Supervisory Board was then given another update on a 
potential capacity expansion at TUI Cruises GmbH and the status of 
the sale of shares in HLAG. We also discussed on-going activities to 
strengthen  IT security and various aspects related to the internal 
and external security structure. The Supervisory Board considered 
various Corporate Governance issues and was given a report on the 
state of pay regarding TUI Group’s key litigation cases. The Super-
visory Board was also informed about the current business per-
formance and market in Turkey. We debated and deliberated on the 
impact  of  the  Brexit  referendum  on  the  Group.  Moreover,  the 
Supervisory Board approved a number of transactions requiring its 
consent (including the issue of employee shares in fi nancial year 2018, 
the extension of the revolving credit facility ahead of its due date 
and the sale of Travelopia subject to certain conditions). 

12

7. 

8. 

9. 

 At  its  extraordinary  meeting  on  29  June  2017,  the  Supervisory 
Board  discussed  the  termination  of  the  negotiations  on  the  joint 
venture between TUI fl y and Etihad and engaged in comprehensive 
and  extensive  debates  with  the  Executive  Board  on  the  resulting 
options for a repositioning of TUI fl y. 

 On 30 August 2017 (by written circulation), the Supervisory Board 
approved the increase in the Company’s capital stock for the issue 
of employee shares under the oneShare employee share programme 
for fi nancial year 2017. 

 During a two-day strategy off site meeting on 13 and 14 Septem-
ber 2017, we intensively debated the key challenges surrounding the 
business  model,  growth  opportunities,  IT  trends  (e. g.  blockchain 
technology), the Group-wide customer value and customer rela-
tionship management platform, uniform branding (oneBrand) and 
the cruise strategy. 

 We then comprehensively debated the consolidated fi ve-year plan. 
The discussions also focused on the insolvency of Air Berlin. We 
furthermore deliberated on Executive Board matters and adopted 
the fundamental structure of the new remuneration system for the 
Executive Board. We were also given reports on crisis management, 
the Security, Health & Safety structure and the security of our 
customers and employees. We heard a report on the eff ects of the 
Transparency of Remuneration Act and the implementation of the 
Act and dealt with succession planning for the Executive Board and 
professional  development  at  the  top  management  level.  We  also 
discussed  the  new  CSR  reporting  (see  Management  Report)  and 
adopted  diversity  concepts  for  the  composition  of  the  Executive 
Board and Supervisory Board. We moreover adopted the overall 
competence profi le for the full Supervisory Board. We then adopted 
resolutions regarding transactions requiring our consent (including 
the granting of a guarantee as collateral for a loan).

Meetings of the Presiding Committee

The  Presiding  Committee  takes  the  lead  on  various  Executive  Board 
issues  (including  succession  planning,  new  appointments,  terms  and 
conditions of service contracts, proposals for the remuneration system). 
It also prepares the meetings of the Supervisory Board. In the period 
under review, the Presiding Committee held nine meetings.

Members of the Presiding Committee:

•  Prof. Klaus Mangold 

(Chairman)
•  Peter Bremme
•  Carmen Riu Güell
•  Sir Michael Hodginson

•  Frank Jakobi
•  Alexey Mordashov
•  Anette Strempel
•  Ortwin Strubelt

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

7. 

8. 

9. 

 At  its  extraordinary  meeting  on  12  October  2016,  the  Presiding 
Committee  intensively  discussed  the  business  interruption  of  the 
German  TUI  fl y  against  the  background  of  eff orts  undertaken  by 
the  Executive  Board  to  fi nd  cooperation  partners  for  the  airline, 
which  had  become  public.  The  Presiding  Committee  was  given  a 
presentation on the measures initiated by the Executive Board and 
the status and timeframe of negotiations relating to the cooperation 
partner project. 

 At its meeting on 26 October 2016, the Presiding Committee dis-
cussed Executive Board issues, including deliberations on the creation 
of a new Executive Board function with a focus on IT and new markets. 
The Committee also discussed various topics relating to Executive 
Board remuneration for the completed fi nancial year and the current 
fi nancial year. 

 At its extraordinary meeting on 23 November 2016, the Presiding 
Committee discussed the status of the negotiations about the joint 
venture between TUI fl y and Etihad. We also deliberated on various 
Executive Board issues and adopted resolutions regarding the variable 
annual remuneration for fi nancial year 2016. We then reviewed the 
appropriateness  of  Executive  Board  remuneration  and  pensions 
and discussed the terms and conditions of the service contract for 
Frank Rosenberger.

 At its meeting on 6 December 2016, after due deliberation, the 
Presiding  Committee  recommended  the  appointment  of  Frank 
Rosenberger  as  an  Executive  Board  member  to  the  Supervisory 
Board and discussed further Executive Board issues. 

 On 13 February 2017, the Presiding Committee again discussed the 
status of negotiations on the joint venture between TUI fl y and Etihad 
as well as the Group’s major litigation cases and the divestment 
process for Travelopia. We then formulated approaches for a funda-
mental revision of the compensation system for the Executive Board. 

 At its meeting on 12 May 2017, the Presiding Committee discussed 
renewing the appointment of Sebastian Ebel and the status of the 
reform of the remuneration system for the Executive Board. Following 
the abolition of the Integration Committee in December 2016, we 
were given a report on the merger-related synergies and intercultural 
integration.

 At an extraordinary meeting on 13 June 2017, by written circulation, 
the Presiding Committee granted approval to Friedrich Joussen to 
join the Supervisory Board of Sixt SE / Pullach. 

 At  an  extraordinary  meeting  on  30  August  2017,  the  Presiding 
Committee  intensively  discussed  the  status  of  the  reform  of  the 
remuneration system for the Executive Board. 

 On 13 September 2017, we discussed Executive Board issues. We 
were  also  informed  about  the  remuneration  structure  for  the 
management level below the Executive Board as well as HR devel-
opment topics. 

 
C O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T  R E P O R T 

C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

A N N U A L   R E P O R T 2 0 17

 Report of the Supervisory Board 

13

A U D I T   C O M M I T T E E
Members of the Audit Committee:

•  Prof. Edgar Ernst (Chairman)
•  Andreas Barczewski
•  Dr Dierk Hirschel
•  Janis Kong

•  Prof. Klaus Mangold
•  Coline McConville
•  Michael Pönipp
•  Ortwin Strubelt

The Audit Committee held eight ordinary meetings in the fi nancial year 
under  review.  For  the  tasks  and  the  advisory  and  resolution-related 
issues discussed by the Audit Committee, we refer to the comprehensive 
report on page 15. 

N O M I N AT I O N   C O M M I T T E E
The Nomination Committee proposes suitable shareholder candidates 
to the Supervisory Board for its election proposals to the Annual General 
Meeting or appointment by the district court. 

Members of the Nomination Committee, which held two meetings:

•  Prof. Klaus Mangold (Chairman)
•  Carmen Riu Güell
•  Sir Michael Hodgkinson
•  Alexey Mordashov

1. 

2. 

 At its meeting on 11 May 2017, the Nomination Committee discussed 
the future composition of the shareholder side of the Supervisory 
Board and its committees. 

 At its meeting on 12 September 2017, the Nomination Committee 
again discussed the future composition of the shareholder side of 
the Supervisory Board. 

S T R AT E G Y   C O M M I T T E E
The Strategy Committee was established on 9 February 2016 by reso-
lution  of  the  Supervisory  Board.  Its  task  is  to  advise  the  Executive 
Board  in  developing  and  implementing  the  corporate  strategy.  The 
Committee met six times in the fi nancial year under review. Apart from 
Committee  members,  the  meetings  of  the  Strategy  Committee  are 
regularly attended by Sir Michael Hodgkinson.

The members of the Strategy Committee, which met six times, are:

•  Peter Long (Chairman)
•  Angelika Giff ord
•  Val Gooding

•  Frank Jakobi
•  Prof. Klaus Mangold
•  Alexey Mordashov

1. 

 At its meeting on 25 October 2016, the Supervisory Board extensively 
dealt with the Group’s aviation strategy and the future positioning 
of TUI fl y. We also discussed various aspects related to Customer 
Relationship Management (CRM) and IT investments. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

 At  its  meeting  on  5  December  2016,  the  Committee  discussed 
marketing  topics,  the  divestment  process  for  Travelopia  and  the 
aviation strategy.

 On 17 February 2017, we deliberated on the growth of the Mein 
Schiff  fl eet and discussed the situation in source market Germany 
and the marketing strategy pursued in that market. 

 At its meeting on 11 May 2017, the Committee discussed the growth 
strategy for new markets with a special focus on Asia, in particular 
China. In that context, we intensively debated the expansion of 
cooperation schemes as well as TUI’s own initiatives.

 At the meeting on 15 August 2017, we again comprehensively debated 
the aviation strategy following the termination of the talks with Etihad 
on the creation of a joint venture.

 At its meeting on 12 September 2017, the Strategy Committee dis-
cussed  the  impact  of  the  insolvency  of  Air  Berlin  on  our  current 
business and future implications for our aviation strategy. 

I N T E G R AT I O N   C O M M I T T E E
The Integration Committee was established by the Supervisory Board 
for a period of two years after the completion of the merger between 
TUI Travel PLC and TUI AG (until December 2016). Its task was to advise 
and oversee the Executive Board during the integration process required 
after the merger. 

Members of the Integration Committee:

•  Prof. Klaus Mangold 

(Chairman)

•  Sir Michael Hodgkinson 

(Deputy Chairman)

•  Prof. Edgar Ernst
•  Valerie Gooding
•  Frank Jakobi
•  Coline McConville

At its only meeting in the period under review, which was also its last, 
held on 6 December 2016, the Committee discussed the fi nal report on 
the  integration  process  and  the  post-merger  synergies.  Overall,  the 
Committee has rendered a valuable contribution to the delivery of the 
synergies and the success of cultural integration. 

C O R P O R AT E   G O V E R N A N C E
Due to the primary quotation of the TUI AG share on the London Stock 
Exchange  and  the  constitution  of  the  Company  as  a  German  stock 
corporation,  the  Supervisory  Board  naturally  also  regularly  and  com-
prehensively  deals  with  the  recommendations  of  German  and  British 
corporate  governance.  Apart  from  the  mandatory  observance  of  the 
rules of the German Stock Corporation Act (AktG), German Industrial 
Co-Determination Act (MitbestG), the Listing Rules and the Disclosure 
and Transparency Rules, TUI AG had announced in the framework of the 
merger  that  the  Company  was  going  to  observe  both  the  German 
Corporate Governance Code (DCGK) and – as far as practicable – the 
UK Corporate Governance Code (UK GCG).

14

For the DCGK – conceptually founded, inter alia, on the German Stock 
Corporation Act – we issued an unqualifi ed declaration of compliance 
for 2017 pursuant to section 161 of the German Stock Corporation Act, 
together with the Executive Board. By contrast, there are some deviations 
from the UK CGC due for the most part to the diff erent concepts under-
lying a one-tier management system for a public listed company in the 
UK (one-tier board) and the two-tier management system comprised of 
Executive Board and Supervisory Board in a stock corporation based on 
German law.

More detailed information on corporate governance, the declaration of 
compliance  for  2017  pursuant  to  section  161  of  the  German  Stock 
Corporation Act and the declaration on the UK CGC is provided in the 
Corporate Governance Report in the present Annual Report, prepared 
by the Executive Board and the Supervisory Board (page 99), as well as 
on TUI AG’s website. 

Confl icts of interest 

In the period under review, the Supervisory Board continuously moni-
tored the occurrence of confl icts of interest. In the framework of the 
transactions requiring its consent, the Supervisory Board approved, at 
its meeting on 12 May 2017, the granting of a guarantee by TUI AG as 
third-party security for Togebi Holdings Limited (’TUI Russia’) before a 
court in Turkey to initiate a lawsuit. TUI Russia is indirectly controlled by 
Alexey  Mordashov.  Mr  Mordashov  is  a  member  of  the  Supervisory 
Board and abstained from voting in order to avoid a confl ict of interest.

Audit of the annual and consolidated fi nancial 
statements of TUI AG and the Group 

Deloitte GmbH Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft, Hanover, audited the 
annual fi nancial statements of TUI AG prepared in accordance with the 
provisions of the German Commercial Code (HGB), as well as the joint 
management report of TUI AG and TUI Group, and the consolidated 
fi nancial statements for the 2017 fi nancial year prepared in accordance 
with the provisions of the International Financial Reporting Standards 
(IFRS), and issued their unqualifi ed audit certifi cate. The above docu-
ments,  the  Executive  Board’s  proposal  for  the  use  of  the  net  profi t 
available for distribution and the audit reports by the auditors had been 
submitted in good time to all members of the Supervisory Board. They 
were discussed in detail at the Audit Committee meeting of 11 Decem-
ber 2017 and the Supervisory Board meeting of 12 December 2017, 
convened to discuss the annual fi nancial statements, where the Executive 
Board provided comprehensive explanations of these statements. At 
those meetings, the Chairman of the Audit Committee and the auditors 
reported on the audit fi ndings, having determined the key audit areas 
for the fi nancial year under review beforehand with the Audit Committee. 
Neither the auditors nor the Audit Committee identifi ed any weaknesses 
in the early risk detection and internal control system. On the basis of 
our own review of the annual fi nancial statements of TUI AG and TUI 
Group and the joint management report, we did not have any grounds 
for objections and therefore concur with the Executive Board’s evaluation 

of the situation of TUI AG and TUI Group. Upon the recommendation of 
the Audit Committee, we approve the annual fi nancial statements for 
fi nancial year 2017; the annual fi nancial statements of TUI AG are thereby 
adopted. We comprehensively discussed the proposal for the appro-
priation of profi ts with the Executive Board and approved the proposal 
in the light of the current and expected future fi nancial position of the 
Group.

Executive Board, Supervisory Board and 
committee membership

The composition of the Executive Board and Supervisory Board as at 
30 September 2017 is presented in the tables on pages 100 – 101 for 
the Supervisory Board and page 102 for the Executive Board. 

In fi nancial year 2017, the composition of the boards did not change. 

At the meeting on 7 December 2016, Frank Rosenberger was appointed 
to the Executive Board with eff ect from 1 January 2017 for a period of 
three years.

At the meeting on 12 May 2017, the appointment of Sebastian Ebel as 
an Executive Board member was extended by three years to 30 Novem-
ber 2020. 

In  addition,  the  Supervisory  Board  extended  the  appointments  of 
David Burling and Dr Elke Eller. After the extensions became eff ective on 
12 December 2017, David Burling is now appointed until 31 May 2021 
and Dr Elke Eller is appointed until 14 October 2021.

Word of thanks

The Supervisory Board warmly thanks the Executive Board, the managers 
and all employees for their contribution to the very successful fi nancial 
year 2017. 

Hanover, 12 December 2017

On behalf of the Supervisory Board

Prof. Klaus Mangold
Chairman of the Supervisory Board

C O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T  R E P O R T 

C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

A N N U A L   R E P O R T 2 0 17

 Report of the Supervisory Board, Audit Committee Report

15

A U D I T   C O M M I T T E E   R E P O R T

Dear Shareholders,

as the Audit Committee, it is our job to assist the Supervisory Board in 
carrying out its monitoring function during the fi nancial year, particularly 
in relation to accounting and fi nancial reporting for the TUI Group, as 
required by legal provisions, the German Corporate Governance Code 
and the Supervisory Board Terms of Reference.

In addition to these core functions, we are responsible in particular for 
monitoring the eff ectiveness and proper functioning of internal controls, 
the risk management system, the Group Auditing department and the 
legal compliance system.

Furthermore, the Audit Committee is responsible for selecting external 
auditors. The selected auditors are then required to be put forward by 
the Supervisory Board to the Annual General Meeting for appointment. 
Following the appointment by the Annual General Meeting, the Super-
visory Board formally commissions the external auditors with the task 
of auditing the annual fi nancial statements and consolidated fi nancial 
statements and reviewing the quarterly interim reports.

The  Audit  Committee  was  elected  by  the  Supervisory  Board  directly 
after the Annual General Meeting 2016 and consists currently of the 
following eight Supervisory Board members:

•  Prof. Edgar Ernst ( Chairman)
•  Andreas Barczewski
•  Dr Dierk Hirschel
•  Janis Kong

•  Prof. Klaus Mangold
•  Coline McConville
•  Michael Pönipp
•  Ortwin Strubelt

The membership of the Audit Committee members corresponds to the 
duration of their appointment to the Supervisory Board. There are no 
personnel changes to report in the composition of this committee since 
the last election.

Both the Chairman of the Audit Committee and the remaining members 
of the Audit Committee are seen by the Supervisory Board as meeting 
the criterion of being independent. In addition to the Chairman of the 
Audit Committee, at least one other member is required to have expertise 
in the fi eld of accounting and experience in the use of accounting prin-
ciples and internal control systems.

The  Audit  Committee  has  six  regular  meetings  a  year,  and  additional 
topic-specifi c meetings may also be convened. From this fi nancial year 
onwards, these topic-specifi c meetings have included two meetings in 
which  the  Executive  Board  explains  to  the  Audit  Committee  the  key 
content of the pre-close trading updates published shortly before the 
reporting date of the annual and six-monthly fi nancial statements. The 

remaining meeting dates and agendas are geared in particular towards 
the Group’s reporting cycle and the agendas of the Supervisory Board.

The Chairman of the Audit Committee reports on the work of the Audit 
Committee and the proposals it has to make in the Supervisory Board 
meeting that follows each Audit Committee meeting.

Apart  from  the  Audit  Committee  members,  the  meetings  have  been 
attended  by  the  Chairman  of  the  Executive  Board,  the  CFO  and  the 
following management members, based on the topics covered:

•  Director of Group Financial Accounting
•  Director of Group Audit
•  Director of Group Compliance & Risk
•  Director of Group Treasury & Insurance

The  external  auditors  have  also  been  invited  to  meetings  on  relevant 
topics.  Wherever  required,  additional  members  of  TUI  Group  senior 
management and operational management have been asked to attend 
Audit Committee meetings, as have external consultants.

Where  it  was  deemed  necessary  to  go  into  further  detail  on  specifi c 
topics or cases, the Chairman of the Audit Committee held – in addition 
to  Audit Committee meetings  – individual meetings  with the  relevant 
Executive  Board,  senior  management  or  auditor  representatives.  The 
Chairman  of  the  Audit  Committee  reported  on  the  key  fi ndings  and 
conclusions from these meetings in the next Audit Committee meeting.

The members took part in the Audit Committee meetings as shown in 
the table on page 10. 

Transfer of the audit mandate for TUI AG 
and the TUI Group

By way of a resolution of the Annual General Meeting of TUI AG dated 
14  February  2017,  Deloitte  GmbH  Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft 
(Deloitte) was elected as the auditor of TUI AG and the TUI Group. We 
were regularly notifi ed about the transfer process of the audit mandate 
to Deloitte at our meetings during the fi nancial year.

Up to the point of the Annual General Meeting, the mandate was granted 
to PriceWaterhouseCoopers AG, who were thus responsible for the audit 
of the fi rst quarterly fi nancial statements. This responsibility passed to 
Deloitte from the second quarter onwards.

The  transfer  process  proceeded  professionally  and  smoothly  during 
the fi nancial year. The experience gathered thus far with Deloitte as an 

16

auditor  also  confi rms  that  we  have  gained  a  reliable  partner  for  the 
audit in Deloitte.

Reliability of fi nancial reporting and monitoring of 
accounting process

The Executive Board of a German stock corporation (Aktiengesellschaft) 
is solely responsible for preparing its Annual Report & Accounts (ARA). 
Section 243(2) of the German Commercial Code (HGB) requires the ARA 
to be clearly structured and to give a realistic overview of the company’s 
fi nancial situation. This is equivalent to the requirement of the UK Code 
for the ARA to be fair, balanced and understandable. Even though the 
evaluation  of  this  requirement  has  not  been  transferred  to  the  Audit 
Committee, the Executive Board is comfortable that the submitted ARA 
satisfi es the requirements of both legal systems.

In order to be sure ourselves of the reliability of both the annual fi nancial 
statements and interim (quarterly) reporting, we have requested that 
the Executive Board inform us in detail about the Group’s business per-
formance  and  its  fi nancial  situation.  This  was  done  in  the  four  Audit 
Committee meetings that took place directly before the fi nancial state-
ments in question were published. In these meetings, the relevant reports 
were discussed and the auditors also reported in detail on key aspects of 
the fi nancial statements and on the fi ndings of their audit or review.

In order to monitor accounting, we examined individual aspects in great 
detail. In addition, the accounting treatment of key balance sheet items 
were  reviewed,  in  particular  goodwill,  advance  payments  for  tourism 
services and other provisions. In consultation with the auditors, we made 
certain  that  the  assumptions  and  estimates  underlying  the  balance 
sheet were appropriate. In addition, any material legal disputes and key 
accounting issues arising from the operating businesses were assessed 
by the Audit Committee.

After the announcement of the plan to set up a European charter airline 
with the involvement of TUI fl y, huge fl ight cancellations resulted due to 
sickness notifi cations from pilots and cabin staff . We obtained extensive 
information on the reasons and above all the economic eff ects of this 
incident.

Similarly, we gathered information about the large corporate transactions 
of the fi nancial year. This included not only the acquisition of the French 
Transat Group but also the sale of the Travelopia Group and the shares in 
Hapag-Lloyd AG. Furthermore, we also examined TUI’s investing activity 
in the following areas: Airlines, Hotels & Resorts, Cruises and IT. We had 
the key investments within the Group divisions and the contributions to 
earnings from these investments explained to us.

The Audit Committee also discussed the going concern and viability 
statement analysis prepared by the company to support the statements 
made in the half-year report and the ARA. 

Starting with fi nancial year 2018, the management report must contain 
information on corporate social responsibility (CSR). The management 
decided to publish the respective information already for this fi nancial 
year. We had the management tell us about the state of implementation 
and the content of the report as the responsibility for the review of the 
content lies with the Supervisory Board. 

In addition, the consistency of the reconciliation from profi t before tax 
to  the  key  fi gure  ‘underlying  earnings’  and  the  material  adjustments 
were  discussed  for  all  quarterly  reports  and  for  the  annual  fi nancial 
statements. 

Our evaluation of all discussed aspects of accounting and fi nancial re-
porting has been in line with that of both management and the Group 
auditors.

In the period under review, we concerned ourselves above all with the 
following individual subjects:

Eff ectiveness of internal controls and the risk 
 management system

Owing to the existing geopolitical risks, we stipulated that each of the 
quarterly fi nancial statements be accompanied by a report on the effects 
on earnings, the risks from guarantee and advance payment mechanisms 
related to Group and third-party hotels in Turkey and North Africa and 
about the countermeasures being undertaken.

The potential exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union was 
repeatedly an agenda item at our meetings. In particular, we listened to 
reports about the risks connected to the exit. For instance, eff ects are 
expected on the British airlines regarding fl ight rights within the Europe-
an Union, not to mention the impact of a sustained weakness of sterling 
on the cost structure of the British tour operators.

The Audit Committee recognises that a robust and eff ective system of 
internal control is critical to achieving reliable and consistent business 
performance. To fulfi l its legal obligation to examine the eff ectiveness of 
internal controls and the risk management system, the Audit Committee 
is informed regularly about their current status and also about the further 
development of them.

The Group has continued to evolve its internal control framework which 
is underpinned by the COSO concept. Regular testing by management 
of  the  key  fi nancial  controls  is  now  a  matter  of  routine  in  the  larger 
businesses, and in our two largest Source Markets (UK and Germany) 
more widespread testing of internal controls is conducted.

C O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T  R E P O R T 

C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

A N N U A L   R E P O R T 2 0 17

 Audit Committee Report

17

Within the Group, the compliance function is further broken down into 
three  areas:  Finance,  Legal  and  IT.  These  teams  play  a  crucial  role  in 
improving controls across the Group and identifying areas where more 
focus is required. The Group auditors also report to us on any weaknesses 
they fi nd in the internal control system of individual Group companies, 
and management tracks these items to ensure that they are addressed 
on a timely basis.

As stated on page 30 of the risk report, the Audit Committee receives 
regular reports on the performance and eff ectiveness of the risk manage-
ment system. The Risk Oversight Committee is an important management 
committee within the Group and we are satisfi ed that there is appropriate, 
active management of risk throughout the Group.

The Group Audit department ensures the independent monitoring of 
implemented  processes  and  systems  as  well  as  of  core  projects  and 
reports directly to the Audit Committee in each regular meeting. In the 
period under review, the Audit Committee was not provided with any 
audit fi ndings indicating material weaknesses in internal controls or the 
risk management system. As well as this, talks are held regularly between 
the Chairman of the Audit Committee and the Director of Group Audit 
for the purposes of closer consultation.

The audits planned by the Group Audit department for the following 
year  were  presented  to  the  Audit  Committee  in  detail,  discussed  and 
approved.  The  Audit  Committee  feels  that  the  eff ectiveness  of  the 
Group Audit department is ensured through this regular consultation. 

The legal compliance system was examined by third-party experts which 
confi rmed the suitability of the compliance approach. The Groupwide, 
uniformly implemented system was presented to us and we received a 
report about the conducted risk analysis and the measures derived from 
it. In addition to the core elements of the internal control and risk man-
agement system, the Group’s hedging policy was part of the reporting 
to us during the year.

Whistleblower systems for employees in the event 
of compliance breaches

Whistleblower systems have been set up across the Group to enable em-
ployees to draw attention to potential breaches of compliance guidelines.

Reporting on the legal compliance system included information about 
the groupwide standardisation of these whistleblower systems and we 
were  also  shown  the  main  fi ndings  during  the  current  fi nancial  year 
from this system.

Examination of auditor independence and objectivity

After fi nalisation of the tender process in the fi nancial year 2016, the 
Audit Committee recommended to the Supervisory Board that it propose 
Deloitte to the Annual General Meeting as auditors for fi nancial year 2017 
as well. Following the commissioning of Deloitte as auditors by the Annual 
General  Meeting  in  February  2017,  the  Supervisory  Board  appointed 
Deloitte with the task of auditing the 2017 annual fi nancial statements 
and reviewing the half-year fi nancial statements as per 31 March 2017. 

The Chairman of the Audit Committee discussed with Deloitte in advance 
the  audit  plan  for  the  annual  fi nancial  statements  as  at  30  Septem-
ber 2017, including the key areas of focus for the audit and the main 
companies to be audited from the Group’s perspective. Based on this, the 
Audit Committee fi rmly believes that the audit has taken into account the 
main fi nancial risks to an appropriate degree and is satisfi ed that the 
auditors are independent and objective in how they conduct their work. 

The audit fees were explained in the context of this selection process 
and we are convinced that the amount of these costs is reasonable. Based 
on the regular reporting by the auditors, we have every confi dence in 
the eff ectiveness of the external audit. 

In  order  to  ensure  the  independence  of  the  auditors,  any  non-audit 
services to be performed by the auditors must be submitted to the Audit 
Committee for approval before commissioning. Depending on the amount 
involved, the Audit Committee makes use of the option of delegating 
the approval to the company. The Audit Committee Chairman is only 
involved  in  the  decision  once  a  specifi ed  cost  limit  has  been  reached. 
Insofar as the auditor has performed services that do not fall under the 
Group audit, the nature and extent of these have been explained to the 
Audit  Committee.  This  process  complies  with  the  company’s  existing 
guideline regarding the approval of non-audit services and it takes into 
account  the  requirements  from  the  AReG  regulations  on  prohibited 
non-audit services and on limitations of the scope of non-audit services. 
In fi nancial year 2017, these non-audit services accounted for 7 % of the 
auditor’s overall fee of € 9.1 million. 

I  would  like  to  take  this  opportunity  to  thank  the  Audit  Committee 
members, the auditors and the management for their hard work over 
the past fi nancial year.

Hanover, 11 December 2017

Prof. Edgar Ernst
Chairman of the Audit Committee

Croatia and Montenegro. The two Balkan states 
have recently developed into high-growth travel 
destinations, making them interesting settings for 
new TUI hotels. An experienced scout visits the 
area to check out potential sites and properties. 
Top of his evaluation criteria: location.

 R E A D   M O R E   A B O U T T H E   W O R K  O F   O U R   H OT E L  S CO U T   
I N  T H E   M A G A Z I N E   U N D E R   ‘ P E A R L  D I V E R ’ 

C O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T  R E P O R T 
C O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T  R E P O R T 

C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

Combined Management Report*

20  Corporate profile
20  Business model and strategy
24  How we do it – Group structure 
27 

 How we measure it – value-oriented Group 
management
30  Risk report
47 

 Overall assessment by the Executive Board 
and report on expected developments

Segmental performance

55  Group earnings
59 
64  Net assets
66 
Financial position of the Group
72  Non-financial Group declaration 
88  Annual financial statements of TUI AG
91  TUI share
96 

Information required under takeover law

51  Business review
51 

 Why we do it – macroeconomic industry and 
market framework

*  The present combined Management Report has been drawn up for  
both the TUI Group and TUI AG. It was prepared in accordance with 
 sections 289, 315 and 315 (a) of the German Commercial Code (HGB)  
and German  Accounting Standards (DR S) numbers 17 and 20.  

The combined Management Report also includes the   
Remuneration  Report, the Corporate  Governance Report  
and the Financial Highlights.

 
20

Business model 
and strategy

a  This number includes concept hotels and 3rd party concept hotels
b  This number relates to Sales & Marketing / all other

C O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T R E P O R T

  Corporate Profile

21

C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

Our Business Model 

Our Employees

Qualified and committed employees are a 
major prerequisite for TUI’s long-term success. 
One of the key elements of our global HR 
strategy, therefore, is to attract and promote 
people with talent and to retain them by 
 offering attractive employment conditions.

It is our staff who breathe life into our corporate 
values ‘Trusted’, ‘Unique’ and ‘Inspiring’. Along-
side our vision and our customer promise, they 
form the basis for our attitudes and actions. 

Our employee survey TUIgether, which was 
carried out in in the period under review is a 
crucial yardstick, showing us our strengths 
and areas for potential improvements, so that 
we can improve the corporate performance and 
make TUI an even more attractive employer. 
The survey measures the Engagement Index of 
TUI Group, which is 77 in this year’s cycle. 

Further information about our employees 
and our sustainability strategy can be found 
on page 81.

TUI is the world’s leading tourism group – an integrated business that 
operates in all stages of the customer’s holiday journey.

We deliver the full customer experience from inspiration and booking 
through the travel journey to the experience in the destination. We 
fulfil this through our own hotel and cruise brands, third party com-
mitted  and  non-committed  accommodation  as  well  as  destination 
services, such as transfers and excursions. Hence, we set ourselves 
apart from component-only players as we are able to enhance the 
customer experience throughout the holiday.

Our integrated model allows us to leverage the distribution power of 
our source markets and to optimise customer volumes for our own 
assets.  At  the  same  time,  offering  differentiated  and  controlled 
products, we drive demand in our source markets and create entry 
barriers. Thus, we maximise yields while minimising risk with our 
integrated approach.

Our Segment Strategy

Sales & Marketing: Market demand, 
 digitalisation and diversification

Across three regions (Northern, Central and Western) we use our dis-
tribution and fulfilment power to serve 20 m customers. Our business 
model  allows  our  source  markets  to  act  with  maximum  flexibility, 
allowing them to create personalised packages for our customers 
while optimising yield and minimising risks through combining both 
owned as well as 3rd party aviation, hotel and cruise capacity.

22

Our in-house aviation with around 150 aircraft allows us to utilise 
own flight capacity in conjunction with own hotel capacity in order to 
build high profile destinations, such as Cape Verde. In these destina-
tions, we provide unique experiences to our customers and create 
high  barriers  of  entry  by  managing  both  hotel  capacity  and  flight 
availability. In addition, our airline allows for flexibility in destination 
planning,  as  we  are  in  the  position  to  shift  capacities  and  change 
routes according to our business needs.

Destination Services, our own incoming agency, provides fulfilment 
services to our customers such as hotel transfers but also offers 
experiences in the destinations such as excursions.

Our  Sales  and  Marketing  business  is  well  positioned  to  benefit 
from continued tourism market growth. In 2017 we have accelerated 
our digitalisation efforts and inter alia launched two important IT- 
initiatives: One CRM and One Inventory Base & One Purchasing.

Customer knowledge is key to provide outstanding holiday experi-
ences that result in satisfied and loyal customers. One CRM, building 
on a shared customer data base drives our knowledge of our cus-
tomers  and  therefore  enables  us  to  build  direct  and  personalised 
relationships. Using automated machine learning and analytical capa-
bilities, we share our customer insights with the wider business and 
enable personalised marketing, sales and services. We are now able to 
provide individualised experiences, which in turn are expected to lead 
to cross- and up-selling opportunities. Last but not least, we develop 
retention propositions based on our enhanced knowledge, thereby 
driving emotional loyalty and engagement with our brand.

Building on the Blockchain technology, we are striving to central-
ise  our  inventory  on  one  database,  namely,  One  Inventory / One 
Purchasing. Own and third party hotel bed capacity is being incor-
porated in the data base, which is accessible for all source markets. 
An Artificial Intelligence system creates suggestions on the respective 
bed capacity allocation and / or bed swap to the source markets based 
on customer demand, allowing TUI to optimise yields. Blockchain as an 
underlying technology ensures transparency and trust as well as an 
immutable tracking of ownership. Suppliers can be on-boarded easily, 
including new partners from all over the world.

Holiday experiences: Grow and diversify  
in the hotel and cruise business

TUI’s hotel portfolio entails 380 hotels, operating under a concept, 
ownership, lease, management or franchise model. We differentiate 
with our own brands Robinson, TUI Magic Life and TUI Blue, as well 
as with our successful joint venture brands, such as Riu. TUI branded 
hotels show high customer satisfaction and revenue per customer, 
signalling the attractiveness to our customers.

Since the merger we concluded three non-core business disposals, 
namely Travelopia, Hotelbeds and the shareholding in Hapag-Lloyd 
AG.  We  intend  to  reinvest  the  disposal  proceeds  mainly  into  our 
hotel and cruise business, thereby further growing and diversifying 
our portfolio and pursuing on average a target ROIC of 15 % for new 
investments. Redeploying capital to our holiday experience businesses 
will enhance our capital return and will reduce the cyclicality of our 
cash flow profile. 

C O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T R E P O R T

  Corporate Profile

23

C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

On the hotel side, in line with our existing portfolio, we intend to grow 
predominantly our low capital intensity share, i. e. through manage-
ment contracts or through Joint Verntures. In unique destinations or 
in destinations with an all-year round business, we perceive owner-
ship to be a superior strategy. 

Further,  we  focus  on  diversifying  our  portfolio  geographically  by 
growing our Caribbean and Asian destinations, while strengthening 
our core destinations in Europe.

In our cruise segment, we operate a fleet of 16 cruise ships under 
three  cruise  lines,  namely  our  TUI  Cruises  Joint  Venture,  Marella 
Cruises and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises. Each cruise business is dedicated 
to a specific audience and tailors its concept accordingly, with TUI 
Cruises and Marella Cruises focusing on local mainstream customers 
and Hapag-Lloyd offering luxury and expedition experiences.

The demand in our distinct market segments relevant for our target 
customers remains very strong. Despite capacity growth, occupancy 
of our cruise ships remains at above 100 % in the mainstream market 
at stable prices, allowing us to further enhance capacity by expanding 
our fleet. 

Summary

Three years after the merger, we are a stronger, integrated and stra-
tegically better positioned business. The merger synergies are fully 
delivered. 

Looking ahead we continue to expect to deliver double digit annual 
earnings growth with less seasonality, strong cash conversion1 and 
strong  ROIC  performance.  This  will  be  driven  by  market  demand, 
digitalisation  benefits  and  disciplined  expansion  of  own  hotel  and 
cruise content.

We  therefore  expect  to  deliver  at  least  10 %  growth  in  underlying 
EBITA in financial year 20182 and extend our previous guidance of at 
least 10 % underlying EBITA C AGR to financial year 20201. 

The Executive Board and the Supervisory Board are recommending 
a dividend of 65 cents per share in respect of the financial year 2017. 
Subject to approval at the Annual General Meeting on 13 Febru-
ary 2018, shareholders who held relevant shares at close of business 
on 13 February 2018 will receive the dividend on 16 February 2018.

Further financial targets are achieving a leverage ratio 3.00 to 2.25 
times and an interest coverage 5.75 to 6.75 times.

1   We define our cash conversion as the Group’s EBITDA less our long-term gross capex 

target in relation to the Group’s EBITDA .

2   Assuming constant foreign exchange rates are applied to the result in the current and 

prior period and based on the current Group structure.

24

C O R P O R AT E   P R O F I L E

How we do it – Group structure 

S A L E S   &   M A R K E T I N G

H O L I D A Y   E X P E R I E N C E S

O T H E R

•  Northern  Region
•  Central Region
•  Western  Region

•  Hotels & Resorts
•  Cruises

•  Other Tourism
•  All other segments

TUI AG parent company

TUI AG is TUI Group’s parent company headquartered in Hanover and 
Berlin. It holds direct or, via its affiliates, indirect interests in the principal 
Group companies conducting the Group’s operating business in individual 
countries. Overall, TUI AG’s group of consolidated companies comprised 
259 direct and indirect subsidiaries at the balance sheet date. A further 
13 affiliated companies and 28 joint ventures were included in TUI AG’s 
consolidated financial statements on the basis of at equity measurement.

   For  further  details  on  principles  and  methods  of  consolidation  and  TUI 
Group shareholdings see pages 143 and 233.

O R G A N I S AT I O N   A N D   M A N A G E M E N T
TUI AG is a stock corporation under German law, whose basic principle 
is dual management by two boards, the Executive Board and the Super-
visory Board. The Executive and Supervisory Boards cooperate closely 
in  governing  and  monitoring  the  Company.  The  Executive  Board  is 
responsible for the overall management of the Company.

The appointment and removal of Board members is based on sections 
84  et  seq.  of  the  German  Stock  Corporation  Act  in  combination  with 
section 31 of the German Co-Determination Act. Amendments to the 
Articles  of  Association  are  effected  on  the  basis  of  the  provisions  of 
sections 179 et seq. of the German Stock Corporation Act in combination 
with section 24 of TUI AG’s Articles of Association.

E X E C U T I V E   B O A R D   A N D   G R O U P   E X E C U T I V E   C O M M I T T E E
At the balance sheet date, the Executive Board of TUI AG consisted of 
the CEO and five other Board members. 

  For details on Executive Board members see page 102

A Group Executive Committee was set up in order to manage TUI Group 
strategically and operationally. As at 30 September 2017, the Committee 
consisted of twelve members who meet under the chairmanship of CEO 
Friedrich Joussen. 

TUI Group structure

TUI Group’s core businesses, Sales & Marketing and Holiday Experiences, 
are clustered into the segments Northern, Central and Western Region, 
Hotels & Resorts and Cruises. TUI Group also comprises Other Tourism 
and All other segments.

S A L E S   &   M A R K E T I N G
With  our  three  regions  Northern,  Central  and  Western  Region,  we 
have  well  positioned  sales  and  marketing  structures  providing  more 
than 20 million customers a year with exceptional holiday experiences. 
Our sales activities are based on online and offline channels that also 
benefit from TUI’s strong market position. The travel agencies include 
Group-owned agencies as well as joint ventures and agencies operated 
by third parties. Thanks to our direct customer access, we are able to 
build close relationships with our guests, and in future this will allow us 
to gear their entire holiday experience even more closely to their per-
sonal  wishes  and  preferences,  giving  us  a  crucial  advantage  over  our 
competitors. In order to offer our customers a wide choice of hotels, our 

 
 
 
 
 
C O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T R E P O R T

 Corporate profile

25

C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

Sales & Marketing organisations have access to the exclusive portfolio 
of TUI hotels. They also have access to third-party bed capacity, some 
of which have been contractually committed. 

cruise  business  Marella  Cruises  (operated  under  the  brand  Thomson 
Cruises until October 2017), previously also carried under Northern 
Region, was reclassified to the Cruises segment. 

Our own flight capacity continues to play a key role in our integrated 
business model. A combination of owned and third-party flying capacity 
enables us to offer tailor-made travel programmes for each individual 
source market region and to respond flexibly to changes in customer 
preferences. Thanks to the balanced management of flight and hotel 
capacity, we are able to develop high-profile destinations and optimise 
the margins of both service providers. In financial year 2017, we con-
tinued  to  deliver  our  internal  efficiency  enhancement  programme  at 
one Aviation, delivering further economies of scale. This has secured 
the continued competitiveness of our airlines despite challenging market 
conditions. With our fleet of around 150 aircraft, we rank among the 
top  10  European  airlines  in  terms  of  size  and  are  by  far  the  largest 
charter company. By introducing 737MAX aircraft in 2018, we will con-
tinue  our  strategy  of  operating  a  modern,  fuel-efficient  fleet,  which 
began with the 787 Dreamliner.

N O R T H E R N   R E G I O N
The Northern Region segment comprises Sales & Marketing activities 
and airlines in the UK, Ireland and the Nordics. In addition, the Canadian 
strategic venture Sunwing and the joint venture TUI Russia have been 
included within this segment. In the period under review, the hotel 
operator Blue Diamond Hotels and Resorts Inc., St. Michael, Barbados, 
previously carried under Northern Region, was integrated into our hotel 
business and is now carried in Hotels & Resorts. Moreover, the British 

C E N T R A L   R E G I O N
The Central Region segment comprises the sales and marketing activities 
and airlines in Germany and the Sales & Marketing activities in Austria, 
Switzerland and Poland. 

W E S T E R N   R E G I O N
The sales and marketing activities and airlines in Belgium, the Netherlands 
and  the  Sales  &  Marketing  activities  in  France  are  included  within  the 
segment Western Region.

H O L I D AY   E X P E R I E N C E S
Holiday Experiences comprise our hotel and cruises activities.

H O T E L S   &   R E S O R T S
The  Hotels  &  Resorts  segment  comprises  TUI  Group’s  diversified 
portfolio  of  Group  hotel  brands  and  hotel  companies.  The  segment 
includes ownership in hotels, joint ventures with local partners, stakes 
in  companies  giving  TUI  a  significant  influence,  and  hotels  operated 
under management contracts. 

In financial year 2017, Hotels & Resorts comprised a total of 327 hotels 
with 238,775 beds. TUI Group also comprised 53 concept hotels operat-
ed by third-parties under the TUI concepts TUI Sensatori, TUI Sensimar 
and TUI Family Life.

Hotels & Resorts financing structure

Hotels & Resorts beds per region

(44) 45

Management

%

3 (3) 
Franchise
13 (15)
Lease

39 (38)
Ownership

(20) 29

Caribbean

(25) 23
Eastern 
 Mediterranean

%

8 (9)
Other countries

18 (20)
North Africa / 
Egypt

22 (26) 
Western 
 Mediterranean

In brackets: previous year

Riu
Riu is the largest hotel company in the portfolio of Hotels & Resorts. 
The Majorca-based company has a high proportion of regular customers 
and  stands  out  for  its  professionalism,  proven  quality  and  excellent 

service. Most of the hotels are in the premium and comfort segments 
and they are predominantly located in Spain, Mexico and the Caribbean.

26

Robinson
Robinson, the leading provider in the German-speaking premium club 
holiday segment, is characterised by its professional sport, entertainment 
and event portfolio. Moreover, the clubs offer high-quality hotel amenities, 
excellent service and spacious architecture. Most of the hotels are located 
in  Spain,  Greece,  Turkey,  the  Maledives  and  Austria.  The  facilities  are 
also  aspirational  in  terms  of  promoting  sustainable  development  and 
signing up to specific environmental standards.

Blue Diamond
In the period under review the hotel operator Blue Diamond Hotels and 
Resorts Inc., St. Michael, Barbados, has been integrated into the Hotel 
& Resorts segment. It was previously carried under Northern Region. 
Blue Diamond is a fast growing resort chain in the Caribbean with a 
unique approach of tailoring hotels to meet the highest expectations.

Other hotel companies and concept hotels
Other hotel companies include in particular the Group’s other core brands 
TUI Blue and TUI Magic Life, the hotels of the Grupotel and Iberotel 
brands as well as our exclusive hotel concepts TUI Sensimar, TUI Sensatori 
and TUI Family Life. They provide holidays in top locations in our destin-
ations and meet high performance, quality and environmental standards. 

C R U I S E S
The  Cruises  segment  consists  of  Hapag-Lloyd  Cruises  and  the  joint 
venture TUI Cruises. In the period under review, the British cruise busi-
ness  Thomson  Cruises,  previously  managed  within  Northern  Region, 
was  reclassified  to  the  Cruises  segment.  In  October  2017  Thomson 
Cruises was rebranded to Marella Cruises. With their combined fleet of 
16  vessels,  the  three  cruise  lines  offer  different  service  concepts  to 
serve different target groups. 

Cruise Fleet By Ownership Structure

Owned

Finance 
Lease

Operating 
Lease

TUI Cruises (JV )
Marella Cruises*
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises

6
1
3

–
3
–

–
2
1

As at 30 September 2017
* Previously operated under the brand Thomson Cruises 

Total

6
6
4

TUI Cruises
Hamburg-based TUI Cruises is a joint venture formed in 2008 between 
TUI AG and the US shipping company Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., in 
which  each  partner  holds  a  50 %  stake.  With  six  ships,  TUI  Cruises  is 
top-ranked in the German-speaking high-volume premium market for 
cruises. The Berlitz Cruise Guide rated Mein Schiff 3, Mein Schiff 4, Mein 
Schiff 5 and Mein Schiff 6 among the world’s five best liners in the 
category ‘Large Ships’.

Marella Cruises
Marella Cruises, previously operated under the brand Thomson Cruises, 
offers  voyages  for  different  segments  in  the  British  market.  Its  fleet 
includes the Marella Discovery, named in June 2016, and the Marella 
Discovery 2, launched in May 2017.

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises
Hapag-Lloyd  Cruises  is  based  in  Hamburg,  and  it  holds  a  position  of 
leadership in the German-language market with its fleet of four liners in 
the luxury and expedition cruise segments. Its flagships are the vessels 
Europa  and  Europa  2,  which  were  again  awarded  the  five-star-plus 
category by the Berlitz Cruise Guide and are the world’s only ships to be 
recognised in this way. The expedition vessels include the Hanseatic and 
the Bremen. 

O T H E R   T O U R I S M
Other Tourism comprises central functions such as  IT, one Aviation 
and the French airline Corsair. This segment also includes destination 
services, catering to the needs of around 12 million customers in about 
115 destinations around the world. 

A L L   O T H E R   S E G M E N T S
The  category  ‘All  other  segments’  includes  our  business  activities  for 
the new markets, the corporate centre functions of TUI AG and the 
interim holdings, as well as the Group’s real estate companies.

The  final  remaining  stake  in  Hapag-Lloyd  AG,  container  shipping  was 
disposed on 10 July 2017 after some stakes had already been sold in 
the market.

D I S C O N T I N U E D   O P E R AT I O N S
In financial year 2017, Specialist Group carried under discontinued oper-
ations in previous year, comprised the tour operator activities pooled 
under  Travelopia,  above  all  providing  expedition  trips,  luxury  travel, 
trips  to  sports  events,  student  travel  and  sailing  trips.  The  language 
travel segment had already been sold in the prior financial year. Crystal 
Ski and Thomson Lakes & Mountains, which had previously also formed 
part of Specialist Group, were reclassified to Northern Region and inte-
grated into TUI UK’s business at the beginning of financial year 2017, as 
they have strong synergies and deliver exciting travel experiences.

The sale of Specialist Group (Travelopia) to Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) 
was completed on 15 June 2017. 

Research and development

As a tourism service provider, the TUI Group does not engage in research 
and development activities comparable with manufacturing companies. 
This sub-report is therefore not prepared.

 
C O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T R E P O R T

 Corporate profile

27

C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

How we measure it – value-oriented Group management

Management system and Key Performance  
Indicators

As the world’s leading tourism group with one global brand, an attractive 
hotel portfolio, a growing cruise business, a modern and efficient aircraft 
fleet and direct access to 20 million customers, we aim to secure our 
vertically integrated business model by means of profitable growth and 
achieve a sustainable increase in the value of the TUI Group. 

A  standardised  management  system  has  been  created  to  implement 
value-driven management across the Group as a whole and in its indi-
vidual  business  segments.  The  value-oriented  management  system  is 
an  integral  part  of  consistent  Group-wide  planning  and  controlling 
processes.

Key management variables used for regular value analysis are Return 
On Invested Capital (ROIC) and Economic Value Added. ROIC is compared 
with the segment-specific cost of capital. ROIC is calculated as the ratio 
of underlying earnings before interest, taxes and amortisation of good-
will  (underlying  EBITA)  to  average  invested  interest-bearing  invested 
capital (invested capital) for the segment.

Our definition of EBITA is earnings before interest, income tax and im-
pairment of goodwill and excluding the result from the measurement of 
interest hedges. 

In order to explain and measure TUI Group’s operating performance, 
we use underlying EBITA. The underlying EBITA has been adjusted for 
gains on disposal of financial investments, expenses in connection with 

restructuring measures according to IAS 37, all effects of purchase price 
allocations, ancillary acquisition cost and conditional purchase price 
payments and other expenses for and income from one-off items. The 
one-off  items  carried  as  adjustments  are  income  and  expense  items 
impacting or distorting the assessment of the operating profitability of 
the segments and the Group due to their level and frequency. These 
one-off items include major restructuring and integration expenses not 
meeting the criteria of IAS 37, major expenses for litigation, profit and 
loss from the sale of aircraft and other material business transactions 
of a one-off nature.

In the framework of our growth strategy, we aim to achieve an underlying 
EBITA CAGR of at least 10 % over the years to financial year 2020 (on a 
constant currency basis).

In order to follow the development of the business performance of our 
segments in the course of the year, we monitor the financial indicators 
turnover and EBITA, but also key non-financial performance indicators, 
such as customer numbers in our Sales & Marketing, and capacity or 
passenger days, occupancy and average prices in Hotels & Resorts and 
Cruises. In the framework of our sustainability reporting, we have also 
defined a target indicator for specific CO2 emissions per passenger kilo-
metre for our airlines. We measure achievement of that indicator on an 
annual basis.

   Information on operating performance indicators is provided in the sections 
on ‘Segmental performance’and ‘Non-financial declaration’ and in the Report 
on Expected Developments

28

Cost of capital

Cost of capital (WACC)

%

Risk-free interest rate
Risk adjustment
  Market risk premium
  Beta factor 1
Cost of equity after taxes
Cost of debt capital before taxes
Tax shield
Cost of debt capital after taxes
Share of equity 2
Share of debt capital 2
WACC after taxes 3
Cost of equity before taxes
Cost of debt capital before taxes
Share of equity 2
Share of debt capital 2
WACC before taxes 3

Hotels

2017

1.25
6.23
6.50
0.9590
7.48
2.09
0.52
1.57
84.70
15.30
6.50
9.59
2.09
84.70
15.30
8.50

Cruises

2017

1.25
5.44
6.50
0.8373
6.69
2.09
0.04
2.05
64.80
35.20
5.00
6.80
2.09
64.80
35.20
5.25

Sales & 
 Marketing

2017

TUI Group

2017

1.25
5.41
6.50
0.8320
6.66
3.52
0.81
2.71
63.56
36.44
5.25
8.12
3.52
63.56
36.44
6.50

1.25
5.64
6.50
0.8672
6.89
2.95
0.62
2.33
69.46
30.54
5.50
8.36
2.95
69.46
30.54
6.75

1  Segment beta based on peer group, group beta based on weighted segment betas
2  Segment share based on peer group, group share based on weighted segment shares
3  Rounded to 1/4 percentage points

The cost of capital is calculated as the weighted average cost of equity 
and  debt  capital  (WACC).  While  the  cost  of  equity  reflects  the  return 
expected by investors from TUI shares, the cost of debt capital is based 
on the average borrowing costs of the TUI Group. The cost of capital 
always shows pre-tax costs, i.e. costs before corporate and investor taxes. 
The expected return determined in this way corresponds to the same 
tax level as the underlying earnings included in ROIC.

ROIC and Economic Value Added

ROIC is calculated as the ratio of underlying earnings before interest, 
taxes and amortisation of goodwill (underlying EBITA) to the average 

for invested interest-bearing capital (invested capital) for the relevant 
segment or sector. Given its definition, this performance indicator is not 
influenced  by  any  tax  or  financial  factors  and  has  been  adjusted  for 
one-off effects. From a Group perspective, invested capital is derived 
from liabilities, comprising equity (including non-controlling interests) and 
the  balance  of  interest-bearing  liabilities  and  interest-bearing  assets. 
The cumulative amortisations of purchase price allocations are then 
added to the invested capital. 

Apart  from  ROIC  as  a  relative  performance  indicator,  economic  value 
added  is  used  as  an  absolute  value-oriented  performance  indicator. 
Economic Value Added is calculated as the product of ROIC less associated 
capital costs multiplied by interest-bearing invested capital.

C O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T R E P O R T

 Corporate profile

29

C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

ROIC and Value added TUI Group

€ million

Equity
Subscribed capital
Capital reserves
Revenue reserves
Non-controlling interest
plus interest bearing financial liability items
Pension provisions and similar obigations
Non-current financial liabilities
Current financial liabilities
Derivative financial instruments
less financial assets
Financial assets available for sale
Derivative financial instruments
Cash and cash equivalents
Other financial assets
plus purchase price allocation
Invested Capital
Invested Capital Prior year
Seasonal adjustment1
Ø Invested capital2
Underlying EBITA
ROIC
Weighted average cost of capital (WACC)
Value added

1 Adjustment to net debt to reflect a seasonal average cash balance
2  Average value based on balance at beginning and year-end, incl. seasonal adjustment. 

For TUI Group, ROIC was 23.6 %, up by 1.7 percentage points compared 
to the previous year. With the cost of capital of 6.75 %, this meant positive 
Economic Value Added of € 787.0 m (previous year € 657.4 m).

Notes

2017

2016

(24)
(25)
(26)
(28)

(29)
(31), (38)
(31), (38)
(38)

(17), (38)
(38)
(22), (38)

3,533.7
1,501.6
4,195.0
– 2,756.9
594.0
3,328.1
1,127.4
1,761.2
171.9
267.6
3,024.7
69.5
295.3
2,516.1
143.8
317.5
4,154.7
4,180.6
500.0
4,667.7
1,102.1
23.61
6.75
787.0

3,248.2
1,500.7
4,192.2
– 3,017.8
573.1
3,769.1
1,450.9
1,503.4
537.7
277.1
3,137.2
316.2
671.4
2,072.9
76.7
300.5
4,180.6
3,968.1
500.0
4,574.4
1,000.5
21.87
7.50
657.4

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
30

R I S K   R E P O R T

Successful management of existing and emerging risks is critical to the 
long-term success of our business and to the achievement of our stra-
tegic objectives. In order to seize market opportunities and leverage the 
potential  for  success,  risk  must  be  accepted  to  a  reasonable  degree. 
Risk  management  is  therefore  an  integral  component  of  the  Group’s 
Corporate Governance.

The current financial year has seen further maturity of the risk manage-
ment framework with testing of key controls now occurring in our two 
largest  source  markets  and  regular  testing  of  key  financial  controls 
occurring  across  all  of  our  larger  businesses.  Our  risk  governance 
framework is set out below.

Risk Governance Framework

S T R AT E G I C   D I R E C T I O N   A N D   R I S K   A P P E T I T E
The Executive Board, with oversight by the Supervisory Board, deter-
mines the strategic direction of the TUI Group and agrees the nature and 
extent of the risks it is willing to take to achieve its strategic objectives.

To  ensure  that  the  strategic  direction  chosen  by  the  business  repre-
sents the best of the strategic options open to it, the Executive Board 
is  supported  by  the  Group  Strategy  function.  This  function  exists  to 
facilitate and inform the Executive Board’s assessment of the risk land-
scape  and  development  of  potential  strategies  by  which  it  can  drive 
long-term  shareholder  value.  On  an  annual  basis  the  Group  Strategy 
function develops an in-depth fact base in a consistent format which 
outlines  the  market  attractiveness,  competitive  position  and  financial 

performance  by  division  and  source  market.  These  are  then  used  to 
facilitate  debate  as  to  the  level  and  type  of  risk  that  the  Executive 
Board finds appropriate in the pursuit of its strategic objectives. The 
strategy, once fully defined, considered and approved by the Executive 
Board, is then incorporated into the Group’s three-year roadmap and 
helps to communicate the risk appetite and expectations of the organ-
isation both internally and externally.

Ultimate responsibility for the Group’s risk management rests with the 
Executive Board. Having determined and communicated the appropriate 
level of risk for the business, the Executive Board has established and 
maintains  a  risk  management  system  to  identify,  assess,  manage  and 
monitor  risks  which  could  threaten  the  existence  of  the  company  or 
have a significant impact on the achievement of its strategic objectives: 
these  are  referred  to  as  the  principal  risks  of  the  Group.  This  risk 
management system includes an internally-published risk management 
policy which helps to reinforce the tone set from the top on risk, by 
instilling an appropriate risk culture in the organisation whereby employ-
ees  are  expected  to  be  risk  aware,  control  minded  and  ‘do  the  right 
thing’. The policy provides a formal structure for risk management to 
embed it in the fabric of the business. Each principal risk has assigned 
to it a member of the Executive Committee as overall risk sponsor to 
ensure that there is clarity of responsibility and to ensure that each of 
the principal risks are understood fully and managed effectively.

The Executive Board regularly reports to the Audit Committee of the 
Supervisory  Board  on  the  overall  risk  position  of  the  Group,  on  the 
individual principal risks and their management, and on the performance 
and effectiveness of the risk management system as a whole.

C O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T R E P O R T

 Risk report

31

C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

TUI Group Risk Management Roles & Responsibilities

E X E C U T I V E   B O A R D
Direct & Assure

•   Overall responsibility for  

•   Approve risk policy including risk appetite  

•   Review the effectiveness of the  

risk management

and set tone at the top

risk management system

•   Determine strategic approach  

•   Agree how principal risks are managed, 

to risk

 mitigated and monitored

R I S K   O V E R S I G H T  C O M M I T T E E   ( R O C )
Review & Communicate

•   Formulate risk strategy and policy
•   Discuss and propose risk appetite

•   Summarise principal risks
•    Ensure effective monitoring

•   Embed risk within business planning

G R O U P  R I S K  T E A M
Support & Report

B U S I N E S S E S   &   F U N C T I O N S
Identify & Assess

•  Understand key risks
•   Review key risks and mitigation

•  Manage and monitor risks
•  Report on risk status

R I S K   C H A M P I O N   C O M M U N I T Y

The Risk Oversight Committee (‘ROC’) ensures on behalf of the Execu-
tive  Board  that  business  risks  are  identified,  assessed,  managed  and 
monitored across the businesses and functions of the Group. Meeting 
on at least a quarterly basis, the ROC’s responsibilities include consider-
ing the principal risks to the Group’s strategy and the risk appetite for 
each of those risks, assessing the operational effectiveness of the controls 
in place to manage those risks and any action plans to further improve 
controls, and reviewing the bottom-up risk reporting from the businesses 
themselves to assess whether there are any heightened areas of concern. 
The ROC helps to ensure that risk management is embedded into the 
planning cycle of the Group and has oversight of the stress-testing of 
cash flow forecasts.

Senior  executives  from  the  Group’s  major  businesses  are  required  to 
attend the ROC on a rotational basis and present on the risk and control 
framework in their business, so that the members of the ROC can ask 
questions on the processes in place, the risks present in each business 
and any new or evolving risks which may be on their horizon, and also to 
seek confirmation that the appropriate risk culture continues to be in 
place in each of the major businesses.

Chaired by the Chief Financial Officer, other members of the Committee 
include the Group Director Controlling and Finance Director Tourism, 
the  directors  of  Compliance  &  Risk,  Financial  Accounting,  Treasury  & 
Insurance,  Group  Reporting  &  Analysis,  Assurance,  M & A,  Investor 
Relations and representatives from the IT and Legal Compliance func-
tions  and  Group  HR.  The  director  of  Group  Audit  attends  without 

32

having voting rights to maintain the independence of their function. The 
ROC reports quarterly to the Executive Board to ensure that it is kept 
abreast of changes in the risk landscape and developments in the man-
agement of principal risks, and to facilitate regular quality discussions 
on risks and risk management at the Executive Board.

The Executive Board has also established a Group Risk team to ensure 
that the risk management system functions effectively and that the risk 
management  policy  is  implemented  appropriately  across  the  Group. 
The Group Risk team supports the risk management process by providing 
guidance,  support  and  challenge  to  management  whilst  acting  as  the 
central point for coordinating, monitoring and reporting on risk across 
the Group. The Group Risk team is responsible for the administration 
and  operation  of  the  risk  and  control  software  which  underpins  the 
Group’s risk reporting and risk management process.

Each division and source market within the Group is required to adopt 
the Group Risk Management policy. In order to do this, each either has 
their own Risk Committee or includes risk as a regular agenda item at 
their Board meetings to ensure that it receives the appropriate senior 
management attention within their business. In addition, the divisions 
and source markets each appoint a Risk Champion, who promotes the 
risk management policy within their business and ensures its effective 
application.  The  Risk  Champions  are  necessarily  in  close  contact  with 
the Group Risk team and they are critical both in ensuring that the risk 
management system functions effectively and in implementing a culture 
of continuous improvement in risk management and reporting.

R I S K   M A N A G E M E N T   P R O C E S S
The Group Risk team applies a consistent risk methodology across all 
key areas of the business. This is underpinned by risk and control soft-
ware which reinforces clarity of language, visibility of risks, controls and 
actions and accountability of ownership. Although the process of risk 
identification, assessment and response is continuous and embedded 
within the day-to-day operations of the divisions and source markets, it 
is consolidated, reported and reviewed at varying levels throughout the 
Group on at least a quarterly basis.

Risk Identification: On a quarterly basis, line management closest to 
the risks identify the risks relevant to the pursuit of the strategy within 
their business area in the context of four types of risk:

•  longer-term strategic and emerging threats;
•  medium-term challenges associated with business change programmes;
•  short-term risks triggered by changes in the external and regulatory 

environment; and

•  short-term risks in relation to internal operations and control.

A  risk  owner  is  assigned  to  each  risk,  who  has  the  accountability  and 
authority for ensuring that the risk is appropriately managed.

Risk  Descriptions:  The  nature  of  the  risk  is  articulated,  stating  the 
underlying concern the risk gives arise to, identifying the possible causal 
factors that may result in the risk materialising and outlining the potential 
consequences  should  the  risk  crystallise.  This  allows  the  divisions /  
source  markets  and  the  Group  to  assess  the  interaction  of  risks  and 
potential triggering events and / or aggregated impacts before developing 
appropriate mitigation strategies to target causes and / or consequences.

Risk Assessment: The methodology used is to initially assess the gross 
risk.  The  gross  risk  is  essentially  the  worst  case  scenario,  being  the 
product of the impact together with the likelihood of the risk material-
ising if there were no controls in place to manage, mitigate or monitor 
the risk. The key benefit of assessing the gross risk is that it highlights 
the potential risk exposure if controls were to fail completely or not be 
in place at all. Both impact and likelihood are scored on a rating of 1 to 5 
using the criteria outlined below.

The next step in the process is to assess the controls which are currently 
in place and which help to reduce the likelihood of the risk materialising 
and / or  its  impact  if  it  does.  The  details  of  the  controls  including  the 
control owners are documented. Consideration of the controls in place 
then  enables  the  current  or  net  risk  score  to  be  assessed,  which  is 
essentially  the  reasonably  foreseeable  scenario.  This  measures  the 
impact and likelihood of the risk with the current controls identified in 
operation. The key benefit of assessing the current risk score is that it 
provides an understanding of the current level of risk faced today and 
the reliance placed on the controls currently in operation.

C O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T R E P O R T

 Risk report

33

C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

Impact Assessment

I N S I G N I F I C A N T

M I N O R

M O D E R AT E

M A J O R

C ATA ST R O P H I C

Q U A N T I TAT I V E

< 3 % EBITA* 
(< € 30 m)

3 – < 5 % EBITA*
( 30 – < € 50 m)

5 – < 10 % EBITA*
(50 – < € 105 m)

10 – < 15 % EBITA*
(105 – < € 160 m)

≥ 15 % EBITA*
( ≥ € 160 m)

Q U A L I TAT I V E

Minimal impact on

Limited impact on

Short term impact on

Medium term impact on

Detrimental impact on

•  Global reputation
•  Programme delivery
•  Technology reliability
•  Health & Safety 

•  Global reputation
•  Programme delivery
•  Technology reliability
•  Health & Safety 

•  Global reputation
•  Programme delivery
•  Technology reliability
•  Health & Safety 

•  Global reputation
•  Programme delivery
•  Technology reliability
•  Health & Safety 

•  Global reputation
•  Programme delivery
•  Technology reliability
•  Health & Safety 

 standards

 standards

 standards

 standards

 standards

* Budgeted underlying EBITA for the financial year ended 30 September 2017

Likelihood Assessment

R A R E
< 10 % Chance

U N L I K E LY
10 – < 30 % Chance

P O S S I B L E
30 – < 60 % Chance

L I K E LY
60 – < 80 % Chance

A L M O ST  C E R TA I N
≥ 80 % Chance

Risk Response: If management are comfortable with the current risk 
score, then the risk is accepted and therefore no further action is required. 
The controls in place continue to be operated and management monitor 
the  risk,  the  controls  and  the  risk  landscape  to  ensure  that  the  risk 
score stays stable and in line with management’s tolerance of the risk.

If,  however,  management  assesses  that  the  current  risk  score  is  too 
high, then an action plan will be drawn up with the objective of intro-
ducing  new  or  stronger  controls  which  will  reduce  the  impact  and / or 
likelihood  of  the  risk  to  an  acceptable,  tolerable  and  justifiable  level. 
This  is  known  as  the  target  risk  score  and  is  the  parameter  by  which 
management  can  ensure  the  risk  is  being  managed  in  line  with  the 
Group’s overall risk appetite. The risk owner will normally be the indi-
vidual tasked with ensuring that this action plan is implemented within 
an agreed timetable.

Each division / source market will continue to review their risk register 
on an ongoing basis through the mechanism appropriate for their business 
e. g. local Risk Committee. The risk owner will be held to account if action 
plans are not implemented within the agreed delivery timescales.

This bottom-up risk reporting is considered by the ROC alongside the 
Group’s principal risks. New risks are added to the Group’s principal risk 

register if deemed to be of a significant nature so that the ongoing status 
and the progression of key action plans can be managed in line with the 
Group’s targets and expectations.

A D   H O C   R I S K   R E P O R T I N G
Whilst there is a formal process in place aligned to reporting on risks 
and risk management on a quarterly basis, the process of risk identifi-
cation, assessment and response is continuous and therefore if required 
risks can be reported to the Executive Board outside of the quarterly 
process if events dictate that this is necessary and appropriate. Ideally 
such ad hoc reporting is performed by the business or function which is 
closest to the risk, but it can be performed by the Group Risk team if 
necessary. The best example of ad hoc risk reporting in the year was an 
assessment of the risks posed by the insolvency of Air Berlin.

R I S K   M AT U R I T Y   &   C U LT U R E
During  the  current  financial  year,  the  Risk  Champions  and  the  Group 
Risk team have continued to work together on risk management actions 
plans for the businesses as part of the culture of continuous improvement. 
Periodically we ask the businesses to formally assess the risk maturity 
and  culture  of  their  business,  primarily  through  the  Risk  Champions 
completing self-assessment questionnaires, validating this with their local 
boards and then discussing their responses with the Group Risk team. 

 
 
 
 
 
34

We regularly conduct a Group-wide employee survey, and the feedback 
received from our employees often leads to a number of initiatives being 
taken. The survey is a key yardstick for us, indicating where we stand 
and  facilitating  the  reinforcement  of  our  vision  and  values  into  our 
corporate culture. 

E N T I T Y   S C O P I N G 
A  robust  exercise  is  conducted  each  year  to  determine  the  specific 
entities  in  the  Group  which  need  to  be  included  within  the  risk  and 
control software and therefore be subject to the full rigour of the risk 
management  process.  The  scoping  exercise  starts  with  the  entities 
included within the Group’s consolidation system, and applies materiality 
thresholds to a combination of revenue, profit and asset benchmarks. 
From  the  entities  this  identifies,  the  common  business  management 
level  at  which  those  entities  are  managed  is  identified  to  dictate  the 
entities which need to be set in the risk and control software itself to 
facilitate completeness of bottom-up risk reporting across the Group. 
This ensures that the risks and controls are able to be captured appro-
priately at the level at which the risks are being managed. 

plans to introduce further controls, and ensuring that risk identification 
has considered the four risk categories. 

Finally, in accordance with Section 317 (4) HGB (German Commercial 
Code), the auditor of TUI AG has reviewed the Group’s early detection 
system for risks in place as required by Section 91 (2) AktG (German 
Stock Corporation Act) to conclude, if the system can fulfill its duties. 

Principal Risks

There are some principal risks which are inherent to the tourism sector 
and  necessarily  face  all  businesses  in  the  sector.  For  these  inherent 
risks we have controls, processes and procedures in place as a matter of 
course which serve to mitigate each risk to either minimise the likeli-
hood of the event occurring and / or minimise the impact if it does occur. 
These risks are on our risk radar and we regularly monitor the risk, the 
controls and the risk landscape to ensure that the risk score stays stable 
and in line with our risk appetite in each case. 

E F F E C T I V E N E S S   O F   R I S K   M A N A G E M E N T   S Y S T E M
The Executive Board regularly reports to the Audit Committee of the 
Supervisory  Board  on  the  performance  and  effectiveness  of  the  risk 
management system, supported by the ROC and the Group Risk team. 
The results of control testing in the UK&I and German businesses and 
the financial control testing undertaken across a number of our larger 
businesses forms a key part of the effectiveness oversight. Additionally, 
the Audit Committee receives assurance from Internal Audit through its 
programme  of  audits  over  a  selection  of  principal  risks  and  business 
transformation initiatives most critical to the Group’s continued success. 

Furthermore, the tourism industry is fast-paced and competitive, with 
the  emergence  of  new  market  participants  operating  new  business 
models,  combined  with  consumer  tastes  and  preferences  evolving  all 
the  time.  As  a  result  as  a  business  we  always  have  to  adapt  to  the 
changing environment, and it is this process of constant change which 
generally gives rise to a number of principal risks which we have to 
actively manage in order to bring the risk into line with our overall risk 
appetite. We have action plans in place to increase controls around each 
of these risks and reduce the current net risk score to the target level 
indicated in the heat map overleaf.

The  conclusion  from  all  of  the  above  assurance  work  is  that  the  risk 
management  system  has  functioned  effectively  throughout  the  year 
and there have been no significant failings or weaknesses identified. Of 
course there is always room for improvement and as noted earlier, the 
Risk  Champions  and  the  Group  Risk  team  have  continued  to  work 
together on risk management actions plans for the businesses. Broadly 
this concerns ensuring consistency of approach in assessing risk scores, 
clearer identification of controls currently in place as well as any action 

In  the  heat  map  the  assessment  criteria  used  are  shown  on  page  33. 
Note that the quantitative impact assessment is based on the budgeted 
underlying EBITA for the financial year ended 30 September 2017.

If the risk detail in the subsequent tables does not suggest otherwise, 
the  risks  shown  below  relate  to  all  segments  of  the  Group.  The  risks 
listed  are  the  principal  risks  to  which  we  are  exposed  and  are  not 
exhaustive. They will necessarily evolve over time due to the dynamic 
nature of our business. 

C O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T R E P O R T

 Risk report

35

C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

Principal Risk Heat Map

T
C
A
P
M

I

G

I

7

1

5

2

5

E

F

3

4

Ris

H

ig

k 

S

c

h 

o
r
e

7

B

1

C

6

6

3

A

D

INHERENT RISKS

CURRENT RISK POSITION

A  Destination Disruptions
B  Macroeconomic Risks
C  Competition & Consumer Preferences
D  Input Cost Volatility
E  Seasonal Cash Flow Profile
F  Legal & Regulatory Compliance
G  Health & Safety
H  Supply Chain Risk
I  Joint Venture Partnerships

H

4

AC TIVE RISKS

L

o

CURRENT RISK POSITION

TARGET RISK POSITION

Ris

w

k S
c

o
re

LIKELIHOOD

CU RR ENT RI SK POSI TION

TARGET RIS K POSITION

This shows the current level of risk faced 
today after taking in to account the 
controls that are in place and which are 
operating as intended.

This shows the target level of risk deemed to be 
an acceptable, tolerable and justifiable risk pos-
ition after further actions have been implemented 
to mitigate the risk.

IT Development & Strategy

1 
2  Brand Change
3  Growth Strategy
4 
5  Corporate & Social Responsibility
6 
7  Brexit

Information Security

Integration & Restructuring Opportunities

Principal risks – Inherent to the sector 

Nature of Risk

D E S T I N AT I O N   D I S R U P T I O N

Mitigating Factors

Providers of holiday and travel services are exposed to the inherent risk 
of incidents affecting some countries or destinations within their oper-
ations.  This  can  include  natural  catastrophes  such  as  hurricanes  or 
tsunamis; outbreaks of disease such as Ebola; political volatility as has 
been seen in Egypt and Greece in recent years; the implications of war 
in countries close to our source markets and destinations; and terrorist 
events such as the tragic incident in Tunisia last year.

There is the risk that if such an event occurs which impacts on one or 
more of our destinations that we could potentially suffer significant 
operational disruption and costs in our businesses. We may possibly be 
required to repatriate our customers and / or the event could lead to a 
significant decline in demand for holidays to the affected destinations 
over an extended period of time.

•  Whilst we are unable to prevent such events from occurring, we have 
well defined crisis management procedures and emergency response 
plans which are implemented when an event of this nature occurs, 
with the focus being on the welfare of our customers. 

•  Where the appropriate course of action is to bring customers home 
immediately,  our  significant  fleet  of  aircraft  allows  us  to  do  this 
smoothly and efficiently.

•  Our  policy  is  to  follow  foreign  office  advice  in  each  of  our  source 
markets with regards to non-essential travel. This serves to minimise 
the exposure of our customers to turbulent regions. 

•  Due to our presence in all key holiday regions, when a specific des-
tination  has  been  impacted  by  an  external  event,  we  are  able  to 
offer  alternative  destinations  to  our  customers  and  to  remix  our 
destination portfolio away from the affected area in future seasons 
if necessary.

 
36

•  We  always  assume  some  level  of  destination  disruption  each  year 
when setting financial plans and targets, so that we are able to cope 
with  a  ‘normal’  level  of  disruption  without  it  jeopardising  achieve-
ment of our targets.

•  Many  consumers  prioritise  their  spending  on  holidays  above  other 

discretionary items.

•  Creating unique and differentiated holiday products which match the 

needs of our customers.

•  Leveraging our scale to keep costs down and prices competitive.
•  Having a range of source markets so that we are not over exposed to 

one particular economic cycle.

•  Expressing our key profit growth target in constant currency terms 
so that short term performance can be assessed without the distortion 
caused by exchange rate fluctuations.

•  Promoting  the  benefits  of  travelling  with  a  recognised  and  leading 
tour operator to increase consumer confidence and peace of mind.

M A C R O E C O N O M I C   R I S K S

Spending on travel and tourism is discretionary and price sensitive. The 
economic  outlook  remains  uncertain  with  different  source  markets  at 
different points in the economic cycle. Furthermore, terrorist incidents 
in source markets can influence the overall demand for overseas travel 
in those markets. Consumers are also waiting longer to book their trips 
in order to assess their financial situation.

There is the risk that fluctuations in macroeconomic conditions in our 
source  markets  will  impact  on  the  spending  power  of  our  customers 
which could impact on our short-term growth rates and lead to margin 
erosion.

Furthermore, changes in macroeconomic conditions can have an impact 
on exchange rates which, particularly for the £ / € rate, has a direct 
impact on the translation of non-euro source market results into euros, 
the reporting currency of our Group.

C O M P E T I T I O N   &   C O N S U M E R   P R E F E R E N C E S

The tourism industry is fast-paced and competitive with the emergence 
of  new  market  participants  operating  new  business  models,  combined 
with consumer tastes and preferences evolving all the time.

•  Our outstanding market position as a leading tourism group, the 
strength of our brands and our integrated business model enables us 
to respond robustly to competitive threats.

In  recent  years  there  has  been  an  emergence  of  successful  substitute 
business models such as web-based travel and hotel portals which allow 
end users to combine the individual elements of a holiday trip on their 
own and book them separately.

Consumer tastes and preferences have evolved in recent years as well, 
with more consumers booking their holidays online and via mobiles and 
tablets, and booking closer to the time of travel.

There is the risk that if we do not respond adequately to such business 
model  disruption  or  if  our  products  and  services  fail  to  meet  changing 
customer demands and preferences, that our turnover, market share and 
profitability will suffer as a result.

•  The TUI Group is characterised by the continuous development of 
unique and exclusive holidays, developing new concepts and services 
which match the needs and preferences of our customers.

•  Our integrated business model offers end-to-end customer services, 
from consultation and booking of holidays via flights with the Group’s 
own airlines through to Group-owned or operated hotels, resorts 
and cruise ships. Integration thus facilitates the development and 
marketing of individual, tailored holiday offerings for customers which 
it is difficult for competitors to replicate.

•  Building strong and lasting relationships with our key hotel partners, 
which further reinforces our ability to develop new concepts exclusive 
to the TUI Group which competitors struggle to match.

•  Focusing  on  being  online  throughout  the  whole  of  the  customer 
journey – from inspiration, to booking, to the holiday itself, as well as 
returning and sharing experiences through social media.

Nature of RiskMitigating FactorsC O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T R E P O R T

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37

C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

I N P U T  C O S T  V O L AT I L I T Y

A significant proportion of operating expenses are in non-local currency 
and / or relate to aircraft fuel which therefore exposes the business to 
changes in both exchange rates and fuel prices.

•  Ensuring that the appropriate derivative financial instruments are used 
to provide hedging cover for the underlying transactions involving fuel 
and foreign currency.

There is the risk that if we do not manage adequately the volatility of 
exchange rates, fuel prices and other input costs, then this could result 
in increased costs and lead to margin erosion, impacting on our ability 
to achieve profit targets.

There is also the risk that if our hedging policy is too rigid, we may find 
ourselves unable to respond to competitive pricing pressures during the 
season without it having a direct detrimental impact on our market 
position and / or profitability.

S E A S O N A L  C A S H   F L O W   P R O F I L E

Tourism is an inherently seasonal business with the majority of profits 
earned  in  the  European  summer  months.  Cash  flows  are  similarly 
seasonal with the cash high occurring in the summer as advance pay-
ments  and  final  balances  are  received  from  customers,  with  the  cash 
low occurring in the winter as liabilities have to be settled with many 
suppliers after the end of the summer season.

There  is  the  risk  that  if  we  do  not  adequately  manage  cash  balances 
through the winter low period this could impact on the Group’s liquidity 
and ability to settle liabilities as they fall due whilst ensuring that financial 
covenants are maintained.

•  Maintaining an appropriate hedging policy to ensure that this hedging 
cover is taken out ahead of source market customer booking profiles. 
This provides a degree of certainty over input costs when planning 
pricing and capacity, whilst also allowing some flexibility in prices so 
as to be able to respond to competitive pressures if necessary.
•  Tracking the foreign exchange and fuel markets to ensure the most 
up-to-date market intelligence and the ongoing appropriateness of 
our hedging policies.

•  Detailed  information  on  currency  and  fuel  hedges  can  be  found  in 
the Notes to the consolidated financial statements in section Financial 
instruments.

•  As our business is spread across a number of source markets within 
the Tourism division there are some counter-cyclical features e. g. 
winter  is  a  more  important  season  for  the  Nordic  and  Canadian 
source markets. Some brands, such as the UK ski brand Crystal, have 
a different seasonality profile which helps to temper the overall profile.
•  Our content-focussed strategy is also helping to reduce the season-
ality risk, as hotels and cruises have a more evenly distributed profit 
and cash profile across the year. This is highlighted by the fact that in 
the current financial year, the Group made an underlying operating 
profit for the first time over the nine months to 30 June.

•  The business produces regularly both short term and long term cash 
forecasts  during  the  year  which  the  Treasury  team  use  to  manage 
cash resources effectively.

•  We have implemented a financial policy which has led to an improve-
ment in our credit rating and makes it easier to maintain financing 
facilities at suitable levels.

•  Existing financing facilities are considered to be more than sufficient 

for our requirements and provide ample headroom.

•  We continue to maintain high-quality relationships with the Group’s 
key financiers and monitor compliance with the covenants contained 
within our financing facilities.

•  Raising additional finance from the Capital Markets, should it be 

required, remains an option.

Nature of RiskMitigating Factors38

L E G A L  &   R E G U L ATO R Y  C O M P L I A N C E

Most providers of holiday and travel services operate across a number 
of economies and jurisdictions which therefore exposes them to a range 
of legal, tax and other regulatory laws which must be complied with.

As the TUI Group is the world’s leading tourism business operating from 
multiple source markets and providing holidays in more than 100 destin-
ations, we are exposed to a range of laws and regulations with which we 
must comply or else risk incurring fines or other sanctions from regula-
tory bodies.

•  Communication and strong tone from the top concerning compliance 

with laws and regulations.

•  Legal  Compliance  Committee  established  to  ensure  appropriate 
oversight,  monitoring  and  action  plans  and  to  further  drive  the 
compliance culture across the Group.

•  Embedded legal and tax expertise in all major businesses responsible 
for maintaining high quality relationships with the relevant regulators 
and authorities.

•  Ongoing review conducted by the Group Legal Compliance team to 
centrally monitor compliance with regulations and provide expert 
advice to local teams on specific areas.

H E A LT H   &   S A F E T Y

For all providers of holiday and travel services, ensuring the health and 
safety of customers is of paramount importance. This is especially so for 
TUI as we are the world’s leading tourism group selling holidays to over 20 
million customers per annum.

•  Health and safety functions are established in all businesses in order 
to ensure there is appropriate focus on health and safety processes 
as part of the normal course of business.

•  Ongoing  monitoring  is  conducted  by  the  Group  Security,  Health  & 

There is the risk of accidents or incidents occurring causing illness, injury 
or death to customers or colleagues whilst on a TUI holiday. This could 
result in reputational damage to the business and / or financial liabilities 
through legal action being taken by the affected parties.

S U P P LY  C H A I N   R I S K

Providers of holiday and travel services are exposed to the inherent risk 
of  failure  in  their  key  suppliers,  particularly  hotels.  This  is  further 
heightened by the industry convention of paying in advance (‘prepay-
ment’) to secure a level of room allocation for the season.

There is the risk that we do not adequately manage our financial exposure 
should demand drop either for individual hotels and / or for the destin-
ation in which the hotels are located and to which the tour operator still 
has  a  level  of  prepayment  outstanding  which  could  result  in  financial 
losses.

Safety function to ensure compliance with minimum standards.
•  Appropriate insurance policies are in place for when incidents do occur.

•  Owned and joint venture partner hotels form a substantial part of 

our programme which reduces our inherent risk in this area.

•  Established and embedded a robust prepayment authorisation process 
to both limit the level of prepayments made and ensure that they are 
only paid to trusted, credit-worthy counterparties.

•  Where prepayments are made to external hoteliers this is to secure 
access to unique and differentiated product for which demand is 
inherently  higher  and  more  resilient  to  external  events  than  for 
commodity product.

•  Prepayments are monitored on a timely and sufficiently granular 

basis to manage our financial exposure to justifiable levels.

Nature of RiskMitigating FactorsC O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T R E P O R T

 Risk report

39

C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

J O I N T  V E N T U R E   PA R T N E R S H I P S

It  is  common  for  tourism  groups  to  use  joint  venture  partnerships  in 
some of their operations in order to reduce the risk of new ventures or 
to gain access to additional expertise. TUI has three significant joint 
ventures – Riu, TUI Cruises and Sunwing.

There is the risk that if we do not maintain good relations with our key 
partners that the ventures’ objectives may not remain consistent with 
that of the Group which could lead to operational difficulties and jeop-
ardise the achievement of financial targets.

•  Good  working  relationships  exist  with  all  of  our  main  joint  venture 
partners and they are fully aligned with and committed to the growth 
strategy of TUI Group.

Actively managed principal risks – Strategic and emerging and business change

I T  D E V E L O P M E N T  &   S T R AT E G Y

Our focus is on enhancing customer experience by providing engaging, 
intuitive, seamless and continuous customer service through delivery of 
leading digital solutions, core platform capabilities, underlying technical 
infrastructure and IT services required to support the Group’s overall 
strategy for driving profitable top-line growth.

There is a risk that we fail to keep up with or outpace the market and 
evolving consumer preferences, we do not concentrate our activities on 
the  correct  areas  for  overall  business  success,  do  not  address  legacy 
inefficiencies and complexities of our existing infrastructure, do not 
ensure  continuity  of  service  for  critical  IT  systems  and / or  do  not 
 execute our strategy and developments in line with expectations.

If  we  are  ineffective  in  our  strategy  or  technology  development  this 
could impact on our ability to provide leading technology solutions in 
our markets thereby impacting on our competitiveness, our ability to 
provide  a  superior  customer  experience  and  associated  impact  on 
quality and operational efficiency. This would ultimately impact on our 
customer numbers, revenue and profitability.

•  Developed and communicated (in conjunction with Executives, Busi-
ness & IT Leadership Teams) the Group’s IT Strategy which is clearly 
aligned to our overall business objectives and considers external 
factors such as the pace of technology change and internal factors 
such as the underlying quality required throughout IT.

•  Continuing  to  implement  our  online  platform  in  order  to  enhance 

customer experience and drive higher conversion rates.

•  Implementing a SAP-based central customer platform to collate all 
information on our customers across their journey to provide a single 
view of the customer alongside an eCRM platform which will support 
strategic marketing.

•  Placing  increased  focus  on  ensuring  continuity  plans  for  critical  IT 

systems are in place and regularly tested.

•  Cascaded clear technology standards and associated delivery road-
maps which are linked to Group wide and source market objectives
•  Adopting  API,  Big  Data  and  Cloud  architecture  to  drive  improved 

speed, productivity and efficiency.

•  Experimenting  with  Blockchain  technology  to  be  ahead  of  the 

competition.

Nature of RiskMitigating Factors40

B R A N D   C H A N G E

Our strategy is to migrate our many local tour operating brands in to 
one  global  brand,  with  the  aim  of  strengthening  and  enhancing  our 
competitive positon, particularly in the online world. We are aiming to 
capitalise on the strength of the TUI brand on a global scale whilst 
ensuring we maintain local roots.

There is an inherent risk when executing such a large scale global brand 
strategy that we may not be able to maintain the benefits of local brand 
equity throughout the process and we recognise that such a large pro-
gramme  should  take  place  with  respect  for  the  interests  of  all  our 
stakeholders and existing contractual obligations.

If we do not successfully deliver against our strategy this could result in 
a decline in brand awareness and loyalty with associated decline in 
customer demand or it could impact on our ability to maximise on the 
opportunities facilitated by having one brand on a global scale.

•  Undertaken detailed market research in each source market to assess 
current brand positioning and likely impact of the brand change.
•  Approved incremental marketing spend to raise the profile of the TUI 
brand  locally  in  order  to  promote  the  benefits  and  to  manage  the 
expectations  of  our  customers  in  relation  to  the  future  of  our 
 enhanced products and services.

•  Established a ’One Brand’ programme team responsible for coord-
inating  and  monitoring  the  brand  change  activity  across  all  source 
markets, with KPIs identified and tracked on a regular basis by both 
local  and  group  colleagues  and  prompt  corrective  action  taken  to 
address issues as they arise.

•  Taking  a  phased  and  focussed  approach  to  the  brand  change  by 
implementing in one source market at a time. This minimises the risk 
at  a  given  point  in  time  and  allows  us  to  gain  learnings  from  the 
source markets undergoing transition and implement those learnings 
in the next source market. Our first brand transition successfully 
occurred  in  the  Netherlands  in  the  prior  financial  year  2016,  with 
Nordics  and  Belgium  source  markets  successfully  transitioned  in 
financial  year  2017.  The  major  brand  transition  in  the  UK&I  of 
 Thomson to TUI is now well underway in financial year 2018.

•  Communicating both internally and externally across multiple media 
channels  to  drive  brand  awareness,  with  increased  awareness 
through consistent marketing in key destination airports and changing 
of the livery on our aircraft in order to support greater awareness of 
the TUI Brand.

G R O W T H   S T R AT E G Y

We have set ourselves a medium-term target of achieving at least 10 % 
growth  in  underlying  EBITA  at  constant  currency  rates  (see  page  48). 
This will be driven by growth in own hotel and cruises content, and top 
line and efficiency improvements.

•  The Executive Board is very focussed on the strategy and mindful of 
the risks, so there is strong direction and commitment from the top.
•  The Group Tourism Board plays an important role in coordinating, 

executing and monitoring the various growth initiatives.

Additionally we have broadened our offering to customers by introducing 
extra flexibility into our packages, and expanded our long-haul offering 
by taking advantage of the capabilities of the 787s which we have and are 
due to receive via our order book. Note that availability of aircraft finance 
is a key assumption of our business model.

Whilst managing this expansion, we must continue to adapt to changes in 
consumer  tastes  and  booking  profiles,  and  we  must  continue  to  match 
our capacity to consumer demand. Asset utilisation – of aircraft, cruise 
ships and hotels – is critical to our financial success particularly when in a 
growth phase.

There is a risk that we could be unsuccessful in maximising opportunities 
to execute our expansion strategy. This could mean that we fail to achieve 
some of the initiatives we have embarked upon, which could result in us 
falling short against the overall growth targets we have set for the business.

•  There are a number of initiatives underway to achieve growth which 

reduces the risk through diversification.

•  Each of the business teams tasked with achieving an element of the 
growth strategy are still required to maintain sound financial discipline. 
The  Group’s  investment  criteria  and  authorisation  processes  must 
still be adhered to as we are not prepared to be reckless in the pursuit 
of growth.

•  We continue to maintain strong relationships with the providers of 

aircraft finance.

•  Monitoring  of  overall  market  conditions  continues  to  occur  so  that 

plans can be adapted or contingency plans invoked if required.

Nature of RiskMitigating FactorsC O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T R E P O R T

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41

C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

I N T E G R AT I O N   &   R E S T R U C T U R I N G   O P P O R T U N I T I E S

Our key strategic rationale for TUI Group is to act ’as one’ wherever it 
makes  sense  to  do  so,  whilst  maintaining  local  differences  where  the 
benefit of that differentiation is greater than that of harmonisation.

•  Strong  project  management  structures  exist  for  all  of  the  major 
restructuring and disposal programmes which are underway to ensure 
that they are managed effectively.

There  are  a  number  of  restructuring  projects  underway  across  the 
Group as a result to enable us to achieve these opportunities. Further-
more  our  continuous  review  of  our  own  businesses  and  competitors 
means that we do have an active programme of business disposals 
(e. g. Travelopia in financial year 2017) and acquisitions with associated 
integration projects.

There is an inherent risk with any large restructuring or integration 
programme that we face challenges in managing the complexities asso-
ciated with further integrating our business, and reducing overlapping 
activities  in  order  to  develop  a  more  lean  and  streamlined  operating 
model.

If  we  are  not  successful  in  leveraging  and  optimising  the  identified 
opportunities  this  could  have  a  significant  impact  on  our  ability  to 
deliver  the  identified  benefits  in  line  with  expectations  and  enhance 
shareholder value.

C O R P O R AT E   &   S O C I A L  R E S P O N S I B I L I T Y

For TUI Group, economic, environmental and social sustainability is a 
fundamental management principle and a cornerstone of our strategy 
for continually enhancing the value of our Company. This is the way we 
create  the  conditions  for  long-term  economic  success  and  assume 
responsibility for sustainable development in the tourism sector.

Our  focus  is  to  reduce  the  environmental  impact  of  our  holidays  and 
promote responsible social policies and outcomes both directly through 
our own business and indirectly via our influence over our supply chain 
partners, thereby creating positive change for people and communities 
and being a pioneer of sustainable tourism across the world.

There is a risk that we are not successful in driving forecast social and 
environmental improvements across our operations, that our suppliers 
do not uphold our corporate and social responsibility standards and we 
fail to influence destinations to manage tourism more sustainably.

If we do not maximise our positive impact on destinations and minimise 
the  negative  impact  to  the  extent  that  our  stakeholders  expect,  this 
could result in a decline in stakeholder confidence, reputational damage, 
reduction in demand for our products and services and loss of competitive 
advantage.

•  Project reporting tool ensures enhanced visibility of the progress of 

major projects as a matter of routine.

•  Regular  reporting  by  the  major  projects  to  the  Executive  Board  to 
ensure  swift  resolution  of  any  issues  or  to  enhance  coordination 
across the Group where required.

•  Early adoption of EU Directive 2014/95/EU requiring increased dis-

closure of Corporate and Social Responsibility initiatives.

•  Developed and launched in 2015 the ’Better Holidays, Better World’ 
2020 sustainability strategy framework which includes specific targets 
for key sustainability indicators.

•  Established a dedicated sustainability team to work closely with the 
business  and  other  stakeholders  to  implement  the  sustainability 
strategy.

•  Operating the most carbon efficient airlines in Europe with continued 
investment in new, more efficient aircraft (e. g. Boeing 787 Dream-
liner & 737 MA X) and cruise ships (e. g. the new Mein Schiff 1 & 2).
•  Implemented an environmental management system with five of our 

airlines having achieved ISO 14001 certification.

•  Increased measures to influence accommodation suppliers to achieve 
third  party  sustainability  certification  recognised  by  the  Global 
Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC).

•  TUI Care Foundation expanded to focus on the achievement of 2020 
target for charitable donations and sustainability projects, with par-
ticular  emphasis  on  sustainable  tourism,  environmental  protection 
and the welfare of children.

Nature of RiskMitigating Factors42

Furthermore, if TUI Group falls short of achieving its sustainable devel-
opment  targets  and  at  the  same  time  the  objectives  of  the  UN  Paris 
Climate  Change  Agreement  (December  2015)  are  not  met,  this  could 
lead to sustained long-term damage to certain of the TUI Group’s current 
and future destinations, which could also have a material adverse effect 
on demand for our products and services.

I N F O R M AT I O N   S E C U R I T Y

Our responsibility is to protect the confidentiality, integrity and avail-
ability of the data we have and the services we provide to our customers, 
our employees, our suppliers and service delivery teams.

This is a dynamic risk due to increased global cyber-crime activity and 
new  regulations.  At  the  same  time  our  consolidation  under  the  TUI 
brand  and  our  increasing  dependence  on  online  sales  and  customer 
care channels (web / mobile) increases our exposure and susceptibility 
to cyber-attacks and hacks.

If we do not ensure we have the appropriate level of security controls in 
place across the Group, this could have a significant negative impact on 
our key stakeholders, associated reputational damage and potential for 
financial implications.

B R E X I T

With the UK government formally triggering Article 50 of the Treaty on 
European Union of Lisbon on 29th March 2017, Brexit has become an 
active  principal  risk  facing  TUI  Group.  Brexit  has  an  impact  both  on 
 existing principal risks (e. g. Macroeconomic risks and Input Cost Volatility, 
through  the  uncertainty  it  has  introduced  to  prospects  for  future 
growth rates in the  UK economy and the sustained depreciation of 
sterling  since  the  referendum  result  in  2016)  as  well  as  introducing  a 
new  class  of  principal  risk  due  to  the  direct  potential  impact  it  could 
have on specific areas of our business model.

Our main concern is whether or not all of our airlines would continue to 
have access to EU airspace as now. If we were unable to continue to fly 
intra-EU routes, such as from Germany to Spain, this would have a 
significant operational and financial impact on TUI Group. Other areas 
of uncertainty include the status of our UK employees working in the 
EU and vice versa, and the potential for customer visa requirements for 
holidays from the UK to the EU.

•  Continued  commitment  from  the  Executive  Board  in  support  of  key 
initiatives to ensure all existing and future  IT systems are secure by 
design, that exposure to vulnerability is managed effectively, user 
access is sufficiently controlled and colleagues are made aware of 
information security risks through appropriate training.

•  Launch of a company-wide Information Security awareness campaign 
to promote secure behaviours amongst our colleagues. Overall goal is 
to make information security part of everyone’s job.

•  Continuous  review  and  testing  of  all  external  devices  and  ongoing 
monitoring  of  logs  in  order  to  identify  any  potential  threats  as  and 
when they arise.

•  Continuous  improvement  through  lessons  learned  from  real  or 

simulated cyber incidents.

•  The Group has established a Brexit Steering Committee to monitor 
developments as the political negotiations take place, assess any 
impacts on TUI Group’s business model and devise suitable mitigation 
strategies.

•  In  addition  we  continue  to  lobby  relevant  UK  and  EU  ministers, 
officials  and  regulators  to  stress  the  continued  importance  of  a 
liberalised and deregulated aviation market across Europe to protect 
consumer choice in both regions.

Nature of RiskMitigating FactorsC O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T R E P O R T

 Risk report

43

C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

R I S K S   W I T H   N O   I M PA C T   O N   U N D E R LY I N G   E B I TA
Impairment  risk  related  to  the  investment  in  container  shipping 
(Hapag-Lloyd AG). During the current financial year, TUI Group disposed 
of all of its investment in the container shipping company, Hapag-Lloyd AG, 
and therefore this risk no longer exists.

German trade tax risk. As noted in prior years, the German tax author-
ities have issued guidance on how certain items of expenditure should 
be treated for the purposes of German trade tax. The Group continues 
to  disagree  with  the  German  tax  authorities’  interpretation  of  this 
matter and it is possible that the issue will have to be litigated through 
the German tax courts which could take a considerable amount of time 
to bring it to a resolution. There was no change to this risk during the 
 financial  year  2017,  however  the  provision  on  the  balance  sheet  at 
30  September  2017  was  increased  to  € 50 m  (2016:  € 44 m),  primarily 
due to the interest effects.

O V E R A L L   R I S K   A S S E S S M E N T
With the UK government formally triggering Article 50 of the Treaty on 
European Union of Lisbon on 29th March 2017, Brexit has become an 
active principal risk facing TUI Group. Brexit has an impact both on 
existing principal risks (e. g. Macroeconomic risks and Input Cost Volatil-
ity, through the uncertainty it has introduced to prospects for future 
growth rates in the UK economy and the sustained depreciation of sterling 
since the referendum result in 2016) as well as introducing a new class 
of principal risk due to the direct potential impact it could have on specific 
areas of our business model.

Our main concern is whether or not all of our airlines would continue to 
have access to EU airspace as now. Other areas of uncertainty include 
the status of our UK employees working in the EU and vice versa, and 
the potential for customer visa requirements for holidays from the UK 
to the EU. If we were unable to continue to fly intra-EU routes, such as 
from Germany to Spain, this would have a significant operational and 
financial impact on TUI Group. It is for this reason that we currently give 
Brexit  the  highest  possible  risk  score  using  the  impact  and  likelihood 
assessment criteria detailed on page 33, with the expectation that this 
score  will  decline  over  time  as  either  political  negotiations  lead  to 
confirmation of continued access to EU airspace, or as our mitigation 
strategies begin to be implemented.

Macroeconomic risk we view as being materially unchanged compared 
to last year, with Brexit and the UK election result in June continuing to 
create  some  degree  of  uncertainty  over  prospects  for  future  growth 
rates in the UK economy. The sustained depreciation of sterling since 
last year’s UK Brexit referendum has a cost impact through making 
foreign denominated input costs in the UK business more expensive in 

sterling terms. Whilst the standard hedging policy we follow meant that 
the UK Source Market had already hedged a significant proportion of its 
foreign currency requirements for the current financial year ahead of 
the Brexit referendum, the unhedged portion resulted in higher costs 
which impacted the UK business in the second half of this year. Assuming 
the  Pound  Sterling  does  not  strengthen,  this  will  remain  the  case 
through  to  the  Summer  2018  season.  Normal  business  practice  is  to 
increase  holiday  prices  to  offset  these  higher  input  costs  and  protect 
margins, however competitive pressures may prevent prices from rising 
to  the  full  extent  required.  Whilst  the  business  continues  to  focus 
strongly on efficiency, which assists to offset against this we view the 
input cost volatility risk as having increased compared to last year.

The other risk we see as having increased over the course of the cur-
rent  year  is  Information  Security,  of  which  cyber  security  is  a  major 
component, due to increased global cyber-crime activity as highlighted 
by  well-publicised  events  such  as  the  Wannacry  incident.  To  address 
this increasing risk we have launched a Group-wide Information Secur-
ity  awareness  campaign  to  promote  secure  behaviours  amongst  our 
colleagues.  The  overall  goal  is  to  make  information  security  part  of 
everyone’s job.

Destination disruption is an inherent risk to which all providers of holiday 
and travel services are exposed. This disruption can take place in many 
forms such as natural catastrophes (e. g. recent hurricane activity in the 
Caribbean), outbreaks of diseases, social unrest, terrorist attacks and 
the  implications  of  war  in  countries  close  to  our  source  markets  and 
destinations.  General  customer  concerns  over  safety  and  security  in 
eastern Mediterranean destinations (particularly Turkey) has continued 
to depress demand across all our source markets for these destinations, 
although  there  has  been  some  improvement  in  demand  compared  to 
last year. Due to our geographic reach, we are able to offer our customers 
alternative destinations such as Spain, Canary Islands, Cape Verde etc. 
Despite this continued shift in demand, Turkey remains an important 
destination for our Group. Our general policy in respect of destinations 
remains  to  follow  foreign  office  advice  in  each  of  our  source  markets 
relating to non-essential travel to specific destinations. Overall, we con-
sider this risk to be materially unchanged compared to the prior year.

Our brand change programme has seen further successful brand changes 
in the current financial year in our Nordic and Belgian businesses and 
the major brand transition in the UK&I of Thomson to TUI is now well 
underway in financial year 2018. Overall therefore we see this risk as 
having  declined  over  the  year.  Similarly  the  progress  made  with  our 
sustainable  development  initiatives  leads  us  to  view  the  Corporate  & 
Social Responsibility risk as having declined compared to last year.

44

Two risks have dropped out of our Principal Risk register compared to 
last year. Achievement of our merger synergy targets means that this 
programme has now ceased and therefore the Corporate Streamlining 
risk  drops  out  of  our  risk  register  completely.  Similarly,  we  have  suc-
cessfully  navigated  our  way  through  the  initial  period  of  post-merger 
concern with regards to retaining key talent and we now have stand-
ardised processes in place for managing key talent in the Group, and 
therefore Talent Management risk is viewed as now being a ‘Business As 
Usual’ risk which is overseen by the Group HR team.

Finally, during the current financial year TUI Group disposed of all of its 
investment  in  the  container  shipping  company,  Hapag-Lloyd  AG,  and 
therefore the impairment risk highlighted in previous years no longer 
exists.

Other than the items noted above, the Executive Board is of the opinion 
that there has been no other significant change to the risk landscape of 
the Group.

V I A B I L I T Y   S TAT E M E N T
In accordance with provision C2.2 of the 2014 revision of the UK Corporate 
Governance  Code,  the  Executive  Board  has  assessed  the  prospect  of 
the Company over a longer period than the twelve months required by 
the ’Going Concern’ provision. The Executive Board considers annually 
and  on  a  rolling-basis  a  three  year  strategic  plan  for  the  business  as 
outlined earlier in the ‘Strategic direction and risk appetite’ section. 
The latest three year plan was approved in October 2017 and covers the 
period to 30 September 2020. A three year horizon is considered appro-
priate for a fast-moving competitive environment such as tourism, and 
it  is  noted  that  the  Group’s  current  € 1,535.0 m  revolving  credit  limit, 
which is used to manage the seasonality of the Group’s cash flows and 
liquidity,  matures  in  July  2022  which  is  beyond  the  timeframe  of  the 
three year horizon. The three year plan considers cash flows as well as 
the  financial  covenants  which  the  credit  facility  requires  compliance 
with. Key assumptions underpinning the three year plan and the associ-
ated cash flow forecast is that aircraft and cruise ship finance will continue 
to be readily available, and that the terms of the UK leaving the EU are 
such that all of our airlines continue to have access to EU airspace as now.

The Executive Board has conducted a robust assessment of the principal 
risks facing the company, including those that would threaten its business 
model, future performance, solvency or liquidity. Sensitivity analysis is 
applied to the cash flow to model the potential effects should certain 
principal  risks  actually  occur,  individually  or  in  unison.  This  includes 
modelling  the  effects  on  the  cash  flow  of  significant  disruption  to  a 
major destination in the summer season.

Taking  account  of  the  company’s  current  position,  principal  risks  and 
the  aforementioned  sensitivity  analysis,  the  Executive  Board  has  a 
reasonable expectation that the company will be able to continue in 
operation  and  meet  its  liabilities  as  they  fall  due  over  the  three  year 
period of the assessment.

Key features of the internal control and risk  
management system in relation to the (Group)  
accounting process (sections 289 (5) and 315 (2)  
no 5 of the German Commercial Code HGB)

1 .   D E F I N I T I O N   A N D   E L E M E N T S   O F   T H E   I N T E R N A L   C O N T R O L 

A N D   R I S K   M A N A G E M E N T   S Y S T E M   I N   T H E   T U I   G R O U P

The  TUI  Group’s  internal  control  system  comprises  all  the  principles, 
processes and measures that are applied to secure effective, efficient 
and  accurate  accounting  which  is  compliant  with  the  necessary  legal 
requirements.

In the completed financial year, the TUI Group’s existing internal control 
system  was  further  developed,  drawing  on  the  internationally  recog-
nised framework of COSO (Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of 
the  Treadway  Commission),  which  forms  the  conceptual  basis  for  the 
internal control system.

The  TUI  Group’s  internal  control  system  consists  of  internal  controls 
and the internal monitoring system. The Executive Board of TUI AG, in 
exercising its function of managing business operations, has entrusted 
responsibility for the internal control system in the TUI Group to specific 
Group functions.

The  elements  of  the  internal  monitoring  system  in  the  TUI  Group 
comprise  both  measures  integrated  into  processes  and  measures 
performed  independently.  Besides  manual  process  controls,  e. g.  the 
‘four-eyes principle’, another key element of the process-related meas-
ures are automated IT process controls. Process-related monitoring is 
also secured by bodies such as the Risk Oversight Committee of TUI AG 
and by specific Group functions.

The Supervisory Board of TUI AG, in particular its Audit Committee, as 
well as the Group Auditing department at TUI AG are incorporated into 
the TUI Group’s internal monitoring system through their audit activities 
performed  independently  from  business  processes.  On  the  basis  of 
section 107 (3) of the German Stock Corporation Act, the Audit Com-
mittee of TUI AG deals primarily with the auditing of the annual financial 
statements, monitoring the accounting process and the effectiveness of 
the internal control and risk management system. In the Audit Commit-
tee Report the reliability of the financial reporting and the monitoring 
of the financial accounting process as well as the effectiveness of the 
internal control and risk management system are described.

  Audit Committee Report see from page 15

C O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T R E P O R T

 Risk report

45

C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

The Group’s auditors have oversight of the TUI Group’s control environ-
ment. The audit of the consolidated financial statements by the Group 
auditor  and  the  audit  of  the  individual  financial  statements  of  Group 
companies included in the consolidated financial statements, in particular, 
constitute a key non- process-related monitoring measure with regard 
to Group accounting. 

In relation to Group accounting, the risk management system, introduced 
as an Enterprise Risk Management System (ERM System) as a component 
of the internal control system, also addresses the risk of misstatements 
in Group bookkeeping and external reporting. Apart from operational 
risk management, which includes the transfer of risks to insurance com-
panies by creating cover for damage and liability risks and also hedging 
transactions  to  limit  foreign  currency  and  fuel  price  risks,  the  TUI 
Group’s risk management system embraces the systematic early detec-
tion,  management  and  monitoring  of  risks  across  the  Group.  A  more 
detailed explanation of the risk management system is provided in the 
section on the Risk Governance Framework in the Risk Report.

2 .   U S E   O F   I T   S Y S T E M S
Bookkeeping transactions are captured in the individual financial state-
ments of TUI AG and of the subsidiaries of TUI AG, through local account-
ing systems such as SAP or Oracle. As part of the process of preparing 
their  individual  financial  statements,  subsidiaries  complete  standardized 
reporting packages in the Group’s Oracle Hyperion Financial Manage-
ment 11.1.2.4 (HFM) reporting system. HFM is used as the uniform report-
ing and consolidation system throughout the Group so that no add-
itional interfaces exist for the preparation of the consolidated financial 
statements. 

All consolidation processes used to prepare the consolidated financial 
statements of TUI AG, e. g. capital consolidation, assets and liabilities 
consolidation and expenses and income elimination including at equity 
measurement, are generated and fully documented in HFM. All elements 
of TUI AG’s consolidated financial statements, including the disclosures 
in the Notes, are developed from the HFM consolidation system. HFM 
also provides various modules for evaluation purposes in order to prepare 
complementary information to explain  TUI  AG’s consolidated financial 
statements.

The HFM reporting and consolidation system has an in-built workflow 
process whereby when businesses promote their data within the system, 
to signal that their reporting package is complete, they are then locked 
out from making any further changes to that data. This ensures data 
integrity within the system and also facilitates a strong audit trail enabling 
changes to a reporting package to be identified. This feature of the HFM 
system  has  been  checked  and  validated  by  the  TUI  AG  Group  Audit 
department on several occasions since the system was introduced. 

At their own discretion, TUI AG’s Group auditors select certain individual 
financial statements from the financial statements entered in the HFM 
reporting and consolidation system by the Group companies, which are 
then  reviewed  for  the  purposes  of  auditing  the  consolidated  financial 
statements.

3 .   S P E C I F I C   R I S K S   R E L AT E D   T O   G R O U P   A C C O U N T I N G
Specific risks related to Group accounting may arise, for example, from 
unusual or complex business transactions, in particular at critical times 
towards  the  end  of  the  financial  year.  Business  transactions  not  rou-
tinely  processed  also  entail  special  risks.  The  discretion  necessarily 
granted to employees for the recognition and measurement of assets 
and liabilities may result in further Group accounting-related risks. The 
outsourcing  and  transfer  of  accounting-specific  tasks  to  service  com-
panies may also give rise to specific risks. Accounting-related risks from 
derivative financial instruments are outlined in the Notes to the consoli-
dated financial statements.

4 .   K E Y   R E G U L AT I O N   A N D   C O N T R O L   A C T I V I T I E S   T O   E N S U R E 

P R O P E R   A N D   R E L I A B L E   ( G R O U P )   A C C O U N T I N G

The  internal  control  measures  aimed  at  securing  proper  and  reliable 
Group accounting ensure that business transactions are fully recorded 
in  a  timely  manner  in  accordance  with  legal  requirements  and  the 
Articles of Association. This also ensures that assets and liabilities are 
properly  recognised,  measured  and  presented  in  the  consolidated 
 financial  statements.  The  control  operations  also  ensure  that  book-
keeping records provide reliable and comprehensive information. 

Controls implemented to secure proper and reliable accounting include, 
for instance, analysis of facts and developments on the basis of specific 
indicators.  Separation  of  administrative,  execution,  settlement  and 
authorization functions and the implementation of these functions by 
different  persons  reduces  the  potential  for  fraudulent  operations. 
Organisational measures also aim to capture any corporate or Group-
wide restructuring or changes in sector business operations rapidly and 
appropriately in Group accounting. They also ensure, for instance, that 
bookkeeping  transactions  are  correctly  recognised  in  the  period  in 
which they occur in the event of changes in the IT systems used by the 
accounting  departments  of  Group  companies.  The  internal  control 
system likewise ensures that changes in the TUI Group’s economic or 
legal  environment  are  mapped  and  that  new  or  amended  accounting 
standards are correctly applied. 

The TUI Group’s accounting policies together with the International 
Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) in compliance with EU legislation, 
govern  the  uniform  accounting  and  measurement  principles  for  the 
German and foreign companies included in TUI’s consolidated financial 
statements.  They  include  general  accounting  principles  and  methods, 
policies concerning the statement of financial position, income statement, 
notes, management report, cash flow statement and segment reporting.

46

The TUI Group’s accounting policies also govern specific formal require-
ments for the consolidated financial statements. Besides defining the 
group of consolidated companies, they include detailed guidance on the 
reporting  of  financial  information  by  those  companies  via  the  group 
reporting system HFM on a monthly, quarterly and year end basis. TUI’s 
accounting  policies  also  include,  for  instance,  specific  instructions  on 
the initiating, reconciling, accounting for and settlement of transactions 
between group companies or determination of the fair value of certain 
assets, especially goodwill.

At  Group  level,  specific  controls  to  ensure  proper  and  reliable  Group 
accounting include the analysis and, where necessary, correction of the 
individual financial statements submitted by the Group companies, taking 
account of the reports prepared by the auditors and meetings to discuss 
the financial statements which involve both the auditors and local man-
agement.  Any  further  content  that  requires  adjusting  can  be  isolated 
and processed downstream.

The control mechanisms already established in the HFM consolidation 
system minimize the risk of processing erroneous financial statements. 
Certain parameters are determined at Group level and have to be applied 
by Group companies. This includes parameters applicable to the meas-
urement  of  pension  provisions  or  other  provisions  and  the  interest 

rates to be applied when cash flow models are used to calculate the fair 
value of certain assets. The central implementation of impairment tests 
for goodwill recognized in the financial statements secures the application 
of uniform and standardized evaluation criteria.

5 .   D I S C L A I M E R
With the organisational, control and monitoring structures established 
by  the  TUI  Group,  the  internal  control  and  risk  management  system 
enables company-specific facts to be captured, processed and recog-
nized in full and properly presented in the Group’s accounts. 

However,  it  lies  in  the  very  nature  of  the  matter  that  discretionary 
decision-making, faulty checks, criminal acts and other circumstances, 
in particular, cannot be ruled out and will restrict the efficiency and 
reliability of the internal control and risk management systems, so that 
even Group-wide application of the systems cannot guarantee with 
absolute certainty the accurate, complete and timely recording of facts 
in the Group’s accounts. 

Any statements made relate exclusively to TUI AG and to subsidiaries 
according to IFRS 10 included in TUI AG’s consolidated financial state-
ments.

C O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T R E P O R T

 Risk Report, Overall assessment by the Executive Board and report on expected developments

47

C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

O V E R A L L   A S S E S S M E N T   B Y   T H E 
E X E C U T I V E   B O A R D   A N D   R E P O R T 
O N   E X P E C T E D   D E V E L O P M E N T S

Actual business performance 2017 compared with 
our forecast 

Expected changes in the economic framework

Expected development of gross domestic product

In the third financial year following the merger, TUI Group’s per  form-
ance  again  exceeded  our  original  forecast,  despite  a  challenging 
 geopolitical framework. TUI Group’s underlying EBITA rose by 10.2 % to 
€ 1,102.1 m in financial year 2017. On a constant currency basis for the 
reporting period and the prior year reference period, this equates to an 
improvement  of  12.0 %.  In  financial  year  2017  we  have  thus  met  our 
guidance, which envisaged an increase in our operating result of at least 
10 % on a constant currency basis (financial year 2016). 

Due to our sound operating performance and lower net one-off adjust-
ments,  the  Group  also  delivered  growth  in  its  EBITA  from  continuing 
operations, which climbed 14.3 % to € 1,026.5 m. 

Turnover by TUI Group likewise outperformed expectations, up 11.7 % 
on the previous year on a constant currency basis. The Group’s net cash 
capex  and  financial  investments  (excluding  down  payment  on  aircraft 
orders) fell slightly below the target of € 1 bn euros at € 0.9 bn. The net 
cash of € 0.6 bn reported as at year-end 2017 surpassed our last guid-
ance, taking account of the cash inflows from the sale of Travelopia and 
the  remaining  stake  in  Hapag-Lloyd  AG.  This  was  primarily  due  to  a 
positive development in working capital in Q4 of the period under review, 
which typically delivers strong turnover. 

Var. %

World
Eurozone
  Germany
France

UK

US
Russia
Japan
China
India

2018

2017

 3.7
 1.9
 1.8
 1.8
 1.5
 2.3
 1.6
 0.7
 6.5
 7.4

 3.6
 2.1
 2.0
 1.6
 1.7
 2.2
 1.8
 1.5
 6.8
 6.7

Source: International Monetary Fund (IMF ), World Economic Outlook, October 2017

M A C R O E C O N O M I C   S I T U AT I O N
In  the  course  of  calendar  year  2017,  the  growth  trend  of  the  global 
economy continued to consolidate and is expected to remain strong for 
the  foreseeable  future.  The  International  Monetary  Fund  (IMF,  World 
Economic Outlook, October 2017) expects gross domestic product to 
grow by 3.6 % in 2017. For 2018, the IMF expects the global economy to 
grow by 3.7 %. For the first time in a long while, the economy is gaining 
momentum across almost all major economies but will gradually slow 
down in the course of the next two years.

M A R K E T   T R E N D   I N   T O U R I S M
UNWTO  expects  international  tourism  to  continue  growing  globally  in 
this decade. For the next few years, average weighted growth of around 
3 % per annum has been forecast (source: UNWTO, Tourism Highlights, 
2017 edition). In the first six months of 2017, international arrivals grew 
by 6.4 %. UNWTO expects growth of 3 % to 4 % for the full calendar year 
2017 (source: UNWTO, World Tourism Barometer, August 2017).

E F F E C T S   O N   T U I   G R O U P
As the world’s leading tourism group, TUI Group depends on the devel-
opment of consumer demand in the large source markets in which we 
operate  with  our  sales  and  marketing  activities  and  hotel  and  cruises 
brands. Our budget is based on the assumptions used as a basis by the 
IMF to predict the future development of the global economy. 

 
48

Apart from the development of consumer sentiment, political stability 
in  the  destinations  is  a  further  crucial  factor  affecting  demand  for 
holiday products. In our view, our business model is sufficiently flexible 
to compensate for the currently identifiable challenges.

The expected turnover growth assumed for our Source Markets in our 
budget for financial year 2018 is in line with UNWTO’s long-term forecast. 
Our strategic focus is to create unified branding for our Sales & Marketing 
activities, broaden our portfolio of Group hotels and expand our cruise 
business.

Expected development of Group turnover and 
earnings 

T U I   G R O U P
The translation of the income statements of foreign subsidiaries in our 
consolidated financial statements is based on average monthly exchange 
rates. TUI Group generates a considerable proportion of consolidated 
turnover  and  large  earnings  and  cash  flow  contributions  in  non-euro 
currencies, in particular £, $ and SEK. Taking account of the seasonality 
in tourism, the development of these currencies against the euro in the 
course  of  the  year  therefore  strongly  impacts  the  financial  indicators 
carried in TUI Group’s consolidated financial statements. The comments 
on the expected development of our Group in financial year 2018 pro-
vided below are based on the assumption of constant currencies for the 
completed financial year 2017. 

Expected development of Group turnover, underlying EBITA 
and adjustments

€ million

Turnover
Underlying EBITA
Adjustments

Expected development vs. PY

2017

18,535
1,102
76

2018*

around 3 % growth
at least 10 % growth
approx. € 80 m cost

*  Variance year-on-year assuming constant foreign exchange rates are applied to the result 
in the current and prior period and based on the current group structure; guidance relates 
to continuing operations

T U R N O V E R
We  expect  turnover  to  grow  by  around  3 %  in  financial  year  2018  at 
constant  currency,  excluding  cost  inflation  relating  to  currency  move-
ments. Further growth may result from passing on higher input costs to 
our customers. 

U N D E R LY I N G   E B I TA
TUI Group’s underlying EBITA in financial year 2018 is expected to grow 
by at least 10 % at constant currency as we deliver our growth roadmap. 
Risks relate to the development of customer numbers against various 
social and political effects, which impact our customers’ booking behav-
iour as well as demand for Group hotels and cruise ships. 

   See Business Model and strategy section from page 20  
See Risk Report from page 30 

A D J U S T M E N T S
For  financial  year  2018,  we  expect  purchase  price  allocations  and  net 
one-off costs of around € 80 m, to be carried as adjustments. 

R O I C   A N D   E C O N O M I C   V A L U E   A D D E D
Due  to  the  enhanced  operating  result,  we  expect  ROIC  to  improve 
slightly  in  financial  year  2018;  depending  on  the  development  of  TUI 
Group’s  capital  costs,  this  is  also  expected  to  result  in  an  increase  in 
economic value added. 

Development in the segments in  
financial year 2018

The expected development outlined below is based on current trading, 
our  growth  roadmap  and  the  relative  performance  of  our  segments 
during financial year 2017. Future development depends on demand in 
our source markets and customer segments, input cost curves, as well 
as the potential impact of exogenous events beyond our control such as 
terrorism. Whilst these may influence the mix of segmental results com-
pared  with  the  outlook  below,  in  our  view,  our  balanced  portfolio  of 
markets and destinations still leave us well placed to deliver underlying 
EBITA  growth  of  at  least  10 %  for  TUI  Group  as  a  whole  (at  constant 
currency rates and based on the current Group structure).

H O T E L S   &   R E S O R T S
Based on our expectations for the development of our hotel portfolio 
(including new hotels opening in the coming financial year and the annual-
isation  of  profits  from  hotels  which  opened  in  financial  year  2017)  as 
well as the continued overall strong performance of our existing hotel 
portfolio, we expect underlying  EBITA growth of more than 10 % in 
financial year 2018.

C O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T R E P O R T

 Overall assessment by the Executive Board and report on expected developments

49

C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

C R U I S E S
Based  on  the  two  planned  cruise  launches  financial  year  2018  (for 
TUI Cruises and Marella Cruises) and continued overall strong perform-
ance of the existing fleet, we expect underlying EBITA growth of more 
than 10 % in financial year 2018.

S O U R C E   M A R K E T S
We  have  strong  market  leading  positions  in  our  Source  Markets,  and 
expect a good portfolio result in financial year 2018 as a result of the 
combination of further top line (market driven) growth and operational 
efficiency.  Based  on  these  factors  and  current  trading,  we  therefore 
expect the Source Markets to deliver a performance broadly in line with 
Group underlying EBITA guidance.

Expected development of financial position

Expected development of Group financial position

€ million

Net cash capex and investments
Net cash / net debt

Expected development vs. PY

2017

2018

1,071.9
583.0

around € 1.2 bn
slightly negative

N E T   C A P E X   A N D   I N V E S T M E N T S
In the light of investment decisions already taken and projects in the 
pipeline, we expect TUI Group’s net funding requirements to be around 
€ 1.2 bn for financial year 2018. This includes expected down payments 
on  aircraft  orders  and  proceeds  from  the  sale  of  fixed  assets.  Capex 
mainly relates to the launch of new production and booking systems for 
our Sales & Marketing, maintenance and expansion of our hotel portfolio 
and the acquisition of a cruise ship. 

N E T   F I N A N C I A L   P O S I T I O N
At the balance sheet date, the Group’s net cash amounted to € 583.0 m. 
Due to the planned increase in net investments, we expect TUI Group’s 
net debt to be slightly negative at financial year-end 2018. 

Sustainable development

C L I M AT E   P R O T E C T I O N   A N D   E M I S S I O N S
Greenhouse gas emissions and the impact of these emissions on climate 
change pose one of the major global challenges for the tourism sector. 
The goals we set ourselves in our sustainability strategy ‘Better Holidays, 
Better World’, launched in September 2015, include operating Europe’s 
most carbon-efficient airline by 2020 and defending this top position. 
Specific carbon emissions (g CO2 / PKM) are to be reduced by 10 % by 
2020.  We  also  aim  to  reduce  the  carbon  intensity  of  our  global  oper-
ations by 10 % by 2020 (against the baseline of 2014). 

Overall Executive Board assessment of  
TUI Group’s current situation and expected  
development 

At  the  date  of  preparation  of  the  Management  Report  (11  Decem-
ber 2017), we uphold our positive assessment of TUI Group’s economic 
situation  and  outlook  for  financial  year  2018.  With  its  finance  profile, 
strong brand and services portfolio, TUI Group is well positioned in the 
market. In the first few weeks of the new financial year 2018, the overall 
business performance has matched expectations.

As  against  the  prior  year  reference  period,  we  expect  TUI  Group’s 
underlying operating result to grow by at least 10 % year-on-year on a 
constant currency basis, driven by improved operating performance in 
the segments.

In the light of our growth roadmap, we have updated our medium-term 
guidance, aiming to deliver at least 10 % underlying EBITA CAGR in the 
next three financial years to 2020. Our long-term target for TUI Group’s 
gross capex remains at 3 to 3.5 % of consolidated turnover. 

Outlook for TUI AG

The future business performance of TUI AG is essentially subject to the 
same factors as those impacting TUI Group. Due to the business ties 
between TUI AG and its Group companies, the outlook, opportunities 
and  risks  presented  for  TUI  Group  largely  reflect  the  expectations 
regarding  TUI  AG.  The  comments  made  for  TUI  Group  therefore  also 
apply to TUI AG. 

50

Opportunity Report

TUI  Group’s  opportunity  management  follows  the  Group  strategy  for 
core business Tourism. Responsibility for systematically identifying and 
taking up opportunities rests with the operational management of the 
source  markets  and  the  TUI  Hotels  &  Resorts  and  Cruises  segments. 
Market scenarios and critical success factors for the individual sectors 
are analysed and assessed in the framework of the Group-wide planning 
and control process. The core task of the Group’s Executive Board is to 
secure profitable growth for TUI Group by optimising the shareholding 
portfolio and developing the Group structure over the long term. 

Overall,  TUI  Group  is  well  positioned  to  benefit  from  opportunities 
resulting from the main trends in its markets. 

O P P O R T U N I T I E S   F R O M   T H E   D E V E L O P M E N T   O F   T H E   O V E R A L L 

F R A M E W O R K
Should the economy perform better than expected, TUI Group and its 
segments would benefit from the resulting increase in demand in the 
travel market. Moreover, changes in the competitive environment could 
create opportunities for TUI Group in individual markets.

C O R P O R AT E   S T R AT E G Y
We see opportunities for further organic growth in particular by expand-
ing our hotel portfolio and cruise business. As market leader, we also 
intend  to  benefit  in  the  long  term  from  demographic  change  and  the 
resulting expected increase in demand for high-quality travel at an attract-
ive price / performance ratio.

O P E R AT I O N A L   O P P O R T U N I T I E S
We  intend  to  improve  our  competitive  position  further  by  offering 
unique  product  and  further  expanding  controlled  distribution  in  the 
source markets, in particular online distribution. 

C O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T R E P O R T

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51

C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

B U S I N E S S   R E V I E W

Why we do it – macroeconomic industry and market framework 

Macroeconomic development

Key exchange rates and commodity prices 

Development of gross domestic product

Exchange rate US Dollar

Var. %

World
Eurozone
  Germany
France

UK

US
Russia
Japan
China
India

2017

 3.6
 2.1
 2.0
 1.6
 1.7
 2.2
 1.8
 1.5
 6.8
 6.7

$ / €

1.30

1.20

1.10

2016

 3.2
 1.8
 1.9
 1.2
 1.8
 1.5
– 0.2
 1.0
 6.7
 7.1

Source: International Monetary Fund (IMF ), World Economic Outlook, October 2017

2016

2017

In calendar year 2017, the global upswing in economic activity gathered 
strength. In its outlook (IMF, World Economic Outlook, October 2017), 
the International Monetary Fund projects global growth to rise to 3.6 % 
in 2017. In advanced economies, the growth pick-up was broad-based, 
with indicators suggesting a persistently positive baseline outlook. In the 
Eurozone, the recovery gained momentum: higher employment, growing 
order books and the positive business sentiment suggest that the mo-
mentum will remain intact. 

Exchange rate Sterling

£ / €

0.95

0.85

0.75

2016

2017

The exchange rate charts are presented on the basis of the indirect quotation format 
customary in the foreign exchange market. If the exchange rate falls, the foreign currency 
is appreciating against the euro. By contrast, if the exchange rate rises, the foreign 
 currency is depreciating against the euro.

 
52

Oil price

Brent ($ / Barrel)

60

50

40

30

2016

2017

TUI Group companies operate on a worldwide scale. This presents finan-
cial  risks  for  TUI  Group,  arising  from  changes  in  exchange  rates  and 
commodity prices. The essential financial transaction risks from oper-
ations relate to euros and US dollars. They mainly result from foreign 
exchange items in the individual Group companies, for instance aircraft 
fuel and bunker oil invoices, ship handling costs or products and services 
sourced by hotels. The parity of sterling against the euro is of relevance 
for the translation of results generated in the UK market in TUI’s consoli-
dated financial statements. Following the UK vote for Brexit, the currency 
fluctuations continued. They impacted the translation of results from 
our UK business.

The average exchange rate of sterling against the euro fell considerably 
in  the  course  of  the  financial  year  under  review  but  returned  to  0.88 
£ / €, i.e. roughly the level recorded at the beginning of the year, as at 
30 September 2017. In financial year 2017, the average exchange rate of 
the US dollar against the euro declined by around 5.4 % from 1.12 $ / € 
to 1.18 $ / €. Changes in commodity prices above all affect  TUI Group 
when procuring fuels such as aircraft fuel and bunker oil. The price of 
Brent  oil  stood  at  $ 57.54  per  barrel  as  at  30  September  2017,  up  by 
around 13.1 % year-on-year. 

In tourism, most risks relating to changes in exchange rates and price 
risks  from  fuel  sourcing  are  hedged  by  derivatives.  Information  on 
hedging strategies and risk management as well as financial transactions 
and the scope of such transactions at the balance sheet date is provided 
in the sections Financial Position and Risk Report in the Management 
Report and the section Financial Instruments in the Notes to the con-
solidated financial statements.

Market environment and competition in Tourism

Since the merger between TUI AG and TUI Travel PLC in December 2014, 
TUI Group has been the world’s leading tourism group. The development 
of the international leisure tourism market impacts all businesses in 
TUI Group. 

T O U R I S M   R E M A I N S   S TA B L E   G R O W T H   S E C T O R 
According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), 
tourism comprises the activities of persons travelling to and staying in 
places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive 
year for leisure, business and other purposes. The key tourism indicators 
to measure market size are the number of international tourist arrivals, 
and international tourism receipts. With international tourism receipts 
amounting to $ 1,220 bn and international arrivals amounting to 1.24 bn 
in 2016, the tourism industry remains one of the most important sectors 
in the global economy, outpacing the growth of world trade in the past five 
years. Over the past six decades, tourism has experienced continued 
expansion and diversification to become one of the largest and fastest- 
growing  economic  sectors  in  the  world.  International  tourist  arrivals 
worldwide are expected to increase by around 3 % a year between 2010 
and 2030, reaching 1.8 bn per annum by 2030 (UNWTO Tourism High-
lights 2017 Edition). 

Change of international tourist arrivals vs. prior year

Var. %

World
Europe
Asia and the Pacific
Americas
Afrika
Middle East

2017*

+ 6.4
+ 7.7
+ 5.7
+ 3.0
+ 7.6
+ 8.9

2016

+ 3.9
+ 2.1
+ 8.6
+ 3.6
+ 8.0
– 3.4

Source: UNW TO World Tourism Barometer, August 2017 
* Period January till June

In the first half of calendar year 2017, the growth trend continued, with 
international tourist arrivals growing by 6.4 % during that period. This was 
the strongest H1 increase in seven years. Travel for holidays, recreation 
and other forms of leisure accounted for just over half of all international 
tourist arrivals (UNWTO, Tourism Highlights, 2017 Edition).

At plus 6.3 %, TUI Group customer numbers matched this growth trend 
in financial year 2017, with all source markets reporting growth. 

   Financial Position see from page 66, Risk Report see from page 30, Financial 
Instruments see Notes page 209

   Business performance in the source markets see page 61

 
C O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T R E P O R T

 Business review

53

C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

Europe remained the largest and most  mature tourism market  in the 
world, accounting for 49.9 % of international tourist arrivals and 36.7 % 
of tourism receipts in 2016. Five European countries (France, Spain, 
Italy,  the United Kingdom and Germany) figured in the top ten inter-

national tourism destinations in 2016. Three of our main source markets – 
Germany,  UK and France – were in the top five of all source markets 
worldwide measured by international tourism spending.

International tourist arrivals and receipts

Europe

616

447

Middle East

58

54

Africa

58

35

World

1,235

1,220

Asia and  
the Pacific

367

308

313
304

Americas

199
193

international tourism receipts (in bn $) 

international tourist arrivals (in million) 

Source: UNW TO, Tourism Highlights, 2017 Edition

Germany continues to be the third largest source market in the world 
with international tourism expenditure of approximately $ 79.8 bn in 2016, 
after China ($ 261.1 bn) and the US ($ 123.6 bn). In terms of expenditure 
per  capita,  Germany  ranks  fourth  globally,  with  approximately  $ 946 
spent by the average German tourist in 2016 (Source: UNWTO, Tourism 
Highlights, 2017 Edition). Key operators in the German tourism market 
are TUI Deutschland, Thomas Cook, DER Touristik, FTI and Aida Cruises 
(FVW, Dossier, Deutsche Veranstalter, December 2016).

The United Kingdom is the fourth largest source market in the world, 
with approximately $ 63.6 bn spent on tourism activities in 2016 and on 
average $ 970 spent per capita over the same period (source: UNWTO, 
Tourism Highlights, 2017 Edition). The British tourism market is charac-
terised  by  a  high  degree  of  concentration  around  two  key  operators: 
TUI Group and Thomas Cook.

France was the fifth largest source market in 2016, with international 
tourism expenditure of approximately $ 40.5 bn (source: UNWTO, Tourism 
Highlights, 2017 Edition). Thanks to the recent buying of Transat France, 

 
 
 
 
 
54

TUI is now the leader on the French tourism market with its main tour 
operator  brands:  Club  Marmara  and  Club  Lookea  on  the  French  Club 
market, and Circuits Nouvelles Frontieres and Vacances Transat on the 
packaged tours market. This buying is to enable TUI France to achieve 
robust profitability. The French tourism market has been highly fragment-
ed in the past but has undergone a slow consolidation in recent months. 
TUI  France  will  continue  to  expand  its  market  position  and  market 
shares, while growing TUI brand awareness among French people. In 2016, 
France  remained  the  world’s  top  destination  with  82.6  million  arrivals, 
despite a decline in international tourist arrivals of 2.2 %. 

H O T E L   M A R K E T 
Global hotel value sales reached € 470 bn at fixed exchange rate in 2016. 
Over the period 2016 – 2022, hotel value sales are expected to register a 
CAGR of 2.8 % at constant 2017 prices, according to Euromonitor Inter-
national Travel 2018 edition. The hotel market is divided between busi-
ness and leisure travel. A number of characteristics differentiate leisure 
travel hotels from business hotels, including longer average lengths of stay 
for  guests  in  leisure  hotels.  Locations,  amenities  and  service  require-
ments also differ. From a demand perspective, the leisure hotel market 
in Europe is divided into several smaller submarkets which cater to the 
individual  needs  and  demands  of  tourists.  These  submarkets  include 
premium, comfort, budget, family / apartment, and club or resort-style 
hotels. Hotel companies may offer a variety of hotels for different sub-
markets, often defined by price range, star ratings, exclusivity, or avail-
able facilities.

Hotel  operations  can  generally  be  divided  into  the  following  models: 
asset  owners  whose  primary  business  is  to  own  real  estate  assets; 
brand owners and operators who typically manage hotel assets them-
selves or enter into franchising arrangements with independent operators 
who, in turn, manage the hotel property assets; and independent oper-
ators combining the roles of asset owners, brand owners and operators 
by managing diverse assets under different brands, often through fran-
chise agreements.

The  upper  end  of  the  leisure  hotel  market  is  characterised  by  a  high 
degree of sophistication and specialisation, with the assets managed by 
large international companies and investors. There are also many small, 
often family-run businesses, particularly in Europe, not quite so upscale 
and  with  fewer  financial  resources.  Most  family-owned  and  operated 
businesses are not branded. Given the variety of models for owning and 
operating  leisure  hotels  and  the  fragmented  competition  landscape 
which, at least in Europe, is not dominated by large hotel chains, condi-
tions differ greatly between locations.

C R U I S E   M A R K E T
The global cruise industry generated an estimated revenue of around 
$ 39.6 bn in 2016 (Cruise Market Watch website, www.cruisemarketwatch.

com/market-share, September 2016). Overall, an estimated 24.7 million 
guests undertook an ocean cruise worldwide in calendar year 2016. For 
2017, their number is expected to total 25.8 million (CLIA, Year in Review 
2016, CLIA, Cruises Industry Outlook 2017). The North American market 
is by far the largest and most mature cruise market in the world, with a 
strong penetration rate of 3.6 % of the total population taking a cruise in 
2016 (Cruise Industry Source Market Report, CLIA 2016). 

The European cruise markets recorded approximately 6.7 million Euro-
pean  passengers  in  2016,  with  penetration  rates  varying  significantly 
from country to country, but considerably lower overall (Mintel, Cruises − 
International, June 2016; CLIA Statistics & Markets, March 2017). In 2015, 
the global cruise market grew by around 2.4 %.

Germany, the United Kingdom & Ireland and France are among the five 
largest cruise markets in Europe (CLIA Statistics & Markets, March 2017). 
Germany is Europe’s largest cruise market, with 2.0 million passengers 
in 2016. Germany has thus witnessed average passenger growth of 8.3 % 
over the period from 2011 to 2015. At 2.5 % in 2016, its penetration rate 
was lower than in the United Kingdom & Ireland. The United Kingdom & 
Ireland is the second largest cruise market in Europe, with approximate-
ly 1.9 million cruise passengers in 2016. The market thus grew by 2.1 % 
on average over the period from 2011 to 2015. It shows the strongest 
penetration rate in Europe: in 2016, 3.0 % of the total British population 
took a cruise. (Mintel, Cruises – International, June 2016; Cruise Industry 
Source Market Report, CLIA 2016). 

The European cruise market is divided into submarkets that cater to a 
variety of customers: budget, discovery / expedition, premium and luxury. 
Cruise  operators  utilise  different  cruise  formats  to  target  these  sub-
markets  and  the  specific  demands  of  their  customers.  In  addition  to 
traditional formats, operators offer club ship cruises and also more con-
temporary-style cruises in the premium submarket. As a cruise ship is 
often perceived as a destination in itself, cruise companies, especially 
in  the  luxury  and  premium  cruise  submarkets,  compete  with  other 
destinations such as leading hotels and resorts.

Brand

S T R O N G   T U I   B R A N D
Our brand with the ‘smile’ – the smiling logo formed by the three letters 
of our brand name TUI – stands for a consistent customer experience, 
digital presence and competitive strength. In 2017, TUI and the previous 
local  power  brand  Thomson  in  the  UK  were  among  the  best-known 
travel brands in core European countries with a brand awareness rate of 
almost 90 %. The red ‘TUI smile’ is a clear recognition feature and plays 
in the Champions League of international brands in almost all markets.

C O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T R E P O R T

 Business review

55

C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

We  are  aiming  to  create  one  global  branding  and  a  consistent  brand 
experience in order to further leverage the appeal and strength of our 
core brands and tap the associated growth potential. To achieve that 
goal,  our  core  brand  TUI  is  being  rolled  out  in  our  European  source 
markets  to  replace  the  big  local  tour  operator  brands.  Following  the 
successful rollout of the TUI brand in the Netherlands in 2016, the local 
brands in Belgium and the Nordics were replaced by the TUI brand in 
2017,  where  TUI  has  also  rapidly  become  one  of  the  strongest  travel 
brands  in  terms  of  brand  awareness  and  preference.  In  financial  year 
2017, the TUI brand was also rolled out in France. Brand migration in the 
UK followed in October 2017.

In Germany, travel products have been offered under the TUI brand for 
more than 45 years. In a survey carried out in 2017, TUI was again rated 
as Germany’s most trusted travel brand (Source: Reader’s Digest Trusted 
Brands 2017).

Changes in the legal framework

In  financial  year  2017,  there  were  no  changes  in  the  legal  framework 
with material impacts on TUI Group’s business performance. 

Group earnings

Comments on the consolidated income statement

Financial year 2017 brought a markedly positive development in the TUI 
Group’s  earnings  position.  The  operating  result  (underlying  EBITA)  of 

TUI Group’s continuing operations improved by 10.2 % to € 1,102.1 m 
in  the  period  under  review,  or  by  12.0 %  year-on-year  on  a  constant 
currency basis. This growth was driven in particular by the continued 
good performance in the segments Hotels & Resorts and Cruises. 

Income Statement of the TUI Group for the period from 1 Oct 2016 to 30 Sep 2017

€ million

2017

2016

Turnover
Cost of sales
Gross profit
Administrative expenses
Other income
Other expenses
Financial income
Financial expenses
Share of result of joint ventures and associates
Earnings before income taxes 
Income taxes
Result from continuing operations
Result from discontinued operations
Group profit for the year
Group profit for the year attributable to shareholders of TUI AG
Group profit for the year attributable to non-controlling interest

18,535.0
16,535.5
1,999.5
1,255.8
12.5
1.9
229.3
156.2
252.3
1,079.7
168.8
910.9
– 149.5
761.4
644.8
116.6

17,153.9
15,247.4
1,906.5
1,216.9
36.3
7.4
58.5
345.9
187.2
618.3
153.4
464.9
687.3
1,152.2
1,037.4
114.8

Var. %

+ 8.1
+ 8.4
+ 4.9
+ 3.2
– 65.6
– 74.3
+ 292.0
– 54.8
+ 34.8
+ 74.6
+ 10.0
+ 95.9
n. a.
– 33.9
– 37.8
+ 1.6

56

Turnover and cost of sales

Turnover

€ million

Hotels & Resorts
Cruises
Source Markets
  Northern Region
  Central Region
  Western Region
Other Tourism
Tourism
  All other segments
TUI Group
TUI Group at constant 
currency
Discontinued operations
Total

2017 

679.0
815.0
16,143.2
6,601.5
6,039.5
3,502.2
677.0
18,314.2
220.8
18,535.0

19,156.5
829.0
19,364.0

2016 
restated

618.6
703.1
14,997.2
6,564.4
5,562.9
2,869.9
669.3
16,988.2
165.7
17,153.9

17,153.9
2,321.6
19,475.5

Var. % 

+ 9.8
+ 15.9
+ 7.6
+ 0.6
+ 8.6
+ 22.0
+ 1.2
+ 7.8
+ 33.3
+ 8.1

+ 11.7
– 64.3
– 0.6

In financial year 2017, turnover of TUI Group climbed by 8.1 % to € 18.5 bn. 
On a constant currency basis, turnover grew by 11.7 % on a year-on-year 
increase in customer numbers of 6.3 % in the source markets. Turnover 
is presented alongside the cost of sales, which was up 8.4 % in the period 
under review. 

G R O S S   P R O F I T
Gross profit, i.e. the difference between turnover and the cost of sales, 
increased by 4.9 % to around € 2.0 bn in financial year 2017.

A D M I N I S T R AT I V E   E X P E N S E S
Administrative expenses rose by € 38.9 m year-on-year to € 1,255.8 m. 

F I N A N C I A L   R E S U LT
The financial result improved by € 360.5 m to € 73.1 m. The increase was 
essentially due to the profit generated in the financial year under review 
from the disposal of the remaining stake in Hapag-Lloyd AG. 

operating performance of Riu hotels and a higher profit contribution by 
TUI Cruises.

R E S U LT   F R O M   C O N T I N U I N G   O P E R AT I O N S
The  result  from  continuing  operations  improved  by  € 446.0 m  to 
€ 910.9 m in financial year 2017.

R E S U LT   F R O M   D I S C O N T I N U E D   O P E R AT I O N
The  result  from  discontinued  operation  shows  the  after-tax  result  of 
Travelopia,  classified  as  a  discontinued  operation,  until  it  was  sold.  In 
the prior year, this item also included in particular the gain on disposal 
from the sale of Hotelbeds Group.

G R O U P   P R O F I T
Group profit decreased by € 390.8 m year-on-year to € 761.4 m in financial 
year 2017. 

S H A R E   I N   G R O U P   P R O F I T   AT T R I B U TA B L E   T O   T U I   A G 

 S H A R E H O L D E R S 
The share in Group profit attributable to the TUI AG shareholders declined 
from € 1,037.4 m in the prior year to € 644.8 m in financial year 2017. On 
a sound operating performance, the decline is attributable to the gain 
on  disposal  from  the  sale  of  Hotelbeds  Group  included  in  the  prior 
year’s result. 

N O N - C O N T R O L L I N G   I N T E R E S T S
Non-controlling interests in Group profit for the year totalled € 116.6 m. 
They mainly related to RIUSA II Group.

E A R N I N G S   P E R   S H A R E
The interest in Group profit for the year attributable to TUI AG share-
holders after deduction of non-controlling interests totalled € 644.8 m 
(previous year € 1,037.4 m) in 2017. Basic earnings per share therefore 
amounted to € 1.10 (previous year € 1.78) in financial year 2017.

EBITA, underlying EBITA und underlying earnings 
per share 

S H A R E   O F   R E S U LT S   O F   J O I N T   V E N T U R E S   A N D   A S S O C I AT E S
The result from joint ventures and associates comprises the propor-
tionate net profit for the year of the companies measured at equity and 
where appropriate impairments of goodwill for these companies. In the 
period under review, the at equity result totalled € 252.3 m. The signifi-
cant increase of € 65.1 m partly resulted from the improvement in the  

Key indicators used to manage the TUI Group are EBITA and underlying 
EBITA. We consider EBITA to be the most suitable performance indicator 
for explaining the development of the TUI Group’s operating performance. 
Our definition of EBITA is earnings before net interest result, income tax 
and impairment of goodwill excluding the result from the measurement 
of interest hedges.

 
C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

C O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T R E P O R T

 Business review

Reconciliation to underlying EBITA

€ million

Earnings before income taxes
plus: Profit on sale of financial investment in Container Shipping
plus: Loss on measurement of financial investment in Container Shipping
plus: Net Interest expense and expense from the measurement of interest hedges
EBITA
Adjustments:

less: Gain on disposals
  plus: Restructuring expense
  plus: Expense from purchase price allocation
  plus: Expense from other one-off items
Underlying EBITA

Reported earnings (EBITA) of TUI Group rose by € 128.4 m to € 1,026.5 m 
due to a strong operating performance in financial year 2017.

EBITA

€ million

Hotels & Resorts
Cruises
Source Markets
  Northern Region
  Central Region
  Western Region
Other Tourism
Tourism
  All other segments
TUI Group
Discontinued operations
Total

2017 

2016 
restated

Var. % 

353.7
255.6
456.3
309.6
67.3
79.4
15.7
1,081.3
– 54.8
1,026.5
– 22.1
1,004.4

301.5
190.9
498.8
362.7
64.0
72.1
– 2.9
988.3
– 90.2
898.1
14.7
912.8

+ 17.3
+ 33.9
– 8.5
– 14.6
+ 5.2
+ 10.1
n. a.
+ 9.4
+ 39.2
+ 14.3
n. a.
+ 10.0

In order to explain and evaluate the operating performance of the seg-
ments, earnings adjusted for special one-off effects (underlying EBITA) 
are presented below. Underlying EBITA has been adjusted for gains on 
disposal of financial investments, restructuring expenses according to 
IAS 37, all effects from purchase price allocations, ancillary acquisition 
costs and conditional purchase price payments and other expenses for 
and income from one-off items. 

57

Var. %

+ 74.6
n. a.
n. a.
– 33.6
+ 14.3

n. a.
+ 92.5
– 30.3
– 46.5
+ 10.2

2017

1,079.7
– 172.4
–
119.2
1,026.5

– 2.2
23.1
29.2
25.5
1,102.1

2016

618.3
–
100.3
179.5
898.1

0.8
12.0
41.9
47.7
1,000.5

more difficult or causing distortions. These items include in particular 
major restructuring and integration expenses not meeting the criteria 
of IAS 37, material expenses for litigation, gains and losses from the 
sale of aircraft and other material business transactions with a one-off 
character.

TUI Group’s underlying EBITA rose by € 101.6 m to € 1,102.1 m in financial 
year 2017. 

Underlying EBITA

€ million

2017

2016

Var. %

Hotels & Resorts
Cruises
Source Markets
  Northern Region
  Central Region
  Western Region
Other Tourism
Tourism
  All other segments
TUI Group
TUI Group at constant 
currency
Discontinued operations
Total

356.5
255.6
526.5
345.8
71.5
109.2
13.4
1,152.0
– 49.9
1,102.1

1,120.7
– 1.2
1,100.9

303.8
190.9
554.3
383.1
85.1
86.1
7.9
1,056.9
– 56.4
1,000.5

1,000.5
92.9
1,093.4

+ 17.3
+ 33.9
– 5.0
– 9.7
– 16.0
+ 26.8
+ 69.6
+ 9.0
+ 11.5
+ 10.2

+ 12.0
n. a.
+ 0.7

One-off items carried here include adjustments for income and expense 
items that reflect amounts and frequencies of occurrence rendering an 
evaluation of the operating profitability of the segments and the Group 

In financial year 2017, adjustments worth € 25.8 m were carried for in-
come, compared with adjustments on underlying expenses amounting 
to € 72.2 m, without taking account of the expenses for purchase price 
allocations. They mainly related to the following items and circumstances:

 
 
 
 
58

G A I N S   O N   D I S P O S A L
In financial year 2017, gains on disposal worth € 2.2 m had to be adjusted 
for. They related in particular to disposals of subsidiaries.

R E S T R U C T U R I N G   C O S T S
In financial year 2017, restructuring costs of € 23.1 m had to be adjusted 
for. They included an amount of around € 24 m for the merger of TUI’s 
French tour operators following the acquisition of Transat. Adjustments 
also included expenses worth around € 4 m for the merger of the Nordic 
and UK airlines. Income resulted from the release of a restructuring 
provision no longer required in Central Region.

E X P E N S E S   F O R   P U R C H A S E   P R I C E   A L L O C AT I O N S 
In  financial  year  2017,  expenses  for  purchase  price  allocations  worth 
€ 29.2 m were adjusted for; they related in particular to scheduled amort-
isation of intangible assets from acquisitions made in previous years.

O N E - O F F   I T E M S
Net  expenses  for  one-off  items  of  € 25.5 m  included  in  particular  an 
amount of € 18 m relating to IT projects in Northern Region and around 
€ 8 m for the merger of the Nordic and UK airlines. Further expenses of 
€ 17 m related to reorganisation schemes in the regions and destination 
agencies. An opposite effect resulted from the adjustment of € 13 m for 
the release of a provision at Corsair no longer required in the financial 
year under review. 

P R O   F O R M A   U N D E R LY I N G   E A R N I N G S   P E R   S H A R E 
The table below presents TUI Group’s pro forma earnings per share to 
provide a basis for comparison. The calculation is based on the issued 
share  capital  at  the  balance  sheet  date.  It  therefore  adjusts  for  the 
impact of conversions of stock option plans during the year. 

EBITDA and underlying EBITDA

Pro forma underlying earnings per share TUI Group

€ million

2017

2016 

EBITA (underlying) 
less: Net interest expense
Underlying profit before tax
Income taxes (underlying)
Underlying Group profit
Minority interest
Underlying Group profit attributable to  
TUI shareholders of TUI AG
Number of shares (pro forma) 
Pro forma underlying earnings per share

No. million

1,102.1
– 119.2
982.9
196.6
786.3
116.6

669.7
587.0
1.14

1,000.5
– 179.5
821.1
205.3
615.8
111.5

504.3
587.0
0.86

Reconciliation to EBITDA 

€ million

2017

2016

Var. %

EBITA 
Amortisation (+) / write- 
backs (–) of other  intangible 
assets and depreciation (+) / 
write-backs (–) of property, 
plant and equipment and 
 current assets
EBITDA 

1,026.5

898.1

+ 14.3

464.4
1,490.9

407.0
1,305.1

+ 14.1
+ 14.2

€ million

Hotels & Resorts
Cruises
Source Markets
  Northern Region
  Central Region
  Western Region
Other Tourism
Tourism
  All other segments
TUI Group
Discontinued operations
Total

EBITDA

Underlying EBITDA

2017 

2016 
restated

Var. % 

2017 

2016 
restated

Var. % 

484.5
312.9
568.2
378.6
87.6
102.0
102.3
1,467.9
23.0
1,490.9
– 22.1
1,468.8

396.5
236.8
614.4
430.3
86.3
97.9
58.2
1,306.0
– 0.9
1,305.1
85.6
1,390.7

+ 22.2
+ 32.1
– 7.5
– 12.0
+ 1.5
+ 4.2
+ 75.8
+ 12.4
n. a.
+ 14.2
n. a.
+ 5.6

485.2
312.9
619.3
402.7
89.8
126.8
100.0
1,517.4
24.3
1,541.7
– 1.2
1,540.5

394.4
236.8
650.9
437.3
105.3
108.3
69.0
1,351.1
28.5
1,379.6
139.2
1,518.8

+ 23.0
+ 32.1
– 4.9
– 7.9
– 14.7
+ 17.1
+ 44.9
+ 12.3
– 14.7
+ 11.7
n. a.
+ 1.4

C O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T R E P O R T

 Business review

59

C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

Segmental performance

Current and future trading in Tourism 

In Tourism, travel products are booked on a seasonal basis with different 
lead times. The release of bookings for individual seasons takes place at 
different points in time, depending on the design of the booking and re-
ser vation systems in each source market. Moreover, load factor manage-

ment ensures that the tour operator capacity available for bookings is 
seasonally adjusted to actual and expected demand. 

At the end of financial year 2017, current trading by source market for 
Winter 2017 / 18 compared as follows with the previous year: 

Current Trading*

Var. %

Northern Region
  UK & I
  Memo: UK & I incl. Cruise
  Nordics
Central Region
  Germany
Western Region 
  Benelux 
Total Source Markets
  Memo: Total Source Markets incl. UK Cruise

Winter 2017 / 18

Revenue

Total  
customers 

Total  
A SP

Programme 
sold

+ 6
+ 3
+ 7
+ 10
+ 7
+ 9
+ 3
+ 4
+ 6
+ 7

–
– 4
– 3
+ 7
+ 8
+ 9
–
+ 2
+ 3
+ 3

+ 6
+ 8
+ 10
+ 3
– 1
+ 1
+ 3
+ 2
+ 3
+ 3

+ 63
+ 57
+ 59
+ 74
+ 64
+ 63
+ 65
+ 65
+ 63
+ 64

* These statistics are up to 3 December 2017, shown on a constant currency basis and relate to all customers whether risk or non-risk

For the 2018 Summer season, as usual for this point in the booking cycle, 
only the UK is more than 20 % booked. UK booked revenue (excluding 
Marella Cruises) is up 2 % and average selling prices up 4 % (Novem-
ber 2017).

sound demand levels, primarily due to continued fleet expansion and 
modernisation by TUI Cruises and Marella Cruises in the period under 
review.

Trading by the Hotels & Resorts segment largely mirrors customer vol-
umes in the source markets, as a high proportion of the Group-owned 
hotel beds are taken up by TUI tour operators. In the Cruises segment, 
advance bookings were up year-on-year at the balance sheet date with 

Disclosures on current trading are regularly published on TUI’s website 
in the framework of TUI Group’s quarterly reporting. 

  See www.tuigroup.com/en-en/investors

60

Hotels & Resorts

Hotels & Resorts

€ million

Total turnover
Turnover
Underlying EBITA
Underlying EBITA at constant 
currency
Capacity hotels total 1, 4 in ’000
  Riu 
  Robinson
  Blue Diamond
Occupancy rate hotels total 2  
in %, variance in % points
  Riu 
  Robinson
  Blue Diamond
Average revenue per bed  
hotels total 3 in €
  Riu 
  Robinson
  Blue Diamond

2017 

2016  
restated

Var. % 

1,366.2
679.0
356.5

362.0
39,163
17,942
3,115
2,859

79
90
66
83

63
64
91
112

1,278.4
618.6
303.8

303.8
37,306
17,396
3,081
2,275

78
90
67
85

60
60
90
92

+ 6.9
+ 9.8
+ 17.3

+ 19.2
+ 5.0
+ 3.1
+ 1.1
+ 25.6

+ 1
–
– 1
– 3

+ 5.5
+ 6.0
+ 0.8
+ 22.5

Turnover includes fully consolidated companies, all other KPI’s incl. companies measured 
at equity
1  Group owned or leased hotel beds multiplied by opening days per year
2  Occupied beds divided by capacity
3  Arrangement revenue divided by occupied beds
4  Previous year’s KPIs restated 

Hotels  &  Resorts  delivered  a  significant  increase  in  underlying  EBITA 
this year, driven by new hotel openings and a strong underlying trading 
performance,  with  an  increase  in  occupancy  rate  to  79 %  and  6 %  in-
crease in average revenue per bed. Financial year 2017 also marks the 
fourth  consecutive  year  of  increasing  ROIC  for  Hotels  &  Resorts,  to 
13.2 %  (versus  WACC  8.5 %).  This  demonstrates  the  attractiveness  of 
our portfolio of hotel and club brands, the strength of our distribution 
capabilities, and our disciplined approach to investment.

•  Overall,  the  increase  in  Hotels  &  Resorts  earnings  was  driven  by 
strong performances in the Western Mediterranean and Caribbean, 
as  well  as  an  improvement  in  earnings  in  Turkey  and  North  Africa 
where  demand  in  general  has  been  recovering.  This  includes  the 
removal  of  travel  restrictions  for  Russian  customers  on  travel  to 
Turkey, as well as improved Source Market demand for Egypt. The 
high level of hurricane activity in the Caribbean at the end of Financial 
year 2017 resulted in damage to some hotels. However, taking into 
account our insurance coverage, the hurricanes did not result in a 
significant impact on the Hotels & Resorts result.

•  The  continued  high  occupancy  rate  demonstrates  the  strength  of 
our portfolio of brands and destinations, as well as the success of the 
integrated model as a significant proportion of rooms are sold is via 
our  Source  Markets.  This  also  provides  a  significant  de-risk  when 
introducing new hotels.

•  In line with our strategy of disciplined growth in own hotel content, 
ten  new  hotels  were  opened  this  year,  bringing  the  total  since  the 
merger to 28. Hotels were opened in Jamaica, St Lucia ,Tenerife, 
Italy and Croatia by Riu, Blue Diamond and TUI Blue. In addition, two 
hotels in Germany and Austria were repositioned as TUI Blue.

•  Riu continues to deliver a very high occupancy rate of 90 %, with an 
increase in average revenue per bed of 6 %. Performance was par-
ticularly strong in Spain and Mexico, and the result also reflects the 
opening of the Riu Reggae in Jamaica in November 2016. Robinson 
delivered  a  1 %  increase  in  average  revenue  per  bed  and  a  stable 
earnings performance. Demand for Robinson clubs in Turkey (which 
comes  mainly  from  our  German  customer  base)  continues  to  rela-
tively  subdued  versus  other  destinations.  Blue  Diamond  earnings 
increased  as  a  result  of  hotel  openings  in  the  Caribbean,  with  a 
continued high level of occupancy despite these new openings.

Cruise

Cruises 

€ million

Turnover1
Underlying EBITA
Underlying EBITA at constant 
currency
Occupany  
in %, variance in % points

TUI Cruises
  Marella Cruises4
  Hapag-Lloyd Cruises
Passenger days in ’000

TUI Cruises
  Marella Cruises4
  Hapag-Lloyd Cruises
Average daily rates 2 in €

TUI Cruises

  Marella Cruises3, 4
  Hapag-Lloyd Cruises

2017 

2016  
restated

Var. % 

815.0
255.6

263.5

101.9
101.7
76.7

4,483
2,720
349

173
131
594

703.1
190.9

190.9

102.6
100.6
76.8

3,482
2,081
355

171
121
579

+ 15.9
+ 33.9

+ 38.0

– 0.7
+ 1.1
–

+ 28.7
+ 30.7
– 1.7

+ 1.2
+ 8.3
+ 2.6

1  No turnover is carried for TUI Cruises as the joint venture is consolidated at equity
2  Per day and passenger
3   Inclusive of transfers, flights and hotels due to the integrated nature of Marella Cruises, 

in £.

4  Thomson Cruises until October 2017 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
C O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T R E P O R T

 Business review

61

C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

•  Cruise  delivered  strong  earnings  growth  as  a  result  of  new  ship 
launches  in  Germany  and  UK,  with  continued  high  occupancy  and 
average daily rates across the fleets. Overall, the segment delivered a 
strong ROIC performance of 19.9 % (versus WACC 5.25 %), reflecting our 
equity participation in TUI Cruises as well as excellent performances 
by our UK and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises subsidiaries.

•  TUI Cruises (our joint venture with Royal Caribbean for the German 
speaking  market)  delivered  the  first  Winter  of  operations  for  Mein 
Schiff 5 and launched Mein Schiff 6 in June 2017. Fleet and average 
daily rate increased versus prior year, driven by the continued strength 
of demand for TUI Cruises’ premium, all inclusive offering.

•  Marella  Cruises  (our  UK  brand,  previously  Thomson  Cruises)  de-
livered the first Winter of operations for the Marella Discovery and 
launched Marella Discovery 2 in May. Fleet occupancy and average 
daily rate increased versus prior year, as we continue to deliver our 
modernisation programme and expansion in line with the UK cruise 
market.

•  Hapag-Lloyd Cruises (our luxury and expedition brand) delivered a 
strong performance and increase in earnings, with increased average 
daily rate and a good operational performance offsetting the lower 
number of operating days.

Source Markets

Source Markets

€ million

Turnover
Underlying EBITA
Underlying EBITA at constant 
currency
Net Promoter Score1 
in %, variance in % points
Customer satisfaction  
holiday overall 2
Direct distribution3  
in %, variance in % points
Online distribution4  
in %, variance in % points
Customers in ’000

2017 

16,143.2
526.5

2016  
restated

14,997.2
554.3

532.1

554.3

50

8.59

73

49

8.56

72

46
20,184

43
18,986

Var. % 

+ 7.6
– 5.0

– 4.0

+ 1

+ 0.03

+ 1

+ 3
+ 6.3

1   NPS is measured in customer satisfaction questionnaires completed post-holiday. It is 
based on the question ‘On a scale of 0 to 10 where 10 is extremely likely and 0 is not at 
all likely, how likely is it that you would recommend the brand to a friend, colleague or 
relative?’ and is calculated by taking the percentage of promoters (9s and 10s) less the 
percentage of detractors (0s through 6s) 

2   Customer satisfaction for holiday overall is measured in customer satisfaction question-

naires completed post-holiday, based on a customer rating on a scale of 0 to 10.

3  Share of sales via own channels (retails and online)
4  Share of online sales

Source  Markets  delivered  a  strong  portfolio  performance,  thanks  to 
their  geographic  diversity,  market  leading  positions,  popular  range  of 
holiday products and focus on efficiency. Having completed the TUI 
rebrand  in  all  major  markets,  we  have  grown  customer  volumes  and 
delivered higher levels of direct and online distribution, and will be able 
to market the brand more efficiently in the future. We also continue to 
leverage  our  market  leading  distribution  capability  to  both  maximise 
occupancy  in  TUI  Group  hotels  and  support  strong  relationships  with 
third party hoteliers.

62

Northern Region

€ million

Turnover
Underlying EBITA
Underlying EBITA at constant 
currency
Direct distribution1  
in %, variance in % points
Online distribution2  
in %, variance in % points
Customers in ’000

2017 

2016  

Var. % 

Central Region 

€ million

6,601.5
345.8

6,564.4
383.1

351.1

383.1

92

63
7,391

92

62
7,142

+ 0.6
– 9.7

– 8.4

–

+ 1
+ 3.5

Turnover
Underlying EBITA
Underlying EBITA at constant 
currency
Direct distribution1  
in %, variance in % points
Online distribution2  
in %, variance in % points
Customers in ’000

2017 

6,039.5
71.5

71.7

49

19
7,151

2016  
restated

5,562.9
85.1

85.1

47

15
6,828

Var. % 

+ 8.6
– 16.0

– 15.7

+ 2

+ 4
+ 4.7

1  Share of sales via own channels (retails and online)
2  Share of online sales

1  Share of sales via own channels (retails and online)
2  Share of online sales

Northern Region comprises TUI’s sales and marketing subsidiaries in UK 
and Nordics and joint ventures in Canada and Russia. Overall, Northern 
Region delivered strong growth in turnover and customer volumes this 
year with continued high levels of direct and online distribution, despite 
a  significant  impact  at  the  end  of  the  financial  year  from  repatriation 
and cancellation costs associated with the hurricanes in Florida and the 
Caribbean.

•  As  expected,  although  UK  demand  for  holidays  abroad  remains 
strong, margins across the package holiday market are normalising, 
particularly as a result of the weaker Pound Sterling. This is reflected to 
some extent in our financial year 2017 result. Nonetheless, our margins 
remain healthy and we are well positioned competitively. TUI is the 
clear market leader with a strong net promoter score of 55, high levels 
of direct (93 %) and online (59 %) distribution, and a highly integrated 
and efficient business model.

•  In  Nordics,  both  turnover  and  earnings  performance  improved 
compared  with  prior  year.  This  was  driven  by  a  particularly  strong 
Summer, following the TUI rebrand and successful remix to destin-
ations such as Spain, Cyprus, Bulgaria and Croatia, as demand for 
Turkey  continued  to  be  more  subdued.  With  a  new  management 
team  in  place,  Nordics’  operations  are  becoming  more  efficient, 
having implemented the same yield management system as UK this 
year, as well as delivering overhead savings.

•  Earnings in Canada increased this year as a result of strong trading, 
including for Group hotels such as Blue Diamond and Riu. Earnings in 
Russia decreased slightly due to the non-repeat of prior year provision 
releases.

Central  Region  comprises  TUI’s  sales  and  marketing  operations  in 
Germany  and  Austria  (operated  as  one  market),  Switzerland  and 
 Poland. Turnover for the segment increased by 9 % in financial year 2017, 
driven by higher volumes in all markets, and with an increase in direct 
and online distribution.

•  Germany  and  Austria  delivered  2 %  increase  in  customer  volumes 
and further increase in market share, with a good performance and 
improvement in trading margin particularly in the second half of the 
year.  Demand  increased  in  particular  for  Greece,  Spain,  Egypt  and 
long haul, which helped to offset the continued subdued demand for 
Turkey in the year.

•  As previously communicated this was offset by € 24 m impact from 

the sickness incident in TUI fly at the start of the year. 

•  We remain focussed on growing the proportion of direct and online 
distribution in Germany, currently at 47 % and 18 % The increase in 
direct distribution, coupled with our ongoing cost savings programme, 
have also benefitted the result this year.

•  Switzerland and Poland both delivered a good performance this year, 

with an increase in customer volumes, turnover and earnings.

•  The Central Region result also includes an adverse variance to prior 
year of c. € 15 m following the Air Berlin insolvency, relating to receiv-
ables for aircraft and crew leased to Air Berlin in financial year 2017 on 
which the latter defaulted. 

C O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T R E P O R T

 Business review

63

C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

Western Region 

€ million

Turnover
Underlying EBITA
Underlying EBITA at constant 
currency
Direct distribution1  
in %, variance in % points
Online distribution2  
in %, variance in % points
Customers in ’000

2017 

2016  

Var. % 

3,502.2
109.2

2,869.9
86.1

109.3

71

54
5,642

86.1

70

52
5,016

+ 22.0
+ 26.8

+ 26.9

+ 1

+ 2
+ 12.5

Other Tourism

Other Tourism 

€ million

Turnover
Underlying EBITA
Underlying EBITA at constant 
currency

2017 

677.0
13.4

17.8

2016  
restated

669.3
7.9

Var. % 

+ 1.2
+ 69.6

7.9

+ 125.3

1  Share of sales via own channels (retails and online)
2  Share of online sales

Western  Region  comprises  TUI’s  sales  and  marketing  operations  in 
Benelux and France. Turnover for the segment increased by 22.0 % in 
financial  year  2017,  driven  by  the  acquisition  of  Transat’s  French  tour 
operating business at the start of the financial year, as well as higher 
volumes  in  Benelux.  Direct  and  online  distribution  also  increased,  in 
part aided by the TUI rebrand in all markets.

•  Following the terrorist incident at Brussels Airport in 2016, Benelux 
delivered  a  strong  trading  performance,  particularly  in  the  second 
half. Having completed the TUI rebrand in Netherlands in 2016, the 
Belgium rebrand was completed in 2017. In addition, the airline oper-
ational issues experienced in Netherlands in the first half were dealt 
with  effectively  ahead  of  the  Summer,  resulting  in  an  improved 
performance.

•  In France, the integration of Transat’s operations is on track. Disap-
pointingly,  however,  the  French  result  overall  has  not  improved 
compared with prior year, mainly as a result of competitive pressures 
in  late  Summer  trading.  Nonetheless,  we  anticipate  that  the  syn-
ergies from the Transat deal will be delivered in the next few years, 
in line with our previously announced plans.

Other Tourism includes the turnover and profits of our Destination 
Services business (which looks after TUI customers in resort), result for 
the French scheduled airline Corsair, as well as the costs of central func-
tions supporting the Tourism businesses.

•  Destination  Services’  turnover  and  earnings  increased  in  the  year, 
due  to  good  underlying  trading  and  the  final  delivery  of  merger 
synergies  in  the  year.  As  the  main  contact  in  resort,  Destination 
Services are a key part of holiday experience for our Source Market 
customers, and continue to improve their service and offering as a 
result of our IT and CRM initiatives.

All Other Segments

All Other Segments 

€ million

Turnover
Underlying EBITA
Underlying EBITA at constant 
currency

2017 

220.8
– 49.9

– 54.5

2016  
restated

165.7
– 56.4

– 56.4

Var. % 

+ 33.3
+ 11.5

+ 3.4

•  This segment comprises the business operations for new markets and 
in particular the central corporate functions and interim holdings of 
TUI Group and the Group’s real estate companies. 

•  The  reduction  in  cost  in  the  year  is  driven  by  the  final  delivery  of 

corporate streamlining merger synergies.

64

Net assets

Development of the Group’s asset structure

Structure of the Group’s non-current assets

€ million

30 Sep 2017

30 Sep 2016

Var. %

€ million

30 Sep 2017

30 Sep 2016

Var. %

Fixed assets
Non-current receivables
Non-current assets
Inventories
Current receivables
Cash and cash equivalents
Assets held for sale
Current assets
Assets
Equity
Liabilities
Equity and liabilities

9,067.0
800.6
9,867.6
110.2
1,682.0
2,516.1
9.6
4,317.9
14,185.5
3,533.7
10,651.8
14,185.5

8,345.0
786.8
9,131.8
105.2
2,218.2
2,072.9
929.8
5,326.1
14,457.9
3,248.2
11,209.7
14,457.9

Goodwill
Other intangible assets
Property, plant and equipment
Companies measured at equity
Financial assets available  
for sale
Fixed assets
Receivables and assets
Deferred tax claims
Non-current receivables
Non-current assets

+ 8.7
+ 1.8
+ 8.1
+ 4.8
– 24.2
+ 21.4
– 99.0
– 18.9
– 1.9
+ 8.8
– 5.0
– 1.9

2,889.5
548.1
4,253.7
1,306.2

69.5
9,067.0
476.9
323.7
800.6
9,867.6

2,853.5
545.8
3,714.5
1,180.8

50.4
8,345.0
442.1
344.7
786.8
9,131.8

+ 1.3
+ 0.4
+ 14.5
+ 10.6

+ 37.9
+ 8.7
+ 7.9
– 6.1
+ 1.8
+ 8.1

The Group’s balance sheet total decreased by 1.9 % as against 30 Sep-
tember 2016 to € 14.2 bn.

Development of the Group’s non-current assets

Vertical structural indicators

Non-current assets accounted for 69.6 % of total assets, compared with 
63.2 % in the previous year. The capitalisation ratio (ratio of fixed assets 
to total assets) increased from 57.7 % to 63.9 %.

Current  assets  accounted  for  30.4 %  of  total  assets,  compared  with 
36.8 % in the previous year. The Group’s cash and cash equivalents in-
creased by € 443.2 m year-on-year to € 2,516.1 m. They thus accounted 
for 17.7 % of total assets, as against 14.3 % in the previous year.

Horizontal structural indicators

At the balance sheet date, the ratio of equity to non-current assets was 
35.8 %,  as  against  35.6 %  in  the  previous  year.  The  ratio  of  equity  to 
fixed assets was 39.0 % (previous year 38.9 %). The ratio of equity plus 
non-current  financial  liabilities  to  fixed  assets  was  58.4 %,  compared 
with 56.9 % in the previous year.

G O O D W I L L
Goodwill rose by € 36.0 m to € 2,889.5 m. The increase in the carrying 
amount  is  essentially  due  to  the  acquisition  of  Transat’s  French  tour 
operating business. An opposite effect was driven by the translation of 
goodwill not managed in the TUI Group’s functional currency into euros. 
In the period under review, no adjustments were required as a result of 
impairment tests.

P R O P E R T Y,   P L A N T   A N D   E Q U I P M E N T
Property,  plant  and  equipment  increased  to  € 4,253.7 m  in  the  period 
under  review,  primarily  driven  by  the  acquisition  of  the  cruise  ship 
Marella Discovery 2, investments in hotel facilities, down payments on 
aircraft  orders  and  the  delivery  of  two  aircraft.  Property,  plant  and 
equipment  also  comprised  leased  assets  in  which  Group  companies 
held economic ownership. At the balance sheet date, these finance leases 
had a carrying amount of € 1,158.1 m, down 5.8 % year-on-year.

C O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T R E P O R T

 Business review

65

C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

Development of property, plant and equipment

€ million

30 Sep 2017

30 Sep 2016

Var. %

Hotels incl. land
Other buildings and land
Aircraft
Cruise ships
Other plant, operating and 
 office quipment
Assets under construction, 
payments on accounts
Total

1,040.8
165.1
1,207.2
860.1

978.9
155.4
1,202.0
674.3

+ 6.3
+ 6.2
+ 0.4
+ 27.6

361.2

335.5

+ 7.7

619.3
4,253.7

368.4
3,714.5

+ 68.1
+ 14.5

C U R R E N T   R E C E I V A B L E S
Current receivables comprise trade accounts receivable and other re-
ceivables, current income tax assets and claims from derivative financial 
instruments.  At  € 1,682.0 m,  current  receivables  decreased  by  24.2 % 
year-on-year. 

C A S H   A N D   C A S H   E Q U I V A L E N T S
At € 2,516.1 m, cash and cash equivalents increased by 21.4 % year-on-
year.

A S S E T S   H E L D   F O R   S A L E
Assets held for sale decreased by € 920.2 m to € 9.6 m. The decline is 
primarily attributable to the disposal of Travelopia. 

C O M PA N I E S   M E A S U R E D   AT   E Q U I T Y
Thirteen associated companies and 28 joint ventures were measured at 
equity. At € 1,306.2 m, their value increased by 10.6 % year-on-year as 
at the balance sheet date. 

Structure of the Group’s current assets

€ million

30 Sep 2017

30 Sep 2016

Var. %

Unrecognised assets

In the course of their business operations, Group companies used assets 
of which they were not the economic owner according to the IASB rules. 
Most of these assets were aircraft, hotel complexes or ships for which 
operating leases, i. e. rental, lease or charter agreements, were concluded 
under the terms and conditions customary in the sector.

Inventories
Financial assets available  
for sale
Trade accounts receivable  
and other assets*
Current tax assets
Current receivables
Cash and cash equivalents
Assets held for sale
Current assets

110.2

–

1,583.3
98.7
1,682.0
2,516.1
9.6
4,317.9

105.2

265.8

1,864.7
87.7
2,218.2
2,072.9
929.8
5,326.1

+ 4.8

Operating rental, lease and charter contracts

n. a.

€ million

30 Sep 2017

30 Sep 2016

Var. %

– 15.1
+ 12.5
– 24.2
+ 21.4
– 99.0
– 18.9

Aircraft
Hotel complexes
Travel agencies
Administrative buildings
Ships, Yachts and motor boats
Other
Total

1,461.1
728.4
217.1
233.8
29.2
107.8
2,777.4

1,886.3
731.9
229.1
271.2
204.6
114.3
3,437.4

– 22.5
– 0.5
– 5.2
– 13.8
– 85.7
– 5.7
– 19.2

* Incl. receivables from derivative financial instruments 

Development of the Group’s current assets

F I N A N C I A L   A S S E T S   A V A I L A B L E   F O R   S A L E 
As at 30 September 2016, the financial assets available for sale com-
prised the remaining interests in Hapag-Lloyd AG. In the financial year 
under  review,  TUI  AG  sold  its  stake  in  Hapag-Lloyd  AG  at  a  purchase 
price less costs of disposal of € 406.4 m. The resulting profit of € 172.4 m 
is carried under Financial income.

Further explanations as well as the structure of the remaining terms of 
the financial liabilities from operating rental, lease and charter agree-
ments are provided in the section Other financial liabilities in the Notes 
to the consolidated financial statements. 

Information on other intangible, non-recognised assets in terms of brands, 
customer  and  supplier  relationships  and  organisational  and  process 
benefits is provided in the section on TUI Group Corporate Profile; rela-
tionships with investors and capital markets are outlined in the section 
TUI Share.

  TUI Group Corporate Profile see page 20; TUI Share from page 91

66

Financial position of the Group

Principles and goals of financial management 

P R I N C I P L E S
TUI  Group’s  financial  management  is  centrally  operated  by  TUI  AG, 
which acts as the Group’s internal bank. Financial management covers all 
Group companies in which TUI AG directly or indirectly holds an interest 
of more than 50 %. It is based on policies covering all cash flow-oriented 
aspects of the Group’s business activities. In the framework of a cross- 
national division of tasks within the organisation, TUI AG has outsourced 
some  of  its  financial  activities  to  First  Choice  Holidays  Finance  Ltd,  a 
British Group company. However, these financial activities are carried 
out on a coordinated and centralised basis.

G O A L S
TUI’s financial management goals include ensuring sufficient liquidity for 
TUI AG and its subsidiaries and limiting financial risks from fluctuations 
in currencies, commodity prices and interest rates.

L I Q U I D I T Y   S A F E G U A R D S
The Group’s liquidity safeguards consist of two components:

•  In the course of the annual Group planning process, TUI draws up a 
multi-annual finance budget, from which long-term financing and re-
financing  requirements  are  derived.  This  information  and  financial 
market observation to identify refinancing opportunities create a basis 
for decision-making, enabling appropriate financing instruments for 
the long-term funding of the Company to be adopted at an early stage.
•  TUI uses syndicated credit facilities and bilateral bank loans as well as 
its liquid funds to secure sufficient short-term cash reserves. Through 
intra-Group  cash  pooling,  the  cash  surpluses  of  individual  Group 
companies are used to finance the cash requirements of other Group 
companies. Planning of bank transactions is based on a monthly rolling 
liquidity planning system.

L I M I T I N G   F I N A N C I A L   R I S K S
The Group companies operate on a worldwide scale. This gives rise to 
financial risks for the TUI Group, mainly from changes in exchange rates, 
commodity prices and interest rates.

The key operating financial transaction risks relate to the euro, US dollar 
and pound sterling and changing fuel prices. They mainly result from cost 
items in foreign currencies held by individual Group companies, e. g. hotel 
sourcing, aircraft fuel and bunker oil invoices or ship handling costs.

The Group has entered into derivative hedges in various foreign curren-
cies  in  order  to  limit  its  exposure  to  risks  from  changes  in  exchange 
rates for the hedged items. Changes in commodity prices affect the TUI 
Group, in particular in procuring fuels such as aircraft fuel and bunker 
oil.  These  price  risks  related  to  fuel  procurement  are  largely  hedged 
with  the  aid  of  derivative  instruments.  Where  price  increases  can  be 
passed  on  to  customers  due  to  contractual  agreements,  this  is  also 
reflected in our hedging behaviour. In order to control risks related to 
changes in interest rates arising on liquidity procurement in the inter-
national  money  and  capital  markets  and  investments  of  liquid  funds, 
the Group uses derivative interest hedges on a case-by-case basis as 
part of its interest management system.

The use of derivative hedges is based on underlying transactions; the 
derivatives are not used for speculation purposes.

More detailed information on hedging strategies and risk management 
as well as financial transactions and the scope of such transactions at the 
balance sheet date is provided in the Risk Report and the section Finan-
cial instruments in the Notes to the consolidated financial statements.

  See from page 30 and from page 209

C O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T R E P O R T

 Business review

67

C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

Capital structure

Capital structure of the Group

€ million

30 Sep 2017

30 Sep 2016

Var. %

9,867.6
4,317.9
14,185.5
1,501.6

1,438.1
594.0
3,533.7
1,896.1
382.6
2,278.7
1,761.2
171.9
1,933.1

9,131.8
5,326.1
14,457.9
1,500.7

1,174.4
573.1
3,248.2
2,213.3
415.4
2,628.7
1,503.4
537.7
2,041.1

+ 8.1
– 18.9
– 1.9
+ 0.1

+ 22.5
+ 3.6
+ 8.8
– 14.3
– 7.9
– 13.3
+ 17.1
– 68.0
– 5.3

459.8

272.7

+ 68.6

5,980.2
6,440.0

–
14,185.5

5,794.9
6,067.6

472.3
14,457.9

+ 3.2
+ 6.1

n. a.
– 1.9

The  equity  ratio  was  24.9 %  (previous  year  22.5 %).  Equity  and  non- 
current financial liabilities accounted for 37.3 % (previous year 32.9 %) of 
the balance sheet total at the reporting date. 

The gearing, i.e. the ratio of average net debt to average equity, moved 
to 17.2 %, down from the previous year (41.9 %).

E Q U I T Y

Composition of equity

€ million

30 Sep 2017

30 Sep 2016

Var. %

Subscribed capital
Capital reserves
Revenue reserves
Non-controlling interest
Equity

1,501.6
4,195.0
– 2,756.9
594.0
3,533.7

1,500.7
4,192.2
– 3,017.8
573.1
3,248.2

+ 0.1
+ 0.1
+ 8.6
+ 3.6
+ 8.8

Subscribed capital and the capital reserves rose slightly year-on-year. 
The increase of 0.1 % each was driven by the issue of employee shares. 
Revenue  reserves  rose  by  € 260.9 m  to  € – 2,756.9 m.  Non-controlling 
interests accounted for € 594.0 m of equity. 

P R O V I S I O N S
Provisions mainly comprise provisions for pension obligations and pro-
visions  for  typical  operating  risks  classified  as  current  or  non-current, 
depending on expected occurrence. At the balance sheet date, they ac-
counted for a total of € 2,278.7 m, up by € 350.0 m or 13.3 % year-on-year. 

30 Sep 2017

30 Sep 2016

Var. %

F I N A N C I A L   L I A B I L I T I E S

Composition of liabilities

7,650.8

7,237.6

+ 5.7

€ million

30 Sep 2017

30 Sep 2016

Var. %

53.9
24.9

50.1
22.5

+ 3.8*
+ 2.4*

5,294.9

4,751.6

+ 11.4

Bonds
Liabilites to banks
Liabilites from finance leases
Other financial liabilities
Financial liabilities

295.8
381.3
1,226.5
29.5
1,933.1

306.5
410.8
1,231.7
92.1
2,041.1

– 3.5
– 7.2
– 0.4
– 68.0
– 5.3

37.3
17.2

32.9
41.9

+ 4.4*
– 24.7*

S T R U C T U R A L   C H A N G E S   I N   F I N A N C I A L   L I A B I L I T I E S
The  Group’s  financial  liabilities  decreased  by  a  total  of  € 108.0 m  to 
€ 1,933.1 m. There were no significant changes in the structure of liabil-
ities.

Non-current assets
Current assets
Assets
Subscribed capital
Reserves including net profit 
available for distribution
Non-controlling interest
Equity
Non-current financial liabilities
Current provisions
Provisions
Non-current liabilities
Current financial liabilities
Financial liabilities
Other non-current financial 
 liabilities
Other current financial 
 liabilities
Other financial liabilities
Debt related to assets  
held for sale
Liabilities

Capital ratios

€ million

Non-current capital
Non-current capital in relation 
%
to balance sheet total 
%
Equity ratio 
Equity and non-current 
 financial liabilities
Equity and non-current 
 financial liabilities in relation  
to balance sheet total 
Gearing 

%
%

* Percentage points

Overall, non-current capital decreased by 5.7 % to € 7,650.8 m. As a pro-
portion of the balance sheet total, it amounted to 53.9 % (previous year 
50.1 %).

68

O V E R V I E W   O F   T U I ’ S   L I S T E D   B O N D S 
The tables below list the maturities, nominal volumes and annual interest 
coupons of listed bonds. 

On  26  October  2016,  TUI  AG  issued  bonds  with  a  nominal  value  of 
€ 300.0 m with a 5-year period to maturity. On 18 November 2016, the 
proceeds  from  this  bond  issuance  were  used  to  repay  the  five-year 
bond issued in September 2014 with a nominal value of € 300.0 m.

Listed bonds

Capital measures

Senior Notes 2016 / 21

Issuance

Maturity

Amount  
initial 
€ million

Amount  
outstanding 
€ million

Interest rate 
% p. a.

October 2016

October 2021

300.0

300.0

2.125

B A N K   L O A N S   A N D   O T H E R   L I A B I L I T I E S   F R O M   F I N A N C E   L E A S E S 
Apart from the bonds worth € 300.0 m, used for general corporate finan-
cing, the Hotels & Resorts and Cruises segments, in particular, took out 
separate bank loans, primarily in order to finance investments by these 
companies. Most liabilities from finance lease contracts are attributable 
to aircraft as well as one cruise ship.

More detailed information, in particular on the remaining terms, is pro-
vided under Financial liabilities in the Notes to the consolidated financial 
statements.

  See section on Financial liabilities in the Notes, page 202

O T H E R   F I N A N C I A L   L I A B I L I T I E S
Other liabilities totalled € 6,440.0 m, up by € 372.4 m or 6.1 % year-on-
year. 

Off-balance sheet financial instruments and key 
credit facilities 

O P E R AT I N G   L E A S E S
The development of operating rental, leasing and charter contracts is 
presented in the section Net assets in the Management Report. 

At the balance sheet date, an amount of € 115.9 m from this credit facility 
had been taken up in the form of bank guarantees.

B I L AT E R A L   G U A R A N T E E   F A C I L I T I E S   O F   T U I   A G   W I T H 

 I N S U R A N C E   C O M PA N I E S   A N D   B A N K S 
TUI AG has concluded several bilateral guarantee facilities with various 
insurance  companies  with  a  total  volume  of  £ 92.5 m  and  € 130.0 m. 
These guarantee facilities are required in the framework of the delivery 
of tourism services in order to ensure that Group companies are able to 
meet, in particular, the requirements of European oversight and regula-
tory  authorities  on  the  provision  of  guarantees  and  warranties.  The 
guarantees granted usually have a term of 12 to 18 months. They give 
rise to a commission in the form of a fixed percentage of the maximum 
guarantee  amount.  At  the  balance  sheet  date,  an  amount  of  £ 32.9 m 
and € 50.0 m from these guarantee facilities had been used.

TUI AG also concluded bilateral guarantee facilities with a total volume 
of € 45.0 m with banks to provide bank guarantees in the framework of 
ordinary business operations. Some of the guarantees have a term of 
several years. The guarantees granted give rise to a commission in the 
form of a fixed percentage of the maximum guarantee amount. At the 
balance sheet date, an amount of € 15.5 m from these guarantee facilities 
had been used. 

  See page 65

Commitments from finance leases

More detailed explanations and information on the structure of the re-
maining terms of the associated financial liabilities are provided in the 
section Other financial liabilities in the Notes to the consolidated finan-
cial statements. There were no contingent liabilities related to special- 
purpose vehicles. 

S Y N D I C AT E D   C R E D I T   F A C I L I T I E S   O F   T U I   A G
TUI  AG  signed  a  syndicated  credit  facility  worth  € 1.75 bn  in  Septem-
ber 2014. This syndicated credit facility is available for general corpor-
ate  financing  purposes  (in  particular  in  the  winter  months).  It  carries  a 
floating  interest  rate  which  depends  on  the  short-term  interest  rate 
level  (EURIBOR  or  LIBOR)  and  TUI’s  credit  rating  plus  a  margin.  The 
bond was to mature in December 2020, but in the financial year under 
review, its maturity was extended ahead of the due date to July 2022. 

The € 300.0 m bond from October 2016 and the credit and guarantee 
facilities of TUI AG contain a number of obligations.

TUI AG has a duty to comply with certain financial covenants (as defined 
in  the  respective  contracts)  from  its  syndicated  credit  facility  worth 
€ 1.75 bn  and a  number of bilateral guarantee  lines. These require (a) 
compliance  with  an  EBITDAR-to-net  interest  expense  ratio  measuring 
TUI Group’s relative charge from the interest result and the lease and 
rental  expenses;  and  (b)  compliance  with  a  net  debt-to-EBITDA  ratio, 
calculating  TUI  Group’s  relative  charge  from  financial  liabilities.  The 
EBITDAR-to-net interest expense ratio must have a coverage multiple 
of at least 1.5; net debt must not exceed 3.0 times EBITDA. The financial 
covenants  are  determined  every  six  months.  They  restrict,  inter  alia, 

C O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T R E P O R T

 Business review

69

C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

TUI’s scope for encumbering or selling assets, acquiring other companies 
or shareholdings, or effecting mergers.

typical  of  financing  instruments  of  this  type.  Non-compliance  with 
these obligations awards the lenders the right to call in the facilities or 
terminate the financing schemes for immediate repayment.

The bond worth € 300.0 m from October 2016 and the credit and guar-
antee  facilities  of  TUI  AG  also  contain  additional  contractual  clauses 

Ratings by Standard & Poor’s und Moody’s

TUI AG ratings

Standard & Poor’s
Moody’s

2012

2013

2014

B –
B3

B
B3

B+
B2

2015

BB-
Ba3

2016

BB-
Ba2

2017

Outlook

BB
Ba2

stable
stable

In  the  light  of  improved  metrics  and  a  resilient  business  profile, 
Standard & Poor’s upgraded the corporate rating from ‘BB–’ to ‘BB’ in 
February 2017. 

TUI AG’s bonds worth € 300.0 m from October 2016 are assigned a ‘BB’ 
rating  by  Standard  &  Poor’s  and  a  ‘Ba2’  rating  by  Moody’s.  TUI  AG’s 
syndicated  credit  facility  worth  € 1.75 bn  is  assigned  a  ‘BB’  rating  by 
Standard & Poor’s.

Financial stability targets

TUI considers a stable credit rating to be a prerequisite for the further 
development of the business. In response to the structural improvements 
resulting  from  the  merger  between  TUI  AG  and  TUI  Travel  and  the 
operating  performance  observed  over  the  past  few  years  and  the 
strengthening of the business model despite a challenging environment, 
Standard & Poor’s lifted their TUI ratings. We are seeking further im-
provements in the rating so as to ensure better access to the debt capital 
markets even in difficult macroeconomic situations, apart from achieving 
better financing terms and conditions. The financial stability ratios we 
have defined are leverage ratio and coverage ratio, based on the following 
basic definitions:

Leverage ratio = (gross financial liabilities + discounted value of financial 
commitments  from  lease,  rental  and  leasing  agreements  +  pension 
provisions and similar obligations) / (reported EBITDA + long-term leasing 
and rental expenses)

Coverage  ratio  =  (reported  EBITDA  +  long-term  leasing  and  rental 
expenses) / (net  interest  expense  +  ⅓  of  long-term  leasing  and  rental 
expenses)

These basic definitions are subject to specific adjustments in order to 
reflect  current  circumstances.  For  the  completed  financial  year,  the 
 leverage ratio was 2.5(x), while the coverage ratio was 6.1(x). We aim to 
achieve a leverage ratio 3.00(x) to 2.25(x) and a coverage ratio 5.75(x) to 
6.75(x) for financial year 2018. 

Interest and financing environment 

In  the  period  under  review,  short-term  interest  rates  remained  at  an 
extremely  low  level  compared  with  historical  rates.  In  some  currency 
areas, the interest rate was even negative, with corresponding impacts on 
returns from money market investments but also on reference interest 
rates for floating-rate debt.

Quoted credit margins (CDS levels) for corporates in the sub-investment 
trade area remained almost flat year-on-year. On overall weak demand 
for CDS titles, quotations were on a very low level for TUI AG. Refinancing 
options  were  available  against  the  backdrop  of  the  receptive  capital 
market environment, and TUI AG took advantage of this in October 2016 
by issuing bonds worth € 300.0 m.

In the period under review, TUI also took advantage of the sound condi-
tion of the syndicated credit market in order to extend the maturity of 
TUI AG’s syndicated credit facility worth € 1.75 bn to July 2022 ahead of 
the due date.

In addition to the bond issue of € 300.0 m refinancings of aircrafts in the 
completed  financial  year  included  one  new  Boeing  B787-9  aircraft  by 
means of finance lease based on a sale-and-lease-back agreement and 
one used Boeing B737-800 aircraft with a bank loan.

 
70

Liquidity analysis 

L I Q U I D I T Y   R E S E R V E
In the completed financial year, the TUI Group’s solvency was secured at 
all  times  by  means  of  cash  inflows  from  operating  activities,  liquid 
funds, and bilateral and syndicated credit agreements with banks.

Hapag-Lloyd  AG  amounted  to  € 406.4 m.  The  cash  outflow  for  capital 
expenditure related to property, plant and equipment and intangible 
assets  and  the  cash  inflow  for  corresponding  sales  do  not  match  the 
additions  and  disposals  shown  in  the  development  of  fixed  assets,  as 
these also include the non-cash investments and disposals.

At the balance sheet date, TUI AG, the parent company of TUI Group, 
held cash and cash equivalents worth € 1,039.0 m. 

N E T   C A S H   O U T F L O W   F R O M   F I N A N C I N G   A C T I V I T I E S
In the period under review, the cash outflow from financing activities 
increased by € 71.7 m year-on-year to € 733.8 m.

R E S T R I C T I O N S   O F   T H E   T R A N S F E R   O F   L I Q U I D   F U N D S 
At the balance sheet date, there were restrictions worth around € 0.3 bn 
on the transfer of liquid funds within the Group that might significantly 
impact the Group’s liquidity, such as restrictions on capital movements 
and restrictions due to credit agreements concluded. 

C H A N G E   O F   C O N T R O L
Significant agreements taking effect in the event of a change of control 
due to a takeover bid are outlined in the chapter on Information required 
under takeover law. 

In October 2016, TUI AG recorded a cash inflow worth € 294.9 m from the 
issue of bonds. Other TUI Group companies took out financial liabilities 
worth  € 34.9 m.  In  the  completed  financial  year,  a  cash  outflow  of 
€ 306.8 m was recorded for the redemption of a bond originally maturing 
on 1 October 2019, cancelled by TUI AG. Further material cash outflows 
resulted from the redemption of financing lease obligations (€ 97.8 m) 
and  other  financial  liabilities  (€ 108.8 m)  as  well  as  interest  payments 
(74.8 m) and dividend payments to TUI AG shareholders (368.2 m) and 
minority shareholders (€ 88.6 m).

  See chapter Information required under takeover law

Change in cash and cash equivalents

Cash flow statement

Summary cash flow statement

€ million

Net cash inflow from operating activities
Net cash out- / inflow from investing activities
Net cash outflow from financing activities
Change in cash and cash equivalents with 
cash effects

2017

2016 

+ 1,583.1
– 687.7
– 733.8

+ 1,034.7
+ 239.0
– 662.1

+ 161.6

+ 611.6

The cash flow statement shows the flow of cash and cash equivalents with 
cash inflows and outflows presented separately for operating, investing 
and financing activities. The effects of changes in the group of consoli-
dated companies are eliminated. 

N E T   C A S H   I N F L O W   F R O M   O P E R AT I N G   A C T I V I T I E S
In the financial year under review, the cash inflow from operating activities 
amounted to € 1,583.1 m (previous year € 1,034.7 m). The year-on-year 
increase was mainly driven by the positive operating performance and 
improvements in the working capital as well as the one-off payment to 
pension funds in the UK effected in the prior year.

N E T   C A S H   O U T F L O W / I N F L O W   F R O M   I N V E S T I N G   A C T I V I T I E S
In the financial year under review, the cash outflow from investing activ-
ities including the payments received for the sale of Travelopia Group 
and the remaining shares in Hapag-Lloyd AG totalled € 687.7 m (previous 
year cash inflow of € 239.0 m). The cash outflow for capital expenditure 
related  to  property,  plant  and  equipment  and  financial  investments 
amounted to € 1,171.6 m. The cash inflow from the sale of the stake in 

€ million

2017

2016

Cash and cash equivalents at the  
beginning of period
Changes due to changes in exchange rates
Change in cash and cash equivalents due  
to changes in the group of consolidated 
 companies
Cash changes
Cash and cash equivalents at the end  
of period 

+ 2,403.6
– 49.1

+ 1,682.2
+ 105.8

–
+ 161.6

+ 4.0
+ 611.6

+ 2,516.1

+ 2,403.6

Cash and cash equivalents comprise all liquid funds, i.e. cash in hand, 
bank balances and cheques. 

The detailed cash flow statement and additional explanations are pro-
vided in the consolidated financial statements and in the section Notes 
to  the  cash  flow  statement  in  the  Notes  to  the  consolidated  financial 
statements.

  See page 140 and 223

Analysis of investments

The development of fixed assets, including property, plant and equip-
ment,  intangible  assets  and  shareholdings  and  other  investments  is 
presented  in  the  section  on  Net  assets  in  the  Management  Report. 
Additional explanatory information is provided in the Notes to the con-
solidated financial statements. 

C O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T R E P O R T

 Business review

71

C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

A D D I T I O N S   T O   P R O P E R T Y,   P L A N T   A N D   E Q U I P M E N T 
The  table  below  lists  the  cash  investments  in  intangible  assets  and 
property, plant and equipment. This indicator does not include financing 
processes such as the taking out of loans and finance leases.

Net capex and investments

€ million

2017

2016

Var. %

Cash gross capex
Hotels & Resorts
Cruises
Source Markets
  Northern Region
  Central Region
  Western Region
Other Tourism
Tourism
  All other segments
TUI Group
Discontinued operations
Total
Net pre delivery payments on 
aircraft
Financial investments
Divestments (without proceeds 
from Hotelbeds sale)
Net capex and investments

223.0
281.4
111.8
58.5
22.3
31.0
115.2
731.4
41.2
772.6
28.6
801.2

202.5
122.6

– 54.4
1,071.9

262.3
45.6
93.7
51.5
20.6
21.6
101.0
502.6
20.8
523.4
82.2
605.6

48.7
75.7

– 95.2
634.8

– 15.0
+ 517.1
+ 19.3
+ 13.6
+ 8.3
+ 43.5
+ 14.1
+ 45.5
+ 98.1
+ 47.6
– 65.2
+ 32.3

+ 315.8
+ 62.0

+ 42.9
+ 68.9

Investments in other intangible assets and property, plant and equipment 
totalled € 801.2 m in the period under review, up 32.3 % year-on-year.

In the period under review, investments mainly related to the acquisition 
and  renovation  of  Marella  Discovery  2,  the  construction  of  hotels,  in 
particular in the Caribbean, Mexico and the Mediterranean, the launch 
and harmonisation of IT platforms and down payments on ordered air-
craft. Investments were also effected for renovation and maintenance in 
all areas.

The table below shows a reconciliation of investments to additions to 
TUI Group’s other intangible assets and property, plant and equipment.

Reconciliation of capital expenditure

€ million

Capital expenditure
Debt financed investments
Finance lease
Additions to the group of consolidated 
 companies
Additions to discontinued operations 
Additions to other intangible assets and 
property, plant and equipment

2017

801.2
136.0
247.8

– 28.6
3.5

1,159.9

2016

605.6
315.5
91.8

– 20.6
–

992.3

Amortisation (+) / write-backs (–) of other intangible assets and 
depreciation (+) / write-backs (–) of property, plant and equipment 
and current assets

€ million

Hotels & Resorts
Cruises
Source Markets
  Northern Region
  Central Region
  Western Region
Other Tourism
Tourism
  All other segments
TUI Group
Discontinued operations
Total

2017

130.8
57.3
111.9
69.0
20.3
22.6
86.6
386.6
77.8
464.4
–
464.4

2016

Var. %

95.0
45.9
115.7
67.6
22.3
25.8
61.1
317.7
89.3
407.0
70.9
477.9

+ 37.7
+ 24.8
– 3.3
+ 2.1
– 9.0
– 12.4
+ 41.7
+ 21.7
– 12.9
+ 14.1
n. a.
– 2.8

Investment obligations

O R D E R   C O M M I T M E N T S
Due to agreements concluded in financial year 2017 or in prior years, 
order  commitments  for  investments  totalled  € 4,164.5 m;  this  total 
includes an amount of € 733.0 m for scheduled deliveries in financial 
year 2018. 

At the balance sheet date, order commitments for aircraft comprised 
74 planes (four B787s and 70 B737s), to be delivered by the end of 
financial year 2023. Delivery of seven aircraft (five B737 Max and two 
B787-9s) has been scheduled for financial year 2018.

More detailed information is provided in the section Other financial 
liabilities in the Notes to the consolidated financial statements.

 
 
 
72

N O N - F I N A N C I A L   G R O U P   
D E C L A R AT I O N 

pursuant to the CSR Directive Implementation Act 

For  TUI  Group,  economic,  environmental  and  social  sustainability  is  a 
fundamental management principle and a cornerstone of our strategy 
for continually enhancing the value of our Company. This is the way 
we create the conditions for long-term economic success and assume 
responsibility for sustainable development in the tourism sector.

In the following section we report on sustainability issues which support 
better understanding of our business’s operations, context and future 
development, in line with recent CSR reporting legislation. In compliance 
with Section 315b, paragraph 1, clause 3 German Commercial Code (HGB) 
we  also  refer  to  relevant  aspects  of  non-financial  disclosure  found  in 
other parts of the Group management report.

In particular, we report on our risk management system and principles 
risks linked with our business activities, business relations and services 
in our Risk Report from page 30 on.

This non-financial Group statement has been reviewed by the Supervis-
ory Board with regard to aspects of legality, regularity and relevance. 

Our reporting covers the United Nations Global Compact principles and 
we have also started to review our activities against the United Nations 
Sustainable  Development  Goals  (SDGs).  The  goals  are  a  helpful  ’big 
 picture’  way  to  view  our  impact  and  the  contributions  we  make  to  a 
better world.

  Sustainability reporting methodology document: 
www.tuigroup.com/en-en/sustainability/reporting-downloads

Business model

TUI Group’s business model as defined in HGB section 289b is outlined 
from page 20 in this report. 

C O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T R E P O R T

 Non-financial Group declaration  

73

C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

Sustainability strategy and implementation

TUI Sustainability Strategy 2020

Step  
lightly

Make  
a difference

Lead  
the way

Care 
more

betterholidays
betterworld 
TUI Sustainability Strategy 
 2020

Reducing the environmental  
impact of holidays

Creating positive change  
for people and communities

Pioneering sustainable tourism  
across the world

Building the best place to work  
where people are passionate about 
what they do

M AT E R I A L I T Y
TUI Group carried out a formal materiality assessment as part of devel-
oping  the  Better  Holidays,  Better  World  2015 – 2020  strategy.  Using 
qualitative and quantitative methods, the business invited feedback from 
a wide range of stakeholders on the issues shown in the matrix below. In 
addition to detailed interviews with top-tier stakeholders, the process 
included  a  shorter  feedback  mechanism  asking  participants  from  five 
European markets to prioritise from a list of 24 material issues.

Our ‘Better Holidays, Better World’ 2015 – 2020 strategy is built around 
the following core pillars:

•  Step Lightly, where we commit to operate the most carbon-efficient 
airlines in Europe and cut the carbon intensity of our operations by 
10 % by 2020.

•  Make a Difference, where we commit to deliver 10 million ’greener 
and fairer’* holidays per year by 2020, enabling more local people to 
share in the benefits of tourism.

•  Lead the Way, where we commit to invest € 10 m per year by 2020, 
to support good causes and enhance the positive impacts of tourism, 
using the TUI Care Foundation to support this work.

•  Care  More,  where  we  commit  to  achieve  a  colleague  engagement 

score of over 80.

*  Measured by the number of customers we take to hotels with credible sustainability 

 certification – defined as those recognised or approved by the Global Sustainable Tourism 
Council (GSTC).

74

Stakeholder Survey

RI S K

Medium

Low

24

I

U
T

Y
B

T
N
E
M
E
V
L
O
V
N

I

3.9

3.5

3.4

High

1

3

4

5

2

6

10

8

9

11

12

7

13

16

15

14

18

20 21

17

22

19

23

2.7

2.8

3.1

3.4

3.7

4.0

4.3

RELEVANCE  FOR TUI

1  Safety & Crisis Management
2  Compliance
3  Social Responsibility for Employees
4  Child Protection
5  Climate Change
6  Guest Awareness
7  Waste
8  Water
9  Development of Sustainable Products
10  Engagement in Destinations
11  Corporate Governance
12  Human Rights
13  Biodiversity
14  Energy 
15  Sewage Treatment
16  Stakeholder Management
17  Landscape
18  Supply Chain
19  Diversity
20  Demographic Development 
21  Innovation Management
22  Staff Development
23  Support of Education System
24  Fostering Art & Culture

M A N A G I N G   S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y 
TUI  Group  has  an  experienced  team  of  sustainability  professionals, 
working in close collaboration with senior management at Group and at 
divisional  level  to  help  ensure  that  TUI’s  business  and  sustainability 

strategies are aligned. Our sustainability colleagues’ role is to drive up-
take of more sustainable business practices across the TUI Group and 
along its supply chain, and to advise the TUI Care Foundation on destin-
ation project proposals and implementation. 

 
 
C O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T R E P O R T

 Non-financial Group declaration  

75

C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

Managing sustainability-embedding 

G R O U P  E X E C U T I V E   C O M M I T T E E
Minimum twice yearly agenda slot and update report

D I V I S I O N A L  B O A R D S 
Regular update presentations  
to these Boards as necessary  

R I S K   O V E R S I G H T 
C O M M I T T E E 
Annual update to this committee 
and meetings with Group Risk 
Department at regular intervals 
to review risk register 

G R O U P   
S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y  C O M M I T T E E
Minimum twice yearly  
meeting of sustainablility  
leads from source  
markets and divisions  
(including TUI Airlines,  
Group Product & Purchasing, 
Cruise, Hotels & Resorts,  
Destination Services,  
Communication & External Affairs)

S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y   
W O R K I N G   G R O U P 
Video conference  
calls eight times each  
year with sustainability  
colleagues from the  
main divisions  
and source market  
tour operators 

O P E R AT I O N A L  W O R K I N G   G R O U P S
Animal Welfare, Customer Sustainability Communications, Human Rights, 
Sustainable Accommodation

S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y   I N D I C E S 
TUI AG is represented in the sustainability indexes FTSE4Good, STOXX 
Global  ESG  Leaders  Index  and  on  the  Ethibel  Investment  Register.  In 
2017 TUI was included in the RobecoSam Sustainability Yearbook with 
a ‘Gold Class’ distinction. TUI AG has been recognised as a Leader by 
CDP Climate Change for implementing current best practices on climate 
change issues.

The environment

Respecting the environment in our products, services and processes is 
an essential feature of our quality standards. We place priority on climate 
protection  and  resource  efficiency.  Conserving  natural  resources  and 
mitigating negative environmental impacts is not only of interest to our 
business but also to the future success of travel and tourism.

We face additional environmental challenges at a local level. Fresh water, 
for example, is likely to become increasingly scarce in the coming years 
in some destinations – and the waste generated by tourism needs to be 
managed to ensure it does not create a problem for destinations.

As a company with a substantial carbon footprint – a total of 7,556,457 
tonnes  of  carbon  dioxide  in  2017  –  we  acknowledge  the  necessity  to 
transition to a lower carbon economy and we will continue to strive to 
reduce the carbon intensity of our operations. In the long term, combating 
climate change will be critical for our industry as a whole. We need to 
continue to sell quality holiday experiences, which rely on beautiful and 
biodiverse destinations, thriving communities and stable weather sys-
tems. All of these are threatened by climate change. 

76

Carbon dioxide emissions (CO2)

tons

2017

2016

Var. %

Airlines & Aviation
Hotels
Cruises
Major Premises / Shops
Ground Transport
Scope 3 (Other)
Group

6,115,492
507,230
815,582
29,511
15,388
73,254
7,556,457

5,842,427
510,719
686,791
32,617
17,751
71,713
7,162,018

+ 4.7
– 0.7
+ 18.8
– 9.5
– 13.3
+ 2.1
+ 5.5

In  financial  year  2017,  TUI  Group’s  total  emissions  increased  year-on-
year in absolute terms, primarly due to growth in its airline and aviation 
segment.  The  increase  in  absolute  carbon  emissions  in  Cruises  of 
18.8 %  is  mainly  driven  by  launching  additional  vessels  –  Mein  Schiff  6 
(operated by TUI Cruises) and Marella Discovery 2 (operated by Marella 
Cruises, former Thomson Cruises). Furthermore the vessels Mein Schiff 5 
and Marella Discovery were included for the full financial year.

Emissions from offices and retail shops declined, due energy efficiencies, 
restructuring and divestment. Ground transport emissions declined sig-
nificantly,  driven  by  more  efficient  energy  use  and  divestment  in  the 
specialist businesses.

Energy usage by business area

MWh

Airlines & Aviation
Hotels
Cruises
Major premises / shops
Ground transport
Total

2017

24,940,489
1,420,438
3,077,062
91,422
61,697
29,591,108

To expand the scope of TUI’s environmental reporting we have included 
a  breakdown  of  energy  usage  by  business  area.  Airlines  and  Aviation 
represents more than 84 % of the total energy used.

Our  carbon  management  programme  covers  aviation,  hotels,  cruise, 
offices, retail shops and ground transport emissions. 

•  Our  headline  goal:  We  will  operate  Europe’s  most  carbon-efficient 
airlines and reduce the carbon intensity of our operations by 10 % by 
2020.

C L I M AT E   P R O T E C T I O N   A N D   R E S O U R C E   E F F I C I E N C Y   

B Y   T U I   A I R L I N E S
We already operate one of Europe’s most carbon-efficient airlines and 
we aim to continuously improve. In the atmosfair Airline Index 2017 TUI 
Airways (former Thomson Airways) and TUIfly Germany ranked #1 and 
#2 most efficient charter airlines. 

TUI Airlines have numerous measures in place to further enhance carbon 
efficiency. Apart from the continuous renewal of our aircraft fleet, we have 
implemented the following measures to support our efficiency goals:

•  Process optimisation, e. g. single-engine taxing in and out, acceleration 

altitude reduction and wind uplinks

•  Weight reduction, e. g. introduction of carbon brakes and water uplift 

optimisation

•  Flight  planning  optimisation,  e. g.  Alternate  Distance  Optimisation 

and Minimum Fuel Optimisation

•  Implementation of fuel management system to improve fuel analysis, 

identify further opportunities and track savings

TUI’s airlines play a pioneering role in introducing environmental man-
agement  systems  based  on  the  internationally  recognised  ISO  14001 
standard.  In  the  period  under  review,  each  of  our  five  tour  operator 
airlines and hence 95 % of our aircraft achieved ISO 14001 certification.

TUI Aviation Environment & Fuel Team is responsible for an alignment 
of the fuel and environment practices and activities, integrating them 
into a single TUI Airlines operating policy, procedures and performance 
tools. The team drives best practice in fuel and environment manage-
ment, providing end-to-end delivery of initiatives and projects in order 
to deliver the TUI Group sustainability objectives.

C O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T R E P O R T

 Non-financial Group declaration  

77

C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

TUI Airlines – Fuel consumption and CO2 emissions

Specific fuel consumption
Carbon dioxide (CO 2) – total
Carbon dioxide (CO 2) – specific

* rpk=revenue passenger kilometer

TUI Airlines – Carbon intensity

TUI Airline fleet 
Corsair International
TUI Airways
TUIfly Belgium
TUIfly Germany
TUIfly Netherlands
TUIfly Nordic

2017

2016

Var. %

l / 100 rpk*
t
kg / 100 rpk*

2.65
5,571,719
6.67 

2.65
5,277,065
6.68 

– 0.1
+ 5.6
– 0.1

g CO 2 / rpk*
g CO 2 / rpk*
g CO 2 / rpk*
g CO 2 / rpk*
g CO 2 / rpk*
g CO 2 / rpk*
g CO 2 / rpk*

2017

66.7
84.3
63.4
71.5
63.5
65.2
61.3

2016

66.8
82.4
63.8
71.4
64.4
64.1
61.4

Var. %

g CO 2e / rpk*

– 0.1
+ 2.3
– 0.6
+ 0.1
– 1.4
+ 1.7
– 0.2

67.4
85.1
64.0
72.2
64.1
65.9
62.0

* rpk=revenue passenger kilometer
We have requested PwC Netherlands to provide assurance on the carbon intensity metrics displayed in the table ‘TUI Airlines – Carbon Intensity’ above. To read our airline carbon data 
methodology document and PwC’s Assurance report in full, please visit www.tuigroup.com/en-en/sustainability/reporting-downloads

Relative carbon emissions across our airlines decreased by 0.1 % in the fi-
nancial year 2017. As a scheduled longhaul operator Corsair International’s 
payload  consists  of  both  passengers  and  cargo.  Cargo  transportation 
results in higher fuel burn and carbon emissions as is reflected in Corsair’s 
carbon intensity performance.

The ships are fitted with advanced emission purification systems, which 
operate around the clock worldwide – not only in the designated special 
emission control areas of the North and Baltic Seas, the English Channel 
and North America but also in the other areas that TUI Cruises travels 
to, such as the Mediterranean, Orient, Caribbean and Central America.

To enhance the information content, specific emissions are also shown 
in the form of CO2 equivalents (CO2e). Apart from carbon dioxide (CO2), 
they include the other five greenhouse gases impacting the climate as 
listed in the Kyoto Protocol: methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydro- 
fluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs) and Sulphur hexafluoride 
(SF6). 

C L I M AT E   P R O T E C T I O N   A N D   R E S O U R C E   M A N A G E M E N T   

I N   C R U I S E S
In 2017, TUI Cruises launched Mein Schiff 6. The newbuild ships in the 
fleet  save  fuel  through  a  combination  of  the  latest  technologies.  A 
smart energy management system, efficient air conditioning, innovative 
lighting controls and the use of waste heat from the engines all contribute 
to a significantly reduced carbon footprint.

  TUI Cruises Environment Report:  
www.tuicruises.com/nachhaltigkeit/ umweltbericht/

Sulphur emissions from the newbuilds in the fleet are also up to 99 % 
lower thanks to new systems that treat exhaust fumes before releasing 
them. Moreover, the average sulphur content of fuel was considerably 
reduced year-on-year. In the period under review, it stood at 1.25 %.

In financial year 2017, TUI Cruises focussed on the issue of food waste 
through  the  launch  of  a  project  supported  by  the  industry  initiative 
Futouris entitled ‘Reduction of food waste on cruise ships’. The aim of 
the pilot project is to make efforts to tackle the amount of food waste 
within the cruise industry. During the project the causes of food waste on 
board the TUI Cruises fleet will be identified and processes relevant for 
reducing food waste will be optimised.

Hapag-Lloyd  Cruises  continues  to  equip  its  vessels  with  new  zodiacs. 
These motor-driven rubber boats are equipped with Torqueedo electric 
motors in order to reduce air and noise emissions. Hapag-Lloyd Cruises 
is  the  first  provider  of  expedition  cruises  to  use  this  environmentally 
friendly technology. All Hapag-Lloyd Cruises ships have Tributyltin-free 
underwater coatings, seawater desalination systems for water treatment 
purposes as well as a biological sewage treatment system for wastewater. 
Waste is separated on board in an environmentally-friendly manner prior 
to disposal on land by specialized companies in accordance with inter-
national regulations (MARPOL).

Marella Cruises (former Thomson Cruises) has introduced a range of more 
efficient procedures and technology including single engine running, or 
drifting on passage, where speeds allow; so that the engines can run at 
their most efficient speed and installing new equipment on board, from 
the laundry to air conditioning plant – cutting the demand for energy 

 
 
 
 
78

produced  by  the  ship.  In  the  financial  year  2017  the  vessel  Marella 
Dream retrofitted digital engine lubricating oil control units which lead 
to a decrease of 20 % lubricating oil consumption.

Cruises – carbon intensity

kg CO 2 / Cruise passenger night

2017

108.0

2016

109.6

Var. %

– 1.5

TUI’s Product & Purchasing team carried out a full review of two recon-
structed and refurbished units in Croatia. The aim was to understand 
how environmental and social sustainability considerations can be in-
corporated during planning, design, build and launch phases of refurbish-
ment  and  newbuild  projects  as  well  as  ongoing  operations.  The  work 
identified best practices to share with other accommodation partners 
and highlighted areas for improvement in all future new-build or refur-
bishment projects.

Hotels – carbon intensity

In financial year 2017, relative carbon emissions in Cruises decreased by 
1.5 % mainly driven by the on-going re-fleeting programme, more efficient 
energy use and technological improvements.

kg CO 2 / guest night

2017

9.4

2016

10.1

Var. %

– 6.3

To  expand  the  scope  of  TUI’s  environmental  reporting  in  Cruises  we 
included waste and water KPIs for the period under review. Per Cruise 
passenger night 14.7 litres of waste were measured and 161.8 litres of 
fresh water consumed.

Relative carbon emissions across our TUI Hotels & Resorts and Inter-
national  Concepts  decreased  by  6.3 %  due  to  a  focus  on  effciency 
measures. 

C L I M AT E   P R O T E C T I O N   A N D   R E S O U R C E   M A N A G E M E N T   

B Y   H O T E L S
Together with our hotel partners we constantly work on improving our 
sustainability performance. We have found that our most sustainably- 
managed hotels deliver higher quality and customer satisfaction.

We have included a sustainability clause in contracts with our accommo-
dation suppliers outlining minimum expectations and the requirement to 
work  towards  credible  sustainability  certification  recognised  by  the 
Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). TUI is supporting its hotel 
partners by providing guidance and testing online tools to enable our 
hotel partners to prepare for certifications.

Effective  waste  management  aims  to  conserve  resources  and  reduce 
environmental  impacts  and  costs  through  recycling  practices.  Our 
owned  and  partner  hotels  implement  various  measures  to  reduce 
waste, for example through a stronger focus on local procurement and 
reducing packaging via buying in bulk. Per guest night 2.3 kg of waste 
were measured in financial year 2017.

Hotels – relative water consumption*

l / guest night

2017

531

2016

544

Var. %

– 2.3

TUI hotels were involved in numerous sustainability projects and initia-
tives in 2017 including the following:

* Includes water for domestic, pool and irrigation purposes 

In  March  2017  the  ‘Il  Castelfalfi  –  TUI  Blue  Selection’  was  opened  in 
Tuscany – regenerating the historic Tuscan estate of Castelfalfi keeping 
as much of the original architecture as possible while introducing modern 
systems  and  technologies.  The  resort  has  installed  a  biomass  plant, 
which will consume about 3.5 tonnes of biomass each year from the hotel 
and its grounds and is expected to reduce fuel requirements by 95 %, 
making the resort practically self-sufficient with only a small reserve of 
fuel kept for emergencies. 

Water  is  one  of  the  most  precious  resources  in  the  world.  Beyond 
measures to control usage, hotels are finding innovative ways to address 
fresh  water  supply  problems.  For  instance,  desalination  projects  can 
make a big impact in destinations where they are in operation.

 
 
 
C O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T R E P O R T

 Non-financial Group declaration  

79

C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

Social issues and destination collaboration

Greener and fairer holidays

Tourism can be a real force for good, generating the transfer of wealth, 
promoting  cultural  understanding  and  tolerance.  But  we  know  that 
travel and tourism can also have unintended negative consequences. 

We rely on thriving communities to welcome our customers in destin-
ations. That means it’s important that the benefits of tourism reach the 
local community, in the form of jobs and educational opportunities and 
human rights are protected along our value chain.

•  Our headline goal: We will deliver 10 m ’greener and fairer’ holidays a 
year by 2020, enabling more local people to share in the benefits of 
tourism

One of our key areas of focus is the hotel – the largest component of 
the holiday experience. Our expectation of hotels that work with us is 
that they will commit to social and environmental good practice. 

Certification is central to our commitment to offer ’greener and fairer’ 
holidays. It is a credible way of showing whether our hotels go further 
than others when it comes to social and environmental issues. We en-
courage our hotels to aim for certification that is GSTC (Global Sustain-
able Tourism Council) recognised and we are strong supporters of the 
certification programme Travelife.

TUI Collection is a set of exclusive excursions that have been developed 
by TUI and tailored to give customers a true taste of the destination. 
They were launched in 2014 and are now offered by the majority of our 
tour  operators.  Each  excursion  in  the  Collection  must  be  exclusive  to 
TUI and meet specific criteria for sustainability, showing that it is bringing 
benefit to local people and minimising its impact on the environment. 
Our customers went on 1,024,000 TUI Collection excursions in financial 
year 2017, up 21 % on 2016.

2017

2016

Var. %

8.3

6.3

+ 31.1

1,220

1,170

+ 4.3

76

74

+ 2*

1,024,000

846,000

+ 21.07

Number of customer (millions) 
staying at accommodations 
certified to GSTC-recognised 
standard
Number of hotels certified to 
GSTC-recognised standard
% of hotels certified to 
GSTC-recognised standard 
(TUI Hotels)
Number of TUI Collection 
 excursions

* Variance is given in percentage points 

In  financial  year  2017,  the  number  of  customers  staying  in  a  hotel 
which is certified according to a GSTC recognised standard increased by 
31.1 % to 8.3 Mio. This increase reflects improved and adjusted reporting 
processes, including the consolidation of Riu’s customer numbers from 
non-TUI tourism businesses, as well as the increase in the number of 
accommodation suppliers who achieved certification to GSTC-recognised 
standards, by 4.3 % to 1,220 hotels.

D I A L O G U E
Stakeholders in destinations have a significant role to play in sustainable 
tourism  management.  We  work  closely  with  communities,  local  and 
national governments, non-governmental organisations and trade asso-
ciations to support the sustainable management of destinations.

T U I   C A R E   F O U N D AT I O N 
We are involved in projects all around the world that support communities 
and reduce negative environmental impacts. Where we can, we focus on 
those destinations where we send the most customers and where we 
believe we can make the greatest difference. 

•  Our headline goal: We will invest € 10 m per year by 2020, to support 
good causes and enhance the positive impacts of tourism, using the 
TUI Care Foundation to support this work

   Read more about TUI Care Foundation in the Magazine, page 54 / 55 and on 
www.tuicarefoundation.com

Within the financial year 2017 the independent TUI Care Foundation has 
evolved its broader commitments and collaborated with destinations in 
three specific areas: education and training initiatives for young people; 
protection  of  the  natural  environment;  and  sustainable  livelihoods  in 
thriving destinations where local communities can benefit from tourism.

M U LT I - S TA K E H O L D E R   D E S T I N AT I O N   P R O J E C T S
During the last year, TUI Care Foundation through its implementation 
partners has engaged with several community programmes in holiday 
destinations such as Croatia and Cape Verde.

 
80

Tourism in Croatia is growing rapidly and accounts for more than one-
fifth  of  annual  GDP.  To  support  the  sustainable  growth  of  tourism  in 
Croatia,  TUI  became  part  of  a  local  stakeholder  project  that  brought 
together the Travel Foundation (a TUI Care Foundation partner), local 
residents and industry partners in the Split-Dalmatia county, where two 
refurbished four-star hotels have opened for Western European tourists. 
To address local stakeholder concerns about the impact of redevelop-
ment, a training programme was run to help 20 local businesses benefit 
from the opportunity (of which the majority have made changes to their 
products to meet hotel customer expectations). TUI colleagues partici-
pated in this project and further opportunities to align the hotels with 
local community needs are being explored.

In Cape Verde, tourism is extremely important to the economy, employing 
38 % of the working population and accounting for 40 % of GDP. With 
rapid growth, however, comes a challenge to protect the environment, 
ensure that local businesses and communities can benefit from tourism 
and help local entrepreneurs and craftspeople to offer authentic excur-
sions and handicrafts to the influx of new guests. A Destination Council 
was set up in 2013 by the Travel Foundation with the support of TUI, to 
allow organisations to work together to better manage tourism’s impacts. 
TUI Care Foundation is now supporting specific projects relating to water, 
waste, clean beaches and local crafts.

E M P O W E R I N G   Y O U T H   I N   M O R O C C O
To generate future opportunities for young Moroccans and promote a 
green  way  of  mobility,  TUI  Care  Foundation  and  Dutch  NGO  Pikala 
joined forces in 2017. Pikala are working to train 90 young Moroccans to 
become bike tour guides in their home city, to gain in-depth knowledge 
of bike mechanics and learn the basics of how to run their own bike tour 
business  eventually.  During  the  project  36  of  the  participants  will  be 
employed and a special focus will be put on including young women in 
the program. 

Investments into projects and good causes

€ million

2017

2016

Var. %

Amount raised for sustainability 
projects / good causes

7.3

6.6

+ 10.0

The amount raised for sustainability projects and good causes reached 
€ 7.3 million in financial year 2017, an increase by 10.0 %. This increase 
is largely due to the consolidation of Riu’s charitable contributions into 
our reported figures in financial year 2017.

Human Rights 

TUI Group respects all internationally proclaimed human rights as speci-
fied in the International Bill of Human Rights and expects the same of 
our suppliers and business partners. Modern slavery and its components 
of forced labour and human trafficking are of particular concern given 
their egregious nature and increasing prevalence. 

   Modern Slavery Act Statement on  
http://www.tuigroup.com/en-en/sustainability/msa

In  accordance  with  applicable  law,  conventions  and  regulation  TUI  is 
committed to respecting human rights throughout its worldwide oper-
ations. We have a number of policies and initiatives in place to monitor, 
identify, mitigate and prevent human rights impacts in line with the UN 
Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and will take remedial 
action where necessary.

In September 2014, TUI signed up to the UN Global Compact, committing 
the Group to 10 universally accepted principles in the areas of human 
rights, labour, environment and anticorruption. In 2012, TUI signed the 
UN World Tourism Organisation’s (UNWTO) Global Code of Ethics– fur-
ther underlining our commitment to respecting human rights.

We have established a working group on human rights, drawing on senior 
management from major departments across our business to help with 
the  continuous  process  of  analysing  potential  human  rights  risks.  In 
April  2017  TUI  Group  published  the  ‘Modern  Slavery  Act  Statement’, 
under the requirement of UK law.

C O D E S   O F   C O N D U C T   A N D   S U P P LY   C H A I N
The  employee  Code  of  Conduct  commits  us  to  respect  and  observe 
human rights. TUI Group employees are also encouraged to report any 
wrongdoing to the ’Speak Up’ Line. All employees wherever they are in 
the world have access to a confidential reporting channel which allows 
them to report concerns about illegal or unethical behaviour directly to 
a group function free from reprisal. Employees are specifically encour-
aged  to  report  concerns  about,  among  other  things,  potential  human 
rights issues. Group Legal Compliance closely monitors the hotline and 
ensures ongoing employee awareness through e-mails, newsletter up-
dates, websites, e-learning and posters in prominent areas.

Our Supplier Code of Conduct sets out the minimum standards that we 
expect  from  suppliers  and  their  employees,  sub-contractors,  agents 
and subsidiaries when working on our behalf. Among other things the 
code includes guidance on human rights and labour laws, bribery and 
corruption, environmental impacts and support for local communities. TUI 
was the first major player in the Travel and Tourism sector to introduce 
supplier codes of conduct in order to mandate standards and stipulate 
requirements of third party business partners, ensuring their alignment 
to TUI’s expectations for responsible and ethical business practices.

C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

81

2017

2,585

C O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T R E P O R T

 Non-financial Group declaration  

The TUI Supplier Code of Conduct prohibits the use of forced and invol-
untary labour and requires that suppliers do not:

Child protection training

•  employ anyone against their will;
•  traffic in persons or use any form of slave, forced or bonded labour;
•  require workers to surrender any government-issued identification, 

passports, or work permits as a condition of employment; or 

•  require workers to undergo excessive indebted labour: that is, where 
workers are required to pay a fee in connection with obtaining em-
ployment, expenses associated with recruitment, processing, or place-
ment of both direct and contract workers, Suppliers shall be respon-
sible  for  payment  of  fees  and  expenses  in  excess  of  an  affordable 
portion of a worker’s salary (a guide being one month of the worker’s 
anticipated net wages).

Colleagues trained on child protection issues

All  TUI  Airways  (former  Thomson  Airways)  crew  receive  Vulnerable 
 Children & Trafficking Training during their inductions, where they learn 
about  how  to  spot  trafficking  and  what  to  do.  Other  TUI  airlines  are 
planning to roll out similar trainings.

Our employees

The Code also provides detail on the following areas; general rights of 
workers, child labour, child protection from sexual exploitation, trafficking, 
anti-discrimination, working times and remuneration.

Qualified  and  engaged  employees  are  a  major  prerequisite  for  TUI’s 
long-term success. One of the key elements of our global HR strategy, 
therefore,  is  to  attract  and  promote  people  with  talent  and  to  retain 
them by offering attractive employment conditions. 

The  TUI  tour  operating  businesses  have  incorporated  environmental 
and social requirements into contracts for our biggest supplier group – 
accommodation partners – Sustainability Requirements for Accommo-
dation Suppliers. We have reviewed these requirements to make sure 
that  they  adequately  cover  human  rights,  in  particular  forced  labour 
and  human  trafficking.  These  requirements  are  also  outlined  in  our 
agreements with contracted Destination Management Companies. We 
are currently in the process of adapting these requirements for other 
areas of our procurement.

We also require our hotel suppliers to implement credible sustainability 
3rd party certifications recognised or approved by the Global Sustainable 
Tourism Council (GSTC). Schemes approved and / or recognised by GSTC 
mandate the highest standards of human rights, child protection and 
social welfare in the tourism industry.

Travelife  is  the  certification  body  we  work  most  closely  with  and  we 
were involved in developing new, stricter criteria. One of the revisions 
has been the inclusion of the principles of the Ethical Trading Base Code 
to strengthen the human rights components of the audit process, in-
cluding modern slavery aspects.

  For more information on certified hotels see page 79

C H I L D   P R O T E C T I O N   T R A I N I N G
We conduct regular child protection training for colleagues working for 
TUI  Destination  Services  to  ensure  they  understand  child  protection 
and how to react and proceed when an incident occurs. We are in the 
process  of  training  specific  groups  of  colleagues  about  human  rights 
and  modern  slavery,  such  as  holiday  representatives  and  purchasers 
working in high risk destinations.

It  is  our  staff  who  breathe  life  into  our  corporate  values  ‘Trusted’, 
‘Unique’ and ‘Inspiring’. Alongside our vision and our customer promise, 
they form the basis for our attitudes and actions. In the completed finan-
cial year, we implemented a number of measures to embed our corporate 
values further in our day-to-day activities. 

Starting in the completed financial year, HR has been a fixed component 
and  strategic  pillar  of  TUI  Group’s  sustainability  strategy.  Under  the 
heading  ‘Better  Holidays,  Better  World’,  TUI’s  sustainability  efforts 
comprise four major ambitions: Beside ‘step lightly’, ‘make a difference’ 
and ‘lead the way’ now ‘care more’ is included.

Our strategic key areas in HR were already defined last year. In the period 
under review, TUI continued to work consistently towards implementing 
them.  15  strategic  projects  were  initiated  within  the  five  key  areas 
(Engagement, Leadership, People Development, Organisational Effec-
tiveness and HR Function Development), including oneShare, Employer 
Branding,  Diversity@TUI,  TUIgether  and  Global  60.  So  that  we  can 
measure the progress and success of these projects going forward, we 
defined  corresponding  KPIs  in  the  financial  year  and  are  currently 
working on a reporting process. The goal is to report the current status 
and longterm objectives of the projects to the Management and Super-
visory Board as well as to formulate appropriate measures. 

H R   S T R AT E G Y   P R O J E C T S

O N E S H A R E
oneShare offers employees in 18 European countries the opportunity 
to subscribe to shares from a joint employee share programme, and this 
option will be rolled out globally in the long term. This far, there have 
been two separate stock programmes in the UK and Germany. In the 
wake of the launch, TUI offered its employees the opportunity to par-
ticipate  in  the  success  of  the  company  twice  in  the  reporting  period. 
Overall, the rate of participation was 12.7 %, significantly exceeding our 
expectation in the year the programme began. This shows that our em-
ployees are placing their trust in TUI’s long-term future. 

 
82

E M P L O Y E R   B R A N D I N G
One  of  the  projects  developed  as  part  of  our  HR  strategy  during  the 
recent  financial  year  was  a  new  Employer  Branding  campaign.  It  will 
successively be rolled out in a total of 14 markets. Germany was the first 
source  market  to  fully  implement  the  campaign  in  summer  2017.  TUI 
Group  uses  illustrations  describing  the  future  of  travel  for  a  uniform 
employer  brand.  The  redesigned  branding  presents  TUI  Group  as  an 
ideal employer for anyone who wants to help shape the future of travel. 
The motto of the new branding: ‘Our employees make us number one’. 
A special focus in the redesigned branding was placed on digitalisation. 
All the channels through which future job applicants can find out about 
TUI  Group  vacancies  have  been  revamped.  Apart  from  conventional 
advertisements in newspapers and magazines, they now include posters, 
social ads on Xing, LinkedIn, or Facebook.

Proportion of Women

D I V E R S I T Y@T U I
One  of  the  cornerstones  of  our  Diversity  activities  is  to  increase  the 
proportion of women in managerial functions. Group wide, the proportion 
of women in the overall headcount was almost flat year-on-year at 56.6 % 
on the balance sheet date. By contrast, women’s share of managerial 
functions grew from 29.4 % to 34.1 %. 

The proportion of women on our German supervisory bodies also con-
tinued to rise in the period under review. On 30 September 2017, women 
accounted overall for almost 40 % of members, up by around 2 percent-
age points year-on-year. 

Ø German Supervisory 
Boards

Executive Board
TUI AG

Group Executive 
Committee

Managerial Positions 
Group

Employees 
Group

40 (38)

17 (20)

17 (18)

34 (29)

43 (44)

%

%

%

%

%

60 (62)

83 (80)

83 (82)

66 (71)

57 (56)

In brackets: previous year

C O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T R E P O R T

 Non-financial Group declaration  

83

C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

In Germany, advantage was taken of the self-commitment mechanism 
provided for under the German Stock Corporation Act (AktG) and the 
Act on Limited Liability Companies (GmbHG) to fix specific targets for 
TUI AG, TUI Deutschland and TUI fly in financial year 2015. In financial 

year 2017, implementation of these targets made good progress at almost 
all levels, and nearly all targets were achieved. 

   Also see declaration in Corporate Governance Report on page 110

Proportion of women in managerial positions

%

TUI AG
  Supervisory Board
  Executive Board

First management level  below Executive Board
  Second management level below Executive Board
TUI Deutschland
  Supervisory Board
  Executive Board

First management level  below Executive Board
  Second management level below Executive Board
TUI fly
  Supervisory Board
  Executive Board

First management level  below Executive Board
  Second management level below Executive Board

30 Sep 2017

30 Sep 2016

30 Jun 2017

Target value 
30 Jun 2017

35
1 female
18
24

35
1 female
10
22

35

30
1 female at least 1 female
20
30

19
24

50
25
36
39

33
0
43
42

50
20
36
40

25
0
40
44

50
25
38
39

33
0
43
41

30
20
30
40

30
20
30
40

A further focus is on reconciliation of family and work life. TUI offers its 
employees a number of attractive schemes to reconcile the demands on 
their professional and private lives. They include flexible working time 
models  such  as  flexitime,  part-time  work,  sabbaticals  but  also  mobile 
working. We also support our employees when they are caring for children 
or other family members. All TUI’s activities in this field are in line with 
local requirements and circumstances. 

T U I G E T H E R   E M P L O Y E E   S U R V E Y
A significant element of the HR strategy process and of our cultural in-
tegration is our employee survey ‘TUIgether’, which was carried out in 16 
languages in the period under review. The survey is an important indicator 
where  we  stand,  where  we  are  good  and  where  we  should  improve 
with  the  aim  to  improve  business  performance  and  to  make  TUI  an 
even more attractive employer. 

From an initial response rate of 66 % in 2015, which had already risen to 
77 % in 2016, 78 % of all employees invited to take part submitted their 
feedback in the completed financial year. We have thus moved closer to 
our goal of an 80 % response rate. The survey measures the Engage-

ment Index of TUI Group, which is 77 in this year’s cycle and therefore 
steady compared to the previous year. It is also above the Kantar TNS 
Global norm – our external survey provider – which is 71. This is par-
ticularly due to a clearly defined follow-up process, which is supported 
and backed at all levels right through to management, and to the accom-
panying design of communication.

This  year,  seven  new  questions  were  added:  which,  together  with  13 
existing questions, will enable us to analyse the leadership style of TUI 
Group’s managers going forward, and this year to set a baseline meas-
ure for our leadership model ‘VIBE’, which is currently being rolled out 
across the Group. 

G L O B A L   6 0
TUI aims to encourage more international careers and promote employees 
with international experience. To speed up the progress, within one year 
60 TUI employees are given the opportunity to make their next career 
move in another country and gain some experience there. This target 
was exceeded in year one with 64 participants.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
84

S TA F F   I N D I C AT O R S
TUI Group’s total headcount was steady year-on-year. The movements 
within the segments partly offset each other.

Personnel by segment

  Hotels & Resorts
  Cruises*
  Northern Region
  Central Region 
  Western Region
  Other Tourism
Tourism
  All other segments
TUI Group
Discontinued operations
Total

30 Sep 2017 

30 Sep 2016 
restated

Var. % 

26,313
316
14,196
10,276
6,523
7,228
64,852
1,725
66,577
–
66,577

24,363
298
14,891
10,183
5,631
6,131
61,497
1,744
63,241
3,538
66,779

+ 8.0
+ 6.0
– 4.7
+ 0.9
+ 15.8
+ 17.9
+ 5.5
– 1.1
+ 5.3
n. a.
– 0.3

*  Excludes TUI Cruises (JV) employees. Cruises employees are primarily hired by external 

crew management agencies.

H O T E L S   &   R E S O R T S
Due to the continued growth strategy in Hotels & Resorts, the headcount 
rose by 8.0 % to 26,313 employees. The launch of new hotel resorts and 
the inclusion of additional destinations resulted in staff increases. Riu 
Group reported an increase in its headcount of 12.2 % to 12,091. The 
number  of  employees  working  for  Robinson  grew  by  8.4 %  to  3,888. 
Moreover,  the  rollout  of  the  TUI  Blue  brand  continued  in  the  period 
under review. The number of employees working for Northern Hotels 
grew slightly by 4.2 % to 9,597. On the other hand, the other hotels re-
ported a decline in their headcount by 6.8 % to 737, primarily driven by 
staff reductions in Turcotel Group in Turkey.

C R U I S E S
The headcount in the Cruises segment grew by 6.0 % year-on-year to 
316. The increase was primarily attributable to the new build projects in 
the expedition segment and the build-up in staff numbers working for 
Marella Cruises. 

N O R T H E R N   R E G I O N 
Northern  Region  recorded  a  year-on-year  decline  in  its  headcount  of 
4.7 % to 14,196 as at the balance sheet date. It mainly resulted from the 
organisational transfer of TUI Nordic staff to TUI Destination Services. 
On the other hand, Retail and the UK airline reported slight increases in 
staff numbers. 

C E N T R A L   R E G I O N
The headcount in Central Region was flat year-on-year at 10,276 as at the 
balance sheet date. In Germany and Austria, staffing numbers remained 
constant. While Switzerland reported a decline in its headcount, Poland 
recorded higher staff numbers. 

W E S T E R N   R E G I O N
The year-on-year increase in employee numbers in Western Region of 
15.8 % to 6,523 was primarily due to the acquisition of Transat in France 
and additional recruitment at the Belgian airline. Moreover, the head-
count of the Dutch tour operator declined slightly.

O T H E R   T O U R I S M
The Other Tourism segment reported an increase in its headcount of 
17.9 % to 7,228, mainly driven by TUI Destination Services and the in-
crease  in  the  headcount  of  TUI  Service  AG  due  to  the  organisational 
transfer of TUI Nordic staff. In IT, the number of employees was 554, up 
27.6 % year-on-year due to the transfer and a general expansion of IT 
employees.

A L L   O T H E R   S E G M E N T S
All other segments remained virtually flat year-on-year at 1,725 employ-
ees. The headcount in the corporate centre rose by 23.4 % to 290, as 
Group  functions  were  combined  and  new  functions  were  built  up.  By 
contrast, the Head Office functions in UK cut its staffing levels by 18.5 % 
to 286. In Future Markets, the headcount was constant on the prior year 
at 690. 

Personnel by region*

Germany
Great Britain
Spain
Other EU
North and South America
Other regions
TUI Group
Discontinued operation
Total

* By domicile of company

30 Sep 2017 

30 Sep 2016 
restated

Var. % 

10,274
13,354
9,607
20,911
4,535
7,896
66,577
–
66,577

10,132
13,409
8,967
19,933
3,768
7,032
63,241
3,538
66,779

+ 1.4
– 0.4
+ 7.1
+ 4.9
+ 20.4
+ 12.3
+ 5.3
n. a.
– 0.3

As a global player, TUI Group and its employees operate in more than 
100 destinations worldwide. The Group’s headcount in Europe accounted 
for  81 %  at  the  balance  sheet  date,  with  around  20 %  of  the  total  em-
ployed  in  the  UK.  The  number  of  employees  working  in  Germany 
amounted  to  around  15 %,  followed  by  Spain  with  around  14 %.  The 
increase in the number of employees working in North and South Ameri-
ca, other regions  and  Spain  is  primarily  due  to  the  new  openings  and 
extensions of hotels in Hotels & Resorts. The increase reported for the 
rest  of  Europe  is  attributable  to  the  acquisition  of  Transat  and  the 
increase in staffing numbers at the Belgian airline. 

 
 
C O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T R E P O R T

 Non-financial Group declaration  

85

C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

Other employee indicators

in %

Employment structure
  Number of employees
  Employees, female

Females in managerial positions

  Employees in part-time, total
  Employees in part-time, female
  Employees, fixed-term employment contract
Age structure
Employees up to 20 years
Employees 21 – 30 years
Employees 31 – 40 years
Employees 41 – 50 years
Employees more than 50 years
Company affiliation
up to 5 years
6 – 10 years
11 – 20 years
21 – 30 years
more than 30 years
Vocational training in Germany
Number of trainees
Trainees, female
Training rate
Number of trainees gained certification in financial year
Hiring rate

30 Sep 2017 

TUI Group

30 Sep 2016 
restated

30 Sep 2017 

Germany

30 Sep 2016 
restated

66,577
56.6
34.1
17.3
26.2
30.0

5.1
30.1
26.4
23.7
14.7

54.0
14.9
20.8
8.3
2.0

–
–
–
–
–

66,779
56.0
29.4
18.8
28.8
33.1

5.3
30.1
27.1
23.9
13.6

54.3
15.8
20.2
7.6
2.1

–
–
–
–
–

10,274
68.4
33.9
37.9
47.8
14.2

3.1
20.1
22.9
30.8
23.1

33.6
12.8
30.8
17.9
4.9

571
79.0
5.6
193
73.1

10,132
68.5
32.8
36.4
46.2
15.6

2.9
20.0
24.2
31.5
21.4

33.0
13.3
31.9
17.0
4.8

569
79.3
5.7
183
70.5

Personnel costs

€ million

2017

2016

Var. %

rates. Moreover, senior management have share options and are thus 
able to benefit directly when the Company grows in value. 

Wages and salaries
Social security contributions
Pension costs
Total

1,896.4
298.9
161.7
2,357.0

1,846.7
286.3
139.0
2,272.0

In the period under review, the TUI Group’s personnel costs increased 
by 3.7 % to € 2,357.0 m. The year-on-year increase in expenses for wages 
and salaries was mainly attributable to higher staff numbers in operating 
areas, pay rises and higher expenses for restructuring measures associ-
ated with the acquisition of the French tour operator Transat.

+ 2.7
+ 4.4
+ 16.3
+ 3.7

The pay package offered by TUI Group is made up of various components, 
reflecting the framework conditions in different countries and companies. 
Depending on the function concerned, a fixed basic salary may go hand 
in hand with variable components. TUI Group uses these variable factors 
to honour individual performance and to enable employees to participate 
in the Company’s strategic and long-term success. The pay package also 
reflects  the  appropriateness  of  compensation  and  customary  market 

O T H E R   H R   I S S U E S

P E N S I O N   S C H E M E S
Many TUI Group companies offer their employees pension schemes in the 
form of direct insurance contracts and individual or direct commitments 
to  build  up  a  private  pension,  or  they  pay  additional  contributions  to 
pension schemes for their employees. In Germany, for instance, collective 
contracts  have  been  concluded.  These  schemes  were  devised  to  take 
advantage of fiscal and social security opportunities for employee-funded 
company pension schemes through a direct insurance. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
86

PA R T-T I M E   E A R LY   R E T I R E M E N T
To further increase the flexibility of their company HR and succession 
planning,  Group  companies  in  Germany  are  able  to  make  use  of  the 
opportunities provided under the German Part-Time Early Retirement 
Act, enabling people to shift gradually from employment to retirement. 
This  opportunity  is  partly  supported  by  current  collective  bargaining 
contracts and company agreements, and is increasingly being taken up. 
At the balance sheet date, € 9.4 m was provided through a capital invest-
ment model for the 210 employees working under part-time early retire-
ment contracts in order to hedge their accrued assets against employer 
insolvency.

E M P L O Y E E   R E P R E S E N TAT I V E S
TUI attaches importance to national and international employee repre-
sentative bodies. TUI has a large number of co-determination bodies, 
both at a company and supra-company level. They include local works 
councils,  company  works  councils  and  the  Group  works  council.  The 
members of these bodies represent the interests of our Group’s em-
ployees in Germany. Through their statutory rights of participation and 
initiative, they ensure representation of the interests of employees on 
all issues and projects of relevance to staff members and compliance 
with employee rights, e. g. during the implementation of restructuring 
activities. 

The Group works council is the top-level body for representing the inter-
ests of employees in German companies in accordance with legislation 
on industrial relations. In financial year 2017, it had 27 members from 
22 companies. 

A major success for the Group was the judgment handed down by the 
European Court of Justice on 18 July 2017 in the matter Erzberger ./. 
TUI AG (CJEU case no. C-566 / 15). The reference for a preliminary ruling 
had been made by the Berlin appellate court. The ECJ had been asked, at 
the request of a TUI AG shareholder, to determine whether the German 
Industrial Co-Determination Act was in conformity with EU law as this 
law only grants German Group employees the right to vote and stand as 
a candidate in elections of workers’ representatives to the Supervisory 
Board, while employees working for the Group’s companies abroad are 
deprived  of  these  rights.  After  proceedings  lasting  almost  two  years, 
the ECJ has endorsed TUI’s legal interpretation. According to this ruling, 
the German Industrial Co-Determination Act does not violate the principle 
of non-discrimination, nor does it constitute an inadmissible impediment 
to their freedom of movement. 

At a European level, TUI’s Europe Forum ensures a proper process of 
information and consultation on cross-border issues affecting the inter-
ests of employees in at least two member states of the European Eco-
nomic Area. These above-mentioned bodies primarily serve the interests 
of  employees,  but  at  least  indirectly  also  serve  the  interests  of  the 
Group and its companies, as co-determination contributes to the stability 
and sustainability of entrepreneurial decisions and processes. In financial 
year 2017, 43 employee representatives from 16 countries were delegated 
to the Forum. 

M AT E R I A L   R I S K S
Our success depends on our ability to attract and retain suitable skilled 
experts  and  managers.  Apart  from  the  launch  of  a  new  Employer 
Branding campaign, we are now extending our talent and performance 
management  approach  ‘Great  Place  to  Grow’  throughout  the  Group, 
supported  by  the  global  IT  solution  ‘TUI  People’.  These  activities  are 
rounded off by efforts to build our pipeline of leadership talent through 
the Group-wide International Graduate Leadership Programme and the 
professional  development  for  managers  by  means  of  our  established 
global  programmes  ‘Global  High  Performance  Leadership’,  ‘Horizons’ 
and ‘Perspectives’. In addition, a variety of measures are implemented 
at local level to develop employee and managerial skills. 

High-potential talents have to be identified and talent pools must be 
built,  even  across  national  borders.  Semi-annual  succession  planning 
processes are in place for all critical business roles and key functions. 
We also promote strong employee engagement and motivation through 
employee dialogue, career development plans and corresponding pro-
cesses. In the run-up to the launch of ‘Great Place to Grow’ in Germany in 
the forthcoming financial year, around 3,500 employees were invited to 
participate in face-to-face training sessions and accompanying e-learning 
sessions in the period under review. 

S E C U R I T Y,   H E A LT H   &   S A F E T Y
The Group Security, Health & Safety (Group  SHS) was established in 
mid-2016. The Group now has an SHS team in place that integrates and 
further  develops  all  previous  corporate  mechanisms  in  the  areas  of 
Security, Occupational Health & Safety. The focus is on a holistic, Group-
wide safety concept for customers and employees. The team members 
are experts in crisis and risk management with comprehensive experience 
gained from working in security agencies or companies. This interdiscip-
linary diversity provides the basis for professional safety management 
in  line  with  needs  and  requirements.  The  development  of  this  new 
department continues.

The period under review saw the development and implementation of 
standardised,  Group-wide  frameworks  such  as  guidelines,  standard 
processes and sample documents. They ensure fast and pertinent re-
sponses to safety-critical events and pro-active protection from risks. 
Examples include guidelines for safety measures in Hotels & Resorts, 
for business travel and for event and crisis management.

These frameworks are based on a holistic risk analysis, taking account of 
natural phenomena, nature-related, social and political developments in 
the destinations, health-related information as well as safety-relevant 
information  from  government  bodies,  as  a  basis  for  providing  advice, 
e. g.  in  the  form  of  safety  training  sessions  or  advisory  discussions, 
measures or planning documents. Dialogue with scientific research insti-
tutions  has  been  established,  especially  on  nature-related  situations, 
e. g. impacts of climate change.

C O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T R E P O R T

 Non-financial Group declaration  

87

C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

The frameworks are applicable to TUI AG and to all companies majority- 
owned,  directly  or  indirectly,  by  TUI  AG,  whether  domestic  or  foreign 
and to other shareholdings in each case insofar as management control 
directly or indirectly lies with TUI AG. Shareholdings in which manage-
ment control does not lie with TUI AG, including joint ventures, are rec-
ommended to implement the frameworks. As far as the Group Manual 
and supporting documents are referenced by contract, Group Manuals 
can also apply to TUI contractors.

On this basis, the corporate bodies dealing with security and safety issues 
(e. g. in Destination Services) cooperate within a network coordinated by 
Group SHS. This ensures coverage of the entire Group and a coordinated 
approach in safety-related issues tailored to the needs of the relevant 
area. 

Implementation  of  this  safety  level  is  ensured  by  regular  advice  and 
evaluation trips to the destinations in our Hotels & Resorts. In the period 
under review, Group SHS carried out eight evaluation trips to destinations. 
Apart from the safety audits firmly embedded in the quality assurance 
system,  we  also  launched  security  audits  for  Hotels  &  Resorts.  More 
than 60 of these audits have meanwhile been implemented.

Apart  from  safety-related  advice,  training  and  awareness-building  for 
our own staff plays a particularly important role. We offered relevant 

training  modules  in  Destination  Services,  in  particular,  and  around 
11,700 employees were trained in this manner.

The Group-wide processes for dealing with extreme situations during 
event and crisis management were successfully applied, for instance, in 
connection  with  the  hurricanes  in  September  and  security-relevant 
incidents such as the one in Barcelona at the end of August 2017. Apart 
from analysing the local situation, our event management mechanisms in-
clude compiling data on the number of guests and employees affected and 
their  need  for  support  as  well  as  coordinating  with  local  government 
bodies, European bodies and other partners. 24 / 7 control centres form 
the basis for fast and pertinent responses to critical events. 

TUI Group’s protection concept integrates security, health & safety and 
covers the entire process under our control, including journeys by our 
customers.

Anti-corruption and anti-bribery / Compliance

Details of TUI Group’s anti-corruption and anti-bribery measures are 
presented in the Corporate Governance section on Compliance from 
page 112 in the present Annual Report. 

88

A N N U A L   F I N A N C I A L   S TAT E M E N T S 
O F   T U I   A G

Condensed version according to German Commercial Code (HGB)

Earnings position of TUI AG 

The annual financial statements of TUI AG were prepared in accordance 
with  the  provisions  of  the  German  Commercial  Code  (HGB),  taking 
account of the complementary provisions of the German Stock Corpor-
ation Act (AktG), and audited by Deloitte GmbH Wirtschaftsprüfungs-
gesellschaft, Hanover. They are published in the electronic federal gazette. 
The annual financial statements have been made permanently available 
on  the  Internet  at  www.tuigroup.com  and  can  be  requested  in  print 
from TUI AG.

In the present Annual Report, the Management Report of TUI AG has 
been combined with the Management Report of TUI Group.

T U R N O V E R   A N D   O T H E R   O P E R AT I N G   I N C O M E
In the financial year under review, turnover resulted from the reclassifi-
cation of income in the framework of the first-time application of the 
Accounting Directive Implementation Act (BilRUG). Apart from effects 
resulting from the first-time application of BilRUG, the decline in Other 
operating income was mainly driven by a year-on-year decrease in gains 
on exchange. This income was offset by expenses for exchange losses of a 
similar amount, carried in Other operating expenses. Apart from the gains 
on exchange, Other operating income primarily included income from 
the elimination of intercompany services, carried alongside expenses of 
almost the same amount passed on to TUI AG from other Group com-
panies, also shown in Other operating expenses. 

Income statement of TUI AG

€ million

Turnover
Other operating income
Cost of materials
Personnel costs
Depreciation
Other operating expenses
Net income from investments
Write-downs of investments
Net interest
Taxes on income and profit
Profit after taxes
Other taxes
Net profit for the year

2017

45.4
392.6
7.6
49.9
1.0
500.4
933.3
58.1
8.7
15.7
747.3
5.6
741.7

E X P E N S E S
In the wake of the first-time application of BilRUG to financial year 2017, 
the expenses carried alongside the turnover were carried under expenses 
for purchased services.

2016

Var. %

–
637.0
–
50.3
0.5
762.9
353.4
3.7
– 24.6
6.7
141.7
1.8
139.9

n. a.
– 38.4
n. a.
– 0.8
+ 100.0
– 34.4
+ 164.1
n. a.
n. a.
+ 134.3
+ 427.4
+ 211.1
+ 430.2

Personnel costs declined slightly in financial year 2017. The decrease in 
personnel costs in this financial year was nearly offset by an increase in 
expenses from transfers to pension provisions.

Other  operating  expenses  mainly  comprised  the  cost  of  financial  and 
monetary transactions, charges, fees, services, transfers to impairments, 
other administrative costs as well as expenses for exchange losses and the 
intercompany elimination of services. Other operating expenses declined 
in particular due to the decrease in expenses for exchange losses. 

N E T   I N C O M E   F R O M   I N V E S T M E N T S
In the financial year under review, TUI AG’s net income from investments 
was driven by the distribution of profits by TUI Travel Ltd and TUI Cruises 
GmbH and the profit transfer from TUI-Hapag Beteiligungs GmbH. Net 
income  from  investments  also  included  income  from  profit  transfers 
from hotel companies and companies allocable to central operations. It 
also  comprised  expenses  for  loss  transfers  from  Group  companies, 
resulting in a corresponding reduction in net income from investments. 
Loss transfers declined significantly year-on-year.

The earnings position of TUI AG, the Group’s parent company, is primarily 
determined by the appropriation of profits by its Group companies, either 
directly associated with TUI AG via profit and loss transfer agreements 
or distributing their profits to TUI AG based on relevant resolutions. 

C O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T R E P O R T

 Annual financial statements of TUI AG

89

C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

W R I T E - D O W N S   O F   I N V E S T M E N T S
In the period under review, write-downs of investments mainly related 
to write-downs of a subsidiary allocated to central operations as well as 
an investment in a Turkish hotel.

I N T E R E S T   R E S U LT
The interest result improved as a result of lower interest expenses driven 
by the refinancing of bonds and lower use of the syndicated credit facility. 
Interest  income  also  rose  due  to  an  increase  in  non-current  loans  to 
Group companies by TUI AG.

TA X E S
In  the  period  under  review,  taxes  related  to  income  taxes  and  other 
taxes. They did not include any deferred taxes. 

N E T   P R O F I T   F O R   T H E   Y E A R
For  financial  year  2017,  TUI  AG  posted  a  net  profit  for  the  year  of 
€ 741.7 m.

Net assets of TUI AG

TUI AG’s net assets and financial position as well as its balance sheet 
structure reflect its function as the TUI Group’s parent company. The 
balance sheet total rose by 6.7 % to € 9.8 bn in financial year 2017.

F I X E D   A S S E T S
At the balance sheet date, fixed assets almost exclusively consisted of 
investments. The increase in investments was mainly attributable to the 
acquisition of Canada Holdings Inc. and a Greek hotel company as well 
as the issue of non-current loans to subsidiaries. An opposite effect 
was  driven  by  the  repayment  of  the  capital  reserves  of  TUI  Hapag- 
Beteiligungs GmbH.

C U R R E N T   A S S E T S
The increase in current assets of 13.6 % to € 2,683.4 m was mainly driven 
by the increase in cash and cash equivalents, caused by dividend pay-
ments by subsidiaries and above all the sale of the stake in Hapag-Lloyd 
Aktiengesellschaft.

Moreover, liquid funds were invested in short-term money market funds.

T U I   A G ’ S   C A P I TA L   S T R U C T U R E

E Q U I T Y
TUI AG’s equity increased by € 380.6 m to € 5,192.7 m. The subscribed 
capital of TUI AG consists of no-par value shares, each representing an 
equal portion in the capital stock. The proportionate share in the capital 
stock per share is around € 2.56. At the end of financial year 2017, the 
subscribed capital of TUI AG rose due to the issue of employee shares. At 
the end of the financial year under review, subscribed capital comprised 
587,386,900 shares. 

Abbreviated balance sheet of TUI AG  
(financial statement according to German Commercial Code)

€ million

30 Sep 2017

30 Sep 2016

Var. %

In financial year 2017, capital reserves rose by € 6.1 m due to the issue of 
employee shares and share-based payments. Revenue reserves exclu-
sively consisted of other revenue reserves. The Articles of Association 
do not contain any provisions concerning the formation of reserves. 

Intangible assets / property, 
plant and equipment
Investments
Fixed assets
Receivables / Trade securities
Cash and cash equivalents
Current assets
Prepaid expenses
Assets
Equity
Special non-taxed items
Provisions
Bonds
Other liabilities
Liabilities
Liabilities

19.4
7,078.9
7,098.3
1,644.4
1,039.0
2,683.4
0.7
9,782.4
5,192.7
0.1
462.5
300.0
3,827.1
4,127.1
9,782.4

17.5
6,784.8
6,802.3
1,724.4
637.0
2,361.4
0.8
9,164.5
4,812.1
0.1
480.8
306.7
3,564.8
3,871.5
9,164.5

+ 10.9
+ 4.3
+ 4.4
– 4.6
+ 63.1
+ 13.6
– 12.5
+ 6.7
+ 7.9
–
– 3.8
– 2.2
+ 7.4
+ 6.6
+ 6.7

The  profit  for  the  year  amounted  to  € 741.7 m.  Taking  account  of  the 
profit carried forward of € 454.1 m, net profit available for distribution 
totalled € 1,195.8 m. A proposal will be submitted to the Annual General 
Meeting to use the net profit available for distribution for the financial 
year  under  review  to  distribute  a  dividend  of  € 0.65  per  no-par  value 
share and to carry the amount of € 814.0 m, remaining after deduction 
of the dividend total of € 381.8 m, forward on new account. The equity 
ratio rose to 53.1 % (previous year 52.5 %) in financial year 2017.

P R O V I S I O N S
Provisions decreased by € 18.3 m to € 462.5 m. They consisted of pension 
provisions worth € 136.0 m (previous year € 134.8 m), tax provisions worth 
€ 196.1 m (previous year € 176.1 m) and other provisions worth € 130.4 m 
(previous year € 169.9 m).

While pension provisions remained largely flat year-on-year, tax provisions 
increased versus the prior year. An opposite effect arose from the decline 
in provisions for invoices outstanding, personnel costs and other risks. 

90

L I A B I L I T I E S
TUI AG’s liabilities totalled € 4,127.1 m, up by € 255.6 m or 6.6 %.

In  October  2016,  TUI  AG  issued  an  unsecured  bond  worth  € 300.0 m 
maturing in October 2021. TUI AG used the proceeds from the issue of 
this bond to cancel and repay a bond issued in September 2014 ahead 
of its maturity date.

The increase in liabilities was mainly driven by the transactions of the 
TUI AG subsidiaries included in its cash pool. 

TUI’s net financial position (cash and cash equivalents as well as market-
able securities less bonds) improved year-on-year, amounting to a clearly 
positive position of € 1,138.8 m in the period under review. 

C A P I TA L   A U T H O R I S AT I O N   R E S O L U T I O N S
Information on new or existing resolutions concerning capital authorisa-
tion, adopted by Annual General Meetings, is provided in the chapter on 
Information Required under Takeover Law.

C O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T R E P O R T

 Annual financial statements of TUI AG, TUI share

91

C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

T U I   S H A R E

TUI share delivers significant outperformance 
post-merger 

Since the announcement of the merger with TUI Travel in June 2014, 
the TUI share price has increased substantially. The share’s Total Share-
holder  Return  (TSR)  has  risen  by  a  total  of  36 %  within  that  period, 
clearly outperforming the FTSE 100 and DAX 30 indices. In a challenging 
market environment characterised by macroeconomic and geopolitical 
turbulence, TUI Group fully delivered the announced merger synergies 
of € 100 m by the end of the completed financial year and successfully 
completed  the  disposal  of  all  non-core  businesses.  Moreover,  almost 
€ 1,175 m (incl. dividend proposal for the current financial year) worth of 
dividends were distributed to TUI shareholders. Three and a half years 
after the merger, the medium-term share price performance reflects TUI’s 
stronger post-merger integration and enhanced strategic positioning.

Following the dividend payment, TUI’s share price showed higher overall 
volatility until the end of June 2017, although on average it remained 
largely  flat.  During  that  time,  the  publication  of  operating  results  or 
geopolitical events only triggered short-term price reactions. 

The  TUI  share  subsequently  gained  momentum  again,  benefiting  in 
particular from good quarterly results, a pleasing trading performance 
and the successful disposal of the remaining stake in Hapag-Lloyd AG. 
The share delivered a good performance throughout the period under 
review.  While  TUI’s  Total  Shareholder  Return  grew  by  around  19 %, 
FTSE 100 and DAX 30 grew by 11 % and 22 %, respectively. This demon-
strates once again that we are very well positioned thanks to our differ-
entiated portfolio, our growth strategy focused on hotels and cruises 
and our integrated business model. 

TUI share price continues to rise in  
financial year 2017 

The TUI share continued to deliver an overall pleasing performance in 
financial year 2017. After starting off well, however, the TUI share was 
temporarily unable to escape the challenging market environment. At 
the end of October, it declined to its low for the financial year, reflecting, 
inter alia, the expectations regarding future monetary policies on both 
sides of the Atlantic and lowered earnings guidances by other companies 
in  the  travel  sector.  During  that  period,  our  share  price  performance 
was  also  affected  by  the  unexpectedly  high  number  of  TUI  fly  crew 
members calling in sick, resulting in flight cancellations. Due to the very 
good  trading  performance  and  quarterly  results  and  the  successful 
disposal of Travelopia, however, the share price picked up again in the 
course of the year and delivered substantial growth by mid-February. 

TUI share data

30 September 2017

WKN

ISIN
Stock exchange centres
Reuters / Bloomberg 

Stock category
Capital stock 
Number of shares
Market capitalisation 
Market capitalisation 

TUAG00
DE000TUAG000
London, Xetra, Hannover
TUIGn.DE / TUI1.GR (Frankfurt);  
TUIT.L / TUI:LN (London) 
Registered ordinary shares
1,501,630,765
587,386,900
8.4
7.4

€

bn €
bn £

 
92

TUI share price (FINANCIAL YE AR 2017)

in %

130

120

110

100

90

80

30 SEPTEMBER 2016

  TUI (TSR) 

  DAX 30 

  FTSE 100

29 SEPTEMBER 2017

TUI Share price since the merger announcement of TUI AG with TUI Travel PLC

In %

160

140

120

100

80

60

24 JUNE 2014

2015

2016

29 SEPTEMBER 2017

  TUI (TSR) 

  DAX 30 

  FTSE 100

C O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T R E P O R T

 TUI share

93

C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

Long-term development of the TUI share (Xetra)

€

High
Low
Year-end share price

2013

10.86
3.68
3.88

2014

6.97
3.14
6.70

2015

17.71
9.84
16.35

2016

17.21
10.17
12.69

2017

14.90
11.46
14.38

Quotations, indices and trading

Analyst recommendations 

The  TUI  share  has  its  primary  listing  in  the  Premium  segment  of  the 
Main Market of the London Stock Exchange and is included in FTSE’s UK 
Index Series including FTSE 100, the UK’s major share index. It also has 
a  secondary  listing  in  the  electronic  trading  system  Xetra  and  at  the 
Hanover Stock Exchange.

TUI is also listed in the sustainability indices FTSE4Good, STOXX Global 
ESG Leaders Index and Ethibel Investment Register. TUI has been rec-
ognised as a Leader by Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) Climate Change 
for implementing current best practices on climate change issues.

In financial year 2017 the average daily trading volume at the London 
Stock Exchange was around 1.2 million shares, while around 0.6 million 
shares were traded on Xetra. Across all trading platforms, the trading 
volume in the UK amounted to around 2.8 million shares, with around 
2.0 million shares traded in Germany. Both the sterling and the euro line 
therefore recorded strong liquidity in trading by institutional and private 
investors. 

Analysts’ Recommendations (30 SEPTEMBER 2017)

4
Sell

23
Hold

73

Buy

%

Analysis and recommendations by financial analysts are a key decision- 
making  factor  for  institutional  and  private  investors.  In  the  financial 
year under review, more than 20 analysts regularly published studies on 
TUI Group. In September 2017, 73 % of analysts issued a recommendation 
to  ‘buy’  the  TUI  share,  with  23 %  recommending  ‘hold’.  One  analyst 
 recommended ‘sell’.

94

Shareholder structure

Shareholder structure (30 SEPTEMBER 2017)

Geographical shareholder structure (30 SEPTEMBER 2017)

3 
Riu Hotels S. A.

67

Institutional 
investors

7 
Private investors

23
Alexey Mor-
dashov

%

15
North America

%

58

EU

27
Other

   The current shareholder structure and the voting right notifications pursuant 
to section 26 of the German Securities Trading Act are available online at: 
www.tuigroup.com/en-en/investors/news

At the end of financial year 2017, around 77 % of TUI shares were in free 
float. Around 7 % of all TUI shares were held by private shareholders, 
around  67 %  by  institutional  investors  and  financial  institutes  and 
around 26 % by strategic investors. Analysis of the shareholders shows 
that over half of shares were held by investors from EU countries.

Dividend policy

Development of dividends and earnings of the TUI share

€

Earnings per share
Dividend

2013

– 0.14
0.15

2014

+ 0.26
0.33

2015

+ 0.64
0.56

2016

+ 1.78
0.63

2017

+ 1.10
0.65

In the framework of the merger with TUI Travel, TUI Group defined a 
dividend  policy  under  which  the  dividend  increases  in  line  with  the 
growth in underlying EBITA a constant currency. A proposal will therefore 

be submitted to the Annual General Meeting to distribute a dividend of 
€ 0.65 per no-par value share to the shareholders for financial year 2017. 

C O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T R E P O R T

 TUI share

95

C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

Investor Relations

Open  and  continuous  dialogue  and  transparent  communication  form 
the basis for our Investor Relations work with our private shareholders, 
institutional  investors,  equity  and  credit  analysts  and  lenders.  In  the 
completed financial year, many discussions were held, centring on the 
growth strategy for the integrated tourism group and the development 
of business in the various segments, enabling stakeholders to make a 
realistic assessment of TUI Group’s future development. In this context, 
TUI’s management team sought dialogue with investors at roadshows 
and  conferences  in  London,  Edinburgh,  Frankfurt,  Berlin,  Munich, 
 Zurich,  Lugano,  Vienna,  Milan,  Madrid,  Amsterdam,  Brussels,  Paris, 
Oslo,  Copenhagen,  New  York,  Boston  and  Toronto.  Questions  from 
analysts and investors were also answered at the conference calls held 
upon publication of interim reports and in the framework of analysts’ 
meetings. 

TUI’s Investor Relations team also makes every effort to engage in direct 
contact  with  private  investors.  TUI  Group’s  IR  team  sought  dialogue 
with this target group on many occasions, such as events organised by 
shareholder associations. Another key platform for exchanges with private 
shareholders was the IR stall at TUI’s Annual General Meeting. TUI also 
uses its website to address its private investors with a broad range of 
information. All IR conference calls and the Full year Review were like-
wise transmitted live and in full on the website.

   More details about Investor Relations online at: www.tuigroup.com/en-en/
investors

96

I N F O R M AT I O N   R E Q U I R E D   U N D E R 
TA K E O V E R   L A W

pursuant to sections 289 (4) and 315 (4) of the German Commercial Code 
(HGB) and explanatory report

Composition of subscribed capital

Shareholder structure (30 SEPTEMBER 2017)

The subscribed capital of TUI AG consists of no-par value shares, each 
representing an equal share of the capital stock. As a proportion of the 
capital stock, the value of each share is around € 2.56. 

3 
Riu Hotels S. A.

The subscribed capital of TUI AG, registered in the commercial registers 
of the district courts of Berlin-Charlottenburg and Hanover, consisted 
of 587,386,900 shares at the end of financial year 2017 (previous year 
587,038,187 shares) and totalled € 1,501,630,765.46. Each share confers 
one vote at the Annual General Meeting.

R E S T R I C T I O N S   O N   V O T I N G   R I G H T S   A N D   S H A R E   T R A N S F E R S
The Executive Board of TUI AG is not aware of any restrictions on voting 
rights or the transfer of shares.

E Q U I T Y   I N T E R E S T S   E X C E E D I N G   1 0  %   O F   T H E   V O T I N G   R I G H T S
The Executive Board of TUI AG has been notified of the following direct 
or  indirect  equity  interests  reaching  or  exceeding  10 %  of  the  voting 
rights:

Alexey Mordashov, Russia, notified us on 15 December 2016 pursuant 
to section 21 (1) of the German Securities Trading Act that the voting 
shares in TUI AG, Hanover, Germany, attributable to him exceeded the 
20 % threshold on 12 December 2016. As per that date, voting shares 
totalling  20.01 %  (or  117,484,579  voting  rights)  were  attributable  to 
Alexey Mordashov pursuant to section 22 (1) sentence 1 no. 1 of the 
German Securities Trading Act. On the basis of the notifications pursuant 
to section 19 of the MAR, the voting shares in TUI AG attributable to him 
amounted to 23.0 % as at 30 September 2017.

7 
Private investors

23
Alexey  
Mordashov

%

67

Institutional 
investors

At the end of financial year 2017, around 77 % of TUI shares were in free 
float. Around 7 % of all TUI shares were held by private shareholders, 
around  67 %  by  institutional  investors  and  financial  institutions,  and 
around 26 % by strategic investors. According to a shareholder analysis, 
over half of shares are held by investors in the European Union.

Shares with special rights conferring powers of 
control

No  shares  with  special  rights  conferring  powers  of  control  have  been 
issued.

System of voting right control of any employee 
share scheme where the control rights are not  
exercised directly by the employees 

Where  TUI  AG  grants  shares  to  employees  under  its  employee  share 
programme, the shares are directly transferred to the employees with a 
lock-up  period.  Beneficiaries  are  free  to  directly  exercise  the  control 
rights to which employee shares entitle them, in just the same way as 
other shareholders, in line with legal requirements and the provisions of 
the Articles of Association. 

C O M B I N E D M A N A G E M E N T R E P O R T

 Information required under takeover law

97

C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

Appointment and removal of Executive Board 
members and amendments to the Articles of  
Association 

Significant agreements taking effect in the event  
of a change of control of the Company following a 
takeover bid, and the resulting effects

The appointment and removal of Executive Board members is based on 
sections 84 et seq. of the German Stock Corporation Act in combination 
with section 31 of the German Codetermination Act. Amendments to 
the  Articles  of  Association  are  based  on  the  provisions  of  sections 
179 et seq. of the German Stock Corporation Act in combination with 
section 24 of the Articles of Association of TUI AG.

Powers of the Executive Board to issue or buy 
back shares 

The Annual General Meeting of 14 February 2017 authorised TUI AG’s 
Executive Board to acquire own shares of up to 5 % of the capital stock. 
The authorisation will expire on 13 August 2018. To date, the option to 
acquire own shares has not been used. 

The Annual General Meeting of 9 February 2016 adopted a resolution 
to create conditional capital of € 150.0 m for the issue of bonds. The 
authorisation to issue bonds with conversion options or warrants as well 
as profit-sharing rights and income bonds (with or without fixed terms) 
of up to a nominal amount of € 2.0 bn will expire on 8 February 2021. 

The Annual General Meeting of 13 February 2013 adopted a resolution 
to  create  authorised  capital  for  the  issue  of  employee  shares  worth 
€ 10.0 m. The Executive Board of TUI AG is authorised to use this approved 
capital  by  12  February  2018  in  one  or  several  transactions  by  issuing 
employee shares against cash contribution. In the completed financial 
year, 348,713 new employee shares were issued, so that the authorised 
capital totalled around € 7.4 m at the balance sheet date. 

The Annual General Meeting of 28 October 2014 adopted a resolution 
to  create  authorised  capital  for  the  issue  of  new  shares  against  cash 
contribution worth € 18.0 m in order to be able to fulfil claims for shares 
in TUI Travel granted by TUI Travel to its employees in the form of new 
shares in TUI AG. This authorisation is no longer required and will there-
fore be revoked ahead of its expiry date.

The Annual General Meeting of 9 February 2016 adopted a resolution 
to  create  authorised  capital  for  the  issue  of  new  registered  shares 
against cash contribution worth a maximum of € 150.0 m. The authori-
sation will expire on 8 February 2021. 

The Annual General Meeting on 9 February 2016 also adopted a resolution 
to create authorised capital for the issue of new shares of € 570.0 m 
against  cash  contributions  or  contributions  in  kind.  The  issue  of  new 
shares against contributions in kind has been limited to € 300.0 m. The 
authorisation will expire on 8 February 2021.

Some of TUI AG’s outstanding financing instruments contain change of 
control clauses. A change of control occurs in particular if a third partly 
directly or indirectly acquires control over at least 50 % or the majority 
of the voting shares in TUI AG.

In the event of a change of control, the holders of the fixed-interest bond 
worth € 300.0 m issued in October 2016 must be offered a buyback. For 
the syndicated credit line worth € 1.75 bn, of which € 115.9 m had been 
used via bank guarantees as at the balance sheet date, a right of termina-
tion by the lenders has been agreed in the event of a change of control. 
This also applies to several bilateral guarantee lines with a total volume 
of £ 92.5 m, concluded with various insurance companies. At the balance 
sheet date, an amount of 32.9 m pounds had been used. Beyond this, 
there are no agreements in guarantee, leasing, option or other financial 
contracts that might cause material early redemption obligations that 
would be of significant relevance for the Group’s liquidity.

Apart  from  the  financing  instruments  mentioned  above,  a  framework 
agreement  between  the  Riu  family  and  TUI  AG  includes  a  change  of 
control clause. A change of control occurs if a shareholder group repre-
sents  a  predefined  majority  of  AGM  attendees  or  if  one  third  of  the 
shareholder representatives on the Supervisory Board are attributable 
to  a  shareholder  group.  In  the  event  of  a  change  of  control,  the  Riu 
family is entitled to acquire at least 20 % and at most all shares held by 
TUI in RIUSA II S.A.

A similar agreement concerning a change of control at TUI AG has been 
concluded with the El Chiaty Group. Here, too, a change of control occurs 
if a shareholder group represents a predefined majority of AGM attendees 
or if one third of the shareholder representatives on the Supervisory 
Board are attributable to a shareholder group. In that case, the El Chiaty 
Group is entitled to acquire at least 15 % and at most all shares held by 
TUI in the joint hotel companies in Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.

A  change  of  control  agreement  has  also  been  concluded  for  the  joint 
venture TUI Cruises between Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd and TUI AG 
for the event that a change of control occurs in TUI AG. The agreement 
gives the partner the right to demand termination of the joint venture 
and to purchase the stake held by TUI AG at a price which is lower than 
the selling price of their own stake.

Compensation  agreements  have  not  been  concluded  between  the 
Company and Executive Board members or employees in the event of a 
takeover bid. 

Robinson Club Noonu in the Maldives is a new 
addition to the TUI hotel portfolio. As we 
 expand our hotel business in the Indian Ocean 
and South-East Asia, we are catering for 
both European and Asian target groups. In 
China especially, the travel-loving middle 
 classes are growing fast.

 R E A D   M O R E   A B O U T T H E   C H I N E S E   G R O W T H   M A R K E T   
I N  T H E   M A G A Z I N E   U N D E R   ‘ N E W   D E PA R T U R E S ’

C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 
C O R P O R AT E G O V E R N A N C E 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

Corporate Governance

100  Executive Board and  Supervisory Board
103  Corporate Governance  Report
103 

 Statement on Corporate Governance  
(as part of the Management Report)

116  Remuneration Report
129 

 The new remuneration scheme for the 
 Executive Board as from financial year 2018

100

E X E C U T I V E   B O A R D   A N D 
 S U P E R V I S O R Y   B O A R D

Supervisory Board

Name

Prof. Dr Klaus Mangold

Frank Jakobi1

Sir Michael Hodgkinson

Andreas Barczewski1
Peter Bremme1

Prof. Dr Edgar Ernst

Function / Occupation

Chairman of the Supervisory Board of TUI AG
Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Rothschild GmbH

Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board of TUI AG
Travel Agent
Deputy Chairman fo the Supervisory Board of TUI AG

Aircraft Captain
Regional Head of the Special Services Division 
of ver.di – Vereinte Dienstleistungsgewerkschaft
President of Deutsche Prüfstelle für Rechnungslegung (DPR)

Location

Stuttgart

Hamburg

London

Hanover
Hamburg

Bonn

Wolfgang Flintermann1

Director Group Financial Accounting & Reporting, TUI AG

Großburgwedel

Angelika Gifford
Valerie Frances Gooding 
Dr Dierk Hirschel1
Janis Kong 

Vice President and General Manager DACH Microfocus GmbH
Member of supervisory bodies in different companies
Business unit manager of the trade-unition ver.di – Vereinte Dienstleistungsgewerkschaft
Member of supervisory bodies in different companies

Peter Long

Chairman Royal Mail Group PLC

Coline McConville

Member of supervisory bodies in different companies

Alexey Mordashov

Chairman Board of Directors of PAO Severstal

Michael Pönipp1

Carmen Riu Güell

Carola Schwirn1

Anette Strempel1
Ortwin Strubelt1
Stefan Weinhofer1

Hotel Manager

Managing Director RIUSA II S.A.

Department Coordinator in the Transportation Division of 
ver.di – Vereinte Dienstleistungsgewerkschaft
Travel Agent
Travel Agent
International Employee Relations Coordinator at TUI AG

Kranzberg
Weybridge
Berlin
London

London

London

Moscow

Hanover

Palma de Mallorca

Berlin

Hemmingen
Hamburg
Vienna

1  Representative of the employees 
2   Information refers to 30 September 2017 or date of resignation from the Supervisory 

Board of TUI AG in financial year 2017. 

3  Chairman
4  Deputy Chairman

a)  

b) 

 Membership in supervisory boards within the meaning of section 125 of the German 
Stock Corporation Act (AktG)
 Membership in comparable German and non-German bodies of companies within the 
meaning of section 125 of the German Stock Corporation Act (AktG)

Initial Appointment

Appointed until AGM Other Board Memberships2

7 Jan 2010

2021

a)  Continental AG

b)  Alstom S.A. 

Number of TUI AG shares 

(direct and indirect)2

Baiterek Holding JSC

Ernst & Young Global Ltd.

Rothschild GmbH 3

15 Aug 2007

11 Dec 2014

10 May 2006

2 Jul 2014

9 Feb 2011

13 Jun 2016

26 Mar 2012

11 Dec 2014 

16 Jan 2015

11 Dec 2014

9 Feb 2016

11 Dec 2014

9 Feb 2016

17 Apr 2013

14 Feb 2005

1 Aug 2014

2 Jan 2009

3 Apr 2009

9 Feb 2016

2021

2021

2021

2021

2021

2021

2021

2020

2021

2020

2021

2020

2021

2021

2021

2021

2021

2021

2021

b)   Keolis (UK) Limited 3

Keolis Amey Docklands Ltd.

  World Airport Partners GmbH

a)  TUIfly GmbH4

a)  TÜV Nord AG

a)  Deutsche Postbank AG

Metro AG

VONOVIA SE3 (interim)

a)  Deutscher Reisepreis-

Sicherungsverein VVaG

a)  ProSiebenSat1 Media SE

b)  Vodafone Group PLC

a)  DZ-Bank AG

b)  Bristol Airport Ltd.

Copenhagen Airport

Portmeirion Group PLC

b)  Royal Mail Group PLC3

Countrywide PLC

b)  Fevertree Drinks PLC

Inchape PLC

b)  Rothschild & Co

South West Airports Ltd.

Roadis Transportation Holding S.L.U.

Parques Reunidos Servicios Centrales S.A.

10,317

b)  AO “Severstal Management”3

OAO “Power Machines”3

a)  TUI Deutschland GmbH

MER-Pensionskasse VVaG.

b)  Hotel San Francisco S.A.

Productores Hoteleros Reunidos S.A.

Travis Perkins PLC

Nordgold S.E.

Riu Hotels S.A.

RIUSA II S.A.

b)  TUI Austria Holding GmbH

590

7,980

188

4,100

994

0

5,985

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

135,018,584

292

19,854,616

1,468

4,131

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
E X E C U T I V E   B O A R D   A N D 

 S U P E R V I S O R Y   B O A R D

Supervisory Board

Name

Prof. Dr Klaus Mangold

Function / Occupation

Chairman of the Supervisory Board of TUI AG

Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Rothschild GmbH

Frank Jakobi1

Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board of TUI AG

Travel Agent

Sir Michael Hodgkinson

Deputy Chairman fo the Supervisory Board of TUI AG

Andreas Barczewski1

Peter Bremme1

Aircraft Captain

Regional Head of the Special Services Division 

of ver.di – Vereinte Dienstleistungsgewerkschaft

Prof. Dr Edgar Ernst

President of Deutsche Prüfstelle für Rechnungslegung (DPR)

Wolfgang Flintermann1

Director Group Financial Accounting & Reporting, TUI AG

Großburgwedel

Angelika Gifford

Valerie Frances Gooding 

Dr Dierk Hirschel1

Janis Kong 

Vice President and General Manager DACH Microfocus GmbH

Member of supervisory bodies in different companies

Business unit manager of the trade-unition ver.di – Vereinte Dienstleistungsgewerkschaft

Member of supervisory bodies in different companies

Peter Long

Chairman Royal Mail Group PLC

Coline McConville

Member of supervisory bodies in different companies

Alexey Mordashov

Chairman Board of Directors of PAO Severstal

Michael Pönipp1

Carmen Riu Güell

Carola Schwirn1

Anette Strempel1

Ortwin Strubelt1

Stefan Weinhofer1

Hotel Manager

Managing Director RIUSA II S.A.

Department Coordinator in the Transportation Division of 

ver.di – Vereinte Dienstleistungsgewerkschaft

Travel Agent

Travel Agent

International Employee Relations Coordinator at TUI AG

Location

Stuttgart

Hamburg

London

Hanover

Hamburg

Bonn

Kranzberg

Weybridge

Berlin

London

London

London

Moscow

Hanover

Palma de Mallorca

Berlin

Hemmingen

Hamburg

Vienna

C O R P O R AT E  G O V E R N A N C E

 Executive Board and  Supervisory Board

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

101

Number of TUI AG shares 
(direct and indirect)2

0

590

7,980

0
0

0

188

4,100
994
0
5,985

Initial Appointment

Appointed until AGM Other Board Memberships2

7 Jan 2010

2021

a)  Continental AG

b)  Alstom S.A. 

Baiterek Holding JSC
Ernst & Young Global Ltd.
Rothschild GmbH 3

15 Aug 2007

11 Dec 2014

10 May 2006
2 Jul 2014

9 Feb 2011

13 Jun 2016

26 Mar 2012
11 Dec 2014 
16 Jan 2015
11 Dec 2014

9 Feb 2016

11 Dec 2014

9 Feb 2016

17 Apr 2013

14 Feb 2005

1 Aug 2014

2 Jan 2009
3 Apr 2009
9 Feb 2016

2021

2021

2021
2021

2021

2021

2021
2020
2021
2020

2021

2020

2021

2021

2021

2021

2021
2021
2021

b)   Keolis (UK) Limited 3

Keolis Amey Docklands Ltd.
  World Airport Partners GmbH
a)  TUIfly GmbH4
a)  TÜV Nord AG

a)  Deutsche Postbank AG

Metro AG
VONOVIA SE3 (interim)

a)  Deutscher Reisepreis-

Sicherungsverein VVaG

a)  ProSiebenSat1 Media SE
b)  Vodafone Group PLC
a)  DZ-Bank AG
b)  Bristol Airport Ltd.

Copenhagen Airport
Portmeirion Group PLC
b)  Royal Mail Group PLC3
Countrywide PLC
b)  Fevertree Drinks PLC

Inchape PLC

b)  AO “Severstal Management”3
OAO “Power Machines”3
a)  TUI Deutschland GmbH

MER-Pensionskasse VVaG.

b)  Hotel San Francisco S.A.

Productores Hoteleros Reunidos S.A.

b)  Rothschild & Co

South West Airports Ltd.
Roadis Transportation Holding S.L.U.

Parques Reunidos Servicios Centrales S.A.

10,317

Travis Perkins PLC

Nordgold S.E.

Riu Hotels S.A.
RIUSA II S.A.

b)  TUI Austria Holding GmbH

0

135,018,584

292

19,854,616

0

1,468
4,131
0

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
102

Executive Board

Name

Friedrich Joussen
(Age 54)
Member of the Executive Board since 
October 2012
CEO of the Executive Board from 
February 2013
Joint-CEO since December 2014
CEO since February 2016
Current appointment until October 2020
Horst Baier
(Age 60)
Member of the Executive Board since 
November 2007
Current appointment until November 2018
David Burling
(Age 49)
Member of the Executive Board since 
June 2015
Current appointment until May 2021

Finance

Northern Region
Airlines
Hotel Purchasing

Department

CEO 

Other Board Memberships1 
a)  Sixt SE2

Number of TUI AG 
shares (direct and 
indirect)1

278,081

b)  RIUSA II S.A.2

40,717

TUI Canada Holdings Inc.
Sunwing Travel Group Inc.

16,300

Thomson Travel Group (Holdings) Ltd
TUI Travel Overseas Holdings Ltd.
TUI Canada Holdings Inc.
TUI Northern Europe Ltd.
TUI Travel Group Management 
Services Ltd.
TUI UK Transport Ltd.

b)  RIUSA II S.A. 
TUI Spain S.A.
TUI Suisse Ltd.2

250

b)  TUI Nederland N.V.
TUI Belgium N.V.

12,545

b)  TUI Travel Holdings Ltd.

TUI Travel Ltd.
First Choice Holidays Ltd.
First Choice Holidays & Flights Ltd.
Sunwing Travel Group Inc.
First Choice Olympic Ltd.
TUI Sverige AB
TUI Travel Holdings
Sweden AB 
TUI Nordic Holding AB
a)  TUI Deutschland GmbH 2
TUI Cruises GmbH
TUIfly GmbH 2
BRW Beteiligungs AG
Eintracht Braunschweig 
GmbH & Co KG2
Eves Information Technology AG2

a)  Nord LB

TUI Deutschland GmbH
TUIfly GmbH

Sebastian Ebel
(Age 54)
Member of the Executive Board since 
December 2014
Current appointment until November 2020

Central Region
Hotels
Cruises
TUI Destination Services

HR, 
Labour Director

Dr Elke Eller
(Age 55)
Member of the Executive Board since 
October 2015
Current appointment until October 2021
Frank Rosenberger
(Age 49)
Member of the Executive Board since 
January 2017
Current appointment until December 2019

IT and New Markets

a)  TUI Deutschland GmbH

peakwork AG

1   Information refers to 30 September 2017 or date of resignation from the Excecutive 

Board in financial year 2017.

2  Chairman

a)  

b)  

 Membership in Supervisory Boards required by law within the meaning of section 125 of 
the German Stock Corporation Act (AktG)
 Membership in comparable Boards of domestic and foreign companies within the 
meaning of section 125 of the German Stock Corporation Act (AktG)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
C O R P O R AT E  G O V E R N A N C E

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103

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

C O R P O R AT E   G O V E R N A N C E 
 R E P O R T

Statement on Corporate Governance (as part of the Management Report)

The actions of TUI AG´s management and oversight bodies are deter-
mined by the principles of good and responsible corporate governance. 

2.  Declaration of Compliance pursuant to  

DTR 7.2 and LR 9.8.7R

The Executive Board and the Supervisory Board comprehensively dis-
cussed Corporate Governance issues in financial year 2017. In this chapter, 
the Executive Board and the Supervisory Board provide their report on 
Corporate Governance in the Company pursuant to sub-section 3.10 of 
the German Corporate Governance Code and section 289a of the German 
Commercial  Code  (HGB)  as  well  as  Disclosure  and  Transparency  Rule 
(DTR) 7.2 and Listing Rule (LR) 9.8.7R.

1.  Declaration of Compliance pursuant to section 

161 of the German Stock Corporation Act (AktG)

As a stock corporation company under German law, TUI AG’s Executive 
Board  and  Supervisory  Board  are  obliged  to  submit  a  declaration  of 
compliance with the German Corporate Governance Code pursuant to 
section 161 of the German Stock Corporation Act.

   www.dcgk.de/en/code.html

In  December  2017,  the  Executive  Board  and  the  Supervisory  Board 
jointly  submitted  the  declaration  of  compliance  for  2017  pursuant  to 
section 161 of the German Stock Corporation Act. The declaration was 
made permanently accessible to the general public on TUI AG’s website 
in December 2017.

   www.tuigroup.com/de-de/investoren/corporate-governance

W O R D I N G   O F   T H E   D E C L A R AT I O N   O F   C O M P L I A N C E   F O R   2 0 17
‘In accordance with section 161 of the German Stock Corporation Act, 
the Executive Board and Supervisory Board of TUI AG hereby declare: 

Since the last annual declaration of compliance was submitted in Decem-
ber 2016, the recommendations of the German Corporate Governance 
Code in the version dated 5 May 2015 have been fully observed. The 
recommendations  of  the  Code  in  the  version  dated  7  February  2017 
have been and will be fully observed since its entry into force.‘

At the time of the merger TUI AG had announced it would comply with 
the UK Corporate Governance Code (the UK Code) 

   https://www.frc.org.uk/getattachment/ca7e94c4-b9a9-49e2-a824- 
ad76a322873c/UK-Corporate-Governance-Code-April-2016.pdf

to  the  extent  practicable.  In  many  respects,  the  requirements  of  the 
German Code and the UK Code are similar. However, there are certain 
aspects which are not compatible (in some cases due to the different 
legal regimes for German and UK companies). Therefore some deviations 
from best practice in the UK have been necessary.

Under the German Stock Corporation Act, the legislation applicable 
to  TUI  AG,  a  two-tier  board  system  is  mandatory  (see  below  section 
‘Functioning of the Executive and Supervisory Board’ on page 108). The 
two-tier board structure is different to the UK unitary board structure 
on which the UK Code is based. Some of the principles of composition and 
operation of the boards of a German stock corporation also differ from 
those of a UK company (for example, there is no Company Secretary). 
For this reason, the Executive Board and the Supervisory Board have set 
out below in which areas the UK Code is not complied with and explained 
the reasons for the deviations. In addition, the Executive Board and the 
Supervisory Board have also explained those instances where they con-
sider TUI AG not to be compliant with the UK Code in the literal sense but 
where it lives up to the spirit and meaning of the respective regulation. 

Sub-headings refer to sections of the UK Code for ease of reference for 
investors.

Pursuant to DTR 7.2 and LR 9.8.7R, the Executive Board and the Super-
visory Board therefore declare as follows:

W O R D I N G   O F   T H E   U K   C O R P O R AT E   G O V E R N A N C E   S TAT E M E N T
‘Throughout the reporting period, TUI AG has complied with the pro-
visions of the UK Code, including its main principles, except as set out 
and explained below.

104

I D E N T I F I C AT I O N   O F   S E N I O R   I N D E P E N D E N T   D I R E C T O R   

( A1 . 2 ,   A 4 .1)
Under German law and the German Code, there is no concept of a ‘Senior 
Independent  Director’.  Instead,  shareholders  may  raise  any  issues  at 
the Annual General Meeting (AGM). In this forum, the Executive Board 
and the Chairman of the Supervisory Board are available to address any 
issues and are legally obliged to provide adequate responses.

Outside the AGM, shareholders may approach the Executive Board, in 
particular  the  CEO  or  the  CFO,  or,  for  topics  relating  to  Supervisory 
Board  matters,  the  Chairman  of  the  Supervisory  Board  or  any  of  his 
Deputies. Sir Michael Hodgkinson, who was the Deputy Chairman and 
Senior Independent Director of TUI Travel PLC before the merger, was 
re-elected as additional Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board of 
TUI AG in February 2016 alongside Frank Jakobi (First Deputy Chair-
man who, under the German Co- Determination Act, must be an Em-
ployee Representative).

D I V I S I O N   O F   R E S P O N S I B I L I T I E S   –   C H A I R M A N   &   C H I E F 

 E X E C U T I V E   ( A 2 .1)
The separation of the roles of the Chairman of the Supervisory Board 
(Prof. Klaus Mangold) and the CEO (Friedrich Joussen) is clearly defined 
under German law as part of the two-tier board structure. Therefore, 
no further division of responsibilities is required and both the Executive 
Board and the Supervisory Board consider that TUI AG lives up to the 
spirit and meaning of the UK Code. 

I N D E P E N D E N C E   O F   S U P E R V I S O R Y   B O A R D   M E M B E R S   ( B 1 .1)
Under the UK Code, the Board must identify in the annual report each 
non-executive director it considers to be ‘independent’ for the purposes 
of the UK Code. Based on the responsibilities assigned to the Supervisory 
Board by the German Stock Corporation Act, the members of the Super-
visory Board are considered to be non-executive directors for the pur-
poses of the UK Code. Under the UK Code, persons are ‘independent’ if 
they are independent in character and judgement and if there are no 
relationships or circumstances which are likely to affect, or could appear 
to affect, their judgement. TUI AG does not, however, extend its independ-
ence disclosures to employee representatives on the Supervisory Board 
(for a detailed explanation of shareholder and employee representatives 
and the underlying considerations, please see below).

The Supervisory Board has determined that six of its nine shareholder 
representative  members  (excluding  the  Chairman,  as  required  by  the 
UK Code) are independent for the purposes of the UK Code. The share-
holder representatives of the Supervisory Board considered to be inde-
pendent are: Prof. Edgar Ernst, Valerie Gooding, Sir Michael Hodgkinson, 
Janis Kong, Coline McConville and Angelika Gifford. The Chairman was 
independent on election in 2011 and re-election in February 2016 and 
is  still  considered  independent  (Prof.  Mangold  also  was  independent 
when he was elected to the Supervisory Board in January 2010).

The members of the Supervisory Board not considered to be independent 
for the purposes of the UK Code are Carmen Riu Güell, Alexey Mordashov 
and Peter Long.

In reaching its determination, the Supervisory Board has considered, in 
particular, the factors set out below.

S H A R E H O L D E R   A N D   E M P L O Y E E   R E P R E S E N TAT I V E S
The  Supervisory  Board  of  TUI  AG  consists  of  ten  members  who  are 
elected by shareholders at AGM (the ‘Shareholder Representatives’) and 
ten members who represent the employees of TUI AG (the ‘Employee 
Representatives’). This differs from UK practice where only those board 
members representing major shareholders are typically referred to as 
‘Shareholder  Representatives’  and  are  not  considered  independent 
 under the UK Code because of their link to a significant shareholder. 

In TUI AG, only the shareholder representatives Carmen Riu Güell (Riu 
Hotels, approx. 3.4 % of the voting rights) and Alexey Mordashov (approx. 
23 % of the voting rights via Unifirm Ltd., majority controlled by himself) 
are connected to significant shareholders or are shareholders themselves. 
It should also be noted that joint ventures exist between TUI AG and both 
Riu Hotels S. A. and TUI Russia & CIS (in which a majority controlling 
interest is held by Mr Mordashov) (for further details see page 96 of the 
Annual Report). Until his election to the  Supervisory Board in Febru-
ary 2016, Peter Long was Joint-CEO of TUI AG from December 2014 to 
February 2016. Prior to that, he was a member of the Executive Board 
of TUI AG from 2007 and CEO of TUI Travel PLC. Therefore, neither Ms 
Riu Güell nor Mr Mordashov nor Mr Long are considered independent 
for the purposes of the UK Code.

Seven of the ten employee representatives of the Supervisory Board are 
elected by the employees of TUI Group entitled to vote. Three employee 
representatives are nominated by a German trade union (ver.di). 

Under the UK Code, directors who are or have been employees of the 
Group in the last five years or who participate in the Group’s pension 
arrangements would generally not be considered independent. In the UK, 
directors with an employment relationship are normally current or former 
executives. By contrast, under German law, employee representatives 
of the Supervisory Board must be employees of the Group, and must 
be elected by the employees without any involvement of the Executive 
or Supervisory Boards. Furthermore, the employment contract of em-
ployee representatives may only be terminated in exceptional cases. 

The  employee  representatives  may  also  participate  in  Group  pension 
schemes as is normal for employees and in their capacity as employees.

Trade union representatives are nominated, and employed by, the trade 
union but are still classified as employee representatives. They can only 
be removed from the Supervisory Board by their respective union and 
neither the Executive nor the Supervisory Board has any role in their 
appointment or removal.

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C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

105

H A L F   T H E   B O A R D   S H O U L D   B E   I N D E P E N D E N T   N O N - E X E C U T I V E 

D I R E C   T O R S   ( B 1 . 2 )
Since, for the purpose of the UK Code, only the shareholder represen-
tatives on the Supervisory Board are taken into account, with six inde-
pendent members (excluding the Chairman of the Supervisory Board) 
more than half of its members are considered independent.

N O M I N AT I O N   C O M M I T T E E   –   C O M P O S I T I O N   A N D 

 R E S P O N S I B I L I T I E S   ( B 2 .1)
The role of the Nomination Committee in a typical UK company is fulfilled 
in TUI AG by two Committees of the Supervisory Board:

Under the Rules of Procedure for the Supervisory Board and its Com-
mittees  (which  are  equivalent  to  the  Terms  of  Reference  of  a  British 
corporation) the Nomination Committee considers and proposes suitable 
candidates as shareholder representatives to the Supervisory Board for 
its election proposals to the AGM. The Presiding Committee determines 
the  requirements  and  remuneration  for  any  new  appointments  to  the 
Executive Board and recommends suitable candidates to the Supervisory 
Board. On that basis, the Supervisory Board appoints Executive Board 
members. This approach is different from the UK where all director 
appointments are approved by shareholders at the AGM.

However, as is common practice in Germany, at each AGM shareholders 
are asked to decide whether they approve the actions of the Executive 
Board and Supervisory Board members during the past financial year. 
Since the AGM 2015, in the light of UK practice, TUI AG has changed its 
procedure to allow a separate vote on each individual Executive Board 
and Supervisory Board member, as it is customary in the UK. TUI AG 
 intends  to  continue  this  practice.  Accordingly,  the  Supervisory  Board 
considers that TUI AG lives up to the spirit and meaning of the UK Code 
to the extent practicable.

There is no requirement under German law or the German Corporate 
Governance Code for the majority of the Nomination Committee mem-
bers to be independent. Of the four members of the Nomination Com-
mittee, two are either significant shareholders themselves or associated 
with significant shareholders (Carmen Riu Güell and Alexey Mordash-
ov) and therefore not independent for the purposes of the  UK Code. 
The remaining two members are Sir Michael Hodgkinson and Prof. Klaus 
Mangold (Chairman) who are both independent. Therefore TUI AG is not 
compliant with the UK Code which requires a majority of the Nomination 
Committee  to  be  independent.  However,  TUI  AG  considers  that  the 
current membership of the Nomination Committee provides a strong and 
experienced pre-selection of Supervisory Board shareholder representa-
tion members, while keeping the Committee to a manageable size.

A publication of the Rules of Procedure for the Supervisory Board, its 
committees (including the Audit Committee) and for the Executive Board 
is not provided for under German law and the German Corporate Govern-
ance Code. Therefore TUI AG is not compliant with this provision of the 
UK Code.

N O M I N AT I O N   C O M M I T T E E   S E C T I O N   I N   T H E   A N N U A L   

R E P O R T   &   A C C O U N T S   ( B 2 . 4 )
For the activities of the Nomination Committee, see page 13 which is 
part of the Chairman’s letter to shareholders. 

During  the  year,  a  personnel  consultancy  (Spencer  Stuart)  has  been 
used to search a Supervisory Board member as successor to the chair-
man of the Supervisory Board. This personnel consultancy has no further 
connection  to  the  company.  Succession  planning  for  management 
members below Executive Board level is carried out by the Executive 
Board. The Presiding Committee is responsible for succession planning 
for the Executive Board.

T E R M S   &   C O N D I T I O N S   O F   A P P O I N T M E N T S   O F   N O N - E X E C U T I V E 

D I R E C T O R S   ( B 3 . 2 )
The terms and conditions of Supervisory Board members’ appointments 
follow  the  provisions  of  the  German  Stock  Corporation  Act  and  the 
Articles of Association of TUI AG. The Articles of Association are avail-
able  on  the  website  at  www.tuigroup.com/en-en/investors/corporate- 
governance.

A D V I C E   A N D   S E R V I C E S   O F   T H E   C O M PA N Y   S E C R E TA R Y   ( B 5 . 2 )
There is no specific role of Company Secretary in German companies. 
However, Executive and Supervisory Board members have access to the 
Board Office of TUI AG if they need any advice or services. The Board 
Office acts as an interface in corporate matters for the Executive and 
Supervisory  Board  members  and  is  responsible  for  ensuring  that  the 
requisite processes and procedures are in place governing all Executive 
and Supervisory Board meetings (i.e. preparation of agendas, minuting 
of  meetings  and  ensuring  compliance  with  German  and  UK  law,  as 
appropriate, and with recommendations for corporate governance). The 
Board  Office  also  supports  the  Chairman,  the  CEO,  the  CFO  and  the 
Chairmen of the Audit Committee and the Strategy Committee. Executive 
and Supervisory Board members also have access to legal advice via the 
Group Legal Director and the Board Office. The Supervisory Board can 
also  approach  the  Executive  Board  directly  for  specific  advice  on  any 
matters. Accordingly, the Executive Board and the Supervisory Board 
consider that TUI AG lives up to the spirit and meaning of the UK Code.

B O A R D   P E R F O R M A N C E   E V A L U AT I O N   ( B 6 )
The performance of each individual Executive Board member is evaluated 
annually by the Supervisory Board for the annual performance-based 
remuneration. In this context, the Supervisory Board also reviews the 
individual  member’s  overall  performance  as  part  of  the  Executive 
Board.  However,  no  external  performance  evaluation  is  done  for  the 
Executive Board. 

106

It  is  not  customary  to  conduct  annual  reviews  of  the  Supervisory 
Board’s efficiency. Each Supervisory Board member can give feedback 
to the Chairman, the Deputy Chairmen or the Supervisory Board as a 
whole as and when appropriate or required.

External  evaluation,  which  includes  the  work  of  the  Chairman  of  the 
Supervisory Board, is performed by means of individual interviews and 
anonymous reviews. Executive Board members are invited to contribute 
to the process. Consolidated results are shared with the entire Super-
visory Board and appropriate actions are suggested and discussed as 
appropriate.  The  last  external  review  of  the  Supervisory  Board  was 
undertaken in 2015 by Board Consultants International. Board Consult-
ants International has no other connection with TUI AG.

A N N U A L   R E - E L E C T I O N   B Y   S H A R E H O L D E R S   AT   T H E   A G M   ( B 7.1)
None  of  the  Executive  or  Supervisory  Board  members  is  re-elected 
annually. However, as noted above, in light of the UK Code and UK best 
practice,  TUI  AG  voluntarily  puts  individual  resolutions  approving  the 
actions of each Executive and Supervisory Board member to the AGM 
resolving  on  the  annual  financial  statements  for  the  previous  year. 
TUI AG intends to continue this practice.

The end of appointment periods for Supervisory Board members are 
dis closed in the table from page 100. Current curricula vitae of all Execu-
tive and Supervisory Board members are published at www.tuigroup.com/
en-en/investors/corporate- governance. 

F A I R ,   B A L A N C E D   A N D   U N D E R S TA N D A B L E   A N N U A L   R E P O R T 

A N D   A C C O U N T S   ( C1 .1)
In a German stock corporation the Executive Board is responsible for 
drafting the Annual Report & Accounts (ARA). According to section 243 (2) 
of the German Commercial Act (HGB) the ARA must be clearly arranged 
and should present a realistic picture of the Company’s economic situ-
ation. This is equivalent to the UK Code requirement for the ARA to be 
fair,  balanced  and  understandable.  Although  this  assessment  has  not 
been delegated to the Audit Committee (C3.4), the Executive Board is 
convinced that this ARA satisfies both requirements. 

E S TA B L I S H M E N T   A N D   O P E R AT I O N   O F   R E M U N E R AT I O N 

 C O M M I T T E E   ( D 2 ) ,   R E M U N E R AT I O N   ( D 1)
In the German governance structure there is no separate Remuneration 
Committee. The remuneration of the Executive Board is under involve-
ment  of  the  employee  representatives  monitored  and  agreed  by  the 
Supervisory  Board  based  on  recommendations  from  the  Presiding 
Committee,  which  is  governed  by  the  Supervisory  Board  Rules  of 
Procedure, as referred to above.

Supervisory Board remuneration and the remuneration of Board Com-
mittee members is governed by the Articles of Association as resolved 
on by the shareholders at the AGM.

There are no clawback or malus provisions in the service contracts of 
Executive  Board  members.  Such  provisions  would  be  unusual  (and 
probably unenforceable) in Germany. However, there are different con-
tractual and statutory provisions that may allow for a reduction or for-
feiture of remuneration components or allow TUI AG to claim damages 
from Executive Board members. First, the service contracts of Executive 
Board members provide for forfeiture of the annual bonus and the LTIP 
if TUI AG terminates the service contract for cause without notice before 
the end of the one year performance period in the case of the annual 
bonus or before the end of the respective performance period of the 
LTIP. Second, according to section 87 (2) German Stock Corporation Act 
(AktG) the Supervisory Board may, under certain exceptional circum-
stances, reduce Executive Board compensation in case of a deterioration 
of the economic situation of TUI AG. Third, Executive Board members 
may be liable for damages under the German Stock Corporation Act in 
case of a breach of their duties of care or fiduciary duties.

See the Directors’ Remuneration Report from page 116 for full details 
on Executive and Supervisory Board member´s remuneration.

N O T I C E   P E R I O D S   F O R   E X E C U T I V E   D I R E C T O R S   ( D 1 . 5 )
In accordance with the customary practice in Germany members of the 
Executive Board are appointed for a term of three to five years. This does 
not comply with the UK Code recommendation which stipulates that 
notice or contract periods should be set at one year or less. However, the 
contracts include maximum limits on the amounts payable on termination.

  See Remuneration Report from page 116

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C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

107

D I A L O G U E   W I T H   S H A R E H O L D E R S   ( E 1)
It was not common practice in German companies for Supervisory Board 
members to make themselves available for meetings with major share-
holders. However, the German Corporate Governance Code in the version 
dated 7 February 2017 now stipulates in section 5.2 that the Chairman 
of the Supervisory Board should be willing to meet with investors in an 
appropriate manner to discuss Supervisory Board matters. Sharehold-
ers made use of this option in financial year 2017.

The table below provides an overview of all meetings with shareholders, 
in some of which also employees of Investor Relations participated.

Dialogue with shareholders

Date

Meeting

Participants

October 2016 

December 2016
January 2017 

February 2017
March 2017 

April 2017
May 2017 

June 2017 

Roadshow Brussels
Roadshow Paris
Roadshow UK
Commerzbank German Investment Seminar
Roadshow US 
UniCredit / Kepler Cheuvreux German Corporate 
Conference
Roadshow Paris
Barclays Select Leisure & Transport Corporate 
Day
Morgan Stanley Roundtable
BAML Investor Dinner London
Roadshow UK
Roadshow Frankfurt
Berenberg European Conference USA
Roadshow US
Roadshow Copenhagen
Roadshow Oslo
Roadshow Zurich
Roadshow Netherlands
dbAccess German, Swiss and Austrian 
 Conference
Goldman Sachs Travel & Leisure Symposium 
Credit Suisse Leisure Sector Conference 
Governance Meetings
MainFirst Travel and Transport Days

HB

HB
FJ, HB
HB

HB

HB

HB

HB

HB
FJ, HB
FJ, HB
FJ, HB
HB

HB

HB

HB

HB

HB

HB

HB

HB
KM, SMH
HB

HB

HB

Juli 2017
August 2017
September 2017  Bernstein Strategic Decisions Conference 

Berenberg & Goldman Sachs GCC Conference

Key: Prof. Dr Klaus Mangold (KM), Sir Michael Hodgkinson (SMH), Friedrich Joussen (FJ),  
Horst Baier (HB)

Key topics discussed at meetings between shareholders and Executive 
Board members included:

•  Exogenous impacts on the business model
•  Growth strategy of the integrated tourism group
•  Business development in the individual company sectors

The Supervisory Board receives feedback from the Chairman and Deputy 
Chairman (shareholder representative) and Executive Board members 
following meetings with major shareholders or investors. Additionally, a 
monthly  Investor  Relations  Report  and  event-driven  assessments  of 
brokers  are  forwarded  to  the  Executive  Board  and  the  Supervisory 
Board. They contain updates on the share price development, analyses 
by sellers and feedback and assessments from investors.

The Executive Board and the Supervisory Board consider that TUI AG 
lives up to the spirit and meaning of the UK Code.

A G M   R E S O L U T I O N   O N   F I N A N C I A L   S TAT E M E N T S   A N D 

 C O N S O L I D AT E D   F I N A N C I A L   S TAT E M E N T S   ( E 2 .1)
It is not common practice in Germany to pass a resolution at the AGM to 
approve the financial statements and consolidated financial statements. 
Therefore, this was not done at the AGM in 2017 and it is not intended 
to do so at the AGM in 2018. However, as required by German law, the first 
item on the agenda of TUI AG’s AGM is the presentation of the financial 
statements  and  consolidated  financial  statements  to  the  AGM.  Under 
this item, the Executive Board will explain the financial statements and 
consolidated financial statements and the Chairman will explain, in par-
ticular, the report of the Supervisory Board (including this UK Corporate 
Governance  Statement).  Shareholders  will  have  the  opportunity  to 
raise questions. Questions are typically raised, as is normal in the AGMs 
of German companies, and, as a general rule, answers must be provided 
under German law.

This is the standard practice for a German company and is in full com-
pliance with the German Code. While the lack of a resolution to approve 
the Annual Report & Accounts is not in compliance with the UK Code, 
TUI AG considers that the arrangements afford shareholders with suffi-
cient opportunity to raise any questions or concerns that they may have 
in relation to the Annual Report & Accounts, and to receive answers, in 
the AGM. Accordingly, the Executive Board and the Supervisory Board 
consider that TUI AG lives up to the spirit and meaning of the UK Code 
to the extent practicable.

C I R C U L AT I O N   O F   A G M   D O C U M E N TAT I O N   T O   S H A R E H O L D E R S 

( E 2 . 4 )
The 2017 AGM of TUI AG was held on 14 February 2017. As required by 
German  law,  the  notice  convening  TUI  AG’s  2017  AGM  (including  the 
agenda and the voting proposals of the Executive Board and the Super-
visory  Board)  was  published  in  the  Federal  Gazette  in  Germany  on 
4 January 2017. Shareholders then had the right under German law to 
request additional agenda items at any time up to 30 days before the 
AGM. In accordance with German practice, once this deadline had expired 
the combined invitation and explanatory notes relating to the AGM were 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
108

sent  to  shareholders  on  19  January  2017,  which  was  less  than  the 
20  working  days  before  the  AGM  recommended  in  the  UK  Code  (but 
more  than  the  21  days’  notice  required  by  German  law).  However,  in 
addition  to  the  original  publication  of  the  Invitation  in  the  Federal 
Gazette  in  Germany,  the  combined  invitation  and  explanatory  notes 
relating  to  the  AGM  was  published  on  TUI  AG’s  website  on  4  Janu-
ary 2017. As no additional agenda items were requested by sharehold-
ers,  this  was  in  the  same  form  as  the  final  combined  invitation  and 
explanatory  notes  relating  to  the  AGM  later  sent  to  shareholders. 
Furthermore,  TUI  AG´s  Annual  Report  and  Accounts  for  the  financial 
year  ending  30  September  2016  was  published  on  8  December  2016, 
significantly more than 20 working days before the 2017 AGM. Accord-
ingly,  the  Executive  Board  and  the  Supervisory  Board  consider  that 
TUI AG lives up to the spirit and meaning of the UK Code requirements. 
A similar timetable will be followed in relation to the 2018 AGM.“

3. Further information on Corporate Governance

F U N C T I O N I N G   O F   T H E   E X E C U T I V E   A N D   S U P E R V I S O R Y   B O A R D S
TUI AG is a company under German law. One of the fundamental prin-
ciples of German stock corporation law is the dual management system 
involving  two  bodies,  the  Executive  Board  in  charge  of  managing  the 
company and the Supervisory Board in charge of monitoring the com-
pany. TUI AG’s Executive Board and Supervisory Board cooperate closely 
and in a spirit of trust in managing and overseeing the Company, with 
strict separation between the two bodies in terms of their membership 
and  competences.  Both  bodies  are  obliged  to  ensure  the  continued 
existence of the Company and sustainable creation of added value in 
harmony with the principles of the social market economy.

TUI AG’s Executive Board comprised six members as at the closing date 
30 September 2017. The Executive Board is responsible for managing 
the  Company’s  business  operations  in  the  interests  of  the  Company. 
The  allocation  of  functions  and  responsibilities  to  individual  Board 
members is presented in a separate section. 

   For functions, see tables ‘Supervisory Board and Executive Board’ on page 
100 et seq.

In accordance with the law and the Articles of Association, the Super-
visory Board had 20 members at the balance sheet date, i. e. 30 Sep-
tember 2017. The Supervisory Board advises and oversees the Executive 
Board in the management of the Company. It is involved in strategic and 
planning decisions and all decisions of fundamental importance to the 
Company. When the Executive Board takes decisions on major trans-
actions, such as the annual budget, major acquisitions or divestments, it 
is required by its terms of reference to seek the approval of the Super-
visory Board. The Chairman of the Supervisory Board coordinates the 
work in the Supervisory Board, chairs its meetings and represents the 
concerns of the body externally. The Supervisory Board and the Audit 
Committee have adopted terms of reference for their own work. In the 
run-up  to  the  Supervisory  Board  meetings,  the  representatives  of 
shareholders and employees meet separately.

The Executive Board provides the Supervisory Board at regular meetings 
and  in  writing  with  comprehensive,  up-to-date  information  about  the 
strategy,  the  budget,  business  performance  and  the  situation  of  the 
Group, including risk management and compliance. The Executive Board 
works on the basis of terms of reference issued by the Supervisory Board.

TUI AG has taken out a D&O insurance policy with an appropriate deduct-
ible for all members of the Executive Board and Supervisory Board. The 
deductible amounts to 10 % of the loss up to the amount of one and a 
half times the fixed annual compensation.

C O M P O S I T I O N   O F   T H E   S U P E R V I S O R Y   B O A R D
As at the balance sheet date, 30 September 2017, the Supervisory Board 
of TUI AG comprised 20 members. The composition of the Supervisory 
Board in financial year 2017 ensured that its members as a group had the 
knowledge, ability and expert experience required to properly complete 
their tasks. The goals set by the Supervisory Board itself for its compos-
ition include in particular comprehensive industry knowledge, at least 
five  independent  shareholder  representatives,  at  least  five  members 
with international experience, and diversity (see also the diversity con-
cepts for the Supervisory Board and the Executive Board from page 110 
of this report).

Twelve members of the Supervisory Board had considerable international 
experience. Due to the different professional experiences of its members, 
the composition of the Supervisory Board overall reflects a great diversity 
of relevant experience, ability and industry knowhow. None of the share-
holder representatives on the Supervisory Board had any commercial 
or personal relationship with the Company, its Executive Board or third 
parties that might cause a material clash of interests. Seven shareholder 
representatives are independent (including the Chairman of the Super-
visory Board, who can be included in the count according to the German 
Corporate Governance Code).

In  accordance  with  the  recommendations  of  the  German  Corporate 
Governance Code, the original shareholder representatives were indi-
vidually  elected  for  five-year  terms  of  office  during  elections  to  the 
Supervisory  Board  at  the  relevant  General  Meetings  (October  2014, 
February 2016). Only Prof. Klaus Mangold and Sir Michael Hodgkinson 
were older than 68 years when they were elected as members of the 
Supervisory  Board.  In  both  cases,  the  Supervisory  Board  deemed  it 
appropriate to deviate from the regular age limit in order for the Company 
to  benefit  from  Prof.  Klaus  Mangold’s  and  Sir  Michael  Hodgkinson’s 
extensive experience in order to complete the integration process and 
in order to ensure continuity. With Peter Long, a former member of the 
Executive Board has been a Supervisory Board member since the Annual 
General Meeting 2016 held on 9 February 2016.

C O M M I T T E E S   O F   T H E   S U P E R V I S O R Y   B O A R D   A N D   T H E I R 

 C O M P O S I T I O N
At 30 September 2017, the balance sheet date, the Supervisory Board 
had established four committees from among its members to support its 
work: the Presiding Committee, the Audit Committee, the Nomination 
Committee  and  the  Strategy  Committee.  In  addition,  the  Integration 
Committee existed until December 2016.

C O R P O R AT E  G O V E R N A N C E

 Corporate Governance  Report

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

109

A  Mediation  Committee  was  furthermore  established  in  accordance 
with section 27 (3) of the German Co-Determination Act.

The  Presiding  Committee  and  Audit  Committee  have  eight  members 
each, with an equal number of shareholder representatives (including the 
respective chairpersons of the committees) and employee representa-
tives. The Presiding Committee prepares, in particular, the appointment 
of  Executive  Board  members,  including  the  terms  and  conditions  of 
service contracts and remuneration proposals. The Audit Committee’s 
task  is  to  support  the  Supervisory  Board  in  exercising  its  oversight 
function. The Chairman of the Audit Committee is an independent finan-
cial expert and has particular knowledge and experience in the application 
of accounting principles and internal control methods from his own pro-
fessional practice.

The Nomination Committee consists exclusively of shareholder representa-
tives,  in  keeping  with  the  recommendation  in  the  German  Corporate 
Governance Code. The task of its four members is to suggest suitable 
candidates for the Supervisory Board to propose to the Annual General 
Meeting.

The  Integration  Committee  was  set  up  following  the  merger  for  two 
years.  Its  responsibilities  were  to  advise  and  supervise  the  Executive 
Board  during  the  integration  process  following  the  completion  of  the 
merger. The Integration Committee drafted recommendations for reso-
lutions for the Supervisory Board, but had no authority to make decisions 
on behalf of the Supervisory Board. It consisted of five shareholder 
representatives and one employee representative. As planned, the Inte-
gration Committee had its last meeting in December 2016.

The Strategy Committee began its work after the Annual General Meeting 
2016. Its task is to comprehensively advise and oversee the Executive 
Board in developing and implementing the corporate strategy. It prepares 
the annual strategy offsite meeting for the Supervisory Board, but does 
not have a mandate to take any decisions on behalf of the Supervisory 
Board. It comprises five shareholder representatives and one employee 
representative.

C O N F L I C T S   O F   I N T E R E S T
Executive and Supervisory Board members have a duty to act in TUI AG’s 
best interests. In the completed financial year 2017, there were no con-
flicts of interest requiring disclosure to the Supervisory Board. None of 
the Executive Board or Supervisory Board members has a board role or 
a consultancy contract with one of TUI’s competitors. 

S P E C I F I C AT I O N S   P U R S U A N T   T O   S E C T I O N S   7 6   (4 ) ,   111   ( 5 )   

O F   T H E   G E R M A N   S T O C K   C O R P O R AT I O N   A C T
At least 30 % of the Supervisory Board members were women and at 
least 30 % were men at the balance sheet date. The Supervisory Board 
was therefore compliant with section 96 (2) sentence 1 of the German 
Stock Corporation Act. Neither the shareholder nor the employee rep-
resentatives on the Supervisory Board objected to overall compliance 
in  accordance  with  section  96  (2)  sentence  2  of  the  German  Stock 
Corporation Act.

The Supervisory Board resolved, in keeping with section 111 (5) of the 
German Stock Corporation Act, that until 31 October 2020 one woman 
is  required  to  be  a  member  of  the  Executive  Board.  This  goal  was 
achieved in the reporting period with Dr Elke Eller’s membership in the 
Executive Board.

In turn, the Executive Board resolved, in keeping with section 76 (4) of 
the German Stock Corporation Act, that women should account for 20 % 
of executives at the level immediately below the Executive Board and 30 % 
at the level below this. Both targets were to be achieved by 30 June 2017. 
For this reason, TUI AG has implemented various measures over the past 
two years aimed at increasing the proportion of women on a long-term 
and sustainable basis. This includes, among other things, the promotion 
of women in talent programmes and specifically addressing them in the 
recruitment process. As a result of these measures, the proportion of 
women at TUI AG increased from 13 % to 19 % at the first management 
level below the Executive Board and from 20 % to 24 % at the second 
management level below the Executive Board as of 30 June 2017. At 
these levels, however, staff turnover is very low. As a result, the proportion 
of women could only be increased slowly. Despite all the measures taken, 
the suitability and qualification of candidates for filling vacant positions 
are still of primary importance. In accordance with section 76 (4) of the 
German Stock Corporation Act (AktG), the Executive Board confirmed 
the target figures for the proportion of women of 20 % at the first 
management level below the Executive Board and 30 % at the second 
management  level  below  the  Executive  Board,  and  decided  that  both 
targets should be achieved by 30 September 2020. 

S H A R E H O L D E R S   A N D   A N N U A L   G E N E R A L   M E E T I N G
TUI  AG  shareholders  exercise  their  co-determination  and  monitoring 
rights at the Annual General Meeting, which takes place at least once a 
year. The AGM takes decisions on all statutory matters, and these are 
binding on all shareholders and the Company. For voting on resolutions, 
each share confers one vote.

All shareholders registering in due time are entitled to participate in the 
Annual General Meeting. Shareholders who are not able to attend the 
AGM  in  person  are  entitled  to  have  their  voting  rights  exercised  by  a 
bank, a shareholder association, one of the representatives provided by 
TUI AG and acting on the shareholders’ behalf in accordance with their 
instructions, or some other proxy of their own choosing. Shareholders 
also have the opportunity of authorising the representative provided by 
TUI AG via the web in the run-up to the AGM. Shareholders can, more-
over, register for electronic dispatch of the AGM documents. 

The invitation to the AGM and the reports and information required for 
voting are published in accordance with the provisions of the German 
Stock Corporation Act and provided in German and English on TUI AG’s 
website. During the AGM, the presentations by the chairman of the 
Supervisory Board and the Executive Board members can be followed 
live over the Internet.

R I S K   M A N A G E M E N T
Good corporate governance entails the responsible handling of commer-
cial risks. The Executive Board of TUI AG and the management of the 

110

TUI Group have comprehensive general and company-specific reporting 
and monitoring systems available to identify, assess and manage these 
risks.  These  systems  are  continually  developed,  adjusted  to  match 
changes in overall conditions and reviewed by the auditors. The Executive 
Board regularly informs the Supervisory Board about existing risks and 
changes  to  these  risks.  The  Audit  Committee  deals  in  particular  with 
monitoring the accounting process, including reporting, the effectiveness 
of the internal control and risk management systems and the internal 
auditing system, compliance and audit of the annual financial statements. 

More detailed information about risk management in the TUI Group is 
presented  in  the  Risk  Report.  It  also  contains  the  report  on  the  ac-
counting-related internal control and risk management system required 
in accordance with the German Commercial Code (sections 289 (5), 315 
(2) no. 5 HGB).

  Risk Report see page 30

T R A N S PA R E N C Y
TUI provides immediate, regular and up-to-date information about the 
Group’s  economic  situation  and  new  developments  to  capital  market 
participants and the interested public. The Annual Report and the Interim 
Reports are published within the applicable timeframes. The Company 
publishes  press  releases  and  ad  hoc  announcements,  if  required,  on 
topical events and any new developments. Moreover, the company web-
site at www.tuigroup.com provides comprehensive information on TUI 
Group and the TUI share.

between the Audit Committee and the Executive Board prior to publi-
cation.  The  consolidated  financial  statements  and  the  financial  state-
ments  of  TUI  AG  were  audited  by  Deloitte  GmbH  Wirtschafts-
prüfungsgesellschaft, Hannover, the auditors elected by the 2017 Annual 
General Meeting. The audit was based on German auditing rules, taking 
account  of  the  generally  accepted  auditing  standards  issued  by  the 
German  Auditors’  Institute  as  well  as  the  International  Standards  on 
Auditing.  It  also  covered  the  risk  detection  system  and  the  compliance 
with  reporting  requirements  on  corporate  governance  pursuant  to 
section 161 of the German Stock Corporation Act and Listing Rule 9.8.10.

  See audit opinion by the auditors on page 242

The condensed consolidated interim financial statement and manage-
ment report as at 31 March 2017 was reviewed by the auditors. 

In add ition, a contractual agreement was concluded with the auditors to 
the  effect  that  the  auditors  will  immediately  inform  the  Supervisory 
Board of any grounds for disqualification or partiality as well as of all 
findings  and  events  of  importance  arising  during  the  performance  of 
the  audit.  There  were  no  grounds  to  provide  such  information  in  the 
framework of the audit of financial year 2017.

Diversity concepts for the composition of the  
Executive Board and Supervisory Boards

D I V E R S I T Y   C O N C E P T   F O R   T H E   C O M P O S I T I O N   O F   T H E   

The scheduled dates for the principal regular events and publications 
– such as the AGM, Annual Report and Interim Reports – are set out in 
a financial calendar. The calendar is published well in advance and made 
permanently accessible to the public on TUI AG’s website.

E X E C U T I V E   B O A R D
The diversity concept for the composition of the Executive Board takes 
into account the following diversity aspects:
(a)  Age

 As a rule, the employment contracts of members of the Executive 
Board end once the standard retirement age for statutory retire-
ment insurance has been reached (currently 67). 

(b)  Gender

The Executive Board should include one woman.

(c)  Educational / professional background

 The  necessity  for  a  variety  of  educational  and  professional  back-
grounds already arises from the obligation to manage the company 
in  accordance  with  the  law,  the  company’s  articles  of  association 
and  its  terms  of  reference.  In  addition,  the  Executive  Board  as  a 
whole, through its individual members, should possess the following 
essential background qualities:
•  management experience, some of which ideally has been acquired 
abroad, and intercultural competence for successful management 
and motivation of global teams

D I R E C T O R S ’   D E A L I N G S
The  Company  was  informed  by  Alexey  Mordashov  (via  Sungrebe  Ltd. 
and Unifirm Ltd.), Peter Long and David Burling of notifiable purchase 
and sale transactions of TUI AG shares or related financial instruments 
by directors (directors’ dealings or managers’ transactions) concerning 
financial year 2017. Details are provided on the Company’s website.

Purchase and sales transactions by members of the boards were gov-
erned by the TUI Share Dealing Code, adopted by the Executive Board, 
alongside  corresponding  statutory  provisions.  The  TUI  Share  Dealing 
Code  stipulates  above  all  an  obligation  to  receive  a  permission  for 
transactions with TUI AG’s financial instruments.

A C C O U N T I N G   A N D   A U D I T I N G
TUI AG prepares its consolidated financial statements and consolidated 
interim  financial  statements  in  accordance  with  the  provisions  of  the 
International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) as applicable in the 
European Union. The statutory annual financial statements of TUI AG, 
which form the basis for the dividend payment, are prepared in accord-
ance with the German Commercial Code (HGB). The consolidated financial 
statements are prepared by the Executive Board, audited by the auditors 
and approved by the Supervisory Board. The interim report is discussed 

 
 
 
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 Corporate Governance  Report

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

111

In its role as overseer of the management of the Executive Board, the 
Supervisory  Board  of  TUI  AG  makes  decisions  on  the  allocation  of 
business responsibilities within the Executive Board, appointments to 
the Executive Board and thus also workforce and succession planning 
within the Executive Board. As part of that workforce and succession 
planning, the Presiding Committee or the Supervisory Board itself reg-
ularly meets with the Executive Board or its members to discuss suitable 
internal succession candidates for Executive Board positions (emergency, 
medium-term and long-term scenarios). As part of these Supervisory 
Board and Committee meetings, or in preparation for them, members 
of the Supervisory Board have the opportunity to meet up with so-called 
high potentials within the Group in a professional and personal setting. 
The Presiding Committee and Supervisory Board make their own delib-
erations about these matters and also discuss them in the absence of 
the Executive Board. This includes evaluation and possible inclusion of 
external candidates for Executive Board positions in the selection process. 
In all of these deliberations, the above-mentioned diversity aspects of 
Executive Board appointments play a part in the decision-making of the 
Supervisory  Board.  The  Supervisory  Board  also  asks  the  Executive 
Board to report twice a year on current progress and implementation of 
family-friendly concepts (e. g. flexible work times and locations via, for 
instance, video- conferencing, part-time options, cultural change) and 
concrete measures for promotion of women (e. g. at least one woman on 
the  final  shortlist  for  any  new  or  replacement  appointments  to  roles 
within the senior leadership team).

R E S U LT S   A C H I E V E D   I N   F I N A N C I A L   Y E A R   2 0 17 
With effect from 1 January 2017, Mr Frank Rosenberger was appoint-
ed (deputy) member of the Executive Board. The Supervisory Board 
resolved on 12 May 2017 a three-year extension of the appointment 
of Mr Sebastian Ebel. In addition, the appointments of Dr Elke Eller 
and Mr David Burling were extended for a further three years each by 
the  respective  Supervisory  Board  resolutions and the signing of the 
corresponding contracts in December 2017 (see overview of the Executive 
Board  on  page  102).  It  is  the  view  of  the  Supervisory  Board  that 
Mr  Rosenberger,  Mr  Ebel,  Mr  Burling  and  Dr Eller, by virtue of their 
diverse professional histories and individual backgrounds, will contribute 
to the diversity of the Executive Board. For anyone interested in further 
information, the CVs of these and all other members of the Executive 
Board are available on the company website, as well as further details 
communicated  about  the  appointment  decisions  of  the  Supervisory 
Board. 

•  in-depth  practical  experience  in  stakeholder  dialogue  (i.e.  with 
managers and employees, including their representative bodies, 
with shareholders and the public)

•  experience in IT management and an understanding of digitalisation 

of vertically integrated value chains

•  profound experience in value-driven, KPI-based strategy develop-

ment and implementation and corporate governance

•  profound knowledge of  the intricacies and  requirements of the 

capital market (shareholder management)

•  knowledge of accounting and financial management (controlling, 

financing)

•  in-depth understanding of and experience with change manage-

ment. 

G O A L S   O F   T H E   D I V E R S I T Y   C O N C E P T   F O R   T H E   C O M P O S I T I O N 

O F   T H E   E X E C U T I V E   B O A R D
The standard retirement age on the one hand enables incumbent mem-
bers  of  the  Executive  Board  to  contribute  their  professional  and  life 
experience for the good of the company for as long a time as possible. 
On the other hand, adherence to the standard retirement age is intended 
to promote regular rejuvenation of the board. 

Inclusion of both genders in Executive Board work is on the one hand 
an  expression  of  the  conviction  of  the  Supervisory  Board  that 
mixed-gender teams lead to the same or better outcomes as teams with 
representation from only one gender. But it is also the logical continuation 
of the gender diversity measures implemented by the Executive Board 
within  the  wider  company,  which  aim  to  increase  the  proportion  of 
women in leadership roles. These measures are only to be applied and 
implemented in a credible manner if the Executive Board does not consist 
solely of male members (‘proof of concept’). 

A variety of professional and educational backgrounds is necessary on 
the  one  hand  to  properly  address  the  tasks  and  obligations  of  the 
law, the company’s articles of association and its terms of reference. In 
addition, it is the view of the Supervisory Board that they are a guaran-
tee of ensuring diverse perspectives on the challenges and associated 
approaches to overcoming them that are faced in the day-to-day work 
of the company. International management experience is of particular 
importance. Without such skill and experience with integrating, leading 
and motivating global teams, it is impossible to take into consideration 
the  different  cultural  backgrounds  of  managerial  staff  and  the  work-
force as a whole. 

M E T H O D   O F   I M P L E M E N TAT I O N   O F   T H E   D I V E R S I T Y   C O N C E P T 

F O R   T H E   C O M P O S I T I O N   O F   T H E   E X E C U T I V E   B O A R D
A key aspect of applying the diversity concept to the composition of the 
Executive Board is inclusion of the Supervisory Board within the cor-
porate organisation, as is prescribed by law, the company’s articles of 
association  and  its  terms  of  reference.  This  ensures  the  Supervisory 
Board is familiar with the strategic, economic and actual situation of the 
company. 

112

D I V E R S I T Y   C O N C E P T   F O R   T H E   C O M P O S I T I O N   O F   T H E   

M E T H O D   O F   I M P L E M E N TAT I O N   O F   T H E   D I V E R S I T Y   C O N C E P T 

S U P E R V I S O R Y   B O A R D
The  diversity  concept  for  the  composition  of  the  Supervisory  Board 
takes into account the following diversity aspects: The terms of refer-
ence of the Supervisory Board of TUI AG stipulate a standard age limit 
of 68 for elections to the Supervisory Board. Furthermore, the Supervi-
sory  Board  has  determined  a  standard  limit  for  membership  of  the 
Supervisory  Board  in  accordance  with  the  recommendation  in  point 
5.4.1.(3) of the German Corporate Governance Code. As well as the stat-
utory gender quota (section 96(2)(1) of the German Stock Corporation 
Act, (AktG) the Supervisory Board has set itself further goals in relation 
to its composition. These include e. g. the kind of international character 
and  sector  experience  that  diverse  educational  and  professional  back-
grounds  provide.  Application  of  the  law  about  the  codetermination 
rights of employees also contributes greatly to ensuring diverse educa-
tional  and  professional  backgrounds  within  the  Supervisory  Board  of 
TUI AG. 

G O A L S   O F   T H E   D I V E R S I T Y   C O N C E P T   F O R   T H E   C O M P O S I T I O N 

O F   T H E   S U P E R V I S O R Y   B O A R D
The Supervisory Board is convinced that the diversity of its own com-
position sends an important signal both inside and outside the company. 
The age limit and standard membership term have the goal on the one 
hand  of  finding  and  retaining  suitable  candidates.  Members  of  the 
board  must  possess  sufficient  professional  experience  and  personal 
suitability for the position and have the necessary time available to per-
form  the  role.  After  familiarisation  with  the  business  model  and  the 
peculiarities of a vertically integrated company, the Supervisory Board 
considers the stability of board composition in the sense of continuity 
of corporate development to be equally important. On the other hand, 
the Supervisory Board should be looking at new approaches and new 
ideas on a regular basis, in order to further the continual development 
of the company and the business model. The Supervisory Board con-
siders the age limit and standard membership term to be worthwhile 
instruments for achieving both goals. 

Other goals in relation to composition (including international character 
and sector experience) reflect the demands placed on the advisory and 
oversight body and its role within a globally active Group of companies 
operating  in  a  challenging  competitive  environment.  Multicultural  and 
international experience of corporate integration is equally as import-
ant for this as knowledge of the value drivers and success levers of the 
sector.  In  all  of  this,  the  effect  and  cultural  features  of  the  so-called 
stakeholder approach of a social market economy must be taken into 
account, which is also ensured on the Supervisory Board by the code-
termination of employee representatives. 

F O R   T H E   S U P E R V I S O R Y   B O A R D
Implementation of the goals pursued by the diversity concept is assured 
by  the  anchoring  of  its  key  components  in  law  and  in  the  company’s 
terms  of  reference  as  well  as  the  requirement  for  a  Declaration  of 
 Compliance in accordance with section 161 of the German Stock Corpor-
ation Act (AktG) on Corporate Governance within the company. As far 
as  the  shareholder  side  of  the  Supervisory  Board  is  concerned,  the 
Nomination Committee ensures that the binding and voluntary targets 
for the composition of the Supervisory Board are met. As part of regu-
larly conducted efficiency audits, the Supervisory Board also undertakes 
a self-evaluation process, which includes aspects of its composition. 

R E S U LT S   A C H I E V E D   I N   F I N A N C I A L   Y E A R   2 0 17 
In the current financial year, no changes have been made to the diversity 
concept  or  the  composition  of  the  Supervisory  Board.  In  accordance 
with  the  recommendation  in  point  5.4.1  (2)  of  the  German  Corporate 
Governance  Code  (version  dated  7  February  2017)  the  Supervisory 
Board in its resolution of 14 September 2017 issued a competency profile 
for the composition of the board as a whole. 

From the point of view of the Supervisory Board, there is currently no 
further need for action in relation to diversity. On the shareholder side, 
both  genders  are  equally  represented,  (50:50),  and  in  terms  of  the 
board  as  whole,  the  proportion  of  women  of  35 %  is  in  excess  of  the 
statutory  quota.  With  six  different  nationalities  represented  on  the 
 Supervisory Board, its composition can be described as international. 
The diversity of professional and educational backgrounds of the indi-
vidual members of the board is also evident from the yearly updated 
CVs of Supervisory Board members published on the corporate website. 

Anti-corruption and anti-bribery / Compliance 

TUI Group’s Compliance Management System is a fundamental compon-
ent in our commitment to entrepreneurial, environmental and socially 
responsible  operations  and  management.  It  is  underlined  by  our 
membership in the UN Global Compact and therefore forms an indis-
pensable  part  of  TUI  Group’s  corporate  culture  and  our  corporate 
governance activities. 

The strategic goal of TUI Group’s Compliance Management System is to 
prevent misconduct and avoid liability risks for the Company, its legal 
representatives, executives and employees and protect the reputation 
of the Company. 

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C O M P L I A N C E   M A N A G E M E N T   S Y S T E M
TUI Group’s Compliance Management System is based on a risk man-
agement approach and is built around three pillars: prevention, discovery 

and response, which, in turn, comprise a large number of internal meas-
ures and processes. 

Compliance Management Processes

P R E V E N T I O N

E X P O S U R E

R E A C T I O N

•  Compliance Policies and Group Policies
•  Compliance Training
•  Compliance Communication
•  Compliance Information
•  Compliance Risk Identification and  

Risk Assessment

•  Reporting 
•  Leads
•  Investigations

•  Implementation of Process Controls
•  Exchange with Management and  

local Compliance Officers

•  Disciplinary Measures

TUI  Group’s  Compliance  Management  System  focuses  on  the  legal 
sub-areas anti-corruption, competition and anti-trust law, data protec-
tion, export controls and anti-money laundering. It defines the related 
pilot  and  standard  operation  of  the  Compliance  Management  System 
and the documentation of the roles, responsibilities and processes in 
these areas. 

The Compliance Management System applies to TUI AG and all German 
and foreign companies in which TUI AG directly or indirectly holds an 
interest of more than 50 % as well as other stakes directly or indirectly 
controlled  by  TUI  AG  (so-called  ’managed  Group  companies’).  Imple-
mentation of the Compliance Management System is recommended for 
investments not controlled by TUI AG (so-called ’non-managed Group 
companies’). 

In  financial  year  2016,  TUI  Group’s  Compliance  Management  System 
was subjected to a design audit by a leading auditing firm in accordance 
with  auditing  standard  PS  980  published  by  the  German  Institute  of 
Auditors. The audit confirmed that TUI Group’s Compliance Management 
System has been designed to meet the requirements of that certification 
standard. In the run-up to the audit, the Group-wide Compliance Manage-
ment System had been readjusted and compliance processes had been 
harmonised across the Group.

C O M P L I A N C E   S T R U C T U R E
TUI  Group’s  Compliance  structure  supports  those  responsible  in  the 
task of communicating the values and rules and anchoring them in the 
Group.  It  ensures  that  Compliance  requirements  are  implemented 
throughout the Group in different countries and cultures. TUI Group’s 
decentralised Compliance structure includes Head Compliance Officers 
whose  role  is  to  implement  and  support  the  requirements  of  Group 
Legal Compliance. Under the aegis of the Chief Legal Compliance Officer, 
Group Legal Compliance work with the decentralised Compliance Officers 
to perform the following tasks at different management levels:

•  Raising awareness of Compliance and the technical issues allocated 

to Legal Compliance 

•  Achieving the goals of the Code of Conduct and the Compliance Rules
•  Providing training 
•  Advising managers and employees 
•  Securing the necessary exchange of information 
•  Monitoring national and international legislative initiatives 
•  Providing regular quarterly reports to the Board and annual reports 

to the Audit Committee of the Supervisory Board 

In addition, the Group has a Compliance Committee headed by the CFO 
and consisting of the HR Director, the Heads of Group External Affairs 
and Communications, Chief Legal Compliance Officer, Group Audit and 
representatives of the Group Works Council and the TUI Europe Forum. 
The committee meets on a regular basis as well as ad hoc in order to 
monitor  implementation  of  the  Compliance  Management  System  and 
obtain reports about key indicators in this area. 

C O M P L I A N C E   C U LT U R E 
The  Compliance  culture  forms  the  basis  for  an  appropriate,  effective 
Compliance Management System. It reflects management’s fundamental 
attitude and conduct and the role of the supervisory body. It is expressed 
in our corporate value ’Trusted’, appealing to our employees’ personal 
responsibility  and  their  honesty  and  sincerity  in  handling  customers, 
stakeholders and employees. 

C O D E   O F   C O N D U C T/ S U P P L I E R S ’   C O D E   O F   C O N D U C T
The Code of Conduct, drawn up for the entire TUI Group, is a further 
embodiment of our Compliance culture and enshrines guiding principles 
for everyone to follow, from the Board members, executives and senior 
management to every Group employee. It defines minimum standards 
aimed at assisting our employees in their everyday work and providing 
orientation  in  conflict  situations.  TUI’s  Code  of  Conduct  covers  anti- 
corruption,  avoiding  conflicts  of  interest  and  handling  invitations  and 
gifts appropriately. 

114

The Suppliers’ Code of Conduct forms the counterpart to TUI’s Code 
of Conduct. It details our ethical, social and legal expectations of our 
business partners. 

Moreover, business partners are required by contract to observe all 
national and international anti-corruption laws applicable to the supplier 
relationship. This places our business relationship with our partners on 
a solid legal and social basis. 

P R E PA R AT I O N S   F O R   T H E   E U   G E N E R A L   D ATA   P R O T E C T I O N   

R E G U L AT I O N   ( G D P R )
In the run-up to the EU GDPR, data protection, which was already a key 
priority for TUI Group, was intensified further in the financial year under 
review. Many measures were initiated, e. g. the structured coordination 
of all data protection specialist functions within the Company and the 
appointment of Data Protection Officers in nearly all relevant TUI Group 
companies (data protection governance). 

C O M P L I A N C E   R U L E S
In addition, the principles set out in the Code of Conduct are detailed in 
various policies and rules reflecting the legal requirements. This is sup-
ported by our Group-wide policy management, developing the standards 
for Group-wide policies and coordinating incorporation of the relevant 
internal stakeholder groups, e. g. other departments or the works council. 
This approach is designed to provide TUI Group with a set of policies 
which are as complete and comprehensible as possible without seeking 
overregulation. TUI Group’s Compliance Rules offer guidance on appro-
priate conduct regarding gifts and invitations, data protection and com-
pliance with trade sanctions. All groups of employees have thus been 
acquainted with policies of relevance to their everyday work. 

C O M P L I A N C E   R I S K   A N A LY S I S
In the financial year under review, the Compliance Programme focused 
on  various  issues  including  anti-corruption  measures,  protecting  free 
and fair competition, data protection and the handling of trade sanctions 
including anti-money laundering. A software is used, above all for the 
above topics, to facilitate risk identification based on self-disclosure by 
TUI  Group  companies,  with  risks  evaluated  according  to  likelihood  of 
occurrence and potential damage (including reputational damage). The 
results of the self-assessment are discussed with the companies affected 
and are included in a Group-wide risk evaluation process. The results of 
the  compliance  risk  identification  process  are  used  to  derive  corres-
ponding  risk-minimising  measures,  which  are  included  in  the  annual 
plan of Group Legal Compliance and agreed with the relevant bodies. 
Monitoring of the implementation of the measures is automated. 

Risk analysis and prevention also includes the annual survey among 
1,570 legal representatives and executives of TUI Group to identify poten-
tial clashes of interests. In the framework of the survey, they have to 
provide information on any interests held in TUI Group competitors or key 
business partners as well as other issues of relevance to Compliance. 
The survey carried out in the financial year under review was completed 
by  98.3 %  of  the  respondents.  No  indications  were  found  suggesting 
that there were any conflicts of interests. 

C O M P L I A N C E   T R A I N I N G
Compliance training is a key element of TUI’s Compliance Management 
System, with its focus on preventing misconduct, and a crucial component 
of TUI Group’s Compliance culture. It is carried out according to a graded 
concept: managers and staff at TUI have all benefited from face-to-face 
teaching  and  online  programmes.  This  enables  all  our  executives  and 
employees to acquaint themselves with Compliance and the underlying 
corporate values, regardless of their position in the company hierarchy 
and their geographical location. In the completed financial year, the online 
training  programme  was  extended  to  include  a  refresher  course  on 
TUI’s  Code  of  Conduct,  which  has  since  been  rolled  out  in  the  Group 
companies.  In  addition,  TUI  companies  and  sectors  offered  training 
schemes with their own specific focus, e. g. anti-corruption or appropriate 
handling of gifts and invitations, to raise awareness of the challenges 
they might face.

W H I S T L E B L O W E R   S Y S T E M
In agreement with various stakeholder groups TUI offers its managers 
and employees a Group-wide whistleblower system to enable serious 
infringements of the corporate values anchored in TUI’s Code of Conduct 
to be reported anonymously and without reprisals. This whistleblowing 
system  is  currently  available  to  staff  in  47  countries.  All  reports  are 
followed up in the interests of all stakeholders and the Company. Our 
top priority is to ensure confidentiality and handle information discreetly. 
Any incidents resulting from the use of the whistleblower system are 
reviewed by Group Legal Compliance in conjunction with Group Audit. 
Infringements are fully investigated in the interests of all our staff and 
the Company itself.

In the completed financial year, a total of 57 reports were received through 
the SpeakUp Line. Apart from the SpeakUp Line, employees also used 
the opportuity to directly report infringements to their line managers 
or the Compliance contact in charge. A further 33 reports were received 
through these channels. They were followed up whenever there were any 
indications suggesting potential infringements of internal policies or the 
law. Out of the 90 reports submitted in total, 49 cases initially involved 
a suspected Compliance infringement, causing further investigations 
which in 16 cases resulted in disciplinary measures all the way to termin-
ations of employment contracts. 

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In the financial year under review, there were no infringements of a severe 
nature that would have given rise to a publication of such infringement.

ist and wanted persons lists. In the event of a match, we launch a range 
of measures, in extreme cases terminating the business relationship. 

B U S I N E S S   PA R T N E R   R E V I E W   ( D U E   D I L I G E N C E   P R O C E S S E S )
The risk analysis carried out by Compliance shows that there is a risk of 
active and passive corruption because we operate in countries with a 
high corruption index. Moreover, the risk of TUI business partners being 
subject to trade sanctions or similar sanctions lists cannot be ruled out.

TUI Group therefore carries out software-based screenings of selected 
business partners at regular intervals. The process involves checking the 
names of the business partners against international sanctions, terror-

In financial year 2017, we used this process to check around 26,500 busi-
ness partners against Compliance criteria. The screening software initially 
flagged 1,258 of these business partners as potential ’hits’ as their names 
were identical with or similar to names included in sanctions lists. These 
potential ’hits’ were then further investigated. Ultimately, the business 
organisation  cooperating  with  the  corresponding  business  associates 
was informed in two cases, and in one case the business relationship 
was terminated.

116

Remuneration Report

A. Introduction

The remuneration report outlines the remuneration of the members 
of the Executive Board of TUI AG as well as the remuneration of the 
members  of  its  Supervisory  Board  in  accordance  with  the  articles  of 
association. The remuneration report is based, in particular, on the 
recommendations of the German Corporate Governance Code (GCGC), 
the requirements of the German Commercial Code (Handelsgesetzbuch) 
and the German Stock Corporation Act (Aktiengesetz) and, to the extent 
practicable, the requirements of the UK Corporate Governance Code 
(UK-CGC).

TUI AG is a German stock corporation that is also listed on the London 
Stock Exchange (LSE). Where mandatory provisions regarding the gov-
ernance  of  or  legal  requirements  for  a  German  stock  corporation  are 
affected, these are disclosed in this report and placed in context with 
the UK-CGC, as required.

B. Remuneration of the Executive Board

I . 

 A P P R O V A L   O F   T H E   R E M U N E R AT I O N   S C H E M E   B Y 

 S H A R E H O L D E R S

A new remuneration scheme was proposed for Executive Board members 
in financial year 2010 and approved by the shareholders of TUI AG at the 
Annual General Meeting on 17 February 2010. The scheme is designed to 
create incentives for sustained growth and robust financial performance 
in the TUI Group. 

Although common practice at many of the companies applying the UK-
CGC, the shareholders of TUI AG do not vote on the remuneration policy 
on an annual basis. This also reflects the practice at most German stock 
corporations and is in compliance with the German Stock Corporation Act. 

I I .   G E N E R A L   P R I N C I P L E S
Following a recommendation from the Presiding Committee, the Super-
visory  Board  determines  in  accordance  with  section  87(1)  sentence  1 
German  Stock  Corporation  Act  the  remuneration  of  the  individual 
Executive Board members. It also regularly reviews the remuneration 
scheme for the Executive Board.

•  Ability to be competitive on the market for highly qualified Executive 

Board members

•  Appropriateness  and  conformity  with  tasks,  responsibilities  and 
success of each individual Executive Board member, including in the 
relevant environment of comparable international firms, and taking 
into account standard practice at other major German companies
•  Tying a material portion of total remuneration to the achievement of 

ambitious, long-term performance targets

•  Appropriate  correlation  between  the  levels  of  fixed  remuneration 

and performance-based remuneration

•  Appropriateness in horizontal and vertical comparison (see page 126)

The  remuneration  scheme  does  not  contain  any  malus  or  clawback 
terms. This position will continue to be monitored.

I I I .  

 R E M U N E R AT I O N   O F   T H E   E X E C U T I V E   B O A R D   I N   F I N A N C I A L 

Y E A R   2 0 17

In financial year 2017, the remuneration for the members of the Execu-
tive  Board  comprises:  (1)  a  fixed  remuneration;  (2)  an  annual  perfor-
mance-based remuneration (Jahreserfolgsvergütung – JEV); (3) virtual 
shares of TUI AG in accordance with the Long-Term Incentive Plan (LTIP); 
(4) fringe benefits; (5) pension entitlements; and (6) a potential additional 
remuneration in cash or in virtual shares (additional remuneration).

Details are set out below:

1 .  

F I X E D   R E M U N E R AT I O N

Purpose and link to company strategy

Highly-qualified Executive Board members who are needed to develop 
and implement company strategy are to be attracted and retained.

The remuneration should be commensurate with the abilities, experience 
and tasks of the individual Executive Board member.

Procedure

   For further remits of the Presiding Committee, please see the report of the 
Supervisory Board from page 12

In determining the fixed remuneration the Supervisory Board takes into 
account, in particular, the relevant general principles.

The following principles, in particular, are taken into account in this regard:

•  Clarity and transparency
•  Economic position, performance and sustainable development of the 

company

The fixed remuneration is paid in twelve equal instalments at the end of 
each month. If the service agreement begins or ends in the course of 
the financial year relevant for payment of the remuneration, the fixed 
annual remuneration will be paid pro rata for that year. 

•  Tying shareholder interest to value increase and distribution of profits 
(e. g. total shareholder return indicator) with corresponding incentives 
for Executive Board members

The  remuneration  is  generally  reviewed  when  service  agreements  of 
Executive Board members are extended, and can be adjusted or revised 
for the term of the new service agreement. A review of the remuneration 

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117

can also take place during the term of a service agreement in particular 
if there is a change with respect to the tasks or responsibility of an 
Executive Board member.

2 .  

A N N U A L   P E R F O R M A N C E - B A S E D   R E M U N E R AT I O N   ( J E V )

Purpose and link to company strategy

The JEV is intended to motivate Executive Board members to achieve 
ambitious  and  challenging  financial,  operational  and  strategic  targets 
throughout the financial year. The targets are reflective of the company 
strategy and aimed at increasing corporate value.

Procedure

The JEV is calculated on the basis of a group performance indicator and 
the individual performance of the Executive Board member. The perform-
ance reference period is the financial year of TUI AG. 

An individual target amount (Target Amount) is agreed for each Executive 
Board  member  in  their  service  agreement.  Since  1  October  2010  the 
performance target has been the reported earnings before interest, tax 
and amortisation of goodwill (Reported Group EBITA). The target value 
for the one-year performance reference period for the reported group 
EBITA performance target is set each year by the Supervisory Board. 

To  measure  performance,  the  target  value  will  be  compared  with  the 
corresponding actual value of the reported group EBITA as reported in 
the audited consolidated accounts of TUI AG to be prepared in accordance 
with  the  accounting  rules  in  force  at  the  time.  The  degree  of  target 
achievement is determined as follows:

The value resulting from the multiplication of the target amount by the 
degree  of  target  achievement  for  the  reported  group  EBITA  and  the 
discretionary multiplier will be paid out in cash in the month in which 
the Supervisory Board approves the annual accounts of TUI AG for the 
respective financial year. If the service agreement begins or ends in the 
course of the relevant financial year, the claims for payment of the JEV 
will generally be pro rata.

Cap

The JEV is capped annually and individually for each Executive Board 
member; for the figures, see the table on page 121.

In accordance with section 87(1) sentence 3 German Stock Corporation 
Act, the Supervisory Board is entitled to limit the amount of the JEV to 
allow  for  extraordinary  circumstances  (e. g.  takeover  of  the  company, 
sale of parts of the company, uncovering of hidden reserves, external 
influences).

3 . 

 V I R T U A L   S H A R E S   A C C O R D I N G   T O   T H E   L O N G -T E R M 

 I N C E N T I V E   P L A N   ( LT I P )

3 .1   C A L C U L AT I O N   M E T H O D

Purpose and link to company strategy

The long-term objective is to increase corporate and shareholder value 
by  defining  ambitious  goals  that  are  closely  linked  to  the  company’s 
earnings, share price performance and dividends.

Procedure

•  If the actual value of the reported group EBITA achieved is below the 
target value by 50 % or more, this is equivalent to a target achievement 
of 0 %

The  LTIP  is  a  performance  share  plan  based  on  virtual  shares  and  is 
assessed over a period of four years (Performance Reference Period). 
Virtual shares are granted in annual tranches,

•  If the value achieved corresponds to the target value, this is equivalent 

to a target achievement of 100 %

•  If the value achieved exceeds the target value by 50 % or more, this 

is equivalent to a target achievement of 187.5 %

Between 50 % below target value and target value, linear interpolation 
between 0 % and 100 % will be used to determine the degree of target 
achievement. Between target value and 50 % above target value, linear 
interpolation between 100 % and 187.5 % will be used to determine the 
degree of target achievement. The degree of target achievement will be 
rounded to two decimal places, as is customary in commercial practice.

At  the  discretion  of  the  Supervisory  Board,  the  degree  of  target 
achievement for the performance target can be multiplied by a factor of 
between 0.8 and 1.2, based on the Executive Board member’s achieve-
ment of individual performance targets and other performance indicators 
such as customer satisfaction and / or employee satisfaction metrics. 

For  Executive  Board  members,  an  individual  target  amount  (Target 
Amount) is agreed in the service agreement. At the beginning of each 
financial  year  a  provisional  number  of  virtual  shares,  commensurate 
with the target amount, will be set. This will constitute the basis for the 
determination of the final performance-based payment for the tranche 
in question at the end of the respective performance reference period. To 
set this number, the target amount will be divided by the average Xetra 
price of TUI AG shares over the 20 trading days prior to the beginning of 
the performance reference period (1 October of each year). The claim 
to  a  payment  only  arises  upon  expiry  of  the  performance  reference 
period and depends on whether or not the respective performance target 
is achieved.

The performance target for determining the amount of the final payout 
at the end of the performance reference period is the development of 
the total shareholder return (TSR) of TUI AG relative to the development 

118

of the TSR of the Dow Jones Stoxx 600 Travel & Leisure (Index), where-
by the ranking of the TUI AG TSR in relation to the index companies will 
be monitored over the entire performance reference period. The TSR is 
the aggregate of all share price increases plus the gross dividends paid 
over the performance reference period. Data from a reputable data 
provider (e. g. Bloomberg, Thomson Reuters) will be used for the purpose 
of establishing the TSR values for TUI AG and the index. The reference 
for the purpose of determining the rankings is the composition of the 
index on the last day of the performance reference period. The values for 
companies that were not listed over the entire performance reference 
period will be factored in on a pro rata basis. The level of target achieve-
ment is established as follows depending on the ranking of the TSR 
of TUI AG relative to the TSR values of the index companies over the 
performance reference period:

•  a TSR value of TUI AG equivalent to the bottom and second to bottom 

value of the index corresponds to a target achievement of 0 %

•  a TSR value of TUI AG equivalent to the third to bottom value of the 

index corresponds to a target achievement of 25 %

•  a TSR value of TUI AG equivalent to the median of the index corres-

ponds to a target achievement of 100 %

•  a TSR value of TUI AG equivalent to the third to top, second to top or 
top value of the index corresponds to a target achievement of 175 %

For performance between the third to bottom and the third to top rank, 
linear interpolation will be used to determine the level of target achieve-
ment at between 25 % and 175 %. The degree of target achievement 
will be rounded to two decimal places, as is customary in commercial 
practice.

To determine the final number of virtual shares, the degree of target 
achievement will be multiplied by the provisional number of virtual shares 
on the final day of the performance reference period. The payout is 
determined  by  multiplying  the  final  number  of  virtual  shares  by  the 
average Xetra price of TUI AG shares over the 20 trading days prior to 
the end of the performance reference period (30 September of each 
year). The payout which is calculated in this way will be due in the month 
of the approval of the annual accounts of TUI AG for the fourth financial 
year of the performance reference period and is paid out in cash. If the 
service  agreement  begins  or  ends  in  the  course  of  the  financial  year 
relevant for the grant of the LTIP, the claims for payment of the same 
will generally be pro rata.

Cap

The LTIP is capped annually and individually for each Executive Board 
member; for the figures, see the table on page 121.

3 . 2 

 D E V E L O P M E N T   O F   A G G R E G AT E   V I R T U A L   S H A R E S   O F 

 C U R R E N T   E X E C U T I V E   B O A R D   M E M B E R S   I N   F I N A N C I A L 

Y E A R   2 0 17

On 30 September 2017, former Executive Board members held no virtual 
shares  in  TUI  AG  (previous  year:  no  virtual  shares)  that  were  granted 
after the merger of TUI AG and TUI Travel PLC (TUI Travel) in December 
2014 (the Merger).

Granting in financial year 2017
Friedrich Joussen
Horst Baier
David Burling
Sebastian Ebel
Dr Elke Eller
Frank Rosenberger
Decrease in financial year 2017*
Friedrich Joussen
Horst Baier

Number

119,741
54,612
40,453
40,453
33,981
18,204

56,164
53,743

*  Decrease corresponds to amounts paid for LTIP-tranches that ended in financial 

year 2017 (see table on remuneration paid acc. to DCGK ) 

3 . 3  

 E X P E N D I T U R E   F O R   T H E   LT I P   O F   C U R R E N T   E X E C U T I V E 

B O A R D   M E M B E R S   A C C .   T O   I F R S   2

Expenditure for granting of virtual shares in financial year 2017 
acc. to IFRS 2

€ ’000

Friedrich Joussen
Horst Baier
David Burling
Sebastian Ebel
Dr Elke Eller
Frank Rosenberger
Total

Part of total  
expenditure  
FY 2017

Part of total  
expenditure  
F Y 2016

1,830.0
495.1
296.2
381.3
252.4
238.3
3,493.2

4,364.9
2,954.4
418.2
608.8
242.8

8,589.1

The table shows the individual amounts of the total expenditure arising 
from the addition to the provisions to be formed pro rata acc. to IFRS 2 
for all of the LTIP tranches to be granted during the term of the respec-
tive  service  agreements.  Acc.  to  IFRS  2,  there  are  provisions  totalling 
€ 8,585.0 thousand (previous year: € 6,693.1 thousand) to cover entitle-
ments under TUI AG’s LTIP for current Executive Board members.

Acc.  to  the  German  Commercial  Code,  there  are  provisions  totalling 
€ 4,625.8 thousand (previous year: € 3,299.2 thousand) for LTIP tranches 
currently in the lock-up period.

 
 
 
 
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There are liabilities in accordance with IFRS and the German Commercial 
Code totalling € 1,604.6 thousand (previous year: € 1,896.0 thousand). 

Amount

4 .  

F R I N G E   B E N E F I T S

Purpose and link to company strategy

Fringe benefits offered should be competitive on the market for highly 
qualified Executive Board members.

Procedure

Executive Board members receive the following fringe benefits:

•  Reimbursement  of  business  travel  expenses  in  accordance  with 

TUI AG’s applicable general business travel guidelines

•  Twice a year, free of charge, a holiday from within the World of TUI 
range,  without  any  limitation  as  to  tour  operator,  type  of  holiday, 
category or price. Spouses / partners are granted a 50 % discount on 
the catalogue price for the aforementioned vacations, and children still 
in education or training a 100 % discount. Apart from that, a reduction 
of 75 % (spouses / partners children still in education or training 50 %) 
is granted for flights

•  A suitable company car with driver or alternatively a car allowance of 

€ 1.5 thousand gross per month

•  Insurance cover is provided in line with the agreements applicable in 

Germany and the United Kingdom. This is offered as follows:

TUI AG provides insurance cover for accidents to the customary extent 
for Mr Joussen, Dr Eller, Mr Baier, Mr Ebel and Mr Rosenberger and will 
pay  the  corresponding  insurance  contributions  for  the  terms  of  their 
service agreements. The coverage amounts  to € 1,500.0 thousand for 
death and € 3,000.0 thousand for disablement. Furthermore, Mr Joussen, 
Dr  Eller,  Mr  Baier,  Mr  Ebel  and  Mr  Rosenberger  receive  an  allowance 
towards health and long-term care insurance in the amount payable if 
the  respective  Executive  Board  member  were  an  employee,  but  no 
more than half of each insurance premium.

Insofar as this is permitted by law, Mr Burling will remain a beneficiary, 
at the expense of TUI AG, of the UK term life, vocational disability and 
health insurance programmes. 

TUI AG also takes out criminal law protection insurance that provides 
cover for the Executive Board members regarding criminal and mis-
demeanour proceedings, if these proceedings are based on an act or a 
failure to act in the exercise of their duties for TUI AG. TUI AG also takes 
out a suitable financial liability insurance policy (D&O insurance) coverage 
for the Executive Board members to cover possible claims brought under 
private law on the basis of statutory liability provisions against one or 
more of the Executive Board members by a third party or the company 
for  damages  for  a  breach  of  duty  committed  in  the  exercise  of  their 
duties.  The  D&O  insurance  provides  for  a  deductible  of  10 %  of  the 
damage up to 150 % of the fixed annual remuneration.

The  value  of  the  company  car,  free  holidays  and  insurance  benefits 
received annually by an individual Executive Board member normally does 
not exceed € 150.0 thousand. The fringe benefits are taken into account 
within the scope of the maximum remuneration listed on page 121.

5 .  

P E N S I O N   B E N E F I T S

5 .1   O P E R AT I N G   P R I N C I P L E S

Purpose and link to company strategy

Highly-qualified Executive Board members who are needed to develop 
and implement company strategy are to be acquired and retained.

The  pension  benefits  should  be  competitive  on  the  market  for  highly 
qualified  Executive  Board  members  and  should  provide  them  with  a 
corresponding level of benefits in their retirement.

Procedure

Benefits  in  the  form  of  pensions  are  paid  to  former  Executive  Board 
members if they reach the predefined age limit or are permanently in-
capacitated. The Executive Board members are not entitled to receive 
transition payments upon leaving the Executive Board, with the exception 
of Mr Ebel who has an acquired right to receive transition payments 
under a legacy contract.

With  regard  to  pension  entitlements,  different  principles  apply  to 
Mr Joussen, Dr Eller, Mr Baier, Mr Ebel and Mr Rosenberger on the one 
hand and Mr Burling on the other hand due to the legacy systems in 
Germany and the UK. 

Mr Joussen, Dr Eller, Mr Baier, Mr Ebel and Mr Rosenberger are entitled 
to pensions according to the pension commitments granted to Executive 
Board members of TUI AG (TUI AG Pension Scheme). These Executive 
Board  members  receive,  on  an  annual  basis,  a  contractually  agreed 
amount that is paid into an existing pension account for the respective 
Executive  Board  member.  The  contributions  to  the  company  pension 
scheme of Mr Joussen, Dr Eller, Mr Baier and Mr Ebel carry an interest 
rate established in the pension commitment. The interest rate stands at 
5 % p.a. The annual interest for Mr Rosenberger’s contributions to the 
company pension scheme is established by the company at its reasonable 
discretion  in  such  a  way  that  it  does  not  exceed  5 %.  The  beneficiary 
may  choose  between  a  one-off  payment,  payment  by  instalments  or 
pension payments. The amounts agreed on in the service agreements 
of the aforementioned Executive Board members are:

120

•  Mr Joussen: € 454.5 thousand per year. Mr Joussen becomes eligible 

for payment of the pension upon reaching the age of 62

•  Dr  Eller:  € 230.0  thousand  per  year.  Dr  Eller  becomes  eligible  for 

payment of the pension upon reaching the age of 63

•  Mr Baier: € 267.75 thousand per year. Mr Baier becomes eligible for 

payment of the pension upon reaching the age of 60

•  Mr Ebel: € 207.0 thousand per year. Mr Ebel becomes eligible for 

payment of the pension upon reaching the age of 62

•  Mr  Rosenberger:  € 112.5  thousand  per  year  in  financial  year  2017. 
This amount takes into account Mr Rosenberger having taken up office 
on 1 January 2017. Mr Rosenberger becomes eligible for payment of 
the pension upon reaching the age of 63

Should Mr Joussen, Dr Eller, Mr Baier, Mr Ebel and Mr Rosenberger retire 
from TUI AG before the normal retirement date due to an ongoing occu-
pational  disability,  they  will  receive  an  occupational  disability  pension 
until they are able to work again, but at most until they reach the normal 
retirement date.

Under certain circumstances, spouses, partners or cohabitants of the 
Executive Board members will, should the respective Executive Board 
member die, receive a survivor’s pension worth 60 % of the pension for 
their lifetime or until remarriage. Children of Executive Board members 

will,  should  the  respective  Executive  Board  member  die,  receive  an 
orphan’s pension, paid no longer than until they reach the age of 27 at 
the latest. Children who have lost one parent will receive 20 % of the 
pension, and those who have lost both parents will receive 25 %. This 
claim  is  subject  to  the  prerequisite  that  the  child  meets  the  require-
ments set out in section 32(3), (4), sentence 1 nos. 1 to 3 and (5) German 
Income Tax Act (Einkommensteuergesetz).

Mr Burling receives a fixed annual amount of € 225.0 thousand paid out 
in cash for his pension.

5 . 2  

 P E N S I O N   P R O V I S I O N S   F O R   T H E   C U R R E N T   E X E C U T I V E 

B O A R D   M E M B E R S   U N D E R   T H E   T U I   A G   P E N S I O N 

 C O M M I T M E N T S 

At 30 September 2017, pension obligations for current Executive Board 
members totalled € 19,731.2 thousand (previous year balance sheet date: 
€ 19,055.8 thousand) according to IAS 19. This includes € 4,501.3 thou-
sand (previous year balance sheet date: € 5,317.8 thousand) for claims 
earned by Mr Ebel during the course of his work for the TUI Group up 
until 31 August 2006. The remaining claims can be broken down as follows:

Pension of current Executive Board members below TUI AG Pension scheme

€ ’000

Friedrich Joussen
Horst Baier
Sebastian Ebel
Dr Elke Eller
Frank Rosenberger
Total

Addition to / reversal from  
pension provision

Net present value

2017

2016

30 Sep 2017

30 Sep 2016

200.0 
89.7 
118.7 
277.6 
805.9 
1,491.9 

1,130.2 
966.8 
490.7 
435.6 
0.0 
3,023.3 

3,206.9 
9,109.8 
1,394.1 
713.2 
805.9 
15,229.9 

3,006.9 
9,020.1 
1,275.4 
435.6 
0.0 
13,738.0 

According to commercial law provisions, the pension obligations for 
current  Executive  Board  members  amounted  to  € 15,738.4  thousand 
(previous year balance sheet date: € 13,404.8 thousand); this includes 
€ 2,925.0 thousand (previous year balance sheet date: € 2,659.6 thousand) 
for claims earned by Mr Ebel during the course of his work for the TUI 
Group up until 31 August 2006.

Where the above table shows a corresponding amount, the pension 
obligations for beneficiaries are funded via the conclusion of pledged 
reinsurance policies. 

6 . 

 P O T E N T I A L   A D D I T I O N A L   R E M U N E R AT I O N   I N   C A S H   O R   I N 

V I R T U A L   S H A R E S   ( A D D I T I O N A L   R E M U N E R AT I O N )

Purpose and link to company strategy

The  additional  remuneration  is  intended  to  compensate  exceptional 
performance by Executive Board members.

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121

Procedure

Cap

The Supervisory Board may grant additional remuneration in cash or 
in virtual shares in the case of special circumstances or exceptional 
performance such as an extraordinarily heavy workload due to major 
projects like transactions or the long-term takeover of other Executive 
Board departments, in the case of special successes in connection with 
the strategic further development of the business model as well as 
successful  crisis  management.  The  Supervisory  Board  determines 
whether and in what amount such additional remuneration will be paid.

The additional remuneration is capped annually and individually for each 
Executive Board member; for the figures, see table below.

R E M U N E R AT I O N   C A P S

7.  
The following caps apply to the remuneration (remuneration components 
and total remuneration) payable to Executive Board members for a finan-
cial year: 

Remuneration caps

€ ’000

Friedrich Joussen
Horst Baier
David Burling
Sebastian Ebel
Dr Elke Eller
Frank Rosenberger1

Fixed remuneration2

1,100.0
740.0
600.0
680.0
680.0
500.0

JE V

2,070.0 
1,012.5 
900.0 
720.0 
675.0 
630.0 

LTIP

4,440.0 
2,025.0 
1,500.0 
1,500.0 
1,260.0 
900.0 

Additional  
remuneration

Maximum total  
remuneration3

920.0 
450.0 
400.0 
320.0 
300.0 
280.0 

7,500.0 
4,200.0 
3,450.0 
3,380.0 
3,100.0 
1,875.0 

1  Full-year values (12 months), possibly pro rated caps: see table on p. 123
2  Fixed amount, no cap applied
3  Contractually agreed cap for total remuneration (incl. fixed remuneration, JE V, LTIP, pension, additional remuneration and fringe benefits) 

I V.  

 PAY M E N T S   I N   C A S E   O F   P R E M AT U R E   D E PA R T U R E   O F   A N 

•  JEV 

E X E C U T I V E   B O A R D   M E M B E R

The payments to be made to an Executive Board member on the pre-
mature termination of his service agreement without good cause have 
in principle been limited in the service agreements of Messrs. Joussen 
and Baier to an amount equal to twice their annual remuneration. It has 
been agreed in the service agreements of Dr Eller, Mr Ebel, Mr Burling 
and Mr Rosenberger that payments to be made on the premature ter-
mination of their Executive Board membership without good cause may 
not – in the case of premature termination during the first year after 
the  coming  into  force  of  the  service  agreement  –  exceed  an  amount 
equal to twice their annual remuneration and – in the case of premature 
termination after the end of the first year of the service agreement – an 
amount equal to their annual remuneration (severance pay cap). Pay-
ments upon premature termination shall not cover more than the remain-
ing  term  of  the  service  agreement  for  any  member  of  the  Executive 
Board. The severance pay cap is calculated on the basis of the target 
direct  remuneration  (fixed  remuneration,  target  JEV  and  target  LTIP) 
for the last expired financial year and, if relevant, the expected target 
direct compensation for the current financial year. If the service agree-
ment is terminated extraordinarily without notice, no payments will be 
made to Executive Board members.

In cases of premature termination of the service agreement, the annual 
performance-based remuneration (JEV) and payments according to the 
LTIP will be managed as follows:

•  If the company terminates the service agreement without notice 
before the end of the one-year performance reference period for 
good  cause  attributable  to  the  beneficiary  or  if  the  beneficiary 
terminates the service agreement without good cause, the claim 
to the JEV for the performance reference period in question will 
be forfeited and no alternative remuneration or compensation will 
be paid.

•  In all other cases of premature termination of the service agreement 
before the end of the one-year performance reference period, the 
JEV will be paid on a pro rata basis.

•  LTIP:

•  If the company terminates the service agreement without notice 
before  the  end  of  the  respective  performance  reference  period 
for good cause attributable to the Executive Board member, or if 
the  Executive  Board  member  terminates  the  service  agreement 
without  good  cause,  all  claims  under  the  LTIP  will  lapse  for  all 
tranches not yet paid and no alternative remuneration or compen-
sation will be paid.

•  If the service agreement ends before the expiry of the performance 
reference period for other reasons, the claims under the LTIP will 
be maintained for tranches not yet paid. The tranche of the current 
financial year will be reduced on a pro rata basis. The payout will 
be calculated in the same way as in the case of a continuation of 
the service agreement.

122

The service agreements of the Executive Board members do not contain 
change of control clauses. 

V. 

 O T H E R   PAY M E N T S / B E N E F I T S   F O R   E X E C U T I V E   B O A R D 

M E M B E R S   W H O   L E F T   T H E   B O A R D   I N   F I N A N C I A L   Y E A R   2 0 17
No members left the Executive Board of TUI AG in financial year 2017, 
so no benefits were granted or paid out. 

V I . 

 P E N S I O N   PAY M E N T S   M A D E   T O   PA S T   E X E C U T I V E   B O A R D 

M E M B E R S

In financial year 2017, the pension payments to former Executive Board 
members  and  their  surviving  dependants  totaled  € 13,497.1  thousand 
(previous year: € 4,933.2 thousand).

Pension  provisions  for  former  members  of  the  Executive  Board  and 
their dependants amounted as at the balance sheet date to € 64,683.5 
thousand (previous year: € 78,976.5 thousand) as measured according 
to IAS 19, not including Mr Ebel’s claims in the amount of € 4,501.3 thou-
sand (previous year: € 5,317.7 thousand) which he earned before 31 Au-
gust 2006 during the course of his work for the TUI Group.

According to commercial law provisions, the pension obligations for for-
mer members of the Executive Board and their dependants amounted 
to € 55,074.1 thousand (previous year: € 62,846.3 thousand), not including 
Mr  Ebel’s  claims  in  the  amount  of  € 2,925.0  thousand  (previous  year: 
€ 2,659.6 thousand) which he earned before 31 August 2006 during the 
course of his work for the TUI Group. 

V I I .   O V E R V I E W :   I N D I V I D U A L   R E M U N E R AT I O N   O F   E X E C U T I V E   B O A R D   M E M B E R S

1 .  

 I N D I V I D U A L   R E M U N E R AT I O N   O F   E X E C U T I V E   B O A R D   M E M B E R S   F O R   F I N A N C I A L   Y E A R   2 0 17   

( P U R S U A N T   T O   S E C T I O N   3 14 (1) ,   N O .   6 ( A )   G E R M A N   C O M M E R C I A L   C O D E ) 

Remuneration of individual Executive Board members granted by TUI AG for financial year 2017  
(acc. to section 314, paragraph 6 lit a of the German Commercial Code)

€ ’000

Fixed remuneration1

Friedrich Joussen
Horst Baier
David Burling
Sebastian Ebel2
Dr Elke Eller
Frank Rosenberger3
Total
Previous year4

1,232.3
760.0
707.9
698.0
714.3
416.4
4,528.8
4,942.8

JE V

1,096.0
536.1
476.5
381.2
357.4
250.2
3,097.4
3,319.2

Additional  
remuneration

920.0
450.0
400.0
320.0
300.0
210.0
2,600.0
2,569.6

LTIP5

0.0
0.0
0.0
1,500.0
0.0
1,389.5
2,889.5
1,269.9

Total  
2017

3,248.3
1,746.1
1,584.4
2,899.2
1,371.6
2,266.0
13,115.7
12,101.5

Total  
2016

3,035.6
1,890.5
1,463.9
1,355.5
2,552.3
0.0

1  Incl. fringe benefits (without insurances under Group coverage).
2  Disclosure of LTIP due to prolongation of service agreement until 30 November 2020
3  Pro rated disclosure of all remuneration components from 1 January 2017
4  Previous year’s values include remuneration of Peter Long and William Waggott
5  Based on share price of the TUI AG share as at 4 October 2016 this corresponds for Mr Ebel to 116,369 virtual shares and for Mr Rosenberger to 107,797 virtual shares. 

For the purpose of setting the discretionary multiplier of between 0.8 
and 1.2 used to calculate the JEV (procedure description see page 117) 
and the additional remuneration (procedure description see page 120) 
the Supervisory Board exercises its discretion within the framework of 
the service agreements of the members of the Executive Board. 

The basis for the Supervisory Board’s decision regarding the discretionary 
multiplier for calculating the JEV was, among other things, the level of 
employee satisfaction (engagement index on Group level) determined as 
part of the TUIgether employee survey for the financial year 2017, which, 
compared with the previous financial year, remained at a consistently 
high level with a higher response rate. This outcome can be attributed 
to the fact that the members of the Executive Board have consistently 
implemented and achieved their own packages of measures defined on 
the basis of the results from the previous year, and have also steadily 
advanced the implementation of the measures through the management 
level  below  the  Executive  Board.  In  addition  to  that,  the  Supervisory 

Board also took into account, among other things, the successful intro-
duction of the Global 60 Initiative that encourages employees to follow 
an international career, the huge progress in delivering a Group airline 
platform, and the promising efforts to initiate a solution for the German 
airline. The successful completion of the cultural integration as well as the 
realisation of synergies as a result of the merger were taken into account 
in the Supervisory Board’s decision to set the discretionary multiplier at 
1.1 when calculating the JEV for each member of the Executive Board.

In  terms  of  the  additional  remuneration,  the  Supervisory  Board  con-
sidered the exceptional achievements of each and every member of the 
Executive Board, especially in light of the geopolitical challenges. The 
successful management of the shift in demand from the eastern to the 
western Mediterranean due to, inter alia, the consistently low level of 
bookings for Turkey and coupled with a significant increase in hotel prices 
there, is the result of an excellent board performance. Moreover, manage-
ment succeeded in compensating the Brexit-related slowdown in bookings 

 
 
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C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

123

and the price hike resulting from the depreciation of the British pound 
in  the  UK  source  market  by  means  of  extraordinarily  good  results  in 
other  source  markets  and  in  particular  the  hotels  and  resorts,  and 
cruise business units. Last but not least, the Supervisory Board’s decision 
recognizes the clear rise in the stock price in the period under review 
which is the result of, among other things, the perception in the capital 
markets of TUI AG’s business model as being stable and robust owing to 
the consistent and highly successful expansion of its content portal as 
well as the sound financing. 

The LTIP amount disclosed in the table headed ‘Individual Remuneration 
of Executive Board members for the financial year 2017’ corresponds 
to the fair value at grant date (acc. to IFRS 2). This amount takes into 
account all allocations accumulated over the entire contract period. The 
table of the ‘remuneration awarded’ according to the GCGC shows the 
amount allocated in the respective financial year. 

As in the prior year, the members of the Executive Board did not receive 
any loans or advances in financial year 2017.

Dr  Eller  received  € 12.1  thousand  from  Nord / LB  for  her  activities  – 
which  were  approved  by  the  Supervisory  Board  during  her  Executive 
Board  membership  in  financial  year  2017  –  in  supervisory  boards  or 
comparable domestic and foreign corporate supervisory bodies to be 
set up in accordance with section 125 German Stock Corporation Act, 
which activities were not carried out on the basis of a shareholding of 
TUI  AG  in  the  companies  concerned.  Mr  Joussen  acquired  a  claim  for 
€ 27.9 thousand for his seat on the supervisory board of SIXT SE in finan-
cial year 2017 that will become due and payable following the end of 
SIXT SE’s financial year. This remuneration was not counted towards the 
remuneration paid to her by TUI AG as an Executive Board member. 

Pursuant  to  4.2.5,  attachment  tables  1  and  2  GCGC,  the  two  tables 
below (remuneration awarded and remuneration paid) show the benefits 
granted by TUI AG and the payments received.

2 .  

R E M U N E R AT I O N   A W A R D E D

Remuneration awarded

Friedrich Joussen 
CEO, 
since 14 February 20131

Horst Baier 
CFO, 
since 8 November 2007

€ ’000

2016

2017

2017 (min.)

2017 (max.)

2016

2017

2017 (min.)

2017 (max.)

Fixed remuneration
Fringe benefits
Total
JE V
Additional remuneration
LTIP

LTIP (2016 – 2019)
LTIP (2017 – 2020)

Total
Pension / service costs2
Total remuneration3

 1,100.0 
 45.4 
 1,145.4 
 920.0 
 920.0 
 1,494.8 
 1,494.8 

 4,480.2 
 726.0 
 5,206.2 

 1,100.0 
 132.3 
 1,232.3 
 920.0 
 920.0 
 1,494.8 

 1,494.8 
 4,567.1 
 625.7 
 5,192.8 

 1,100.0 
 132.3 
 1,232.3 
 – 
 – 
 – 

 – 
 1,232.3 
 625.7 
 1,858.0 

 1,100.0 
 132.3 
 1,232.3 
 2,070.0 
 920.0 
 4,440.0 

 4,440.0 
 8,662.3 
 625.7 
 7,500.0 

 803.0 
 18.7 
 821.7 
 450.0 
 450.0 
 681.8 
 681.8 
 – 
 2,403.5 
 22.3 
 2,425.8 

 740.0 
 20.0 
 760.0 
 450.0 
 450.0 
 681.8 

 681.8 
 2,341.8 
 – 
 2,341.8 

 740.0 
 20.0 
 760.0 
 – 
 – 
 – 

 – 
 760.0 
 – 
 760.0 

 740.0 
 20.0 
 760.0 
 1,012.5 
 450.0 
 2,025.0 

 2,025.0 
 4,247.5 
 – 
 4,200.0 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
124

Remuneration awarded

€ ’000

2016

2017

2017 (min.)

2017 (max.)

2016

2017

2017 (min.)

2017 (max.)

David Burling 
Member of the Executive Board, 
since 1 June 2015

Sebastian Ebel 
Member of the Executive Board, 
since 12 December 2014

Fixed remuneration
Fringe benefits
Total
JE V
Additional remuneration
LTIP

LTIP (2016 – 2019)
LTIP (2017 – 2020)

Total
Pension / service costs2
Total remuneration3

Remuneration awarded

 600.0 
 42.1 
 642.1 
 400.0 
 400.0 
 505.0 
 505.0 
 – 
 1,947.1 
 225.0 
 2,172.1 

 600.0 
 107.9 
 707.9 
 400.0 
 400.0 
 505.0 

 505.0 
 2,012.9 
 225.0 
 2,237.9 

 600.0 
 107.9 
 707.9 
 – 
 – 
 – 

 – 
 707.9 
 225.0 
 932.9 

 600.0 
 107.9 
 707.9 
 900.0 
 400.0 
 1,500.0 

 1,500.0 
 3,507.9 
 225.0 
 3,450.0 

 680.0 
 18.0 
 698.0 
 320.0 
 320.0 
 505.0 
 505.0 
 – 
 1,843.0 
 328.5 
 2,171.5 

 680.0 
 18.0 
 698.0 
 320.0 
 320.0 
 505.0 

 505.0 
 1,843.0 
 286.1 
 2,129.1 

 680.0 
 18.0 
 698.0 
 – 
 – 
 – 

 – 
 698.0 
 286.1 
 984.1 

 680.0 
 18.0 
 698.0 
 720.0 
 320.0 
 1,500.0 

 1,500.0 
 3,238.0 
 286.1 
 3,380.0 

Dr Elke Eller 
Member of the Executive Board / Labour Director, 
since 15 October 2015

Frank Rosenberger 
Deputy member of the Executive Board, 
since 1 January 2017

€ ’000

2016

2017

2017 (min.)

2017 (max.)

2016

2017

2017 (min.)

2017 (max.)

Fixed remuneration
Fringe benefits
Total
JE V
Additional remuneration
LTIP

LTIP (2016 – 2019)
LTIP (2017 – 2020)

Total
Pension / service costs2
Total remuneration3

 654.2 
 23.8 
 678.0 
 288.6 
 300.0 
 408.1 
 408.1 
 – 
 1,674.8 
 405.0 
 2,079.8 

 680.0 
 34.3 
 714.3 
 300.0 
 300.0 
 424.2 

 424.2 
 1,738.5 
 345.1 
 2,083.6 

 680.0 
 34.3 
 714.3 
 – 
 – 
 – 

 – 
 714.3 
 345.1 
 1,059.4 

 680.0 
 34.3 
 714.3 
 675.0 
 300.0 
 1,260.0 

 1,260.0 
 2,949.3 
 345.1 
3,100.0

 375.0 
 41.4 
 416.4 
 210.0 
 210.0 
 227.3 

 227.3 
 1,063.6 
 382.6 
 1,446.2 

 375.0 
 41.4 
 416.4 

 – 
 416.4 
 382.6 
 799.0 

 375.0 
 41.4 
 416.4 
 472.5 
 210.0 
 675.0 

 675.0 
 1,773.9 
 382.6 
1,406.3

1  Joint-CEO until 9 February 2016; member of the Executive Board since 15 October 2012
2  For Mr Joussen, Mr Baier, Mr Ebel, Mrs Dr Eller and Mr Rosenberger service acosts acc. to IA S19; for Mr Burling payment for pension contribution
3  When contractually agreed cap for total remuneration to be paid is exceeded, LTIP is reduced proportionally.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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125

3 .  

R E M U N E R AT I O N   PA I D

Remuneration paid

Friedrich Joussen 
CEO,  
since 14 February 20131 

Horst Baier 
CFO,  
since 8 November 2007 

David Burling 
Member of the Executive Board, 
since 1 June 2015 

€ ’000

2016

2017

2016

Fixed remuneration
Fringe benefits
Total
JE V
Additional remuneration
LTIP 
  Cash deferral (F Y 2014)
LTIP (2013 – 2016)
LTIP (2014 – 2017)

Others
Total
Pension / service costs2
Total remuneration

Remuneration paid

€ ’000

Fixed remuneration
Fringe benefits
Total
JE V
Additional remuneration
LTIP 
  Cash deferral (F Y 2014)
LTIP (2013 – 2016)
LTIP (2014 – 2017)

Others
Total
Pension / service costs2
Total remuneration

 1,100.0 
 45.4 
 1,145.4 
 970.2 
 920.0 
 820.0 

 820.0 

 – 
 3,855.6 
 726.0 
 4,581.6 

 1,100.0 
 132.3 
 1,232.3 
 1,096.0 
 920.0 
 820.0 

820.0 
 – 
 4,068.3 
 625.7 
 4,694.0 

 803.0 
 18.7 
 821.7 
 474.6 
 450.0 
 1,220.2 
 144.2 
 1,076.0 

 2,966.5 
 22.3 
 2,988.8 

2017

 740.0 
 20.0 
 760.0 
 536.1 
 450.0 
 784.6 

 784.6 

 2,530.7 
 – 
 2,530.7 

2016

 600.0 
 42.1 
 642.1 
 421.8 
 400.0 

2017

 600.0 
 107.9 
 707.9 
 476.5 
 400.0 

 1,463.9 
 225.0 
 1,688.9 

 1,584.4 
 225.0 
 1,809.4 

Sebastian Ebel 
Member of the Executive Board, 
since 12 December 2014 

Dr Elke Eller 
Member of the Executive Board / 
Labour Director,  
since 15 October 2015

Frank Rosenberger 
Deputy member of the  
Executive Board, 
since 1 January 2017

2016

 680.0 
 18.0 
 698.0 
 337.5 
 320.0 

2017

 680.0 
 18.0 
 698.0 
 381.2 
 320.0 

2016

 654.2 
 23.8 
 678.0 
 304.4 
 300.0 

2017

 680.0 
 34.3 
 714.3 
 357.4 
 300.0 

2016

 1,355.5 
 328.5 
 1,684.0 

 1,399.2 
 286.1 
 1,685.3 

 1,282.4 
 405.0 
 1,687.4 

 1,371.6 
 345.1 
 1,716.7 

2017

 375.0 
 41.4 
 416.4 
 250.2 
 210.0 

 876.5 
 382.6 
 1,259.1 

1  Joint CEO until 9 February 2016; member of the Executive Board since 15 October 2012
2  For Mr Joussen, Mr Baier, Mr Ebel, Mrs Dr Eller and Mr Rosenberger service costs acc. to IA S19; for Mr Burling payments for pension contribution 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
126

The remuneration paid for the last expired financial year shows the LTIP 
cash payment for the performance reference period ‘LTIP 2014 – 2017’ 
for Mr Joussen and Mr Baier.

In his service agreement of 30 July 2012, a contractual advance payment 
of € 1,280.0 thousand was agreed with and paid to Mr Joussen for the 
performance reference period ‘LTIP 2014 – 2017’. The payment was de-
ducted from the entitlement for the entire performance reference period 
‘LTIP 2014 – 2017’ that actually arose upon expiry of financial year 2017. 
In  this  respect,  only  the  remaining  difference  of  € 820  thousand  is 
shown in the aforementioned table as remuneration paid.

V I I .  

 R E V I E W   O F   A P P R O P R I AT E N E S S   O F   T H E   R E M U N E R AT I O N 

A N D   P E N S I O N S   O F   E X E C U T I V E   B O A R D   M E M B E R S

Following the end of financial year 2017, the Supervisory Board carried 
out the annual review of the remuneration and pensions of Executive 
Board members for financial year 2017. It concluded that these are appro-
priate in accordance with section 87(1) German Stock Corporation Act.

The  Supervisory  Board  also  regularly  makes  use  of  external  advisors 
when assessing the appropriateness of the remuneration and pensions 
of Executive Board members. This involves, firstly, assessing from an out-
side perspective the level and structure of the remuneration of Executive 
Board members in relation to the remuneration of senior management 
and the workforce as a whole (vertical comparison). In addition to a status 
quo  review,  the  vertical  comparison  also  takes  into  account  how  this 
relationship  changes  over  time.  Secondly,  the  remuneration  level  and 
structure are assessed on the basis of a positioning of TUI AG in a peer 
market made up of a combination of DAX and MDAX companies that are 
similar to TUI AG in terms of size and complexity of business (horizontal 
comparison). In addition to the fixed remuneration, the horizontal com-
parison also covers the short- and long-term remuneration components 
as well as the amount of company pension. For financial year 2017, the 
Supervisory Board commissioned the consultancy company hkp Group 
AG to prepare an expert report on the appropriateness of the remuner-
ation level for Executive Board members. The partner of hkp Group AG 
commissioned by the Supervisory Board and responsible for carrying 
out the assessment is independent of the Executive Board of TUI AG 
and  the  company.  The  finding  of  the  external  advisor  supported  the 
judgment of the Supervisory Board that the level of remuneration of 
Executive  Board  members  complies  with  section  87(1)  German  Stock 
Corporation Act as well as the recommendations of the GCGC. 

V I I I .   R E M U N E R AT I O N   O F   T H E   S U P E R V I S O R Y   B O A R D
The provisions and remuneration of members of the Supervisory Board 
follow from section 18 of TUI AG’s Articles of Association, which have 
been made permanently accessible to the public on the internet. The 
remuneration of the Supervisory Board is reviewed at appropriate in-
tervals. In this regard the expected time required for the relevant duties 
and experience in companies of a similar size, industry and complexity 
are taken into account.

Purpose and link to company strategy

Highly-qualified  Supervisory  Board  members  are  to  be  acquired  and 
retained.

Procedure

Besides reimbursement of their expenses, the members of the Super-
visory Board receive a fixed remuneration of € 90.0 thousand per financial 
year, payable upon completion of the financial year. The chairman shall 
receive three times, and his deputies twice, the fixed remuneration of a 
Supervisory Board member.

An additional fixed remuneration of € 42.0 thousand is paid for member-
ship of committees (e. g. the presiding committee, the audit committee, 
the strategy committee and the integration committee that was dissolved 
in December 2016, but not the nomination committee). The chairman of 
the audit committee shall receive three times, and the chairman of the 
strategy committee twice, this remuneration. This remuneration is also 
paid out at the end of the respective financial year.

The members of the Supervisory Board receive no further remuneration 
components and no fringe benefits. In all cases the remuneration relates 
to a full financial year. For parts of a financial year and for short financial 
years the remuneration shall be paid on a pro rata basis.

The members of the Supervisory Board and the committees receive an 
attendance fee of € 1.0 thousand per meeting, regardless of the form 
the meeting takes.

Moreover, the members of the Supervisory Board are included in any 
financial liability insurance policy (D&O insurance) taken out in an appro-
priate amount by the company in its own interests. The relevant insurance 
premiums are paid by the company. In line with the recommendation of 
the GCGC, there is a deductible for which the Supervisory Board members 
can take out their own private insurance.

Cap

There is no need to set a cap because the remuneration for the Super-
visory Board members consists solely of fixed components.

On  9  February  2016  the  Annual  General  Meeting  of  TUI  AG  passed  a 
resolution  to  change  the  remuneration  of  the  Supervisory  Board  to 
fixed  remuneration  only  as  well  as  to  adjust  the  amount  of  the  fixed 
remuneration components. The new remuneration model applied retroac-
tively as of 1 October 2015, which meant that the variable remuneration 
granted in accordance with the provisions of the articles of association 
applicable until 9 February 2016 and based on the long-term success of 
the company was no longer paid. This variable remuneration was based on 
the average undiluted earnings per share (EPS) carried in the consolidated 

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127

financial statements for the respective last three financial years. At the 
time of redemption, the members of the Supervisory Board were still 
entitled to the long-term remuneration granted in financial years 2014 
and 2015 because of the three-year vesting period. These entitlements 
were redeemed on the basis of EPS planned values for financial years 2016 
and 2017. Reducing the remuneration of the members of the Supervisory 
Board for past and current financial years is not permitted under stock 
corporation law. For this reason it needed / needs to be checked, also upon 
completion  of  financial  years  2016  and  2017,  whether  this  has  taken 
place  with  the  change  to  the  remuneration  model  by  taking  the  EPS 
planned value for the relevant financial years as a basis. If using the EPS 
values actually achieved were to lead to higher long-term incentives than 
taking into account the planned values, the corresponding difference is 
to be paid to the relevant members of the Supervisory Board upon the 
close of the Annual General Meeting that will vote on the ratification of 
the acts of the Supervisory Board for the respective financial year. 

For the remuneration component granted in financial year 2014, it was 
found  that,  upon  the  close  of  the  Annual  General  Meeting  2017,  the 
actual  EPS  value  of  financial  year  2016,  € 1.78,  was  above  the  EPS 
planned value of € 0.81 taken as a basis for the redemption. The resulting 
difference was paid to the relevant members of the Supervisory Board 
accordingly and is shown in the following tables. Upon the close of the 
Annual  General  Meeting  2018  it  will  be  determined  whether,  for  the 
variable remuneration component granted in financial year 2015, a dif-
ference will have to be paid to the relevant members of the Supervisory 
Board based on the comparison of EPS planned values and actual EPS 
values of financial years 2016 and 2017. 

In addition, regarding the remuneration granted in financial year 2016, it 
will be reviewed – upon the close of the Annual General Meeting 2019 – 
whether applying the remuneration model valid until 9 February 2016 
would  have  resulted  in  higher  remuneration  than  applying  the  new 
model  did.  If  this  is  the  case,  the  corresponding  difference  has  to  be 
paid to the members of the Supervisory Board upon the close of the 
Annual General Meeting 2019. 

I X .  

 R E M U N E R AT I O N   O F   T H E   S U P E R V I S O R Y   B O A R D   

A S   A   W H O L E

Remuneration of the Supervisory Board

€ ’000

Fixed remuneration

Long-term variable remuneration

Remuneration for committee memberships
Attendance fee
Remuneration for TUI AG Supervisory Board 
mandate
Remuneration for Supervisory Board  
mandates in the Group
Total

2017

2016

2,160.0
176.1
1,096.2
321.0

2,141.8
1,108.7
1,166.6
283.0

3,753.3

4,700.1

41.4
3,794.7

20.5
4,720.6

In addition, travel and other expenses totalling € 507.6 thousand (previous 
year:  € 461.0  thousand)  were  reimbursed.  Total  remuneration  of  the 
Supervisory  Board  members,  including  reimbursement  of  travel  and 
other expenses, thus amounted to € 4,302.2 thousand (previous year: 
€ 5,181.6 thousand).

 
128

X . 

R E M U N E R AT I O N   O F   I N D I V I D U A L   S U P E R V I S O R Y   B O A R D   M E M B E R S   F O R   F I N A N C I A L   Y E A R   2 0 17

Remuneration of individual Supervisory Board members for financial year 2017

€ ’000

Prof. Dr Klaus Mangold (Chairman)
Frank Jakobi (Deputy Chairman)
Sir Michael Hodgkinson (Deputy Chairman)
Andreas Barczewski
Peter Bremme 
Prof. Dr Edgar Ernst 
Wolfgang Flintermann 
Angelika Gifford 
Valerie Gooding 
Dr Dierk Hirschel 
Janis Kong 
Peter Long
Coline McConville
Alexey Mordashov 
Michael Pönipp 
Carmen Riu Güell 
Carola Schwirn
Anette Strempel 
Ortwin Strubelt
Stefan Weinhofer 
Total

Ex-post  
adjustment of 
long-term  
variable  
remuneration

Fixed  
remuneration

Remuneration 
for committee 
memberships

Attendance fee

Remuneration 
for Supervisory 
Board  
mandates in  
the Group

270.0
180.0
180.0
90.0
90.0
90.0
90.0
90.0
90.0
90.0
90.0
90.0
90.0
90.0
90.0
90.0
90.0
90.0
90.0
90.0
2,160.0

46.2
21.5

15.4
11.5
15.4

15.4
8.8
11.1
15.4
15.4

176.1

133.7
91.7
49.7
42.0
42.0
133.7
0.0
42.0
49.7
42.0
42.0
84.0
49.7
84.0
42.0
42.0
0.0
42.0
84.0
0.0
1,096.2

33.0
23.0
18.0
16.0
14.0
17.0
8.0
13.0
13.0
15.0
15.0
13.0
15.0
20.0
16.0
17.0
8.0
16.0
24.0
7.0
321.0

23.0

18.4

41.4

Total

482.9
316.2
247.7
186.3
157.5
256.1
98.0
145.0
152.7
147.0
147.0
187.0
154.7
194.0
181.8
157.8
109.1
163.4
213.4
97.0
3,794.7

Apart  from  the  work  performed  by  the  employees’  representatives 
pursuant to their contracts, none of the members of the Supervisory 
Board  provided  any  personal  services  such  as  consultation  or  agency 
services for TUI AG or its subsidiaries in financial year 2017 and thus did 
not receive any additional remuneration arising out of this.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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129

The new remuneration scheme for the Executive Board as from  
financial year 2018

A. Background

Over recent years shareholders and proxy advisors – in particular from 
the  UK  –  have  repeatedly  commented  on  the  existing  remuneration 
scheme for the Executive Board of TUI AG (existing remuneration scheme). 
They expressed the view, inter alia, that the target achievement corridors 
for variable remuneration (JEV and LTIP) were not ambitious enough. 
The discretionary elements and decisions anchored in the existing remu-
neration scheme allegedly lacked traceability and transparency. 

Although the existing remuneration scheme meets all statutory require-
ments and also results in appropriate compensation, the Supervisory 
Board believes, following the successful integration of TUI AG and former 
TUI Travel PLC, that the time has come to take the next step. The com-
ments and requests from our – in some cases longstanding – UK share-
holders and proxy advisors to revise the existing remuneration scheme 
are largely shaped by the environment of the Anglo-Saxon judicial area. 
As a result, the aforementioned positions reflect the recommendations 
of  the  UK-CGK  and  a  different  market  practice  as  applied  in  the  UK. 
Against  this  background  and  in  view  of  current  developments  in  how 
remuneration  is  structured  in  Germany,  the  Supervisory  Board  of 
TUI AG has unanimously adopted a new remuneration scheme for the 
Executive Board of TUI AG (new remuneration scheme), which it believes 
takes  both  perspectives  into  account.  It  shall  apply  retroactively  with 
effect from the beginning of financial year 2018 to all Executive Board 
members with whom a new service agreement has been concluded on 
account of the changes to the remuneration scheme. 

B. Key remuneration components and changes

In the following the key components of the new remuneration scheme 
and the changes to the existing remuneration scheme will be described.

I .  

 M O R E   T R A N S PA R E N T   D E S I G N   O F   D I S C R E T I O N A R Y 

 D E C I S I O N S   A N D   N O   M O R E   D I S C R E T I O N A R Y   B O N U S E S
The new remuneration scheme does away entirely with the Supervisory 
Board’s previous option of granting additional remuneration on a discre-
tionary basis (re. the option under the existing remuneration scheme: 
see p. 120 of the Annual Report).

establish  the  targets  from  these  three  categories  and  their  relative 
weighting for each Executive Board member and financial year.

F I X E D   R E M U N E R AT I O N

I I .  
The structure of fixed remuneration will remain unchanged. 

I I I .  

 N E W   G R O U P   P E R F O R M A N C E   I N D I C AT O R S   F O R   V A R I A B L E 

R E M U N E R AT I O N

The  annual  variable  remuneration  (JEV)  and  multi-annual  variable 
remuneration  (LTIP)  will  take  additional  stakeholder  relevant  group 
performance  indicators  into  account  and  there  will  be  changes  to  per-
formance criteria used so far.

J E V

1 .  
The JEV will remain a variable remuneration related to the respective 
financial year. In future, the JEV will include three group performance 
indicators as opposed to previously one (Reported Group EBITA). 

1 .1 

 E A R N I N G S   B E F O R E   TA X E S   ( E B T )   R E P L A C E S   R E P O R T E D 

G R O U P   E B I TA 

The previous group performance indicator Reported Group EBITA will 
be  replaced  by  EBT  on  a  constant  currency  basis  with  a  weighting  of 
50 %. This change in group performance indicators permits inclusion of 
the net financial result in the calculation. The adjustment for currency 
effects makes it possible to measure the actual management perform-
ance without distortion from currency-induced translation effects.

1 . 2 

 R E T U R N   O N   I N V E S T E D   C A P I TA L   ( R O I C )   A S   A D D I T I O N A L 

G R O U P   P E R F O R M A N C E   I N D I C AT O R

The newly introduced group performance indicator ROIC will be included 
in the JEV with a weighting of 25 %. The Reported Group EBITA and the 
average  invested  interest-bearing  capital  for  the  financial  year  will  be 
weighed against each other to establish the ROIC of the TUI Group used 
to calculate the JEV. By applying the average assessment previously used 
in  the  Annual  Report,  seasonal  fluctuations  and  differences  in  capital 
intensity  of  the  business  model  specific  segments  of  TUI  AG  can  be 
taken into account and a return on equity target can be included in the 
annual variable remuneration.

1 . 3  

 C A S H   F L O W   A S   A N   A D D I T I O N A L   G R O U P   P E R F O R M A N C E 

I N D I C AT O R

As before, the JEV depends on an individual performance factor in ad-
dition to target achievement in respect to group performance indicators 
(see below [B. III. 1. and IV. 1.]). Under the new remuneration scheme; 
the Supervisory Board shall determine the individual performance factor 
for the JEV for each Executive Board member (0.8 to 1:2) based on the 
achievement of three target categories: In addition to individual perfor-
mance targets, this includes targets for the overall performance of the 
Executive  Board  and  stakeholder  targets.  The  Supervisory  Board  will 

A cash flow component will also be included in the calculation as a third 
group performance indicator with a weighting of 25 %. For this purpose 
the  cash  flow  will  be  determined  using  a  simplified  method,  which  is 
based on the management cash flow calculation and covers the liquidity 
parameters  directly  controlled  by  the  Executive  Board  (depreciation, 
Working  Capital,  income  from  investments  and  dividends,  net  invest-
ments) on the basis of Reported Group EBITA, which will also be adjusted 
for foreign exchange effects for this purpose.

130

LT I P

2 .  
The LTIP shall remain a multi-annual variable remuneration on the basis 
of virtual shares of TUI AG with a four-year performance reference period.

2 .1 

 E A R N I N G S   P E R   S H A R E   ( E P S )   A S   A N   A D D I T I O N A L   G R O U P 

P E R F O R M A N C E   I N D I C AT O R

In future the LTIP will take into account average EPS development p. a. 
as an additional group performance indicator, which will be included with 
a weighting of 50 %. Average assessment over the four-year performance 
reference period is based on pro forma underlying earnings per share 
from continuing operations, as already reported in the Annual Report. 

2 . 2  

 R E L AT I V E   T O TA L   S H A R E H O L D E R   R E T U R N   ( T S R )   W I T H 

 A LT E R E D   R A N K I N G

In future, a percentile ranking will be applied to the TSR which has already 
been relevant so far. The relative TSR will be included with a weighting 
of 50 %.

I V.  

 A M B I T I O U S   TA R G E T   A C H I E V E M E N T   S T R U C T U R E   F O R 

 V A R I A B L E   R E M U N E R AT I O N   ( J E V   A N D   LT I P ) / C A P P I N G 

 M A X I M U M   TA R G E T   A C H I E V E M E N T

2 .  

LT I P

2 .1  R E L AT I V E   T S R
Where  TUI  AG  achieves  a  percentile  below  the  median  value  of  the 
relevant  benchmark  group,  the  TSR  target  shall  be  factored  into  the 
LTIP at 0 %. A percentile on the median shall be deemed to correspond 
to a target achievement of 100 %. Where the percentile is equivalent to 
the maximum value 175 % of the TSR target is deemed to be achieved. 

2 . 2  E P S
If, during the four-year performance reference period, the EPS increases 
by less than 3 % p.a. in relation to the value of the last financial year 
before commencement of the performance reference period, this shall 
correspond to a target achievement of 0 %. An average increase p. a. of 
3 % corresponds to a target achievement of 25 %. The maximum target 
achievement of 175 % is reached in the event of an average increase p. a. 
of 10 %. 

2 . 3  C A P
The maximum LTIP payment is limited to 240 % of the individual target 
amount per performance reference period (previously 300 %). 

The target achievement corridors for the group performance indicators 
in  the  variable  remuneration  components  JEV  and  LTIP  will  be  more 
ambitious than before.

F R I N G E   B E N E F I T S   A N D   C O M PA N Y   C A R

V. 
The fringe benefits granted so far as well as the provisions on company 
cars shall essentially remain unchanged. 

1 .  

J E V

1 .1   E B T
The EBT component of the JEV must reach a threshold of at least 90 % 
of  the  earnings  target  (on  a  constant  currency  basis)  (equals  target 
achievement of 50 %), in order to be relevant for bonus purposes. Any-
thing in excess of 110 % (on a constant currency basis) of the earnings 
target (corresponds to a target achievement of 180 %) is not included. 

1 . 2   R O I C
The ROIC component of the JEV will only be included in the JEV where 
the return on investment is no more than 3 % points below the defined 
target (corresponds to a target achievement of 50 %). In order to reach 
maximum target achievement of 180 % the target must be exceeded by 
3 % points or more. 

1 . 3  C A S H   F L O W
The cash flow component of the JEV must reach a threshold of at least 
90 %  of  the  liquidity  target  (adjusted  for  foreign  exchange  effects) 
(corresponds to a target achievement of 50 %), in order to be relevant 
for bonus purposes. Anything in excess of 110 % of the liquidity target 
(corresponds to a target achievement of 180 %) is not included.

1 . 4   C A P
The  annual  JEV  is  limited  to  180 %  (before  taking  the  individual  per-
formance factor into account). 

V I .  

 PAY M E N T S   I N   C A S E   O F   P R E M AT U R E   T E R M I N AT I O N   O F 

 E X E C U T I V E   B O A R D   M E M B E R S H I P

The provisions governing payments to Executive Board members in case 
of premature termination of Executive Board membership shall remain 
unchanged.

V I I .   P E N S I O N   B E N E F I T S
Previous pension commitments shall be continued unchanged. 

C.  Suggestions not implemented in the new 

 remuneration scheme 

C L A W B A C K   O R   M A L U S   P R O V I S I O N S

I .  
The Supervisory Board generally acknowledges stakeholders’ desire to 
introduce  clawback  or  malus  provisions  that  permit  an  adjustment  of 
variable remuneration. 

However, such provisions are still largely uncommon within the German 
judicial area. They only recently became mandatory for certain financial 
institutions.  So  far  it  has  yet  to  be  clarified  at  the  highest  judicial  level 
which principles (e. g. transparency and appropriateness of clawback /  
malus criteria) need to be satisfied by clawback and malus provisions in 
order for them to be valid and enforceable.

The Supervisory Board has therefore refrained from introducing clawback 
and malus clauses under the new remuneration scheme. It will also review 
in future whether clawback and malus clauses are to be included in the 
remuneration scheme for the Executive Board. 

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131

S H A R E   O W N E R S H I P   R E Q U I R E M E N T S

I I .  
The new remuneration scheme does not provide for any obligation to 
acquire  company  shares.  Not  least  due  to  the  limited  time  frame  for 
trading  in  TUI  financial  instruments,  the  Supervisory  Board  believes 
 voluntary solutions to be preferable. In order to protect the capital market 
but also its corporate bodies and staff, TUI AG is bound by trading bans 
that  are  far  stricter  than  those  prescribed  by  law  (e. g.  four  regular 
closed periods of up to 60 days, application of a restrictive TUI Share 
Dealing Manual). Recent cases demonstrate how difficult it is to deter-
mine a legally permissible and economically viable time for the acquisition 
of shares. Many Executive Board members of TUI AG voluntarily hold a 
relevant number of company shares. 

D. Procedure

The Chairman of the Supervisory Board of TUI AG guided and managed 
drafting of the new remuneration scheme. The many stakeholder in-
terests were incorporated into the process in a number of ways. The 
Supervisory  Board  Chairman  and  his  Deputy  Chairman  (Sir  Michael 
Hodgkinson) discussed suggestions from shareholders with large institu-

tional investors at numerous meetings over the course of recent years. 
Members of the Supervisory Board with longstanding expertise as chair-
persons or members of remuneration committees and / or non-executive 
directors in companies in the UK and other English-speaking countries 
played an important part in designing the new remuneration scheme. 
The chairman of the audit committee, with his expertise in performance 
indicators,  and  employee  representatives  on  the  Supervisory  Board’s 
executive committee were also involved. External remuneration and legal 
advisors introduced their suggestions into the process and reviewed the 
scheme. The external remuneration advisors conducted simulations of 
remuneration scenarios for the past and the future. Proposals from Execu-
tive Board members on the new remuneration scheme were intensely 
debated and appropriately considered by the Supervisory Board. The 
new  service  agreements  will  be  concluded  on  12  December  2017  and 
 retroactively take effect on 1 October 2017. They were the subject of 
intense discussion with the Executive Board members.

The Supervisory Board and the Executive Board will present the new 
remuneration scheme to the Annual General Meeting 2018 for approval. 
The new remuneration scheme will also be described in the invitation to 
the Annual General Meeting 2018 in detail.

Norway. It takes an experienced captain to 
 navigate a cruise liner through a fjord. Before 
deckhands can take the helm, they must 
 qualify for their mariner’s licence. TUI Cruises 
has been training assistant deck officers 
since 2017. The trainees are just starting out 
on a nautical career.

 R E A D   M O R E   A B O U T T R A I N I N G   AT T U I   C R U I S E S 
I N  T H E   M A G A Z I N E   U N D E R   ‘ S E T T I N G   CO U R S E ’ 

C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 

Consolidated Financial Statements  
and Notes

134 

 C O N S O L I D AT E D   F I N A N C I A L 

 S TAT E M E N T S
 Income statement
134 
134  Earnings per share
135  Statement of comprehensive income
136  Financial position
138  Statement of changes in Group equity
140  Cash flow statement

141  N O T E S
141 

 Principles and methods underlying the  
Consolidated Financial Statements

160  Segment reporting
166  Notes to the consolidated income statement
 Notes on the consolidated statement of 
173 
 financial position

223  Notes on the cash flow statement
224  Other notes

241  Responsibility  statement by management
242 
Independent auditor’s report
250  Forward-looking statements

134

C O N S O L I D AT E D   F I N A N C I A L 
S TAT E M E N T S

Income statement of the TUI Group for the period from 1 Oct 2016 to 30 Sep 2017 

€ million

Notes

2017

2016

Turnover
Cost of sales
Gross profit
Administrative expenses
Other income
Other expenses
Financial income
Financial expenses
Share of result of joint ventures and associates
Earnings before income taxes 
Income taxes
Result from continuing operations
Result from discontinued operations
Group profit
Group profit attributable to shareholders of TUI AG
Group profit attributable to non-controlling interest

Earnings per share

€

Basic earnings per share
from continuing operations
from discontinued operations

Diluted earnings per share
from continuing operations
from discontinued operations

(1) 
(2) 

(2) 
(3) 

(4) 
(5) 
(6) 

(7) 

(8) 

(9) 
 (10) 

Notes

(11) 

(11) 

18,535.0
16,535.5
1,999.5
1,255.8
12.5
1.9
229.3
156.2
252.3
1,079.7
168.8
910.9
– 149.5
761.4
644.8
116.6

2017

 1.10
 1.36
– 0.26

 1.10
 1.36
– 0.26

17,153.9
15,247.4
1,906.5
1,216.9
36.3
7.4
58.5
345.9
187.2
618.3
153.4
464.9
687.3
1,152.2
1,037.4
114.8

2016

 1.78
 0.61
 1.17

 1.77
 0.60
 1.17

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S

 Income statement, Earnings per share, Statement of comprehensive income

135

Statement of comprehensive income of TUI Group for the period from 1 Oct 2016 to 30 Sep 2017 

€ million

Group profit
Remeasurements of defined benefit obligations and related fund assets
Income tax related to items that will not be reclassified
Items that will not be reclassified to profit or loss
Foreign exchange differences

Foreign exchange differences outside profit or loss

  Reclassification / adjustments
Financial instruments available for sale
  Changes in the fair value
  Reclassification / adjustments
Cash flow hedges
  Changes in the fair value
  Reclassification / adjustments
Changes in the measurement of joint ventures and associates
  Changes in the measurement outside profit or loss
  Reclassification / adjustments
Income tax related to items that may be reclassified
Items that may be reclassified to profit or loss
Other comprehensive income
Total comprehensive income

attributable to shareholders of TUI AG
attributable to non-controlling interest

Allocation of share of shareholders of TUI AG of total  
comprehensive income
Continuing operations
Discontinued operations

Notes

(12) 

(12) 

2017

761.4
280.7
– 66.9
213.8
– 17.9
– 89.3
71.4
– 31.8
147.8
– 179.6
– 263.6
– 635.4
371.8
19.3
28.0
– 8.7
46.9
– 247.1
– 33.3
728.1
620.0
108.1

2016

1,152.2
– 593.3
157.9
– 435.4
52.4
32.7
19.7
31.8
31.8
–
546.1
505.7
40.4
– 32.0
– 32.0
–
– 80.9
517.4
82.0
1,234.2
1,141.8
92.4

705.7
– 85.7

404.2
737.6

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
136

Financial position of the TUI Group as at 30 Sep 2017

€ million

Notes

30 Sep 2017

30 Sep 2016

Assets
Goodwill
Other intangible assets
Property, plant and equipment
Investments in joint ventures and associates
Financial assets available for sale
Trade receivables and other assets
Touristic payments on account
Derivative financial instruments
Deferred tax assets
Non-current assets

Inventories
Financial assets available for sale
Trade receivables and other assets
Touristic payments on account
Derivative financial instruments
Income tax assets
Cash and cash equivalents
Assets held for sale
Current assets
Total assets

(13) 
(14) 
(15) 
(16) 
(17), (38) 
(18), (38) 
(19) 
(38) 
(20) 

(21) 
(17), (38) 
(18), (38) 
(19) 
(38) 
(20) 
(22), (38) 
(23) 

2,889.5
548.1
4,253.7
1,306.2
69.5
211.8
185.2
79.9
323.7
9,867.6

110.2
–
794.5
573.4
215.4
98.7
2,516.1
9.6
4,317.9
14,185.5

2,853.5
545.8
3,714.5
1,180.8
50.4
156.5
158.8
126.8
344.7
9,131.8

105.2
265.8
754.7
565.4
544.6
87.7
2,072.9
929.8
5,326.1
14,457.9

 
 
 
 
 
 
C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S

 Financial position

137

Financial position of the TUI Group as at 30 Sep 2017

€ million

Notes

30 Sep 2017

30 Sep 2016

Equity and liabilities
Subscribed capital
Capital reserves
Revenue reserves
Equity before non-controlling interest
Non-controlling interest
Equity

Pension provisions and similar obligations
Other provisions
Non-current provisions
Financial liabilities
Derivative financial instruments
Income tax liabilities
Deferred tax liabilities
Other liabilities
Non-current liabilities
Non-current provisions and liabilities

Pension provisions and similar obligations
Other provisions
Current provisions
Financial liabilities
Trade payables
Touristic advance payments received
Derivative financial instruments
Income tax liabilities
Other liabilities
Current liabilities
Liabilities related to assets held for sale
Current provisions and liabilities
Total provisions and liabilities

(24) 
(25) 
(26) 

(28) 

(29) 
(30) 

(31), (38) 
(38) 

(20) 
(32), (38) 

(29) 
(30) 

(31), (38) 
(38) 

(38) 

(32), (38) 

(33) 

1,501.6
4,195.0
– 2,756.9
2,939.7
594.0
3,533.7

1,094.7
801.4
1,896.1
1,761.2
50.4
150.2
109.0
150.2
2,221.0
4,117.1

32.7
349.9
382.6
171.9
2,653.3
2,446.4
217.2
65.3
598.0
6,152.1
–
6,534.7
14,185.5

1,500.7
4,192.2
– 3,017.8
2,675.1
573.1
3,248.2

1,410.3
803.0
2,213.3
1,503.4
27.5
22.2
62.9
160.1
1,776.1
3,989.4

40.6
374.8
415.4
537.7
2,476.9
2,301.3
249.6
196.0
571.1
6,332.6
472.3
7,220.3
14,457.9

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
138

Statement of changes in Group equity of the TUI Group for the period from 1 Oct 2016 to 30 Sep 2017

€ million

Balance as at 1 Oct 2015 
Dividends
Share-based payment schemes
Issue of employee shares
Acquisition of own shares
Deconsolidation
Effects on the acquisition of non-controlling interests
Group profit
Foreign exchange differences
Financial instruments available for sale
Cash flow hedges
Remeasurements of defined benefit obligations and related fund assets
Changes in the measurement of joint ventures and associates
Taxes attributable to other comprehensive income
Other comprehensive income
Total comprehensive income
Balance as at 30 Sep 2016 
Dividends
Share based payment schemes
Issue of employee shares
Acquisition of own shares
Disposal of own shares
Deconsolidation
Group profit
Foreign exchange differences
Financial Instruments available for sale
Cash flow hedges
Remeasurements of defined benefit obligations and related fund assets
Changes in the measurement of companies measured at equity
Taxes attributable to other comprehensive income
Other comprehensive income
Total comprehensive income
Balance as at 30 Sep 2017

Subscribed  
capital 
(24)

Capital reserves 
(25)

Other revenue 
reserves 

Foreign 
 exchange 
 differences 

 Financial 

 instruments 

 available for sale 

 hedges 

 reserve 

 interest 

Total 

Cash flow 

Revaluation 

non-controlling 

Non-controlling 

Equity before 

1,499.6
–
–
1.1
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
1,500.7
–
–
0.9
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
1,501.6

4,187.7
–
–
4.5
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
4,192.2
–
–
2.8
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
4,195.0

– 2,460.4
– 327.0
4.3
–
– 56.3
–
– 6.9
1,037.4
61.0
–
–
– 593.3
– 32.0
157.9
– 406.4
631.0
– 2,215.3
– 368.2
– 1.0
–
– 22.3
32.4
1.8
644.8
132.2
–
–
280.7
19.3
– 66.9
365.3
1,010.1
– 1,562.5

– 1,129.2
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
34.0
–
–
–
–
–
34.0
34.0
– 1,095.2
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
– 142.4
–
–
–
–
–
– 142.4
– 142.4
– 1,237.6

Revenue 

 reserves 

(26)

– 3,773.9

– 327.0

4.3

–

– 56.3

0.2

– 6.9

1,037.4

75.0

31.8

545.8

– 593.3

– 32.0

77.1

104.4

1,141.8

– 3,017.8

– 368.2

– 1.0

– 22.3

32.4

–

–

644.8

– 9.5

– 31.8

– 263.5

280.7

19.3

– 20.0

– 24.8

620.0

– 2,756.9

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

0.2

– 0.6

– 0.6

– 0.6

19.4

– 1.8

– 2.1

– 2.1

– 2.1

15.5

interest 

(28)

503.9

– 13.6

–

–

–

– 10.0

0.4

114.8

– 22.6

0.3

–

–

–

– 0.1

– 22.4

92.4

573.1

– 87.2

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

116.6

– 8.4

– 0.1

– 8.5

108.1

594.0

2,417.3

– 340.6

4.3

5.6

– 56.3

– 9.8

– 6.5

1,152.2

52.4

31.8

546.1

– 593.3

– 32.0

77.0

82.0

1,234.2

3,248.2

– 455.4

– 1.0

3.7

– 22.3

32.4

–

761.4

– 17.9

– 31.8

– 263.6

280.7

19.3

– 20.0

– 33.3

728.1

3,533.7

1,913.4

– 327.0

4.3

5.6

– 56.3

0.2

– 6.9

1,037.4

75.0

31.8

545.8

– 593.3

– 32.0

77.1

104.4

1,141.8

2,675.1

– 368.2

– 1.0

3.7

– 22.3

32.4

–

644.8

– 9.5

– 31.8

– 263.5

280.7

19.3

– 20.0

– 24.8

620.0

2,939.7

– 204.1

19.8

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

31.8

31.8

31.8

31.8

– 31.8

– 31.8

– 31.8

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

– 19.4

545.8

– 80.8

445.6

445.6

241.5

2.8

– 263.5

46.9

– 213.8

– 213.8

27.7

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S

 Statement of changes in Group equity

139

Statement of changes in Group equity of the TUI Group for the period from 1 Oct 2016 to 30 Sep 2017

€ million

Balance as at 1 Oct 2015 

Dividends

Share-based payment schemes

Issue of employee shares

Acquisition of own shares

Deconsolidation

Effects on the acquisition of non-controlling interests

Group profit

Foreign exchange differences

Financial instruments available for sale

Cash flow hedges

Remeasurements of defined benefit obligations and related fund assets

Changes in the measurement of joint ventures and associates

Taxes attributable to other comprehensive income

Other comprehensive income

Total comprehensive income

Balance as at 30 Sep 2016 

Dividends

Share based payment schemes

Issue of employee shares

Acquisition of own shares

Disposal of own shares

Deconsolidation

Group profit

Foreign exchange differences

Financial Instruments available for sale

Cash flow hedges

Subscribed  

Other revenue 

capital 

Capital reserves 

reserves 

 differences 

Foreign 

 exchange 

(24)

(25)

1,499.6

4,187.7

– 1,129.2

1.1

4.5

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

– 2,460.4

– 327.0

4.3

– 56.3

– 6.9

1,037.4

61.0

–

–

–

–

– 593.3

– 32.0

157.9

– 406.4

631.0

– 2,215.3

– 368.2

– 1.0

–

– 22.3

32.4

1.8

644.8

132.2

–

–

280.7

19.3

– 66.9

365.3

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

34.0

34.0

34.0

– 1,095.2

– 142.4

1,500.7

4,192.2

0.9

2.8

 Financial 
 instruments 
 available for sale 

Cash flow 
 hedges 

Revaluation 
 reserve 

–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
31.8
–
–
–
–
31.8
31.8
31.8
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
– 31.8
–
–
–
–
– 31.8
– 31.8
–

– 204.1
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
– 19.4
–
545.8
–
–
– 80.8
445.6
445.6
241.5
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
2.8
–
– 263.5
–
–
46.9
– 213.8
– 213.8
27.7

19.8
–
–
–
–
0.2
–
–
– 0.6
–
–
–
–
–
– 0.6
– 0.6
19.4
–
–
–
–
–
– 1.8
–
– 2.1
–
–
–
–
–
– 2.1
– 2.1
15.5

Revenue 
 reserves 
(26)

– 3,773.9
– 327.0
4.3
–
– 56.3
0.2
– 6.9
1,037.4
75.0
31.8
545.8
– 593.3
– 32.0
77.1
104.4
1,141.8
– 3,017.8
– 368.2
– 1.0
–
– 22.3
32.4
–
644.8
– 9.5
– 31.8
– 263.5
280.7
19.3
– 20.0
– 24.8
620.0
– 2,756.9

Equity before 
non-controlling 
 interest 

Non-controlling 
interest 
(28)

1,913.4
– 327.0
4.3
5.6
– 56.3
0.2
– 6.9
1,037.4
75.0
31.8
545.8
– 593.3
– 32.0
77.1
104.4
1,141.8
2,675.1
– 368.2
– 1.0
3.7
– 22.3
32.4
–
644.8
– 9.5
– 31.8
– 263.5
280.7
19.3
– 20.0
– 24.8
620.0
2,939.7

503.9
– 13.6
–
–
–
– 10.0
0.4
114.8
– 22.6
–
0.3
–
–
– 0.1
– 22.4
92.4
573.1
– 87.2
–
–
–
–
–
116.6
– 8.4
–
– 0.1
–
–
–
– 8.5
108.1
594.0

Total 

2,417.3
– 340.6
4.3
5.6
– 56.3
– 9.8
– 6.5
1,152.2
52.4
31.8
546.1
– 593.3
– 32.0
77.0
82.0
1,234.2
3,248.2
– 455.4
– 1.0
3.7
– 22.3
32.4
–
761.4
– 17.9
– 31.8
– 263.6
280.7
19.3
– 20.0
– 33.3
728.1
3,533.7

Remeasurements of defined benefit obligations and related fund assets

Changes in the measurement of companies measured at equity

Taxes attributable to other comprehensive income

Other comprehensive income

Total comprehensive income

Balance as at 30 Sep 2017

1,501.6

4,195.0

1,010.1

– 1,562.5

– 142.4

– 142.4

– 1,237.6

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
140

Cash flow statement 

€ million

Group profit
Depreciation, amortisation and impairment (+) / write-backs (–)
Other non-cash expenses (+) / income (–)
Interest expenses
Dividends from joint ventures and associates
Profit (–) / loss (+) from disposals of non-current assets
Increase (–) / decrease (+) in inventories
Increase (–) / decrease (+) in receivables and other assets
Increase (+) / decrease (–) in provisions
Increase (+) / decrease (–) in liabilities (excl. financial liabilities)
Cash inflow from operating activities
Payments received from disposals of property, plant and equipment 
and intangible assets
Payments from disposals of consolidated companies  
(less disposals of cash and cash equivalents due to divestments)
Payments received from the disposals of other non-current assets
Payments made for investments in property, plant and equipment 
and intangible assets
Payments made for investments in consolidated companies  
(less cash and cash equivalents received due to acquisitions)
Payments made for investments in other non-current assets
Cash outflow / inflow from investing activities
Payments made for acquisition of own shares
Payments received from the issuance of employee shares
Payments made for interest increase in consolidated companies
Dividend payments

TUI AG
subsidiaries to non-controlling interest

Payments received from the issue of bonds and the raising  
of financial liabilities
Payments made for redemption of loans and financial liabilities
Interest paid
Cash outflow from financing activities
Net change in cash and cash equivalents

Development of cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period
Change in cash and cash equivalents due to exchange rate 
 fluctuations
Change in cash and cash equivalents due to changes in the group of 
consolidated companies
Net change in cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period
of which included in the balance sheet as assets held for sale

Notes

2017

2016

Var.

761.4
517.8
– 239.6
141.8
118.2
– 100.7
– 18.5
169.5
– 84.6
317.8
1,583.1

79.5

– 14.3
418.7

1,152.2
578.5
– 164.6
202.3
82.2
– 802.5
– 9.5
324.7
– 234.2
– 94.4
1,034.7

115.3

876.7
12.1

– 390.8
– 60.7
– 75.0
– 60.5
+ 36.0
+ 701.8
– 9.0
– 155.2
+ 149.6
+ 412.2
+ 548.4

– 35.8

– 891.0
+ 406.6

– 1,049.0

– 697.4

– 351.6

– 66.0
– 56.6
– 687.7
– 22.3
3.7
–

– 368.2
– 88.6

329.8
– 513.4
– 74.8
– 733.8
161.6

– 10.5
– 57.2
239.0
– 56.2
2.0
– 8.0

– 327.0
– 14.1

108.8
– 275.3
– 92.3
– 662.1
611.6

– 55.5
+ 0.6
– 926.7
+ 33.9
+ 1.7
+ 8.0

– 41.2
– 74.5

+ 221.0
– 238.1
+ 17.5
– 71.7
– 450.0

2,403.6

1,682.2

+ 721.4

– 49.1

105.8

– 154.9

–
161.6
2,516.1
–

4.0
611.6
2,403.6
330.7

– 4.0
– 450.0
+ 112.5
– 330.7

(40)

(41)

(42)

(43)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
C O N S O L I D AT E D F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S

 Cash flow statement  N O T E S

 Principles and methods underlying the Consolidated Financial Statements

141

N O T E S 

Principles and methods underlying the  
Consolidated Financial Statements

General

The TUI Group with its major subsidiaries and shareholdings operates in tourism. 

TUI AG, based in Karl-Wiechert-Allee 4, Hanover is the TUI Group’s parent company and a listed corporation under German 
law. The Company is registered in the commercial registers of the district courts of Berlin-Charlottenburg (HRB 321) 
and Hanover (HRB 6580). The shares in the company are traded on the London Stock Exchange and the Hanover and 
Frankfurt Stock Exchanges.

These consolidated financial statements of TUI AG were prepared for the financial year 2017 comprising the period 
from 1 October 2016 to 30 September 2017. Where any of TUI’s subsidiaries have different financial years, financial 
statements were prepared as at 30 September in order to include these subsidiaries in TUI AG’s consolidated financial 
statements.

The Executive Board and the Supervisory Board have submitted a Declaration of Compliance with the German Corporate 
Governance Code required pursuant to section 161 of the German Stock Corporation Act (AktG) and made it permanently 
available to the general public on the Company’s website (www.tuigroup.com).

The  consolidated  financial  statements  are  prepared  in  euros.  Unless  stated  otherwise,  all  amounts  are  indicated  in 
million euros (€m).

The consolidated financial statements were approved for publication by TUI AG’s Executive Board on 11 December 2017.

Accounting principles

D E C L A R AT I O N   O F   C O M P L I A N C E
Pursuant to Regulation  EEC No. 1606/2002 of the European Parliament and Council,  TUI  AG’s consolidated financial 
statements as at 30 September 2017 were prepared in accordance with the International Financial Reporting Standards 
(IFRS) as applicable in the European Union. Moreover, the commercial-law provisions listed in section 315a (1) of the 
German Commercial Code (HGB) were also observed in preparing the consolidated financial statements. 

The accounting and measurement methods and the explanatory information and Notes to these annual financial state-
ments for financial year 2017 are generally consistent with those followed in preparing the previous consolidated financial 
statements for financial year 2016.

142

N E W LY   A P P L I E D   S TA N D A R D S
Since the beginning of the financial year 2017 the following standards amended or newly issued by the IASB became 
mandatorily applicable for the first time to TUI Group:

Newly applied standards in financial year 2017

Applicable 
from

1 Jan 2016 

Standard

IFRS 11  
Accounting for Acquisitions 
of Interests in Joint 
 Operations 

1 Jan 2016 

IAS 16 & IAS 38  
Clarification of Acceptable 
Methods of Depreciation 
and Amortisation 

IAS 16 & IAS 41 
Agriculture: Bearer Plants 

1 Jan 2016 

Various 
Improvements to  
IFRS (2012– 2014)
IAS 1 
Disclosure Initiative 

1 Jan 2016 

1 Jan 2016 

Amendments

The amendments specify how to account for the acquisition of an interest in a Joint 
Operation that constitutes a ‘business’ (as defined in IFRS 3). Accordingly, the acquirer has 
to measure identifiable assets and liabilities at fair value, recognise acquisition-related 
costs as expenses, recognise deferred tax assets and liabilities and capitalise any residual 
amounts as goodwill. Furthermore, the disclosure requirements of IFRS 3 apply. The 
amendments are to be applied prospectively.
The amendment clarifies when a method of depreciation or amortisation based on revenue 
may be appropriate. According to it, depreciation of an item of property, plant and 
equipment based on revenue generated by using the asset is not appropriate, amortisation 
based on revenue for intangible assets only in exceptional cases. The amendments are to 
be applied prospectively. 
Bearer plants that bear biological assets for more than one period without being an 
agricultural product themselves, such as grape vines or olive trees, have this far been 
measured at fair value. In future, bearer plants will be treated as property, plant and 
equipment in scope of IA S 16 and are to be measured at amortised cost. By contrast, the 
produce growing on bearer plants will continue to be measured at fair value in accordance 
with IA S 41.
The amendments from the Annual Improvements Project comprise changes to four stan-
dards: IA S 19, IA S 34, IFRS 5 and IFRS 7. The amendments introduce minor changes to the 
content as well as clarifications regarding recognition, presentation and measurement.
The amendments address the application of materiality when presenting the components 
of financial statements. The standard no longer prescribes a particular order of the notes 
so that the order of the notes may reflect the individual relevance for the company. The 
amendments clarify that immaterial disclosures are not required. This also applies if 
disclosure is required by another standard. Furthermore, the presentation of an entity’s 
share of other comprehensive income of equity-accounted associates and joint ventures in 
the statement of comprehensive income is clarified.

Impact on financial 
 statements

No material impact 

No impact 

No impact 

No material impact 

No material impact 

Going concern reporting according to the UK Corporate Governance Code

The Executive Board remains satisfied with the Group’s funding and liquidity position. At 30 September 2017, the main 
sources of debt funding included:

•  an  external  revolving  credit  facility  of  € 1,535.0 m  maturing  in  July  2022,  used  to  manage  the  seasonality  of  the 

Group’s cash flows and liquidity, 

•  2016 / 21 bonds with a nominal value of € 300.0 m, issued by TUI AG, maturing in October 2021,
•  € 1,226.5 m of finance lease obligations, and 
•  bank liabilities of € 381.3 m, primarily for loans used to acquire property, plant and equipment.

The credit facility requires compliance with certain financial covenants, which were fully complied with at the balance 
sheet date. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
N O T E S

 Principles and methods underlying the Consolidated Financial Statements 

143

In accordance with provision C1.3 of the UK Corporate Governance Code, the Executive Board confirms that it considers 
it appropriate to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements. 

Principles and methods of consolidation

P R I N C I P L E S
The  consolidated  financial  statements  include  all  significant  subsidiaries  directly  or  indirectly  controlled  by  TUI  AG. 
Control exists where TUI AG has power over the relevant activities, is exposed to variable returns or has rights to the 
returns, and has the ability to affect those variable returns through its power over the investee. 

As a rule, the control is exercised by means of a direct or indirect majority of voting rights. If the TUI Group holds less 
than the majority of voting rights in a shareholding, it may exercise control due to contractual agreements or similar 
arrangements.

In assessing control, the existence and effect of potential voting rights that are currently exercisable or convertible are 
taken into account. Consolidation of subsidiaries starts from the date TUI gains control. When TUI ceases to control the 
corresponding companies, they are removed from the group of consolidated companies.

The consolidated financial statements are prepared from the separate or single-entity financial statements of TUI AG 
and its subsidiaries, drawn up on the basis of uniform accounting, measurement and consolidation methods and usually 
audited or reviewed by auditors.

Associates for which the TUI Group is able to exert significant influence over the financial and operating policy decisions 
within these companies are accounted for using the equity method. As a rule, significant influence is assumed if TUI AG 
directly or indirectly holds voting rights of 20 to less than 50 per cent. 

Stakes in joint ventures are also measured using the equity method. A joint venture is a company managed jointly by 
the TUI Group with one or several partners based on a contractual agreement, in which the parties that jointly exercise 
control have rights to the company’s net assets. Joint ventures also include companies in which the TUI Group holds 
a majority or minority of voting rights but in which decisions about the relevant activities may only be taken on an 
unanimous basis due to contractual agreements. 

The dates as of which associates and joint ventures are included in or removed from the group of companies measured 
at equity are determined in a manner consistent with that applied to subsidiaries. At equity measurement in each case 
is based on the last annual financial statements available or the interim financial statements as at 30 September if 
the balance sheet dates differ from TUI AG’s balance sheet date. This affects 34 companies with a financial year from 
1 January to 31 December and two companies with a financial year from 1 April to 31 March of the following year.

144

G R O U P   O F   C O N S O L I D AT E D   C O M PA N I E S
In financial year 2017, the consolidated financial statements included a total of 259 subsidiaries. The table below presents 
changes in the number of companies since 1 October 2016.

Development of the group of consolidated companies* 
and the Group companies measured at equity

Balance at 30 Sep 2016
Additions

Incorporation

  Acquisition
Disposals

Liquidation

  Sale
  Merger
  Termination of business operations
Balance at 30 Sep 2017

* Excl. TUI AG

Consolidated 
subsidiaries

Associates

Joint ventures

417
9
6
3
167
21
134
7
5
259

13
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
13

27
2
–
2
1
–
–
1
–
28

TUI AG’s direct and indirect subsidiaries, associates and joint ventures are listed under Other Notes – TUI Group Share-
holdings. 

58 subsidiaries were not included in the consolidated financial statements. Even when taken together, these companies 
are of minor significance to the presentation of a true and fair view of the financial position and performance of the Group.

The effects of the changes in the group of consolidated companies in financial year 2017 on financial years 2017 and 
2016 are outlined below. While the value of companies deconsolidated in financial year 2017 posted in the statement of 
financial position is carried as per the closing date for the previous period, items in the income statement are also shown 
for financial year 2017 due to prorated effects. Developments already reported in the items Result from discontinued 
operations, Assets held for sale or Liabilities related to assets held for sale are not included in the tables below but are 
shown in the section on ‘Discontinued operations’. 

Impact of changes in the group of consolidated companies on the statement of financial position

€ million

Non-current assets
Current assets
Current other liabilities

Additions

Disposals

30 Sep 2017

30 Sep 2016

74.3
9.0
51.3

6.0
0.3
0.2

 
 
 
N O T E S

 Principles and methods underlying the Consolidated Financial Statements 

145

Impact of changes in the group of consolidated companies  
on the consolidated income statement

€ million

Turnover with third parties
Cost of sales and administrative expenses
Other income / other expenses
Share of result of joint ventures and associates
Earnings before income taxes
Income taxes
Group profit

Additions

Disposals

2017

 424.5
 427.2
 1.3
 – 1.4
 – 2.8
–
 – 2.8

2017

2016

–
–
 0.4
–
 0.4
–
 0.4

 1.5
 1.3
–
–
 0.2
–
 0.2

Acquisitions – divestments – discontinued operations

A C Q U I S I T I O N S
In financial year 2017, the trade and assets of 20 travel agencies were acquired. Further, TUI acquired 99.99 % of the 
shares in French tour operator Transat France S.A., Ivry-sur-Seine, France (Transat) on 31 October 2016. The aim of the 
acquisition is to increase market presence in France. The acquisition included the purchase of the majority stakes in 
Transat Développement SAS, Ivry-sur-Seine, France, and in Tourgreece Tourism Enterprise A.E., Athens, Greece. The 
latter was sold again by the reporting date. The consideration transferred by TUI Group for all acquisitions consists 
exclusively of cash and totals € 64.0 m for Transat and € 3.9 m for the travel agencies. 

The difference of € 74.9 m, including € 72.2 m for Transat, between the consideration transferred and the acquired, revalued 
net assets was carried as goodwill. This goodwill essentially contributes to future earnings and cost savings potential. 

Statement of financial position of Transat Group as at the date of first-time consolidation

€ million

Other intangible assets
Property, plant and equipment
Fixed assets
Trade receivables
Other assets
Cash and cash equivalents
Deferred tax liabilities
Other provisions
Other Liabilities
Equity

Fair value at date of 
first-time consolidation

19.2
8.0
27.2
18.7
14.2
17.7
6.7
5.8
73.5
– 8.2

At  the  time  of  acquisition,  the  gross  amount  of  trade  receivables  amounted  to  € 19.2 m,  the  value  adjustments  to 
€ 0.5 m. The gross amount of other assets amounted to € 17.2 m, the value adjustment to € 3.0 m. 

146

Measurement of the acquired assets and liabilities in the framework of the purchase price allocation for the acquisition 
of Transat Group was completed in financial year 2017. 

From November 2016 to September 2017, Transat generated turnover of € 422.4 m and a profit contribution of € 0.3 m. 
If Transat had already been consolidated on 1 October 2016, TUI Group’s turnover would have been € 26.1 m higher and 
the after-tax result € 1.2 m lower in the reporting period.

In the present financial statements, the purchase price allocations for the 18 travel agencies acquired in financial year 
2016 and for Aeolos Group were finalised within the twelve-month period provided under IFRS 3 without a major impact 
on the consolidated statement of financial position. 

D I V E S T M E N T S
The divestment of Specialist Group is explained in the section on Discontinued operations. The effects of further divest-
ments on TUI Group’s net assets, financial position and results of operations were not material. 

D I S C O N T I N U E D   O P E R AT I O N S
The result from discontinued operations includes subsequent expenses of € 2.0 m and income of € 6.7 m as well as in-
come taxes of € 2.5 m from discontinued operations sold in the prior year. 

In the prior year, the result from discontinued operations comprised the result of Hotelbeds Group, sold on 12 Septem-
ber 2016, and LateRooms Group, sold on 6 October 2015. 

In the prior year, TUI AG had decided to sell the Specialist Group as there was limited linkage to TUI Group’s remaining 
business and thus very little potential for integration into the Group’s strategy. In the reporting period, the Specialist Group 
only comprised the tour operators combined under the Travelopia brand, offering in particular expedition travel, luxury 
tours, sporting events, student travel and sailing trips. The language schools business was sold in financial year 2016.

The sale of Travelopia to Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P. was completed on 15 June 2017. The result from the sale 
is calculated as follows: 

Result from the sale of the Specialist Group

€ million

Purchase price

Carrying amount of net assets sold
Reclassification of fx differences
Reclassifications of hedging reserves
Costs of disposal, additional charges and guarantees
Profit on sale

2017

444.6

– 441.7
– 71.1
– 2.0
– 15.1
– 85.3

The purchase price comprises the cash received for the shares in the companies of Travelopia as well as the price for 
two loans granted to Travelopia.

The result from the discontinued operation Specialist Group generated until the date of disposal is reported separately 
from the income and expenses of continuing operations in the consolidated income statement, shown in a separate line 
as ‘Result from discontinued operations’. As the Specialist Group was already classified as discontinued operation in the 
prior year, there is no restatement of the prior year income statement.

N O T E S

 Principles and methods underlying the Consolidated Financial Statements 

147

Income statement of the discontinued operation Specialist Group

€ million

Turnover
Cost of sales
Gross profit
Administrative expenses
Other income
Other expenses
Impairment of goodwill
Financial income
Financial expenses
Earnings before income taxes from the discontinued operation Specialist Group
Income taxes
Operating result from the discontinued operation Specialist Group
Result from the sale of the discontinued operation Specialist Group
Result from the discontinued operation Specialist Group

 Result from the discontinued operation Specialist Group attributable  
to shareholders of TUI AG
 Result from the discontinued operation Specialist Group attributable to  
non-controlling  interest

2017

829.0
738.0
91.0
98.6
0.1
0.2
47.4
0.2
1.2
– 56.1
10.3
– 66.4
– 85.3
– 151.7

– 151.7

–

2016

1,371.4
1,217.1
154.3
177.0
7.0
20.7
–
0.6
1.1
– 36.9
– 2.7
– 34.2
–
– 34.2

– 34.1

– 0.1

While the prior-year reference period comprised the full financial year, the income statement for the completed financial 
year only comprises the period until 15 June 2017. The turnover generated in the prior-year reference period comprises 
the turnover from language travel until the date of disposal of these activities and the turnover generated in connection 
with the rugby and cricket world championships held last year. The carve-out of Travelopia from TUI Group’s distribution 
activities resulted in a further decrease in turnover in the financial year. The overall cost of sales declined accordingly. 
On the other hand, turnover from sailing trips in particular increased. A further improvement in the result was driven 
by the suspension of depreciation since 30 September 2016 in line with IFRS 5. 

The measurement of the discontinued operation with the agreed purchase price less costs of disposal as at 31 March 2017 
leaded to an impairment of € 47.4 m, shown in the income statement of the Specialist Group as impairment of goodwill. 

The consolidated cash flow statement shows the cash flows of the overall Group including the discontinued operations. 
The table below provides a separate presentation of the cash flows of the discontinued operation Specialist Group. 
Cash flows from intercompany relationships, in particular financing schemes, dividends, business transfers and sales of 
companies, are not taken into account. The cash outflow from investing activities includes the cash of € 423.6 m, which 
was held by the Specialist Group on disposal.

Condensed cash flow statement of the discontinued operation Specialist Group

€ million

Cash inflow from operating activities
Cash outflow from investing activities
Cash outflow from financing activities

2017

55.9
– 453.1
– 4.2

2016

42.1
– 80.6
– 3.9

 
 
148

F O R E I G N   E X C H A N G E   T R A N S L AT I O N
Transactions in foreign currencies are translated into the functional currency at the foreign exchange rates at the date 
of the transaction. Any gains and losses resulting from the execution of such transactions and the translation of monetary 
assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies at the foreign exchange rate at the date of the transaction are shown 
in the income statement, with the exception of gains and losses to be recognised in equity as qualifying cash flow hedges.

The annual financial statements of companies are prepared in the respective functional currency. The functional currency 
of a company is the currency of the primary economic environment in which the company operates. With the exception 
of a small number of companies, the functional currencies of all subsidiaries correspond to the currency of the country 
of incorporation of the respective subsidiary.

Where subsidiaries prepare their financial statements in functional currencies other than the Euro, being the Group’s 
reporting currency, the assets, liabilities and notes to the statement of financial position are translated at the rate of 
exchange applicable at the balance sheet date (closing rate). Goodwill allocated to these companies and adjustments of 
the fair value arising on the acquisition of a foreign company are treated as assets and liabilities of the foreign company 
and also translated at the rate of exchange applicable at the balance sheet date. The items of the income statement and 
hence the result for the year shown in the income statement are translated at the average rate of the month in which 
the respective transaction takes place.

Differences arising on the translation of the annual financial statements of foreign subsidiaries are reported outside 
profit and loss and separately shown as foreign exchange differences in the consolidated statement of changes in equity. 
When a foreign company or operation is sold, any foreign exchange differences previously included in equity outside 
profit and loss are recognised as a gain or loss from disposal in the income statement through profit and loss.

Translation differences relating to non-monetary items with changes in their fair values eliminated through profit and 
loss (e. g. equity instruments measured at their fair value through profit and loss) are included in the income statement. 
In contrast, translation differences for non-monetary items with changes in their fair values taken to equity (e. g. equity 
instruments classified as available for sale) are included in revenue reserves.

The TUI Group did not hold any subsidiaries operating in hyperinflationary economies in the completed financial year, 
nor in the previous year.

The translation of the financial statements of foreign companies measured at equity follows the same principles for 
adjusting carrying amounts and translating goodwill as those used for consolidated subsidiaries.

N E T   I N V E S T M E N T   I N   A   F O R E I G N   O P E R AT I O N
Monetary items receivable from or payable to a foreign operation, the settlement of which is neither planned nor likely 
in the foreseeable future, essentially constitute part of a net investment in this foreign operation. Foreign exchange 
differences from the translation of these monetary items are recognised in other comprehensive income. TUI Group has 
granted loans of this type in particular to hotel companies in Turkey and North Africa. 

N O T E S

 Principles and methods underlying the Consolidated Financial Statements 

149

Exchange rates of currencies of relevance to the TUI Group

1 € equivalent

Sterling
US dollar
Swiss franc
Swedish krona

Closing rate

Annual average rate

30 Sep 2017

30 Sep 2016

0.88
1.18
1.15
9.65

0.86
1.12
1.09
9.62

2017

0.87
1.07
1.08
9.69

2016

0.78
1.11
1.09
9.35

C O N S O L I D AT I O N   M E T H O D S
The recognition of the net assets of acquired businesses is based on the acquisition method. Accordingly all identifiable 
assets and all liabilities assumed are measured at fair value as of the acquisition date. Subsequently, the consideration 
for the stake is measured at fair value and eliminated against the acquiree’s revalued equity attributable to the acquired 
share. As in the prior year, the option to measure the non-controlling interests at their fair value (full goodwill method) 
was not used.

Any excess of acquisition costs over net assets acquired is capitalised as goodwill and recognised as an asset for the 
acquired subsidiary in accordance with IFRS 3. Any negative goodwill is recognised immediately in profit and loss and 
presented as other income.

When additional shares are purchased after obtaining control, the difference between the purchase price and the carrying 
amount of the stakes acquired is recognised directly in equity. The effects from sales of stakes not entailing a loss of 
control are also recognised directly in equity. By contrast, when control is obtained or lost, gains or losses are recognised 
in profit and loss. In the case of business combination achieved in stages (where the acquirer held an equity interest 
before he obtained control), the equity stake previously held in the acquired company is revalued at the fair value applic-
able at the acquisition date and the resulting gain or loss is recognised in profit or loss. For transactions involving a loss 
of control, the profit or loss does not only comprise the difference between the carrying amounts of the disposed stakes 
and the consideration received but also the result from the revaluation of the remaining shares. 

On loss of control of a subsidiary the gain or loss on derecognition will be calculated as the difference of the fair value 
of the consideration plus the fair value of any investment retained in the former subsidiary less the share of the book 
value of the net assets of the subsidiary. Any gains or losses previously recognised in equity from currency translations 
or the valuation of financial assets and liabilities will be reclassified to the income statement. When a subsidiary is sold, 
any goodwill allocated to the respective subsidiary is taken into account in the calculation of the profit or loss of dispos-
al. 

The Group’s associates and joint ventures are measured at equity and included at the cost to purchase as at the acquisition 
date. The Group’s stake in associates and joint ventures includes the goodwill arising from the respective acquisition. 

The Group’s share in profits and losses of associates and joint ventures is carried in the income statement as from the 
date of acquisition (Share of result from joint ventures and associates), while the Group’s share in the total other com-
prehensive income is shown in its revenue reserves. The accumulated changes arising after the acquisition are shown in 
the carrying amount of the shareholding. When the share in the loss of an associated company or joint venture equals 
or  exceeds  the  Group’s  original  stake  in  this  company,  including  other  unsecured  receivables,  no  further  losses  are 
recognised. Any losses exceeding that stake are only recognised to the extent that obligations have been assumed or 
payments have been made for the associated company or joint venture.

150

Where the accounting and measurement methods applied by associates and joint ventures differ from the uniform 
accounting rules applied in the Group, the differences are adjusted.

Intercompany receivables and payables or provisions are eliminated, as are intercompany turnover, other income and 
the  corresponding  expenses.  Intercompany  results  from  intercompany  deliveries  and  services  are  reversed  through 
profit and loss, taking account of deferred taxes. However, intercompany losses are an indicator that an asset may be 
impaired. Intercompany profits from transactions with companies measured at equity are eliminated in relation to the 
Group’s stake in the company. Intercompany profits from transactions with companies measured at equity are eliminated 
in relation to the Group’s stake in the companies unless these intercompany profits result from the usual deliveries 
effected or services rendered between Group companies. Intercompany transactions are provided at arm’s length.

Accounting and measurement methods

The consolidated financial statements were prepared according to the historical cost principle, with the exception of 
certain financial instruments such as financial assets and derivatives held for trading or available for sale as well as plan 
assets from externally funded defined-benefit obligations held at fair value at the balance sheet date. 

The  financial  statements  of  the  consolidated  subsidiaries  are  prepared  in  accordance  with  uniform  accounting  and 
measurement principles. The amounts recognised in the consolidated financial statements are not determined by tax 
regulations but solely by the commercial presentation of the financial position and performance as set out in the 
rules of the IASB.

T U R N O V E R   R E C O G N I T I O N
Turnover and other income is recognised upon delivery of the service or assets and hence upon transfer of the risk.

The commission fees received by travel agencies for package tours are recognised once the travel agencies have per-
formed their contractual obligations towards the tour operator. As a rule, this condition is met upon payment by the 
customers or, at the latest, at the date of departure. The services of tour operators mainly consist in organising and 
coordinating package tours. Turnover from the organisation of tours is therefore recognised in full when the customer 
departs. Turnover from individual travel modules booked by the customer directly with airlines, hotel companies or 
incoming agencies is recognised when the customers use the services concerned. Income from non-completed cruises is 
recognised according to the proportion of contract performance at the balance sheet date. The percentage of completion 
is determined as the ratio between travel days completed by the balance sheet date and overall travel days.

G O O D W I L L   A N D   O T H E R   I N TA N G I B L E   A S S E T S
Acquired intangible assets are carried at cost. Internally-generated intangible assets are capitalised at cost where an 
inflow of future economic benefits for the Group is probable and can be reliably measured. The cost to produce com-
prises direct costs and directly allocable overheads. Intangible assets with a finite service life are amortised over the 
expected useful life. 

Intangible assets acquired as a result of business combinations, such as customer base or trademark rights, are included 
at their fair value as at the date of acquisition and are amortised on a straight-line basis.

N O T E S

 Principles and methods underlying the Consolidated Financial Statements 

151

Useful lives of intangible assets

Brands, licences and other rights
Transport- and leasing contracts
Computer Software
Customer base as at acquisiton date

Useful lives

15 to 20 years
12 to 20 years
3 to 10 years
7 to 15 years

If there are any events or indications suggesting potential impairment, the amortised carrying amount of the intangible 
asset is compared with the recoverable amount. Any losses in value going beyond wear-and-tear depreciation are taken 
into account through the recognition of impairment charges.

Depending on the functional area of the intangible asset, amortisation and impairment charges are included under cost 
of sales or administrative expenses.

Intangible assets with indefinite useful lives are not amortised but are tested for impairment at least annually. In addition, 
impairment tests are conducted if there are any events or indications suggesting potential impairment. The TUI Group’s 
intangible assets with an indefinite useful life consist exclusively of goodwill.

Impairment tests for goodwill are conducted on the basis of cash generating units.

Impairment charges are recognised where the carrying amount of the tested units plus the allocated goodwill exceeds 
the recoverable amount. The recoverable amount is the higher of fair value less costs of disposal and the present value 
of future cash flows based on continued use (value in use). The fair value less costs of disposal corresponds to the 
amount that could be generated between knowledgeable, willing, independent business partners after deduction of the 
costs of disposal. 

Impairment of goodwill is shown separately in the consolidated income statement. 

P R O P E R T Y,   P L A N T   A N D   E Q U I P M E N T
Property, plant and equipment are measured at amortised cost. The costs to purchase include costs to bring the asset to 
a working condition. The costs to produce are determined on the basis of direct costs and directly attributable indirect 
costs and depreciation. 

Borrowing costs directly associated with the acquisition, construction or production of qualifying assets are included in 
the costs to acquire or produce these assets until the assets are ready for their intended use. 

To the extent that funds are borrowed specifically for the purpose of obtaining a qualifying asset, the underlying 
capitalisation rate is determined on the basis of the specific borrowing cost; in all other cases the weighted average of 
the borrowing costs applicable to the borrowings outstanding is applied.

 
152

Depreciation of property, plant and equipment is based on the straight-line method, based on the customary useful 
lives. The useful economic lives are as follows:

Useful lives of property, plant and equipment

Hotel buildings
Other buildings
Cruise ships
Aircraft

Fuselages and engines

  Engine overhaul
  Major overhaul
  Spare parts
Operating and business equipment

Useful lives

30 to 40 years
25 to 50 years
30 to 40 years

22 to 25 years
depending on intervals, up to 12 years
depending on intervals, up to 12 years
up to 12 years
3 to 10 years

Moreover, the level of depreciation is determined by the residual values recoverable at the end of the useful life of an 
asset. The residual value assumed in first-time recognition for cruise ships and hotel complexes is up to 35 % of the 
acquisition costs. The determination of the depreciation of aircraft fuselages and aircraft engines in first-time recognition 
is based on a residual value of a maxium of 5 % of the cost of acquisition. The payments made under a power by the 
hour arrangement relating to maintenance overhauls are capitalised as PPE under construction up to a maintenance 
event at which point the cost is transferred to the appropriate PPE category.

Both the useful lives and residual values are reviewed on an annual basis when preparing the Group financial statements. 
The review of the residual values is based on comparable assets at the end of their useful lives as at the current point 
in time. Any adjustments required are recognised as a correction of depreciation over the remaining useful life of the 
asset. The adjustment of depreciation is recognised retrospectively for the entire financial year in which the review has 
taken place. Where the review results in an increase in the residual value so that it exceeds the remaining net carrying 
amount of the asset, depreciation is suspended. In this case, the amounts are not written back.

Any losses in value going beyond wear-and-tear depreciation are taken into account through the recognition of impairment 
losses.  If  there  are  any  events  or  indications  suggesting  impairment,  the  required  impairment  test  is  performed  to 
compare the carrying amount of an asset with the recoverable amount. 

Investment grants received are shown as reductions in the costs to purchase or produce items of property, plant or 
equipment where these grants are directly allocable to individual items. Where a direct allocation of grants is not possible, 
the grants and subsidies received are included as deferred income under other liabilities and reversed in accordance 
with the use of the investment project.

L E A S E S

F I N A N C E   L E A S E S
In accordance with IAS 17, leased property, plant and equipment in which the TUI Group assumes substantially all the 
risks and rewards of ownership is capitalised. Capitalisation is based on the fair value of the asset or the present value 
of the minimum lease payments, if lower. Depreciation is charged over the useful life or the lease term, if shorter, on 
the basis of the depreciation method applicable to comparable purchased or manufactured assets. Every lease payment 
is broken down into an interest portion and a redemption portion so as to produce a constant periodic rate of interest 
on the remaining balance of the liability. The interest portion is disclosed in the income statement through profit or loss. 

 
 
N O T E S

 Principles and methods underlying the Consolidated Financial Statements 

153

F I N A N C I A L   I N S T R U M E N T S
Financial instruments are contractual rights or obligations that will lead to an inflow or outflow of financial assets or the 
issue of equity rights. They also comprise derivative rights or obligations derived from primary assets. 

In accordance with IAS 39, financial instruments are broken down into financial assets or liabilities to be measured at fair 
value through profit and loss, loans and receivables, financial assets available for sale, financial assets held to maturity 
and  other  financial  liabilities  measured  at  amortised  cost  using  the  effective  interest  method  (financial  liabilities  at 
amortised cost).

In terms of financial instruments measured at fair value through profit and loss, the TUI Group holds derivative financial 
instruments mainly to be classified as held for trading as they do not meet the criteria as hedges in the framework of a 
hedging relationship according to IAS 39. The fair value option is not exercised. In addition, the TUI Group holds financial 
assets in the loans and receivables and available for sale categories. However, the present financial statements do not 
include any financial assets held to maturity.

In financial year 2017 as well as in the prior year, no significant reclassifications were made within the individual measure-
ment categories.

P R I M A R Y   F I N A N C I A L   A S S E T S   A N D   F I N A N C I A L   L I A B I L I T I E S
Primary financial assets are recognised at the value as at the trading date on which the Group commits to buy the asset. 
Primary financial assets are classified as loans and receivables or as financial assets available for sale when recognised 
for the first time. Loans and receivables as well as financial assets available for sale are initially recognised at fair value 
plus transaction costs. 

Where objective information indicates that impairment charges are required, e. g. substantial financial difficulties of the 
counterparty, payment delays or adverse changes in regional industry conditions expected to impact the solvency of 
the Group’s borrowers in the light of past experience, impairment charges are recognised at an amount corresponding to 
the expected loss. Impairment charges and reversals of impairment charges are included under cost of sales, administrative 
expenses or financial expenses, depending on the nature of the transaction. 

Financial assets available for sale are non-derivative financial assets either individually expressly assigned to this category 
or not allocable to any other category of financial assets. Within the TUI Group, they consist of investments in affiliated, 
non-consolidated subsidiaries, trade investments and other securities. They are allocated to non-current assets unless 
management intends to sell them within twelve months of the balance sheet date. 

Financial assets available for sale are measured at their fair value upon initial recognition. Changes in the fair value are 
included directly in equity until the disposal of the assets. If there is objective evidence of impairment, an impairment 
loss  is  taken  through  profit  and  loss.  Objective  evidence  may,  in  particular,  be  substantial  financial  difficulties  of  the 
counterparty and significant changes in the technological, market, legal or economic environment. 

Moreover, for equity instruments held, a significant or prolonged decline in the fair value below its cost is also objective 
evidence of impairment. The TUI Group concludes that a significant decline exists if the fair value falls by more than 
20 % below cost. A decline is assessed as prolonged if the fair value remains below cost for more than twelve months. 
In the event of subsequent reversal of the impairment, the impairment included in profit or loss is not reversed for equity 
instruments  but  recognised  in  other  comprehensive  income.  Where  a  listed  market  price  in  an  active  market  is  not 
available for shares held in companies and other methods to determine an objective market value are not applicable, 
these equity instruments are measured at cost.

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As a matter of principle, the foreign exchange differences resulting from the translation of trade accounts payable are 
reported as a correction of the cost of sales. Foreign exchange differences from the translation of liabilities not resulting 
from normal operating processes are reported under other income / other expenses, financial expenses / income or 
administrative expenses, depending on the nature of the underlying liability.

A derecognition of assets is primarily recognised as at the date on which the rights for payments from the asset expire 
or are transferred and therefore as at the date essentially all risks and rewards of ownership are transferred. 

Primary  financial  liabilities  are  included  in  the  consolidated  statement  of  financial  position  if  an  obligation  exists  to 
transfer cash and cash equivalents or other financial assets to another party. First-time recognition of a primary liability 
is recognised at its fair value. For loans taken out, the nominal amount received is reduced by discounts obtained and 
borrowing costs paid. In the framework of follow-up measurement, primary financial liabilities are measured at amortised 
cost based on the effective interest method.

D E R I V AT I V E   F I N A N C I A L   I N S T R U M E N T S   A N D   H E D G I N G 
At initial measurement, derivative financial instruments are measured at the fair value attributable to them on the date 
the contract is entered into. Subsequent re-measurement is also recognised at the fair value applicable at the respective 
balance sheet date. Where derivative financial instruments are not part in the framework of IAS 39 of a hedge in connection 
with hedge accounting, they are classified as held for trading. 

The  method  used  to  recognise  profits  and  losses  depends  on  whether  the  derivative  financial  instrument  has  been 
classified as a hedge and on the type of underlying hedged item. Changes in the fair values of derivative financial 
instruments are recognised in profit and loss unless they are classified as a hedge in accordance with IAS 39. If they are 
classified as an effective hedge in accordance with IAS 39, the transaction is recognised as a hedge.

The TUI Group applies the hedge accounting provisions relating to hedging of balance sheet items and future cash flows. 
Depending on the nature of the underlying transaction, the Group classifies derivative financial instruments either as 
fair value hedges against exposure to changes in the fair value of assets or liabilities or as cash flow hedges against 
variability in cash flows from highly probable future transactions.

Upon conclusion of the transaction, the Group documents the hedge relationship between the hedge and the underlying 
item, the risk management goal and the underlying strategy. In addition, a record is kept of the assessment, both at the 
beginning  of  the  hedge  relationship  and  on  a  continual  basis,  as  to  whether  the  derivatives  used  for  the  hedge  are 
highly effective in compensating for the changes in the fair values or cash flows of the underlying transactions. 

Changes in the fair value of derivatives used as fair value hedges for the recognised assets or liabilities are recognised 
through profit and loss. Moreover, the carrying amounts of the underlying transactions are adjusted through profit and 
loss for the gains or losses resulting from the hedged risk.

The effective portion of changes in the fair value of derivatives forming cash flow hedges is recognised in equity. Any 
ineffective portion of such changes in the fair value, by contrast, is recognised immediately in the income statement 
through profit and loss. Amounts taken to equity are reclassified to the income statement and included as income or 
expenses in the period in which the hedged item has an effect on results.

N O T E S

 Principles and methods underlying the Consolidated Financial Statements 

155

If a hedge expires, is sold or no longer meets the criteria of IAS 39 for hedge accounting, the cumulative gain or loss 
remains in equity and is only recognised in the income statement through profit and loss when the originally hedged 
future transaction occurs. If the future transaction is no longer expected to take place, the cumulative gains or losses 
recognised directly in equity are recognised immediately through profit and loss.

I N V E N T O R I E S
The measurement method applied to similar inventory items is the weighted average cost formula.

C A S H   A N D   C A S H   E Q U I V A L E N T S
Cash and cash equivalents comprise cash, call deposits, other current highly liquid financial assets with an original term 
of a maximum of three months and current accounts. Overdrawn current accounts are shown as liabilities to banks 
under current financial liabilities.

E Q U I T Y
Ordinary shares are classified as equity. Costs directly allocable to the issue of new shares or conversion options are 
taken to equity on a net after-tax basis as a deduction from the issuance proceeds. 

O W N   S H A R E S
The group’s holdings in its own equity instruments are shown as deductions from shareholders’ equity at cost, including 
directly attributable transaction costs. No gain or loss is recognised in the income statement on the purchase or sale of 
shares. Any difference between the proceeds from sale and the original cost are taken to reserves.

P E N S I O N   P R O V I S I O N S
The pension provision recognised for defined benefit plans corresponds to the net present value of the defined benefit 
obligations (DBOs) as at the balance sheet date less the fair value of the plan assets. If the value of the plan assets 
exceeds the value of the DBO, the excess amount is shown within other assets. Measurement of such an asset is limited to 
the net present value of the value in use in the form of reimbursements from the plan or reductions in future contribution 
payments. The DBOs are calculated annually by independent actuaries using the projected unit credit method. 

For defined contribution plans, the Group pays contributions to public or private pension insurance plans on the basis 
of a statutory or contractual obligation or on a voluntary basis. The Group does not have any further payment obligations 
on top of the payment of the contributions. The contributions are recognised under staff costs when they fall due.

O T H E R   P R O V I S I O N S
Other provisions are formed when the Group has a current legal or constructive obligation as a result of a past event, 
where in addition it is probable that assets will be impacted by the settlement of the obligation and the level of the 
provision can be reliably determined. 

Where a large number of similar obligations exist, the probability of a charge over assets is determined on the basis of 
this group of obligations. A provision is also recognised if the probability of a charge over assets is low in relation to an 
individual obligation contained in this group. 

Provisions are measured at the present value of the expected expenses, taking account of a pre-tax interest rate, reflecting 
current market assessments of the time value of money and the risks specific to the liability. Risks already taken into 
account in estimating future cash flows do not affect the discount rate. Increases in provisions due to accretion of interest 
are recognised as interest expenses through profit or loss. 

D E F E R R E D   TA X E S
Expected tax savings from the use of tax losses carried forward assessed as recoverable in the future are recognised as 
deferred tax assets. Regardless of the unlimited ability to carry German tax losses forward which continues to exist, the 
annual utilisation is limited by the minimum taxation. Foreign tax losses carried forward frequently have to be used 
within a given country-specific time limit and are subject to restrictions concerning the use of these losses carried forward 
for profits on ordinary activities, which are taken into account accordingly in the measurement.

156

Income tax is directly charged or credited to equity if the tax relates to items directly credited or charged to equity in 
the same period or some other period. 

Deferred tax assets are recognised to the extent that it is probable that future taxable profits will be available against 
which the temporary difference or an unused tax loss can be utilised.

Deferred taxes are measured at the tax rates and tax provisions applicable at the balance sheet date or adopted by law 
and expected to be applicable at the date of recognition of the deferred tax asset or the payment of the deferred tax 
liability.

C U R R E N T   I N C O M E   TA X E S
Deferred and current income tax liabilities are offset against the corresponding tax assets if they exist in the same fiscal 
territory and have the same nature and maturity.

S H A R E - B A S E D   PAY M E N T S
All share-based payment schemes in the Group are cash-settled or equity-settled. 

For cash-settled transactions, the resulting liability for the Group is charged to expenses at its fair value as at the date 
of  the  performance  of  the  service  by  the  beneficiary.  Until  settlement  of  the  liability,  the  fair  value  of  the  liability  is 
re-measured at every closing date and all changes in the fair value are recognised through profit and loss.

For equity-settled transactions the fair value of the awards granted is recognised under staff costs with a corresponding 
direct increase in equity. The fair value is determined at the point when the awards are granted and spread over the 
vesting period during which the employees become entitled to the awards. The method for the calculation of the granted 
awards is described in Note 37.

N O T E S

 Principles and methods underlying the Consolidated Financial Statements 

157

S U M M A R Y   O F   S E L E C T E D   A C C O U N T I N G   A N D   M E A S U R E M E N T   M E T H O D S 
The table below lists the key accounting and measurement methods used by the TUI Group.

Summary of selected measurement bases

Item in the statement of financial position

Measurement base 

Assets
Goodwill
Other intangible assets with definite useful lives
Property, plant & equipment
Joint ventures an associates 

Financial assets

Loans and receivables

  Held to maturity
  Held for trading / Derivatives
  Available for sale 

Inventory
Trade and other receivables
Cash and cash equivalents
Assets held for sale

Liabilities and Provisions
Loans and borrowings
Provision for pensions
Other provisions
Financial liabilities
  Non-derivative financial liabilities
  Derivative financial liabilities
Payables, trade and other liabilities

At cost (subsequent measurement: impairment test)
At amortised cost
At amortised cost
At the Group's share of the net assets of the joint ventures and  
associates

At amortised cost 
Not applicable
At fair value
Fair value (with gains or losses recognised within other comprehensive 
income) or at cost
Lower of cost and net realisable value 
At amortised cost
At cost
Lower of cost and fair value less cost of disposal

At amortised cost
Projected unit credit method
Present value of the settlement amount

At amortised cost
At fair value
At amortised cost

Key estimates and judgements

The presentation of the assets, liabilities, provisions and contingent liabilities shown in the consolidated financial 
statements is based on estimates and judgements. Any uncertainties are appropriately taken into account in determining 
the values. 

All estimates and judgements are based on the conditions and assessments as at the balance sheet date. In evaluating the 
future development of business, reasonable assumptions were made regarding the expected future economic environment 
in the business areas and regions in which the Group operates. 

Estimates and judgements that may have a material impact on the amounts reported as assets and liabilities in the TUI 
Group are mainly related to the following balance sheet-related facts and circumstances: 

•  Establishment of assumptions for impairment tests, in particular for goodwill,
•  Determination of the fair values for acquisitions of companies and determination of the useful lives of acquired 

intangible assets,

•  Determination of useful lives and residual carrying amounts of property, plant and equipment,
•  Determination of actuarial assumptions to measure pension obligations, 
•  Recognition and measurement of other provisions, 
•  Recoverability of future tax savings from tax losses carried forward and tax-deductible temporary differences

 
 
 
 
 
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•  Measurement of tax risks
•  Recoverable amounts of touristic prepayments.

Despite careful preparation of the estimates, actual results may differ from the estimate. In such cases, the assumptions 
and the carrying amounts of the assets and liabilities concerned, if necessary, are adjusted accordingly. As a matter of 
principle, changes in estimates are taken into account in the financial year in which the changes have occurred and in 
future periods.

G O O D W I L L
The goodwill reported as at 30 September 2017 has a carrying amount of € 2,889.5 m (previous year € 2,853.5 m). The 
determination  of  the  recoverable  amount  of  a  Cash  Generating  Unit  (CGU)  for  the  annual  impairment  test  requires 
estimates and judgement with regard to the methodology used and the assumptions, which may have a considerable 
effect on the recoverable amount and the level of a potential impairment. They relate, in particular, to the weighted 
average cost of capital (WACC) after income taxes, used as the discounting basis, the growth rate in perpetuity and the 
forecasts for future cash flows including the underlying budget assumptions based on corporate planning. Changes in 
these assumptions may have a substantial impact on the recoverable amount and the level of a potential impairment.

A C Q U I S I T I O N   O F   C O M PA N I E S   A N D   I N TA N G I B L E   A S S E T S 
In accounting for business combinations, the identifiable assets, liabilities and contingent liabilities acquired have to be 
measured at their fair values. In this context, cash flow-based methods are regularly used. Depending on the assumptions 
underlying such methods, different results may be produced. In particular, some judgement is required in estimating the 
economic useful lives of intangible assets and determining the fair values of contingent liabilities. 

Detailed  information  on  acquisitions  of  companies  or  useful  lives  of  intangible  assets  is  provided  in  the  section 
‘Acquisitions – divestments – discontinued operation’ in the note on ‘Principles and methods of consolidation’ and in 
the section on ‘Goodwill and other intangible assets’ of the note ‘Accounting and measurement methods’.

P R O P E R T Y,   P L A N T   A N D   E Q U I P M E N T
The measurement of wear-and-tear to property, plant and equipment items entails estimates. The carrying amount of 
property, plant and equipment as at 30 September 2017 totals € 4,253.7 m (previous year € 3,714.5 m). In order to review 
the amounts carried, an evaluation is carried out on a regular basis to assess whether there are any indications of a 
potential impairment. These indications relate to a number of areas and factors, e. g. the market-related or technical 
environment  but  also  physical  condition.  If  any  such  indication  exists,  management  must  estimate  the  recoverable 
amount on the basis of expected cash flows and appropriate interest rates. Further, essential estimates and judgements 
include the definition of economic useful lives and the residual values of items of property, plant and equipment which 
may be recovered. 

More detailed information on the useful lives and residual values of property, plant and equipment items is provided in 
the section ‘Property, plant and equipment’ in the note ‘Accounting and measurement methods’.

P E N S I O N   P R O V I S I O N S
As at 30 September 2017, the carrying amount of provisions for pensions and similar obligations totals € 1,127.4 m 
(previous year € 1,450.9 m). For those pension plans where the plan assets exceed the obligation, other assets amounting 
to € 57.0 m are shown as at 30 September 2017 (prior year € 36.2 m). 

N O T E S

 Principles and methods underlying the Consolidated Financial Statements 

159

In order to determine the obligations under defined benefit pension schemes, actuarial calculations are used which rely 
on underlying assumptions concerning life expectancy and the discount rate. 

At the balance sheet date, the fair value of the plan assets totals € 2,631.3 m (previous year € 2,740.0 m). As assets 
classified as plan assets are never available for short-term sale, the fair values of these plan assets may change signifi-
cantly up to the realisation date. 

Detailed information on actuarial assumptions is provided under Note 29.

O T H E R   P R O V I S I O N S
As at 30 September 2017, other provisions of € 1,151.3 m (previous year € 1,177.8 m) are reported. When recognising and 
measuring provisions, assumptions are required about probability of occurrence, maturity and level of risk. 

Determining whether a current obligation exists is usually based on review by internal or external experts. The amount 
of provision is based on expected expenses, and is either calculated by assessing the specific case in the light of empirical 
values, outcomes from comparable circumstances, or else estimated by experts. Due to the uncertainties associated 
with assessment, actual expenses may deviate from estimates so that unexpected charges may result.

More detailed information on other provisions is provided in the Notes to the statement of financial position in Note 30.

D E F E R R E D   TA X   A S S E T S
As at 30 September 2017, deferred tax assets totalling € 323.7 m (previous year € 344.7 m) were recognised. Prior to 
offsetting against deferred tax liabilities, deferred tax assets total € 646.5 m, included an amount of € 198.1 m (previous 
year € 211.5 m) for recognised losses carried forward. The assessment of the recoverability of deferred tax assets is based 
on the ability of the respective Group company to generate sufficient taxable income. TUI therefore assesses at every 
balance sheet date whether the recoverability of expected future tax savings is sufficiently probable in order to recognise 
deferred tax assets. The assessment is based on various factors including internal forecasts regarding the future tax 
asset situation of the Group company. If the assessment of the recoverability of future deferred tax assets changes, 
impairment charges may be recognised, if necessary, on the deferred tax assets. 

More detailed information on deferred tax assets is available in the Notes to the statement of financial position in Note 20.

I N C O M E   TA X E S
The Group is liable to pay income taxes in various countries. Key estimates are required when determining income tax 
liabilities, including the probability, the timing and the size of any amounts that may become payable. For certain trans-
actions and calculations the final tax charge cannot be determined during the ordinary course of business. After taking 
appropriate external advice, the Group makes provisions or discloses contingencies for uncertain tax positions based on 
the probable or possible level of additional taxes that might be incurred. The level of obligations for expected tax audits 
is based on an estimation of whether and to what extent additional income taxes will be due. Judgements are corrected, 
if necessary, in the period in which the final tax charge is determined.

R E C O V E R A B L E   A M O U N T S   O F   T O U R I S T I C   P R E PAY M E N T S
At 30 September 2017, the carrying amount of touristic prepayments totals € 758.6 m (previous year € 724.2 m). The 
assessment of the recoverable amounts of touristic prepayments made to hoteliers requires judgement about the volume 
of future trading with hoteliers and the credit worthiness of those hoteliers. To assess the recoverability of touristic 
prepayments, TUI considers the financial strength of those hoteliers, the quality of the hotels as well as the demand for 
each hotel and the relevant destination during the past and in coming seasons.

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C H A N G E S   I N   E S T I M AT E S
Until the end of financial year 2016, new aircraft and engines were depreciated to a projected residual value in line with 
market terms over a period of up to 18 years.

In the framework of an adjusted fleet strategy, the expected useful lives of aircraft and engines used by TUI Group have 
changed. Aircraft and engines will therefore be depreciated over a period of up to 25 years to a residual value of a 
maximum of 5 per cent, depending on the aircraft type, with effect from 1 October 2016. 

In line with IAS 8, the adjustment of the useful lives and associated residual values was carried out on a prospective 
basis as the revision of an accounting estimate. Retroactive changes of prior reporting periods were therefore not 
recognised. 

Due to the revision of the accounting estimate relating to useful lives, scheduled depreciation declined by € 20.3 m in 
financial year 2017. In line with the Group’s plans, the adjustments of useful lives and residual values will result in a 
decline in depreciation of around € 25 m in the next three financial years. 

Segment reporting

Notes on the segments

The identification of operating segments is based on the internal organisational and reporting structure primarily built 
around the different products and services as well as a geographical structure within the TUI Group. Allocation of individual 
organisational entities to operating segments is exclusively based on economic criteria, irrespective of the participation 
structure under company law. The segments are independently managed by those in charge, who regularly receive 
separate financial information for each segment. They regularly report to the Group Executive Committee, which consists 
of six Executive Board members and six other executives. The legally binding decision regarding the use of resources is 
taken by the Executive Board. The TUI Group Executive Board has therefore been identified as the Chief Operating 
Decision Maker (CODM) in accordance with IFRS 8.

The Northern Region segment comprises the tour operators and airlines in the UK, Ireland and the Nordic countries and 
the stake in the tour operation business of the Canadian company Sunwing as well as the joint venture TUI Russia. This 
segment also includes the tour operators Crystal Ski and TUI Lakes & Mountains, formerly Thomson Lakes & Mountains, 
which play a major role in securing the load factor for our aircraft fleet in the UK, especially in winter. The hotel operator 
Blue Diamond Hotels & Resorts Inc., St Michael, Barbados, which had also been carried under this segment in the prior 
year, was integrated into the Hotels & Resorts segment in the reporting period and is now carried under that segment. 
Moreover, the UK cruise business Marella Cruises, formerly Thomson Cruises, was transferred from the Northern Region 
segment  to  the  Cruises  segment  in  financial  year  2017.  The  prior  year’s  numbers  have  been  restated  to  reflect  the 
changes in the segments. 

The Central Region segment comprises the tour operators and airlines in Germany and tour operators in Austria, 
Poland and Switzerland.

The Western Region segment comprises the tour operators and airlines in Belgium and the Netherlands and tour operators 
in France. 

N O T E S

 Principles and methods underlying the Consolidated Financial Statements, Segment reporting

161

The Hotels & Resorts segment comprises all Group-owned hotels and hotel shareholdings of TUI Group. 

The Cruises segment consists of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises and the joint venture TUI Cruises as well as the British cruise 
business Marella Cruises. 

The Other Tourism segment comprises the French scheduled airline Corsair, the incoming agencies and, in particular, 
central tourism functions such as the TUI Group’s aviation management and information technology.

Apart from the above segments forming the Tourism business, the recognised items also include ‘All other segments’. 
This segment comprises the business operations for new markets and in particular the central corporate functions and 
interim holdings of TUI Group and the Group’s real estate companies. 

In the financial year 2017, discontinued operations include the turnover and profit contributions of Specialist Group 
until it was sold on 15 June 2017. In the prior year, this item had also included Hotelbeds Group and LateRooms Group. 
For more detailed explanations of discontinued operations, we refer to the section Discontinued operations in the note 
‘Acquisitions – Divestments – Discontinued Operations’.

Notes to the segment data

The selection of segment data presented is based on the regular internal reporting of segmented financial indicators 
to  the  Executive  Board.  Segment  reporting  discloses  in  particular  the  performance  indicators  EBITA  and  underlying 
EBITA, since these indicators are used for value-oriented corporate management and thus represent the consolidated 
performance indicator within the meaning of IFRS 8. 

The  TUI  Group  defines  EBITA  as  earnings  before  interest,  income  taxes  and  goodwill  impairment.  EBITA  includes 
amortisation  of  other  intangible  assets.  EBITA  does  not  include  measurement  effects  from  interest  hedges  and  the 
proportionate result and measurement effects from container shipping, as the stake in Hapag-Lloyd AG, held until its 
sale on 10 July 2017, is a financial investment and not an operative stake from TUI AG’s perspective. 

In contrast to EBITA, the underlying EBITA has been adjusted for gains on disposal of financial investments, expenses in 
connection with restructuring measures according to IAS 37, all effects of purchase price allocations, ancillary acquisition 
cost  and  conditional  purchase  price  payments  and  other  expenses  for  and  income  from  one-off  items.  The  one-off 
items carried as adjustments are income and expense items impacting or distorting the assessment of the operating 
profitability of the segments and the Group due to their level and frequency. These one-off items include major restruc-
turing and integration expenses not meeting the criteria of IAS 37, major expenses for litigation, profit and loss from the 
sale of aircraft and other material business transactions of a one-off nature. 

Alongside this indicator, segment reporting is extended to include EBITDA and EBITDAR. In the TUI Group EBITDA is 
defined as earnings before interest, income taxes, goodwill impairment and amortisation and write-ups of other intangible 
assets, depreciation and write-ups of property, plant and equipment, investments and current assets. The amounts of 
amortisation and depreciation represent the net balance including write-backs. For the reconciliation from EBITDA to 
the indicator EBITDAR, long-term leasing and rental expenses are eliminated. 

Internal and external turnover, depreciation and amortisation, impairment on other intangible assets (excluding goodwill), 
property, plant and equipment and investments as well as the share of result of joint ventures and associates are likewise 
shown  for  each  segment,  as  these  amounts  are  included  when  measuring  EBITA.  As  a  rule,  inter-segment  business 
transactions are based on the arm’s length principle, as applied in transactions with third parties. No single external 
customer accounts for 10 % or more of turnover.

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Assets and liabilities per segment are not included in the reporting to the Executive Board and are therefore not shown 
in segment reporting. The only asset-related segmental indicator reported to the Executive Board is capital expenditure, 
which therefore is also disclosed in the segment reporting. The amounts shown represent cash capital expenditure on 
intangible assets and property, plant and equipment in line with the indicator reported internally. Financing transactions 
such as financing loans and finance lease agreements are not included in this indicator. Therefore the amount of the 
capital expenditure does not coincide with the additions to intangible assets and property, plant and equipment in the 
fixed assets and intangible assets movements. A reconciliation of the investments is presented in a separate table. 

Depreciation, amortisation, impairment and write-backs relate to non-current and current assets that are split geo-
graphically and do not include goodwill impairment.

The non-current assets, which are split geographically, contain other intangible assets, property, plant and equipment 
and other non-current assets that do not meet the definition of financial instruments.

Segment indicators

Turnover by segment

€ million

  Hotels & Resorts
  Cruises
  Northern Region
  Central Region
  Western Region
  Other Tourism
  Consolidation
Tourism
  All other segments
Consolidation
Continuing operations
Discontinued operations
Total

External 

Group 

679.0
815.0
6,601.5
6,039.5
3,502.2
677.0
–
18,314.2
220.8
–
18,535.0
829.0
19,364.0

687.2
0.1
35.2
22.8
35.6
314.4
– 1,049.7
45.6
55.0
– 100.6
0.0
–
0.0

2017

Total 

1,366.2
815.1
6,636.7
6,062.3
3,537.8
991.4
– 1,049.7
18,359.8
275.8
– 100.6
18,535.0
829.0
19,364.0

External 
restated

Group 
restated

618.6
703.1
6,564.4
5,562.9
2,869.9
669.3
–
16,988.2
165.7
–
17,153.9
2,321.6
19,475.5

659.8
0.4
50.5
43.1
18.9
292.8
– 995.8
69.7
44.1
– 113.8
–
108.9
108.9

2016

Total 
restated

1,278.4
703.5
6,614.9
5,606.0
2,888.8
962.1
– 995.8
17,057.9
209.8
– 113.8
17,153.9
2,430.5
19,584.4

N O T E S

 Segment reporting

163

EBITA and underlying EBITA by segment

€ million

  Hotels & Resorts
  Cruises
  Northern Region
  Central Region
  Western Region
  Other Tourism
Tourism
  All other segments
Continuing operations
Discontinued operations
Total

EBITA

2016 
restated 

301.5
190.9
362.7
64.0
72.1
– 2.9
988.3
– 90.2
898.1
14.7
912.8

2017 

353.7
255.6
309.6
67.3
79.4
15.7
1,081.3
– 54.8
1,026.5
– 22.1
1,004.4

Underlying EBITA

2017 

2016  
restated

356.5
255.6
345.8
71.5
109.2
13.4
1,152.0
– 49.9
1,102.1
– 1.2
1,100.9

303.8
190.9
383.1
85.1
86.1
7.9
1,056.9
– 56.4
1,000.5
92.9
1,093.4

In order to enhance comparability, EBITA from the discontinued operations does not include the result from the sale of 
Hotelbeds Group in financial year 2016 or the sale of the Specialist Group in the completed financial year. 

Reconciliation to earnings before income taxes of the continuing  
operations of the TUI Group

€ million

Underlying EBITA of continuing operations
Result on disposal*
Restructuring expense*
Expense from purchase price allocation*
Expense from other one-off items*
EBITA of continuing operations
Profit on sale of financial investment in Container Shipping
Loss on measurement of financial investment in Container Shipping
Net interest expense and expense from measurement of interest hedges
Earnings before income taxes of continuing operations

* For a description of the adjustments please refer to the management report page 58

2017

1,102.1
2.2
– 23.1
– 29.2
– 25.5
1,026.5
172.4
–
– 119.2
1,079.7

2016

1,000.5
– 0.8
– 12.0
– 41.9
– 47.7
898.1
–
– 100.3
– 179.5
618.3

164

EBITDA and EBITDAR by segment

€ million

  Hotels & Resorts
  Cruises
  Northern Region
  Central Region
  Western Region
  Other Tourism
  Consolidation
Tourism
  All other segments
Consolidation
Continuing operations
Discontinued operations
Total

Other segmental information

€ million

  Hotels & Resorts
  Cruises
  Northern Region
  Central Region
  Western Region
  Other Tourism
Tourism
  All other segments
Continuing operations
Discontinued operations
Total

Long-term leasing and rental 
expenses

EBITDA

EBITDAR

2017 

2016 
restated

2017 

2016  
restated

2017 

2016  
restated

484.5
312.9
378.6
87.6
102.0
102.3
–
1,467.9
23.0
–
1,490.9
– 22.1
1,468.8

396.5
236.8
430.3
86.3
97.9
58.2
–
1,306.0
– 0.9
–
1,305.1
85.6
1,390.7

117.4
57.0
332.3
145.8
175.2
37.5
– 5.0
860.2
377.1
– 487.3
750.0
38.8
788.8

110.1
39.8
338.3
147.8
153.5
40.3
– 7.5
822.3
376.8
– 454.7
744.4
65.1
809.5

601.9
369.9
710.9
233.4
277.2
139.8
– 5.0
2,328.1
400.1
– 487.3
2,240.9
16.7
2,257.6

506.6
276.6
768.6
234.1
251.4
98.5
– 7.5
2,128.3
375.9
– 454.7
2,049.5
150.7
2,200.2

Amortisation (+), depreciati-
on (+), impairment (+) and 
write-backs (–) of other 
 intangible assets, property, 
plant and equipment, inves-
tments and current assets

Thereof impairment (+)  
of intangible assets  
and property, plant  
and equipment

Thereof amortisation /   
depreciation of intangible 
assets and property, 
 plantand equipment

2017 

2016 
restated

2017 

2016 
restated

2017 

2016 
restated

130.8
57.3
69.0
20.3
22.6
86.6
386.6
77.8
464.4
–
464.4

95.0
45.9
67.6
22.3
25.8
61.1
317.7
89.3
407.0
70.9
477.9

36.4
–
11.2
0.3
–
25.2
73.1
–
73.1
–
73.1

2.3
–
–
–
6.4
7.8
16.5
0.8
17.3
16.4
33.7

98.5
57.3
64.5
21.7
22.2
61.4
325.6
77.4
403.0
–
403.0

93.1
45.9
68.7
22.2
19.2
53.3
302.4
88.3
390.7
54.0
444.7

N O T E S

 Segment reporting

165

Other segmental information

€ million

  Hotels & Resorts
  Cruises
  Northern Region
  Central Region
  Western Region
  Other Tourism
Tourism
  All other segments
Continuing operations
Discontinued operations
Total

Share of result of joint 
 ventures and associates

Capital expenditure

2017 

2016 
restated

2017 

2016 
restated

91.2
135.9
13.2
3.7
0.4
7.9
252.3
–
252.3
–
252.3

74.1
100.1
6.0
3.1
0.6
3.3
187.2
–
187.2
0.3
187.5

223.0
281.4
58.5
22.3
31.0
115.2
731.4
41.2
772.6
28.6
801.2

262.3
45.6
51.5
20.6
21.6
101.0
502.6
20.8
523.4
82.2
605.6

2016

605.6
315.5
91.8
– 20.6
–
992.3

Reconciliation of capital expenditure

€ million

Capital expenditure
Finance leases
Advance payments
Additions to discontinued operations
Other non-cash changes
Additions to other intangible assets and property, plant and equipment

2017

801.2
136.0
247.8
– 28.6
3.5
1,159.9

Key figures by region

€ million

Germany
Great Britain
Spain
Other Europe
North and South America
Rest of the world
Total

External turnover by 
 customer location

2017

2016

5,513.8
5,983.6
147.2
6,861.0
591.1
267.3
19,364.0

5,125.4
6,356.6
232.3
6,276.1
1,038.6
477.2
19,506.2

Thereof external  
turnover from  
discontinued  operations

Non-current assets

Thereof non-current  
assets from  
discontinued  operations

2017

9.0
316.0
0.9
62.2
372.3
68.6
829.0

2016

2017

2016

2017

87.2
641.8
112.6
342.8
835.8
301.4
2,321.6

720.9
2,340.3
479.7
522.4
449.9
490.2
5,003.4

615.2
2,000.3
470.0
456.3
401.5
488.3
4,431.6

–
–
–
–
–
–
–

2016

0.3
178.0
–
55.7
71.5
48.2
353.7

166

Notes to the consolidated income statement

TUI Group’s financial position showed considerable growth in financial year 2017. The growth was primarily driven by 
the continued sound business performance of Northern Region, Hotels & Resorts and Cruises. However, Group profit 
declined year-on-year as losses from the sale of Travelopia Group had to be carried in the completed financial year, 
while high profits on disposal from the sale of Hotelbeds Group were recognised last year. 

(1) Turnover

Group turnover is mainly generated from tourism services. A breakdown of turnover by segment and region is shown 
under segment reporting. 

(2) Cost of sales and administrative expenses

Cost of sales relates to the expenses incurred in the provision of tourism services. In addition to the expenses for personnel, 
depreciation, amortisation, rental and leasing, it includes in particular all costs incurred by the Group in connection with 
the procurement and delivery of airline services, hotel accommodation, cruises and distribution costs.

Administrative expenses comprise all expenses incurred in connection with activities by the administrative functions 
and break down as follows:

Administrative expenses

€ million

Staff cost
Rental and leasing expenses
Depreciation, amortisation and impairment
Others
Total

2017

710.9
62.5
92.6
389.8
1,255.8

2016

697.6
60.5
64.3
394.5
1,216.9

The cost of sales and administrative expenses include the following expenses for personnel, depreciation / amortisation, 
rent and leasing:

Staff costs

€ million

Wages and salaries
Social security contributions
Pension costs
Total

2017

1,896.4
298.9
161.7
2,357.0

2016

1,846.7
286.3
139.0
2,272.0

Pension costs include service cost for defined benefit obligations and contributions to defined contribution pension 
schemes. 

N O T E S

 Notes to the consolidated income statement

167

The year-on-year increase in staff costs in financial year 2017 mainly results from salary increases and a higher number 
of employees in operating areas. It also reflects restructuring expenses incurred in connection with the acquisition of 
the French tour operator Transat.

The average annual headcount (excluding trainees) evolved as follows:

Average annual headcount in the financial year (excl. trainees)

  Hotels & Resorts
  Cruises
  Northern Region
  Central Region
  Western Region
  Other Tourism
Tourism
  All other segments
TUI Group
  Discontinued operations
Total

2017 

21,987
312
14,166
10,175
6,119
5,742
58,501
1,760
60,261
1,741
62,002

2016 
restated

20,877
290
14,474
10,281
5,370
5,340
56,632
1,598
58,230
10,410
68,640

The average annual headcount was in contrast to the prior year calculated this year on a quarterly headcount basis.

Depreciation / amortisation / impairment

€ million

Depreciation and amortisation of other intangible assets and property, plant and equipment
Impairment of other intangible assets and property, plant and equipment
Total

2017

403.0
73.1
476.1

2016

390.7
17.3
408.0

The increase in depreciation and amortisation is driven by the acquisition of a cruise ship in the prior year and investments 
in hotels and software. The additional depreciation resulting from the acquisition of aircraft was offset by adjustments 
to the useful lives of aircraft in the completed financial year. 

Impairment charges related to hotels, especially due to damage by hurricanes in the Caribbean, impairment of software 
and other property, plant and equipment of Tenuta di Castelfalfi S.p.A. 

In the prior year, impairment charges on property, plant and equipment mainly related to impairment of brands and 
software. 

Rental and leasing expenses

€ million

Rental and leasing expenses

2017

838.5

2016

817.0

Where rental and leasing expenses for operating leases are directly related to revenue-generating activities, these expenses 
are shown within cost of sales. However, where rental and leasing expenses are incurred in respect of administrative 
buildings, they are shown under administrative expenses. 

 
168

(3) Other income

In financial year 2017, other income results from the sale of two subsidiaries and an investment. Income was also 
generated from the sale of commercial real estate owned by Preussag Immobilien GmbH, Salzgitter, the sale of aircraft 
spare parts not required, and the sale of vehicles owned by incoming agencies. 

Other income recognised in the prior year mainly resulted from the sale of a Riu Group hotel, from the sale of a joint 
venture and from the sale of the cruise ship Island Escape. Income was also generated from the sale of plots of commercial 
real estate owned by Preussag Immobilien GmbH, Salzgitter, and from the sale of vehicles owned by incoming agencies. 

(4) Financial income

Financial income

€ million

Bank interest income
Other interest and similar income
Income from the measurement of hedges
Interest income
Income from investments
Income from the measurement of other financial instruments
Foreign exchange gains on financial instruments
Total

2017

11.0
8.5
2.2
21.7
175.9
30.6
1.1
229.3

2016

7.9
11.6
1.0
20.5
2.4
4.1
31.5
58.5

The increase in financial income by € 170.8 m to € 229.3 m is mainly due to the disposal of the remaining stake in 
Hapag-Lloyd AG. Details regarding that transaction are presented under Note 17. 

(5) Financial expenses

Financial expenses

€ million

Bank interest payable on loans and overdrafts
Finance lease charges
Net interest expenses from defined benefit pension plans
Unwinding of discount on provisions
Other interest and similar expenses
Expenses relating to the measurement of hedges
Interest expenses
Expenses relating to the measurement of the investment in Hapag-Lloyd AG
Expenses relating to the measurement of other financial instruments
Foreign exchange losses on financial instruments
Total

2017

10.2
46.2
15.7
3.7
57.2
7.9
140.9
–
5.0
10.3
156.2

2016

14.5
36.2
27.6
6.7
102.5
12.5
200.0
100.3
4.0
41.6
345.9

N O T E S

 Notes to the consolidated income statement

169

The decline in financial expenses in financial year 2017 mainly results from the impairment of the investment in 
Hapag-Lloyd AG amounting to € 100.3 m in the previous year. This impairment resulted from the fair value measurement 
of the investment over the course of the year at the closing price of the Hapag-Lloyd share as of March 31, 2016 on the 
principal market Xetra of € 16.10 per share (Level 1 valuation). The subsequent increase in the fair value due to the increase 
in the price of the Hapag-Lloyd share was recognized directly in equity in accordance with IAS 39 until the shares were 
sold. For more detailed information, we refer to the comments in Note 17 ‘Financial assets available for sale’. 

Other interest and similar expenses declined by € 45.3 m to € 57.2 m, primarily from the refinancing of the bonds issued 
in 2014 and lower utilisation of non-current credit facilities. For more detailed information, we refer to Note 31. 

In addition, expenses on financial instruments due to changes in foreign exchange rates fell by € 31.3 m to € 10.3 m.

(6) Share of result of joint ventures and associates

The share of result of joint ventures and associates of € 252.3 m (previous year € 187.2 m) comprises the net profit for 
the year attributable to the associated companies and joint ventures. 

For the development of the results of the material associates and joint ventures please refer to Note 16 ‘Investments in 
joint ventures and associates’.

(7) Income taxes

As in the prior year, the German TUI Group companies have to pay trade tax of 15.7 % and corporation tax of 15.0 % 
plus a 5.5 % solidarity surcharge on corporation tax. 

The calculation of foreign income taxes is based on the laws and provisions applicable in the individual countries. The 
income tax rates applied to foreign companies vary from 0.0 % to 39.0 %. 

Breakdown of income taxes

€ million

Current tax expense
in Germany
abroad

Deferred tax expense / income
Total

2017

2016

17.3
115.9
35.6
168.8

39.5
125.1
– 11.2
153.4

 
 
 
 
170

In financial year 2016, current income tax expenses in Germany reflected the reassessment of the trade tax risk in hotel 
purchasing, which resulted in tax expenses of € 35.1 m related to prior periods in the prior year reference period. The 
deferred tax expenses in the completed financial year largely arose abroad, outside of Germany. Current tax income 
related to prior periods amounts to € 4.6 m (previous year tax expense of € 9.9 m) in financial year 2017.

In financial year 2017, total income taxes of € 168.8 (previous year € 153.4 m) are derived as follows from an ‘expected’ 
income tax expense that would have arisen if the statutory income tax rate of parent company TUI AG (aggregate income 
tax rate) had been applied to earnings before tax. 

Reconciliation of expected to actual income taxes

€ million

Earnings before income taxes
Expected income tax (current year 31.5 %, previous year 31.5 %)
Variation from the difference between actual and expected tax rates
Changes in tax rates and tax law
Income not taxable
Expenses not deductible
Effects from loss carryforwards
Temporary differences for which no deferred taxes were recognised
Deferred and current income tax relating to other periods (net)
Other differences
Income taxes

2017

1,079.7
340.1
– 61.9
– 1.5
– 207.5
102.7
– 16.4
– 4.4
20.2
– 2.5
168.8

2016

618.3
194.8
– 27.0
– 26.1
– 114.6
101.8
31.3
– 1.0
– 11.1
5.3
153.4

The increase in income not taxable primarily results from the tax-free sale of the shares in the participation in Hapag 
Llyod AG and the year-on-year increase in the equity result. 

(8) Result from discontinued operation

The result from discontinued operations shows the after-tax result of the Specialist Group including the result from 
disposal until it was sold on 15 June 2017. It also includes net income from the discontinued operations sold in the 
prior  year  worth  € 2.2 m.  In  the  prior  year,  this  item  had  included  the  after-tax  results  of  Hotelbeds  Group  and 
LateRooms Group. For further information, please refer to the section Discontinued operations in the chapter on 
Acquisitions – Divestments – Discontinued operations. 

(9) Group profit attributable to shareholders of TUI AG

In financial year 2017, the share in Group profit attributable to TUI AG shareholders declined from € 1,037.4 m in the 
prior year to € 644.8 m. The decline is primarily due to the proceeds from the sale of the Hotelbeds Group the previous year. 

(10) Group profit attributable to non-controlling interest

In the Hotels & Resorts segment, the Group profit attributable to non-controlling interest primarily relates to RIUSA II 
Group with € 115.5 m (previous year € 110.7 m).

N O T E S

 Notes to the consolidated income statement

171

(11) Earnings per share

In accordance with IAS 33, basic earnings per share are calculated by dividing the Group profit for the year attributable 
to TUI AG shareholders by the weighted average number of registered shares outstanding during the financial year. 
The average number of shares is derived from the total number of shares at the beginning of the financial year 
(587,038,187 shares) and the employee shares issued on a pro rata temporis basis (15,328 new shares). The prorated effect 
of the own shares held by an employee benefit trust of 2,643,389 shares was deducted. 

Earnings per share

Group profit for the year attributable to shareholders of TUI AG 
= Adjusted Group profit for the year attributable to shareholders of TUI AG 
Weighted average number of shares
Basic earnings per share 
  – Basic earnings per share from continuing operations 
  – Basic earnings per share from discontinued operations 

Diluted Earnings per share

Adjusted Group profit for the year attributable to shareholders of TUI AG 
Weighted average number of shares
Diluting effect from assumed exercise of share awards
Weighted average number of shares (diluted)
Diluted earnings per share 
  – Diluted earnings per share from continuing operations 
  – Diluted earnings per share from discontinued operations 

2017

2016

644.8
644.8
584,410,126
 1.10
 1.36
– 0.26

1,037.4
1,037.4
584,118,509
1.78
0.61
1.17

2017

2016

644.8
584,410,126
52,514
584,462,640
 1.10
 1.36
– 0.26

1,037.4
584,118,509
1,522,934
585,641,443
1.77
0.60
1.17

€ million
€ million

€
€
€

€ million

€
€
€

As a rule, a dilution of earnings per share occurs when the average number of shares increases due to the addition of 
the  issue  of  potential  shares  from  conversion  options.  In  the  completed  financial  year,  these  effects  resulted  from 
employee shares. The share-based remuneration plans from prior years have fully expired.

 
 
172

(12) Taxes attributable to other comprehensive income

Tax effects relating to other comprehensive income

€ million

Gross

Tax effect

Foreign exchange differences
Available for sale financial 
 instruments
Cash flow hedges
Remeasurements of benefit 
 obligations and related fund assets
Changes in the measurement of 
companies measured at equity 
outside profit or loss
Other comprehensive income

2017

Net

– 17.9

– 31.8
– 216.7

Gross

Tax effect

52.4

31.8
546.1

–

–
– 80.9

2016

Net

52.4

31.8
465.2

– 17.9

– 31.8
– 263.6

–

–
46.9

280.7

– 66.9

213.8

– 593.3

157.9

– 435.4

19.3
– 13.3

–
– 20.0

19.3
– 33.3

– 32.0
5.0

–
77.0

– 32.0
82.0

In addition, deferred income tax worth € – 11.5 m (previous year € – 11.4 m) and corporate income tax worth € – 2.6 m 
(previous year € 2.0 m) were generated in the reporting period and recognised directly in equity.

N O T E S

 Notes to the consolidated income statement, Notes on the consolidated statement of financial position

173

Notes on the consolidated statement of financial position

(13) Goodwill

Goodwill

€ million

Historical cost
Balance as at 1 Oct
Exchange differences
Additions 
Reclassification as assets held for sale
Balance as at 30 Sep

Impairment
Balance as at 1 Oct
Exchange differences
Reclassification as assets held for sale
Balance as at 30 Sep

Carrying amounts as at 30 Sep

2017

2016

3,286.7
– 42.5
74.9
–
3,319.1

– 433.2
3.6
–
– 429.6

3,678.8
– 234.3
9.2
– 167.0
3,286.7

– 458.4
25.0
0.2
– 433.2

2,889.5

2,853.5

The increase in the carrying amount is mainly attributable to the acquisition of Transat France S.A. Detailed information 
on the acquisitions is presented in the section on Consolidation principles and methods. A reduction was caused by the 
translation of goodwill not carried in TUI Group’s reporting currency into euros.

In accordance with IAS 21, goodwill allocated to the individual segments and sectors was recognised in the functional 
currency of the subsidiaries and subsequently translated when preparing the consolidated financial statements. As with 
the treatment of other differences from the translation of annual financial statements of foreign subsidiaries, differences 
due to exchange rate fluctuations between the exchange rate at the date of acquisition of the subsidiary and the exchange 
rate at the balance sheet date are taken directly to equity and disclosed as a separate item. In financial year 2017, 
a decrease in the carrying amount of goodwill of € 38.9 m (previous year decrease of € 209.3 m) resulted from foreign 
exchange differences.

 
 
 
 
174

The following table presents a breakdown of goodwill by cash generating unit (CGU) at carrying amounts:

Goodwill per cash generating unit

€ million

Northern Region
Central Region
Western Region
Destination Services
Riu
Marella Cruises
Other
Total

30 Sep 2017

30 Sep 2016

1,217.0
510.2
411.2
86.0
351.7
289.2
24.2
2,889.5

1,545.1
507.7
338.8
94.3
351.7
–
15.9
2,853.5

The hotel company Blue Diamond Hotels & Resorts Inc., St Michael, Barbados, which was carried in the Northern Region 
segment in the prior year, was integrated into and is now carried in the Hotels & Resorts segment in the completed financial 
year. Moreover, the British cruise business Marella Cruises was reclassified from the Northern Region segment to the 
Cruises segment in financial year 2017. Accordingly, the prorated goodwill was transferred to these businesses from 
Northern Region. 

In the financial year, goodwill was tested for impairment at the level of CGUs as at 30 June 2017.

For all CGUs, the recoverable amount was determined on the basis of fair value less costs of disposal. The fair value was 
determined by means of discounting the expected cash inflows. This was based on the Q4 forecast for the financial year 
and on the medium-term plan for the entity under review, prepared as at 30 September 2017, following deduction of 
income tax payments. Budgeted turnover and EBITA margins are based on empirical values from prior financial years and 
expectations with regard to the future development of the market. 

The discount rates are calculated as the weighted average cost of capital, taking account of country-specific risks of the 
CGU and based on external capital market information. The cost of equity included in the determination reflects the 
return expected by investors. The cost of borrowing is derived from the long-term financing terms of comparable 
companies in the peer group. 

The table below provides an overview of the parameters underlying the determination of the fair values per CGU. It 
shows the timeframe for the cash flow forecast, the growth rates used to extrapolate the cash flow forecast, the 
discount rates and the relevant valuation hierarchy according to IFRS 13. The table lists the CGUs to which goodwill has 
been allocated. The below stated EBITA margin p.a. is adjusted for reasonable discounts for centrally incurred cost. The 
prior year’s negative EBITA p.a. margin related to a new business segment being established. 

N O T E S

 Notes on the consolidated statement of financial position

175

Assumptions for calculation of fair value in financial year 2017

Planning 
 period in 
years

Growth rate 
revenues 
in % p. a. 

EBITA- Margin  
in % p. a.

Growth rate after 
planning period in %

WACC in % 

Level

Northern Region
Central Region
Western Region
Destination Services
RIU
Marella Cruises
Other

3.25
3.25
3.25
3.25
3.25
3.25
3.25

5.6
4.5
6.4
5.5
4.9
11.7
17.3 to 79.1

3.9
1.1
3.0
8.8
33.1
17.5
3.7 to 19.7

1.0
1.0
1.0
1.0
1.0
1.0
1.0

5.25
5.25
5.25
5.25
6.25
5.25
6.25 to 7.00

3
3
3
3
3
3
 3

Assumptions for calculation of fair value in financial year 2016

Planning 
 period in 
years

Growth rate 
revenues 
in % p. a. 
(restated) 

EBITA- Margin  
in % p. a. 
(restated)

3.25
3.25
3.25
3.25
3.25
3.25

10.7
7.9
7.8
5.0
3.7
24.4 to 93.1

6.1
1.1
2.8
6.1
26.3
– 4.7 to + 15.7

Growth rate after 
planning period in %

WACC in % 

Level

0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5

6.75
6.75
6.75
6.75
5.75
5.75

3
3
3
3
3
 3

Northern Region
Central Region
Western Region
Destination Services
RIU
Other

Goodwill was tested for impairment as at 30 June 2017. The test did not result in a requirement to recognise any further 
impairment. Neither an increase in WACC by 50 basis points nor a reduction by 50 basis points in the growth rate after the 
detailed planning period would have led to an impairment of goodwill. The same applies to a reduction of the discounted 
free cash flow in the growth rate of perpetuity of 10 %.

 
 
176

(14) Other intangible assets

The development of the line items of other intangible assets in financial year 2017 is shown in the following table. 

Other intangible assets

€ million

Historical cost
Balance as at 1 Oct 2015 
Exchange differences
Additions due to changes in the group of 
consolidated companies
Additions
Disposals
Reclassification as assets held for sale
Rebookings
Balance as at 30 Sep 2016 
Exchange differences
Additions due to changes in the group  
of consolidated companies
Additions
Disposals
Rebookings
Reclassifications
Balance as at 30 Sep 2017

Amortisation and impairment
Balance as at 1 Oct 2015
Exchange differences
Amortisation for the current year
Impairment for the current year
Disposals
Reclassification as assets held for sale
Rebookings
Balance as at 30 Sep 2016 
Exchange differences
Amortisation for the current year
Impairment for the current year
Disposals
Reclassifications
Balance as at 30 Sep 2017

Carrying amounts as at 30 Sep 2016 
Carrying amounts as at 30 Sep 2017

Computer software*

Brands, 
 licenses and 
other rights*

internally 
generated

acquired

Transport  
and leasing 
contracts

Customer  
base

Intangible assets in 
the course of 
 construction and 
Payments on 
 account*

1,270.9
– 90.6

0.7
146.7
– 104.5
– 408.5
– 128.3
686.4
– 2.0

8.1
1.3
– 2.2
– 0.1
– 309.3
382.2

– 658.4
43.6
– 74.1
– 22.9
100.0
210.1
11.0
– 390.7
– 0.5
– 16.0
–
1.2
159.1
– 246.9

295.7
135.3

223.5
– 20.0

–
6.1
– 4.6
– 33.6
128.8
300.2
– 6.2

0.2
11.0
– 7.1
48.1
–
346.2

– 106.0
6.6
– 31.4
– 8.0
4.3
19.5
– 6.3
– 121.3
1.2
– 37.8
– 27.3
7.0
–
– 178.2

178.9
168.0

–
–

–
–
–
–
–
–
– 6.4

0.2
16.6
– 5.1
20.8
247.0
273.1

–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
1.8
– 35.0
– 0.3
4.0
– 159.1
– 188.6

–
84.5

110.5
– 10.4

–
–
–
– 7.1
–
93.0
– 1.5

–
–
–
–
–
91.5

– 44.5
5.4
– 4.7
–
–
5.2
– 4.7
– 43.3
1.0
– 4.5
–
–
–
– 46.8

49.7
44.7

255.6
– 6.5

0.4
0.3
– 1.6
– 199.0
–
49.2
– 0.5

11.3
–
– 1.2
–
–
58.8

– 140.6
4.0
– 11.1
–
1.6
115.9
–
– 30.2
0.4
– 4.8
–
1.3
–
– 33.3

19.0
25.5

0.5
–

–
2.5
–
–
– 0.5
2.5
3.0

0.9
100.6
– 9.2
– 70.0
62.3
90.1

–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
– 0.2
–
– 9.0
9.2
–
–

2.5
90.1

Total

1,861.0
– 127.5

1.1
155.6
– 110.7
– 648.2
–
1,131.3
– 13.6

20.7
129.5
– 24.8
– 1.2
–
1,241.9

– 949.5
59.6
– 121.3
– 30.9
105.9
350.7
–
– 585.5
3.7
– 98.1
– 36.6
22.7
–
– 693.8

545.8
548.1

*  The acquired computer software, which was previously reported within brands, licences and other rights, will from now on be presented together 
with the internally generated computer software. In addition the intangible assets under construction are no longer reported as part of brands, 
 licences and other rights but will be presented together with the payments on accounts. The opening balances have been reallocate accordingly.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
N O T E S

 Notes on the consolidated statement of financial position

177

Internally-generated computer software consists of computer programs for tourism applications exclusively used in-
ternally by the Group.

Transport contracts relate to landing rights at airports in the UK purchased and measured during the acquisition of First 
Choice Holidays Plc in 2007.

The lease contracts relate to intangible assets from the measurement of aircraft leases in connection with the acquisition 
of First Choice Holidays Plc in 2007. The assets are amortised in line with the length of the lease. 

Payments on account made totalled € 1.9 m as at 30 September 2017.

The year-on-year changes also include the changes relating to Specialist Group, which was only classified as a discontinued 
operation according to IFRS 5 as at the end of financial year 2016.

Additions to consolidation mainly relate to the acquisition of Transat France S.A. For details, refer to the section on 
Acquisitions.

In financial year 2017, a financial software was partly impaired and an Internet platform in the Northern Region segment 
was fully impaired.

The prior year’s impairment charges related to brands of the Specialist Group and of the Western Region segment 
as well as software in the Specialist Group and a module of an Internet platform in the Other tourism segment. 

178

(15) Property, plant and equipment

The table below presents the development of the individual items of property, plant and equipment in financial year 2017.

Property, plant and equipment

€ million

Historical cost
Balance as at 1 Oct 2015 
Exchange differences
Additions due to changes in the group of consolidated companies
Additions
Disposals
Reclassification as assets held for sale
Reclassifications
Balance as at 30 Sep 2016 
Exchange differences
Additions due to changes in the group of consolidated companies
Additions
Disposals
Reclassification as assets held for sale
Reclassifications
Balance as at 30 Sep 2017

Depreciation and impairment
Balance as at 1 Oct 2015 
Exchange differences
Depreciation for the current year
Impairment for the current year
Disposals
Reclassification as assets held for sale
Reclassifications
Balance as at 30 Sep 2016
Exchange differences
Depreciation for the current year
Impairment for the current year
Disposals
Reclassification as assets held for sale
Reclassifications
Balance as at 30 Sep 2017

Carrying amounts as at 30 Sep 2016 
Carrying amounts as at 30 Sep 2017

Hotels incl. land

Other buildings  
and land

1,401.5
– 32.5
–
48.1
– 5.6
–
25.4
1,436.9
– 19.0
15.8
51.8
– 4.9
– 21.1
92.8
1,552.3

– 430.3
10.4
– 37.7
–
4.4
–
– 4.8
– 458.0
3.7
– 45.6
– 19.9
4.7
10.6
– 7.0
– 511.5

978.9
1,040.8

281.5
– 17.6
–
55.8
– 25.7
– 67.3
4.7
231.4
– 0.7
4.9
15.2
– 3.5
– 0.7
– 5.9
240.7

– 111.3
– 0.9
– 5.7
– 1.3
17.4
28.4
– 2.6
– 76.0
0.7
– 4.2
– 8.0
2.9
–
9.0
– 75.6

155.4
165.1

Aircraft

1,734.4
– 24.1
–
145.4
– 43.4
– 5.7
28.5
1,835.1
– 68.0
–
182.1
– 29.5
– 57.6
15.7
1,877.8

– 568.4
21.0
– 123.4
–
37.7
0.6
– 0.6
– 633.1
– 9.7
– 107.9
–
27.0
53.1
–
– 670.6

1,202.0
1,207.2

*  Now also comprises the assets formerly shown in column Machinery and fixtures. By the end of the prior financial year the accumulated historical 

costs amounted to € 304.6 m, the depreciation and impairment to € 220.1 m

Other plant, 

 operating and 

Cruise ships

 office equipment*

Assets under 

 construction

Payments  

on account

1,110.1

– 61.5

–

228.0

– 156.2

– 246.0

20.1

894.5

– 16.6

–

8.4

– 4.7

0.2

247.6

14.1

– 58.7

–

144.8

82.7

0.3

– 220.2

2.7

– 56.4

4.6

–

–

–

674.3

860.1

1,129.4

1,195.3

– 403.4

– 891.9

– 269.3

– 834.1

1,283.8

– 29.3

1.6

103.6

– 113.3

– 90.8

– 16.8

1,138.8

– 24.1

3.4

101.3

– 56.5

– 0.5

32.9

19.8

– 98.1

– 1.4

107.2

56.0

5.1

– 803.3

16.3

– 90.8

– 8.5

54.1

0.4

– 2.3

335.5

361.2

55.0

– 2.8

–

157.7

– 1.7

– 2.0

– 48.1

158.1

25.7

376.8

– 366.7

193.9

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

0.2

0.2

0.2

158.3

194.1

Total

6,042.1

– 177.0

1.6

836.7

– 389.0

– 411.8

2.3

5,904.9

– 123.7

24.1

1,030.4

– 144.6

– 79.7

3.2

6,614.6

– 2,405.3

64.4

– 323.6

– 2.7

311.5

167.7

– 2.4

– 2,190.4

13.7

– 304.9

– 36.4

93.3

64.1

– 0.3

– 2,360.9

3,714.5

4,253.7

175.8

– 9.2

98.1

– 43.1

– 11.5

210.1

– 21.0

294.8

– 45.5

– 13.2

425.2

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

210.1

425.2

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
N O T E S

 Notes on the consolidated statement of financial position

179

(15) Property, plant and equipment

The table below presents the development of the individual items of property, plant and equipment in financial year 2017.

Additions due to changes in the group of consolidated companies

Additions due to changes in the group of consolidated companies

Property, plant and equipment

€ million

Historical cost

Balance as at 1 Oct 2015 

Exchange differences

Reclassification as assets held for sale

Reclassifications

Balance as at 30 Sep 2016 

Exchange differences

Additions

Disposals

Additions

Disposals

Reclassification as assets held for sale

Reclassifications

Balance as at 30 Sep 2017

Depreciation and impairment

Balance as at 1 Oct 2015 

Exchange differences

Depreciation for the current year

Impairment for the current year

Disposals

Reclassification as assets held for sale

Reclassifications

Balance as at 30 Sep 2016

Exchange differences

Depreciation for the current year

Impairment for the current year

Disposals

Reclassification as assets held for sale

Reclassifications

Balance as at 30 Sep 2017

Carrying amounts as at 30 Sep 2016 

Carrying amounts as at 30 Sep 2017

1,401.5

– 32.5

48.1

– 5.6

–

–

25.4

1,436.9

– 19.0

15.8

51.8

– 4.9

– 21.1

92.8

1,552.3

– 430.3

10.4

– 37.7

4.4

–

–

– 4.8

– 458.0

3.7

– 45.6

– 19.9

4.7

10.6

– 7.0

– 511.5

978.9

1,040.8

– 111.3

281.5

– 17.6

–

55.8

– 25.7

– 67.3

4.7

231.4

– 0.7

4.9

15.2

– 3.5

– 0.7

– 5.9

240.7

– 0.9

– 5.7

– 1.3

17.4

28.4

– 2.6

– 76.0

0.7

– 4.2

– 8.0

2.9

–

9.0

– 75.6

155.4

165.1

1,734.4

– 24.1

–

145.4

– 43.4

– 5.7

28.5

1,835.1

– 68.0

–

182.1

– 29.5

– 57.6

15.7

1,877.8

– 568.4

21.0

– 123.4

–

37.7

0.6

– 0.6

– 633.1

– 9.7

– 107.9

27.0

53.1

–

–

– 670.6

1,202.0

1,207.2

*  Now also comprises the assets formerly shown in column Machinery and fixtures. By the end of the prior financial year the accumulated historical 

costs amounted to € 304.6 m, the depreciation and impairment to € 220.1 m

Hotels incl. land

and land

Aircraft

Cruise ships

Other buildings  

Other plant, 
 operating and 
 office equipment*

Assets under 
 construction

Payments  
on account

1,110.1
– 61.5
–
228.0
– 156.2
– 246.0
20.1
894.5
– 16.6
–
8.4
– 4.7
0.2
247.6
1,129.4

– 403.4
14.1
– 58.7
–
144.8
82.7
0.3
– 220.2
2.7
– 56.4
–
4.6
–
–
– 269.3

674.3
860.1

1,283.8
– 29.3
1.6
103.6
– 113.3
– 90.8
– 16.8
1,138.8
– 24.1
3.4
101.3
– 56.5
– 0.5
32.9
1,195.3

– 891.9
19.8
– 98.1
– 1.4
107.2
56.0
5.1
– 803.3
16.3
– 90.8
– 8.5
54.1
0.4
– 2.3
– 834.1

335.5
361.2

55.0
– 2.8
–
157.7
– 1.7
– 2.0
– 48.1
158.1
25.7
–
376.8
–
–
– 366.7
193.9

–
–
–
–
–
–
0.2
0.2
–
–
–
–
–
–
0.2

175.8
– 9.2
–
98.1
– 43.1
–
– 11.5
210.1
– 21.0
–
294.8
– 45.5
–
– 13.2
425.2

–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–

158.3
194.1

210.1
425.2

Total

6,042.1
– 177.0
1.6
836.7
– 389.0
– 411.8
2.3
5,904.9
– 123.7
24.1
1,030.4
– 144.6
– 79.7
3.2
6,614.6

– 2,405.3
64.4
– 323.6
– 2.7
311.5
167.7
– 2.4
– 2,190.4
13.7
– 304.9
– 36.4
93.3
64.1
– 0.3
– 2,360.9

3,714.5
4,253.7

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
180

The additions from changes in the group of consolidated companies mainly relate to the acquisition of Transat France 
S.A. For details, please refer to the section on Acquisitions. 

In the financial year, advance payments worth € 33.2 m were made for the acquisition of cruise ships, with € 252.4 m 
worth of advance payments (previous year € 91.8 m) on the acquisition of aircraft. 

In the reporting period, the cruise ship Marella Discovery 2 was added at a carrying amount of € 228.6 m, initially as 
assets under construction. Following its commissioning, the cruise ship was reclassified accordingly. In the prior year, 
the amount carried for cruise ships included an amount of € 182.9 m for the introduction of Marella Discovery. Both 
ships are used in the segment cruises. Further additions to assets under construction include an amount of € 92.1 m 
(previous year € 100.9 m) for investments in hotels in the Hotels & Resorts segment.

In the reporting period, two aircraft have been capitalised at an amount of in total € 145.6 m.

In the course of the year, two hotel complexes were reclassified to assets held for sale. One hotel was sold before the 
end of the financial year. Moreover, an aircraft was classified as held for sale and reclassified accordingly. 

In financial year 2017, borrowing costs of € 4.0 m (previous year € 2.1 m) were capitalised. The capitalisation rate of 
capitalised borrowing costs is 3.75 % p.a. for financial year 2017 and 3.25 % p.a. for the prior year. 

The impairment charges include an amount of € 21.3 m for hotel facilities in the Caribbean hit by hurricanes. These 
impairment charges went hand in hand with insurance claims recognized within trade receivables and other assets. 
Further  impairment  charges  of  € 15.0 m  were  recognised  for  impairment  of  buildings  and  technical  equipment  at 
Tenuta di Castelfalfi S.p.A. in the Hotels & Resorts segment.

The carrying amount of property, plant and equipment subject to ownership restrictions or pledged as collateral totalled 
€ 553.8 m (previous year € 613.1 m).

F I N A N C E   L E A S E S
Property, plant and equipment also comprise leased assets in which Group subsidiaries have assumed the risks and 
rewards of ownership of the assets (finance leases). 

Composition of finance leased assets

€ million

Other buildings and land
Aircraft
Cruise ships
Other plant, operating and office equipment
Total

Net carrying amounts

30 Sep 2017

30 Sep 2016

16.4
906.6
209.0
26.1
1,158.1

14.8
955.0
232.5
27.7
1,230.0

The leasing contracts for aircraft include repurchase options for the lessee at fixed residual values.

Total  payment  obligations  resulting  from  future  lease  payments  total  € 1,420.6 m  (previous  year  € 1,450.1 m).  Group 
companies have not granted any guarantees for the residual values of the leased assets, as in the prior year.  

N O T E S

 Notes on the consolidated statement of financial position

181

Reconciliation of future lease payments to liabilities from finance leases

30 Sep 2017

30 Sep 2016

Remaining term

Remaining term

€ million

up to 1 year

1– 5 years

more than 
5 years

Total

up to 1 year

1– 5 years

more than 
5 years

Total future lease payments
Interest portion
Liabilities from finance leases

128.2
32.0
96.2

513.1
107.8
405.3

779.4
54.4
725.0

1,420.7
194.2
1,226.5

125.7
33.5
92.2

462.4
113.4
349.0

862.0
71.5
790.5

Total

1,450.1
218.4
1,231.7

(16) Investments in joint ventures and associates

The table below presents all joint arrangements and associates of relevance to TUI Group. All joint arrangements and 
associates are listed as TUI Group Shareholdings in Note 49. All joint arrangements are joint ventures. There are no joint 
operations within the meaning of IFRS 11.

Significant associates and joint ventures

Name and headquarter of company

Nature of business

30 Sep 2017

30 Sep 2016

30 Sep 2017

30 Sep 2016

Capital share in %

Voting rights share in %

Associates
Sunwing Travel Group Inc.,  
Toronto, Canada
Joint ventures
Riu Hotels S.A.,  
Palma de Mallorca, Spain
TUI Cruises GmbH,  
Hamburg, Germany
Togebi Holdings Limited,  
Nicosia, Cyprus

Tour operator &  
Hotel operator

Hotel operator

Cruise ship operator

Tour operator

49.0

49.0

25.0

25.0

49.0

50.0

25.0

49.0

50.0

25.0

49.0

50.0

25.0

49.0

50.0

25.0

All companies presented above are measured at equity.

The financial year of Sunwing Travel Group Inc., Toronto / Canada (Sunwing) corresponds to TUI Group’s financial year. 
The financial years of the joint ventures listed above deviate from TUI Group’s financial year, ending on 31 December of 
any one year. In order to update the at equity measurement as at TUI Group’s balance sheet date, interim financial 
statements for the period ending 30 September are prepared for these companies.

S I G N I F I C A N T   A S S O C I AT E S
In 2009, Sunwing entered into a partnership with TUI Group. Sunwing is a vertically integrated travel company compris-
ing tour operation, an airline and retail shops. Since the transfer of the hotel operation and development company Blue 
Diamond Hotels & Resorts Inc., St Michael / Barbados, to Sunwing in September 2016, Sunwing has also included the 
hotel operation business with a chain of luxury beach resorts and hotels in the Caribbean and Mexico. Sunwing’s hotel 
operation business is carried in the Hotels & Resorts segment, while the tour operation business is carried in the North-
ern Region segment. The company has different classes of shares. TUI Group holds 25 % of the voting shares. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
182

S I G N I F I C A N T   J O I N T   V E N T U R E S 
Riu Hotels S.A. is a hotel company owning and operating hotels in the 4- to 5-star segments. The hotels of the company 
established in 1976 are mainly located in Spain and Central America.

TUI Cruises is a joint venture with the US shipping line Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd established in 2008. The Hamburg-based 
company offers German-speaking cruises for the premium market. Since the launch of Mein Schiff 6 in June 2017, TUI 
Cruises has operated six cruise ships. 

Togebi Holdings Limited (TUI Russia) is a joint venture between TUI and Oscrivia Limited, a subsidiary of Unifirm Limited. 
Unifirm Limited is a subsidiary of OOO Sever Group, owned by a large shareholder and Supervisory Board member of 
TUI AG. The business purpose of this joint venture, established in 2009, is to develop the tour operation business, in 
particular in Russia and Ukraine. The company owns tour operation subsidiaries and retail chains in these countries. In 
the prior year, contractual agreements on the reorganisation of the equity of TUI Russia were concluded with Oscrivia 
Limited. The parties agreed a capital increase in which TUI Group participated by paying a net amount of USD 3 m, while 
Oscrivia Limited paid a net amount of USD 17 m. TUI Group’s share in TUI Russia declined from 49 % to 25 % and Oscrivia 
Limited increased its share to 75 %. Existing loans and guarantees of the shareholders were adjusted to reflect the new 
stakes. Furthermore, the joint venture agreement was amended to reflect the new voting rights proportions. The relevant 
activities of TUI Russia continue to be jointly determined by TUI Group and Oscrivia Limited, so that TUI Russia remains 
classified as a joint venture. 

F I N A N C I A L   I N F O R M AT I O N   O N   A S S O C I AT E S   A N D   J O I N T   V E N T U R E S 
The  tables  below  present  summarised  financial  information  for  the  significant  associates  and  joint  ventures  of  the 
Group. The amounts shown reflect the full amounts presented in the consolidated financial statements of the relevant 
associates and joint ventures (100 %); they do not represent TUI Group’s share of those amounts.

Combined financial information of material associates

€ million

Non-current assets
Current assets
Non-current provisions and liabilities
Current provisions and liabilities

Revenues
Profit / loss*
Other comprehensive income
Total comprehensive income

* Solely from continuing operations

Sunwing Travel Group Inc.,  
 Toronto, Canada

30 Sep 2017 /  
2017

30 Sep 2016 / 
2016

1,061.9
471.9
570.4
511.7

2,022.6
67.7
– 35.8
31.9

736.5
491.5
386.3
421.9

1,432.6
11.6
4.5
16.1

N O T E S

 Notes on the consolidated statement of financial position

183

Combined financial information of material joint ventures

€ million

Non-current assets
Current assets

thereof cash and cash equivalents
Non-current provisions and liabilities

thereof financial liabilities
Current provisions and liabilities
thereof financial liabilities

Turnover
Depreciation / amortisation of intangible assets and 
 property, plant and equipment
Interest income
Interest expenses
Income taxes
Profit / loss*
Other comprehensive income
Total comprehensive income

* Solely from continuing operations

Riu Hotels S. A.,  
Palma de Mallorca, Spain

TUI Cruises GmbH,  
Hamburg, Germany

Togebi Holdings Limited,   
Nicosia, Cypres

30 Sep 2017 /  
2017

30 Sep 2016 / 
2016

30 Sep 2017 /  
2017

30 Sep 2016 / 
2016

30 Sep 2017 /  
2017

30 Sep 2016 / 
2016

757.1
129.8
67.4
18.1
5.6
106.4
42.3

316.7

22.7
0.3
0.8
32.3
105.5
25.1
130.6

739.8
79.5
26.8
13.3
9.0
148.3
82.2

305.7

21.1
0.2
1.7
36.7
92.5
– 36.4
56.1

2,542.5
193.7
109.4
1,393.0
1,392.5
657.6
200.0

1,052.5

71.8
–
32.3
– 0.1
271.8
14.0
285.8

2,049.0
193.1
105.5
1,143.4
1,142.7
519.2
92.1

807.3

58.1
–
16.2
0.3
200.2
– 37.8
162.4

3.5
57.1
10.7
102.0
102.0
75.1
49.3

259.8

1.5
–
5.3
–
– 10.5
–
– 10.5

3.9
27.1
3.4
117.3
114.6
27.2
18.6

129.5

1.3
–
4.7
0.1
9.2
–
9.2

In financial year 2017, TUI Group received dividends of € 90.0 m from TUI Cruises and € 12.7 m from Riu Hotels. In total, 
dividends of € 117.5 m (previous year € 79.4 m, including € 12.2 m from Riu Hotels and € 60.0 m from TUI Cruises) were 
paid by joint ventures to TUI Group. In financial year 2017, TUI Group did not receive any dividends from Sunwing Travel 
Group, as in the prior year. In total, TUI Group received dividends of € 2.0 m from its associates (previous year € 1.1 m).

In addition to TUI Group’s significant associates and joint ventures, TUI AG has interests in other associates and joint 
ventures  measured  at  equity,  which  individually  are  not  considered  to  be  of  material  significance.  The  tables  below 
provide information on TUI Group’s share of the earnings figures shown for the major associates and joint ventures as 
well as the aggregated amount of the share of profit / loss, other comprehensive income and total comprehensive 
income for the immaterial associates and joint ventures. 

Share of financial information of material and other associates

Sunwing Travel Group Inc., 
 Toronto, Canada

Other immaterial  
associates

Associates Total

€ million

2017

2016

2017

2016

2017

2016

TUI’s share of
Profit / loss
Other comprehensive income
Total comprehensive income

33.2
– 17.5
15.7

5.7
4.5
10.2

2.5
– 2.8
– 0.3

19.5
–
19.5

35.7
– 20.3
15.4

25.2
4.5
29.7

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
184

Share of financial information of material and other joint ventures

Riu Hotels S. A.,  
Palma de Mallorca, Spain

TUI Cruises GmbH, 
 Hamburg, Germany

Togebi Holdings Limited, 
Nicosia, Cypres

Other immaterial  
joint ventures

Joint ventures Total

€ million

2017

2016

2017

2016

2017

2016

2017

2016

2017

2016

TUI’s share of
Profit / loss
Other comprehensive 
income
Total comprehensive 
income

51.7

12.4

64.1

45.3

135.9

100.1

– 18.1

7.0

– 18.7

27.2

142.9

81.4

–

–

–

–

–

–

29.0

16.6

216.6

162.0

– 45.2

–

– 25.8

– 36.8

– 16.2

16.6

190.8

125.2

Net assets of the material associates

€ million

Net assets as at 1 Oct 2015
Profit / loss
Other comprehensive income
Dividends
Capital increase
Foreign exchange effects
Consolidation effects
Net assets as at 30 Sep 2016
Profit / loss
Other comprehensive income
Dividends
Capital increase
Foreign exchange effects
Consolidation effects
Net assets as at 30 Sep 2017 

Sunwing Travel Group 
Inc.,  Toronto, Canada

201.4
11.6
9.2
–
–
0.9
196.7
419.8
67.7
– 9.3
–
–
– 26.6
–
451.6

Reconciliation to the carrying amount of the associates in the Group balance sheet

€ million

Share of TUI in % as at 30 Sep 2016
TUI’s share of the net assets as at 30 Sep 2016
Goodwill as at 30 Sep 2016
Carrying value as at 30 Sep 2016

Share of TUI in % as at 30 Sep 2017
TUI’s share of the net assets as at 30 Sep 2017
Goodwill as at 30 Sep 2017
Carrying value as at 30 Sep 2017

Sunwing Travel Group 
Inc.,  Toronto, Canada

Other immaterial 
 associates

Associates total

49.0
205.7
51.3
257.0

49.0
221.3
51.4
272.7

–
50.9
4.0
54.9

–
49.3
4.0
53.3

–
256.6
55.3
311.9

–
270.6
55.4
326.0

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
N O T E S

 Notes on the consolidated statement of financial position

185

Net assets of the material joint ventures

€ million

Net assets as at 1 Oct 2015
Profit / loss
Other comprehensive income
Dividends
Capital increase
Foreign exchange effects
Net assets as at 30 Sep 2016
Profit / loss
Other comprehensive income
Dividends
Capital increase
Foreign exchange effects
Net assets as at 30 Sep 2017

Riu Hotels S. A., Palma 
de Mallorca, Spain

TUI Cruises GmbH, 
Hamburg, Germany

Togebi Holdings 
 Limited, Nicosia, Cypres

637.7
92.5
– 36.4
– 25.0
–
– 12.5
656.3
105.5
38.2
– 26.0
–
– 13.0
761.0

536.8
200.2
– 37.8
– 120.0
–
–
579.2
271.9
14.3
– 180.0
–
–
685.4

– 168.5
9.2
– 0.2
–
48.3
– 2.3
– 113.5
– 10.5
–
–
–
7.5
– 116.5

Reconciliation to the carrying amount of the joint ventures in the Group balance sheet

€ million

Share of TUI in % as at 30 Sep 2016
TUI’s share of the net assets as at  
30 Sep 2016
Unrecognised share of losses
Goodwill as at 30 Sep 2016
Carrying value as at 30 Sep 2016

Share of TUI in % as at 30 Sep 2017
TUI’s share of the net assets as at  
30 Sep 2017
Unrecognised share of losses
Goodwill as at 30 Sep 2017
Carrying value as at 30 Sep 2017

Riu Hotels S. A., Palma 
de Mallorca, Spain

TUI Cruises GmbH, 
Hamburg, Germany

Togebi Holdings 
 Limited, Nicosia, Cypres

Other immaterial  
joint ventures

Joint ventures total

49.0

321.6
–
1.7
323.3

49.0

372.9
–
1.7
374.6

50.0

289.6
–
–
289.6

50.0

342.7
–
–
342.7

25.0

– 28.4
6.5
21.9
–

25.0

– 29.2
8.5
20.7
–

–

228.4
–
27.6
256.0

–

246.5
–
16.4
262.9

–

811.2
6.5
51.2
868.9

–

932.9
8.5
38.8
980.2

U N R E C O G N I S E D   L O S S E S   B Y   J O I N T   V E N T U R E S
Unrecognised accumulated losses increased by € 2.0 m to € 8.5 m. They relate to the joint venture TUI Russia, operating 
in source markets Russia and Ukraine. Due to the recognition of prorated losses in previous years, the carrying amount 
of the joint venture was already fully written off in financial year 2014. Recognition of further losses would have reduced 
the carrying amount of the joint ventures to below zero. 

R I S K S   A S S O C I AT E D   W I T H   T H E   S TA K E S   I N   A S S O C I AT E S   A N D   J O I N T   V E N T U R E S 
Contingent liabilities of € 33.9 m (previous year € 0.0 m) existed in respect of associates as at 30 September 2017, 
with contingent liabilities of € 73.2 m (previous year € 106.2 m) in respect of joint ventures. Moreover, financial liabilities 
from  investments  of  € 613.2 m  (previous  year  € 613.2 m)  and  from  lease,  charter  and  rental  agreements  worth 
€ 56.2 m (previous year € 8.4 m) are in place in respect of joint ventures.

186

(17) Financial assets available for sale

Financial assets available for sale

€ million

Shares in non-consolidated Group companies
Investments
Other securities
Total

30 Sep 2017

30 Sep 2016

Remaining 
term more 
than 1 year

2.0
55.3
12.2
69.5

Remaining 
term more 
than 1 year

2.1
36.3
12.0
50.4

Total

2.0
55.3
12.2
69.5

Total

2.1
302.1
12.0
316.2

In the completed financial year, TUI AG sold its remaining stake in Hapag-Lloyd AG (previous year € 265.8 m) at a purchase 
price less costs of disposal of € 406.4 m. On derecognition the cumulative positive changes in the stake’s fair value since 
31 March 2016 previously recognised in other comprehensive income of € 179.6 m (thereof previous year € 31.8 m) 
were reclassified to profit or loss in accordance with IAS 39. The resulting profit on disposal of € 172.4 m is carried under 
financial income. 

There was no impairment of available for sale financial assets to be included in financial expenses in the consolidated 
income statement for the reporting period (previous year € 101.0 m). In the prior year, the fair value measurement of 
the stake at the closing rate of the Hapag-Lloyd AG share as at 31 March 2016 in the principal market Xetra of € 16.10 
per share resulted in impairment charges totalling € 100.3 m (level-1 measurment). 

(18) Trade receivables and other assets

Trade receivables and other assets

€ million

Trade receivables
Advances and loans
Other receivables and assets
Total

30 Sep 2017

30 Sep 2016

Remaining 
term more 
than 1 year

0.0
97.9
113.9
211.8

Remaining 
term more 
than 1 year

0.0
61.7
94.8
156.5

Total

431.4
142.7
432.2
1,006.3

Total

429.5
107.8
373.9
911.2

N O T E S

 Notes on the consolidated statement of financial position

187

Ageing structure of the financial instruments included in trade receivables and other assets

of which not impaired and  
overdue in the following periods

Carrying 
amount of 
 financial 
 instruments

of which not 
impaired but 
overdue 

less than  
30 days

between  
30 and 90 
days

between  
91 and 180 
days

more than 
180 days

431.4
142.3
171.4
745.1

429.5
75.5
184.7
689.7

159.3
19.1
25.6
204.0

176.0
18.5
21.2
215.7

112.3
19.0
6.1
137.4

119.3
17.4
11.4
148.1

30.5
–
9.9
40.4

24.3
0.1
2.7
27.1

12.0
–
1.7
13.7

15.7
–
1.1
16.8

4.5
0.1
7.9
12.5

16.7
1.0
6.0
23.7

€ million

Balance as at 30 Sep 2017
Trade receivables
Advances and loans
Other receivables and assets
Total

Balance as at 30 Sep 2016 
Trade receivables
Advances and loans
Other receivables and assets
Total

For financial assets which are neither past due nor impaired, TUI Group assumes that the counter party has a good 
credit standing. 

As at 30 September 2017, trade accounts receivable and other receivables worth € 76.0 (previous year € 62.7 m) were 
impaired. The table below provides a maturity analysis of impairment.

Ageing structure of impairment of financial instruments included in trade receivables and other assets

30 Sep 2017

30 Sep 2016

€ million

Gross value

Impairment

Net value

Gross value

Impairment

Net value

Trade receivables and other assets
Not overdue
Overdue up to 30 days
Overdue 30 – 90 days
Overdue 90 – 180 days
Overdue more than 180 days
Total

559.4
151.1
48.5
15.7
46.4
821.1

18.3
13.7
8.1
2.0
33.9
76.0

541.1
137.4
40.4
13.7
12.5
745.1

478.8
149.9
30.1
18.8
74.8
752.4

4.8
1.8
3.0
2.0
51.1
62.7

474.0
148.1
27.1
16.8
23.7
689.7

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
188

Impairment of trade receivables and other assets developed as follows:

Impairment on assets of the trade receivables and other assets category according to IFRS 7

€ million

Balance at the beginning of period
Additions
Disposals
Other changes
Balance at the end of period

2017

62.7
26.4
12.4
– 0.7
76.0

2016

99.7
10.5
23.1
– 24.4
62.7

As in the previous year, in financial year 2017, no material cash inflow was recorded from impaired interest-bearing trade 
receivables and other assets. 

(19) Touristic payments on account

Touristic payments on account mainly relate to customary advance payments on future tourism services, in particular 
advance payments made by tour operators for future hotel services. 

(20) Deferred and income tax assets 

Individual items of deferred tax assets and liabilities recognised in the financial position

30 Sep 2017

30 Sep 2016

€ million

Asset

Liability

Asset

Liability

Finance lease transactions
Recognition and measurement differences for property, plant and 
equipment and other non-current assets
Recognition differences for receivables and other assets
Measurement of financial instruments
Measurement of pension provisions
Recognition and measurement differences for other provisions
Other transactions
Capitalised tax savings from recoverable losses carried forward
Netting of deferred tax assets and liabilities
Balance sheet amount

2.2

50.6
60.5
22.3
183.3
71.2
58.3
198.1
– 322.8
323.7

–

2.2

–

210.1
114.8
22.5
5.6
17.0
61.8
–
– 322.8
109.0

67.6
23.1
21.4
253.5
63.1
85.1
211.5
– 382.8
344.7

231.9
62.4
64.5
0.1
32.0
54.8
–
– 382.8
62.9

Deferred tax assets include an amount of € 311.6 m (previous year € 328.7 m) expected to be realised after more than 
twelve months. Deferred tax liabilities include an amount of € 57.3 m (previous year € 49.2 m) expected to be realised 
after more than twelve months. 

No deferred tax assets are recognised for deductible temporary differences of € 315.7 m (previous year € 157.3 m). 

N O T E S

 Notes on the consolidated statement of financial position

189

No deferred tax liabilities are carried for temporary differences of € 58.6 m (previous year € 58.6 m) between the net 
assets of subsidiaries and the respective taxable carrying amounts of subsidiaries since these temporary differences are 
not expected to be reversed in the near future. 

Recognised losses carried forward and time limits for non-recognised losses carried forward

€ million

30 Sep 2017

30 Sep 2016

Recognised losses carried forward
Non-recognised losses carried forward

of which losses carried forward forfeitable within one year
of which losses carried forward forfeitable within 2 to 5 years
 of which losses carried forward forfeitable within more than 5 years  
(excluding non-forfeitable loss carryforwards)

Non-forfeitable losses carried forward
Total unused losses carried forward

998.2
4,654.5
3.8
89.8

–
4,560.9
5,652.7

1,041.0
4,654.5
4.4
83.0

1.8
4,565.3
5,695.5

Losses carried forward for German companies comprise the cumulative amount of trade tax and corporation tax as well 
as interest carried forward in relation to the German interest barrier. Potential tax savings totalling € 900.1 m (previous 
year € 981.7 m) were not capitalised since the underlying losses carried forward are unlikely to be utilised within the 
planning period. 

In financial year 2017, the use of losses carried forward previously assessed as non-recoverable and for which no deferred 
tax asset had been recognised as at 30 September 2016 led to tax reductions of € 0.4 m (previous year € 10.7 m). As in 
the prior year, no tax reductions were realised by means of losses carried back. 

Development of deferred tax assets from losses carried forward

€ million

Capitalised tax savings at the beginning of the year
Use of losses carried forward
Capitalisation of tax savings from tax losses carried forward
Write-down of capitalised tax savings from tax losses carried forward
Reclassification to discontinued operation
Exchange adjustments and other items
Capitalised tax savings at financial year-end

2017

211.5
– 38.7
27.9
– 2.9
–
0.3
198.1

2016

239.4
– 15.3
6.7
– 13.7
– 4.8
– 0.8
211.5

Capitalised deferred tax assets from temporary differences and losses carried forward that are assessed as recoverable 
of € 4.0 m (previous year € 4.9 m) are covered by expected future taxable income even for companies that generated 
losses in the reporting period or the prior year. 

 
 
 
190

(21) Inventories

Inventories

€ million

Airline spares and operating equipment
Real estate for sale
Consumables used in hotels
Other inventories
Total

30 Sep 2017

30 Sep 2016

32.1
33.4
17.2
27.5
110.2

24.9
39.0
16.1
25.2
105.2

In financial year 2017, inventories of € 541.1 m (previous year € 552.8 m) were recognised as an expense.

(22) Cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents

€ million

Bank deposits
Cash in hand and cheques
Total

30 Sep 2017

30 Sep 2016

2,486.1
30.0
2,516.1

2,037.6
35.3
2,072.9

At 30 September 2017, cash and cash equivalents of € 261.0 m were subject to restrictions (previous year € 128.6 m). 

On 30 September 2016, TUI AG entered into an agreement to close the gap between the obligations and the fund assets 
of defined benefit pension plans in the UK in the long run. At the balance sheet date an amount of € 142.9 m is deposited as 
security on a bank account. Until their disposal in financial year 2017, the shares in Hapag-Lloyd AG held by TUI AG were 
assigned as collateral. TUI Group can only use that cash and cash equivalents if it presents alternative collateral. 

Further, an amount of € 116.5 m (previous year € 116.4 m) was deposited with a Belgian subsidiary without acknowledge-
ment of debt by the Belgian tax authorities in financial year 2013 respect of long-standing litigation over VAT refunds 
for the years 2001 to 2011. The purpose was to suspend the accrual of interest for both parties. In order to collateralise 
a potential repayment, the Belgian government was granted a bank guarantee. Due to the bank guarantee, TUI’s ability 
to dispose of the cash and cash equivalents has been restricted. The other restrictions relate to cash and cash equivalents 
to be deposited due to legal or regulatory requirements.

N O T E S

 Notes on the consolidated statement of financial position

191

(23) Assets held for sale

Assets held for sale

€ million

Property and hotel facilities
Aircraft and engines
Discontinued Operation Specialist Group
Other assets
Total

30 Sep 2017

30 Sep 2016

5.0
4.6
–
–
9.6

–
–
928.9
0.9
929.8

In the prior year, the Specialist Group segment was reclassified to assets held for sale as a discontinued operation. The 
sale took place on 15 June 2017. For further information, reference is made to the section ‘Discontinued operations’. 

(24) Subscribed capital

The fully paid subscribed capital of TUI AG consists of no-par value shares, each representing an identical share in the 
capital stock. The proportionate share in the capital stock per no-par value share is around € 2.56. As the capital stock 
consists of registered shares, the owners are listed by name in the share register. 

The subscribed capital of TUI AG has been registered in the commercial registers of the district courts of Berlin- 
Charlottenburg  and  Hanover.  In  the  financial  year,  it  rose  by  a  total  of  348,713  employee  shares.  It  thus  comprised 
587,386,900 shares (previous year 587,038,187 shares) as at the end of the financial year. It rose by € 0.9 m to € 1,501.6 m. 

As at 30 September 2017, no TUI AG shares were held by the Employee Benefit Trust of TUI Travel Limited (previous 
year 2,664,194), as these were entirely sold during the financial year.

The Annual General Meeting on 14 February 2017 authorised the Executive Board of TUI AG to acquire own shares of 
up to 5 % of the capital stock. The authorisation will expire on 13 August 2018. The authorisation to acquire own shares 
has not been used to date.

C O N D I T I O N A L   C A P I TA L
The Annual General Meeting on 9 February 2016 had created conditional capital of € 150.0 m and authorised the Company 
to issue bonds. The conditional capital authorisation to acquire bonds with conversion or option rights and profit partici-
pation (with or without a fixed maturity) is limited to a nominal amount of € 2.0 bn and expires on 8 February 2021.

Overall, TUI AG had total conditional capital of € 150.0 m as at 30 September 2017, unchanged to the prior financial year end. 

A U T H O R I S E D   C A P I TA L
The Annual General Meeting on 13 February 2013 resolved to create additional authorised capital of € 10.0 m for the 
issue of employee shares. The Executive Board of TUI AG has been authorised to use this authorised capital in one or 
several transactions to issue employee shares against cash contribution by 12 February 2018. 348,713 new employee 
shares were issued in the completed financial year so that authorised capital totals around € 7.4 m at balance sheet date. 

The General Meeting on 28 October 2014 resolved to create authorised capital to issue new shares against non-cash 
contribution of € 18.0 m in order to be able to service TUI Travel PLC share awards granted by TUI Travel PLC to its 
employees with new shares in TUI AG. The authorisation for this authorised capital has not been used to date and will 
be revoked ahead of its expiry date as no outstanding share awards remain.

192

The Annual General Meeting on 9 February 2016 resolved an authorisation to issue new registered shares against cash 
contribution for up to a maximum of € 150.0 m. This authorisation will expire on 8 February 2021. 

The Annual General Meeting on 9 February 2016 also resolved to create authorised capital for the issue of new shares 
against  cash  or  non-cash  contribution  of  up  to  € 570.0 m.  The  issue  of  new  shares  against  non-cash  contribution  is 
limited to a maximum of € 300.0 m. The authorisation for this authorised capital will expire on 8 February 2021. 

On the balance sheet date, the accumulated authorised capital that had not yet been taken up amounted to € 745.4 m 
(previous year € 746.3 m).

(25) Capital reserves

The  capital  reserves  comprise  transfers  of  premiums.  They  also  comprise  amounts  entitling  the  holders  to  acquire 
shares in TUI AG in respect of bonds issued with conversion options and warrants. Premiums from the issue of shares 
due to the exercise of conversion options and warrants are also transferred to the capital reserve. 

Capital reserves rose by € 2.8 m (previous year € 4.5 m) due to the issue of employee shares in the completed financial year.

(26) Revenue reserves

In financial year 2017, TUI AG paid a dividend of € 0.63 per no-par value share to its shareholders; the total amount paid 
was € 368.2 m (previous year € 327.0 m). The share of non-controlling interests declined by € 87.2 m in financial year 2017 
due to the issue of dividends (previous year € 13.6 m). The year-on-year variation is essentially based on the payment 
of dividends to non-Group shareholders of RIUSA II S.A. of € 87.0 m.

The ongoing measurement of existing equity-settled stock option plans resulted in a decrease in equity of € 1.0 m in the 
reporting period. Disclosures on these long-term incentive programmes are outlined in the note on ‘Share-based 
payments in accordance with IFRS 2’ in Note 37. 

Further, the Employee Benefit Trust of TUI Travel Ltd acquired shares in TUI AG in the first half of 2017 in order to use 
them for its stock option plans. The shares held by the Employee Benefit Trust were fully sold in the second half of the 
year. As the amounts paid and received were offset against revenue reserves as an acquisition or sale of own shares, 
equity rose by a total of € 10.1 m. 

In the previous year, non-controlling interests were acquired for a consideration of € 6.5 m. The carrying amount of 
these interests was € 0.4 m. This is essentially attributable to the acquisition of non-controlling interests in Atraveo 
GmbH, Düsseldorf. 

Foreign exchange differences comprise differences from the translation of the financial statements of foreign subsidiaries 
as well as differences from the translation of goodwill denominated in foreign currencies. They also comprise reclassification 
amounts totalling €– 71.1 m to be recognised through profit or loss from the sale of Specialist Group in the completed 
financial year. 

Movements of € – 31.8 m in financial instruments available for sale carried outside profit and loss comprise the increase 
in value from a rise in Hapag-Lloyd’s share price and the subsequent full sale of these shares in financial year 2017. More 
detailed information on the development of fair values is presented in the section ‘Financial assets available for sale’ in 
Note 17.

N O T E S

 Notes on the consolidated statement of financial position

193

The proportion of gains and losses from hedges used as effective hedges of future cash flows is carried directly in equity at 
€ 263.6 m (pre-tax). A reversal of this provision through profit and loss takes place in the same period in which the hedged 
item has an effect on profit and loss or is no longer assessed as probable. The significant decrease in financial year 2017 
is primarily attributable to changes in exchange rates and fuel prices. 

The revaluation of pension obligations (in particular actuarial gains and losses) is also carried directly in equity. 

The revaluation reserve formed in accordance with IAS 27 (old version) in the framework of step acquisitions of 
companies is retained until the date of deconsolidation of the company concerned. The sale of the Specialist Group 
resulted in a reclassification of an amount of € 1.8 m to other revenue reserves.

(27) Use of Group profit available for distribution 

In accordance with the German Stock Corporation Act, the Annual General Meeting decides the use of the profit available 
for distribution carried in TUI AG’s commercial-law annual financial statements. TUI AG’s profit for the year amounts to 
€ 741.7 m  (previous  year  € 139.9 m).  Taking  account  of  profit  carried  forward  of  € 454.1 m  (previous  year  € 682.4 m), 
TUI AG’s profit available for distribution totals € 1,195.8 m (previous year € 822.3 m). A proposal will be submitted to the 
Annual General Meeting to use the profit available for distribution for the financial year to pay a dividend of € 0.65 per 
no-par value share and carry the amount of € 814.0 m remaining after deduction of the dividend total of € 381.8 m forward 
on account. The final dividend total will depend on the number of dividend-bearing no-par value shares at the date on which 
the resolution regarding the use of Group profit available for distribution is adopted by the Annual General Meeting.

(28) Non-controlling interest

Non-controlling interests mainly relate to RIUSA II S.A. based in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. TUI’s capital share in this 
hotel operator stands at 50.0 %, as in the prior year.

The financial year of RIUSA II S.A. ends on 31 December and thus deviates from TUI Group’s financial year. This reporting 
date was fixed when the company was founded. In order to include the RIUSA II Group in TUI Group’s consolidated 
financial statements as at 30 September, the RIUSA II Group prepares sub-group financial statements as at 30 Septem-
ber, the balance sheet date. 

RIUSA II Group, allocated to the Hotels & Resorts segment, operates owned and leased hotels and hotels operated under 
management contracts in tourism destinations of TUI Group. Due to the contractual agreements between the share-
holders and the framework agreements with TUI Group as well as the considerable importance of tour operation for the 
economic success of RIUSA II Group, TUI Group is able to exercise a controlling influence on decisions about the most 
relevant activities and consequently the amount of returns. TUI Group is subject to variable returns from RIUSA II Group, 
in particular due to dividend payments and fluctuations in the value of the stake itself. RIUSA II Group is therefore fully 
consolidated although TUI Group only holds a 50 % equity stake. 

The table below provides summarised financial information on RIUSA II S.A., Palma de Mallorca, Spain – the subsidiary 
for which material non-controlling interests exist. It presents the consolidated financial statements of the sub-group.

194

Summarised financial information on RIUSA II S.A., Palma de Mallorca, Spain*

€ million

Current assets
Non-current assets
Current liabiities
Non-current liabilities

Revenues
Profit / loss
Other comprehensive income

Cash inflow / outflow from operating activities
Cash inflow / outflow from investing activities
Cash inflow / outflow from financing activities

Accumulated non-controlling interest
Profit / loss attributable to non-controlling interest
Dividends attributable to non-controlling interest

* Consolidated Subgroup

30 Sep 2017 /  
2017

30 Sep 2016 / 
2016

272.7
1,400.8
110.1
29.3

852.5
231.0
– 19.8

251.7
– 147.5
– 181.7

591.2
115.5
87.0

336.3
1,296.5
113.9
22.1

796.1
221.4
– 42.4

292.4
– 166.8
– 85.6

572.6
110.7
11.0

(29) Pension provisions and similar obligations

A number of defined contribution and defined benefit pension plans are operated for Group employees. Pension obligations 
vary, reflecting the different legal, fiscal and economic conditions in each country of operation, and usually depend on 
employees’ length of service and pay levels. 

All defined contribution plans are funded by the payment of contributions to external insurance companies or funds. 
German employees enjoy benefits from a statutory defined contribution plan paying pensions as a function of employees’ 
income and the contributions paid in. Several additional industry pension organisations exist for TUI Group companies. 
Once the contributions to the state-run pension plans and private pension insurance organisations have been paid, the 
Company has no further payment obligations. One major private pension fund is Aegon Levensverzekering N.V., operating 
the defined contribution pension plans for the main Dutch subsidiaries of TUI Group. Contributions paid are expensed 
for the respective period. In the reporting period, the expenses for all defined contribution plans totalled € 85.4 m (pre-
vious year € 81.9 m).

Apart from these defined contribution pension plans, the TUI Group operates defined benefit plans, which usually entail 
the formation of provisions within the Company or investments in funds outside the Company.

Within this group, MER-Pensionskasse VVaG, a private pension fund in which German companies of the tourism industry 
are organised, represents a multi-employer plan classified as a defined benefit plan. In accordance with the statues of 
the plan, the plan participants and the employers pay salary-based contributions into the plan. There are no further 
obligations pursuant to the statutes of the plan; an additional funding obligation of the participating companies is explicitly 
excluded. The paid-in contributions are invested in accordance with the policies of the pension plan unless they are used 
in the short term to deliver benefits. As the investments are pooled and are not kept separately for each participating 
employer, an allocation of plan assets to individual participating employers is not possible. The investment risk and the 
mortality risk are jointly shared by all plan participants. Moreover, the pension fund does not provide any information 
to participating companies that would allow the allocation of any over- or underfunding or TUI’s participation in the 
plan. For this reason, accounting for the plan in accordance with the requirements of IAS 19 is not possible, and the plan is 
therefore classed as a defined contribution plan. In the reporting period, contributions to MER-Pensionskasse VvaG 
totalled € 5.9 m (previous year € 5.9 m). For the next financial year, contributions are expected to remain at that level.

N O T E S

 Notes on the consolidated statement of financial position

195

TUI Group’s major pension plans recognised as defined benefit plans exist in Germany and the UK. By far the largest 
pension plans are operated by the Group’s tour operators in the UK. They accounted for 72.6 % (previous year 73.5 %) 
of TUI Group’s total obligations at the balance sheet date. German plans account for a further 22.5 % (previous year 
22.5 %).

In the UK, the following major pension plans linking pension payments to final salary and length of service are operated. 
The final remuneration to be taken into account is capped. 

Material defined benefit plans in Great Britain

Scheme name

BAL Scheme
TUI UK Scheme
TAPS Scheme

Status

closed
closed
closed

Almost all defined benefit plans in the UK are funded externally. Under UK law, the employer is obliged to ensure sufficient 
funding so that plan assets cover the pension payments to be made and the administrative costs of the funds. The 
pension funds are managed by independent trustees. The trustees comprise independent members but also beneficiaries 
of the plan and employer representatives. The trustees are responsible for the investment of fund assets, taking account 
of the interests of plan members, but they also negotiate the level of the contributions to the fund to be paid by the 
employers, which constitute minimum contributions to the funds. To that end, actuarial valuations are made every three 
years by actuaries commissioned by the trustees. The annual contributions to be paid to the funds in order to cover any 
shortfalls were last defined in September 2016. On top of a fixed annual contribution, a certain percentage of the pension-
able remuneration of plan members has to be paid into the plan. 

By contrast, defined benefit plans in Germany are unfunded. The company assumes the obligation for payments of 
company pensions when the beneficiaries reach the legal retirement age. The amount of the pension paid usually depends 
on the remuneration received by the staff members at the retirement date. Pension obligations usually include surviving 
dependants’ benefits and invalidity benefits.

Material defined benefit plans in Germany

Scheme name

Versorgungsordnung TUI AG
Versorgungsordnung Hapag-Lloyd Fluggesellschaft GmbH
Versorgungsordnung TUI Deutschland GmbH
Versorgungsordnung TUI Beteiligungs GmbH
Versorgungsordnung Preussag Immobilien GmbH

Status

open
open
closed
closed
closed

In the reporting period, defined benefit pension obligations created total expenses of € 90.0 m. 

196

Pension costs for defined benefit obligations 

€ million

Current service cost for employee service in the period
Curtailment gains
Net interest on the net defined benefit liability
Past service cost
Total

2017

76.3
1.8
15.7
– 0.2
90.0

2016

57.1
–
27.6
– 1.7
83.0

Provisions for pension obligations are established for benefits payable in the form of retirement, invalidity and surviving 
dependants’ benefits. Provisions are exclusively formed for defined benefit schemes under which the Company guarantees 
employees a specific pension level, including arrangements for early retirement and temporary assistance benefits.

Defined benefit obligation recognised on the balance sheet

€ million

Present value of funded obligations
Fair value of external plan assets
Deficit of funded plans
Present value of unfunded pension obligations
Defined benefit obligation recognised on the balance sheet
of which
Overfunded plans in Other assets
Provisions for pensions and similar obligations

of which current
of which non-current

30 Sep 2017 
Total

30 Sep 2016 
Total

2,892.3
2,631.3
261.0
809.4
1,070.4

57.0
1,127.4
32.7
1,094.7

3,249.9
2,740.0
509.9
904.8
1,414.7

36.2
1,450.9
40.6
1,410.3

For funded pension plans, the provision carried only covers the shortfall in coverage between plan assets and the present 
value of benefit obligations. 

Where plan assets exceed funded pension obligations, taking account of a difference due to past service cost, and where 
at the same time there is an entitlement to reimbursement or reduction of future contributions to the fund, the excess 
is recognised in conformity with the cap defined by IAS 19. As at 30 September 2017, other assets include excesses of 
€ 57.0 m (previous year € 36.2 m). 

 
 
 
 
N O T E S

 Notes on the consolidated statement of financial position

197

Development of defined benefit obligations

€ million

Balance as at 1 Oct 2016
Current service cost
Past service cost
Curtailments and settlements
Interest expense (+) / interest income (–)
Pensions paid
Contributions paid by employer
Contributions paid by employees
Remeasurements
  due to changes in financial assumptions
  due to changes in demographic assumptions
  due to experience adjustments
  due to return on plan assets not included in group profit for the year
Exchange differences
Other changes
Balance as at 30 Sep 2017

Development of defined benefit obligations

€ million

Balance as at 1 Oct 2015
Current service cost
Past service cost
Curtailments and settlements
Interest expense (+) / interest income (–)
Pensions paid
Contributions paid by employer
Contributions paid by employees
Remeasurements
  due to changes in financial assumptions
  due to changes in demographic assumptions
  due to experience adjustments
  due to return on plan assets not included in group profit for the year
Exchange differences
Other changes
Balance as at 30 Sep 2016

Present value  
of obligation

Fair value of 
plan assets

4,154.7
76.3
– 0.2
– 6.3
79.0
– 152.6
–
1.4
– 405.2
– 289.2
– 1.0
– 115.0
–
– 78.3
32.9
3,701.7

– 2,740.0
–
–
4.5
– 63.3
118.9
– 107.6
– 1.4
124.5
–
–
–
124.5
62.2
– 29.1
– 2,631.3

Present value  
of obligation

Fair value of 
plan assets

3,498.6
57.1
– 1.7
–
110.2
– 163.6
–
1.7
1,076.8
1,083.3
– 1.1
– 5.4
–
– 420.8
– 3.6
4,154.7

– 2,366.9
–
–
–
– 82.6
128.3
– 300.2
– 1.7
– 483.5
–
–
–
– 483.5
363.8
2.8
– 2,740.0

Total

1,414.7
76.3
– 0.2
– 1.8
15.7
– 33.7
– 107.6
–
– 280.7
– 289.2
– 1.0
– 115.0
124.5
– 16.1
3.8
1,070.4

Total

1,131.7
57.1
– 1.7
–
27.6
– 35.3
– 300.2
–
593.3
1,083.3
– 1.1
– 5.5
– 483.4
– 57.0
– 0.8
1,414.7

In the reporting period, the present value of the pension obligations decreased by € 453.0 m to € 3,701.7 m, mainly due 
to the increase in interest rates in the Eurozone and the UK.

198

The Group’s fund assets decreased by € 108.7 m in the same period and is split into asset categories as shown in the 
table below. 

Composition of fund assets at the balance sheet date

€ million

Fair value of fund assets at end of period

of which equities
of which government bonds
of which corporate bonds
of which liability driven investments
of absolute return bonds
of which property
of which growth funds
of which insurance policies
of which insurance linked securities
of which loans
of which cash
of which other

30 Sep 2017
Quoted market price 
in an active market

30 Sep 2016
Quoted market price 
in an active market

yes

1,981.3
346.8
41.9
216.4
707.3
517.4
108.9
–
–
–
–
–
42.6

no

650.0
–
–
–
–
–
14.9
143.1
119.7
136.0
180.7
30.0
25.6

yes

no

1,734.6
727.5
104.9
301.8
489.2
–
100.7
–
–
–
–
–
10.5

1,005.4
–
–
–
–
–
7.5
83.3
137.2
65.6
–
585.2
126.6

At the balance sheet date, as in the prior year, fund assets did not comprise any direct investments in financial instruments 
issued by TUI AG or its consolidated subsidiaries or any property owned by the Group. For funded plans, investments 
in passive index tracker funds may entail a proportionate investment in Group-owned financial instruments. 

Pension obligations are measured on the basis of actuarial calculations based on country-specific parameters and 
assumptions. The obligations under defined benefit plans are calculated on the basis of the internationally accepted 
projected unit credit method, taking account of expected future increases in salaries and pensions. 

Actuarial assumptions

30 Sep 2017

Percentage p.a.

Germany

Great Britain

Other countries

Discount rate
Projected future salary increases
Projected future pension increases

1.8
2.5
1.8

2.6
2.8
3.4

1.3
1.3
1.2

Percentage p.a.

Germany

Great Britain

Other countries

30 Sep 2016

Discount rate
Projected future salary increases
Projected future pension increases

1.0
2.5
1.8

2.3
2.7
3.6

1.4
1.4
1.3

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
N O T E S

 Notes on the consolidated statement of financial position

199

The interest rate applicable in discounting the provision for pensions is based on an index for corporate bonds adjusted 
for securities already downgraded and under observation by rating agencies as well as subordinate bonds in order to 
meet the criterion for high quality bonds (rated AA or higher) required under IAS 19. In order to cover a correspondingly 
broad market, an index partly based on shorter-term bonds is used (e. g. iBoxx € Corporates AA 7-10 for the Eurozone). 
The resulting yield structure is extrapolated on the basis of the yield curves for almost risk-free bonds, taking account 
of an appropriate risk mark-up reflecting the term of the obligation.

Apart from the parameters described above, a further key assumption relates to life expectancy. In Germany, the Heubeck 
reference tables 2005 G are used to determine life expectancy, as in the prior year. In the UK, the S1NxA base tables 
are used, adjusted to future expected increases on the basis of the Continuous Mortality Investigation (CMI) 2015. The 
pension in payment escalation formulae depend primarily on the pension plan concerned. Apart from fixed rates of 
increase, there are also a number of inflation-linked pension adjustment mechanisms in different countries. 

Changes in the key actuarial assumptions mentioned above would lead to the changes in defined benefit obligations 
presented  below.  The  methodology  used  to  determine  sensitivity  corresponds  to  the  method  used  to  calculate  the 
defined benefit obligation. The assumptions were amended in isolation each time; actual interdependencies between 
the assumptions were not taken into account. The effect of the increase in life expectancy by one year is calculated by 
means of a reduction in mortality due to the use of the Heubeck tables 2005 G for pension plans in Germany. In the UK, 
an extra year is added to the life expectancy determined on the basis of the mortality tables.

Sensitivity of the defined benefit obligation due to changed actuarial assumptions

€ million

Discount rate
Salary increase
Pension increase

Life expectancy

30 Sep 2017

30 Sep 2016

+ 50 Basis points

– 50 Basis points

+ 50 Basis points

– 50 Basis points

– 320.8
+ 26.9
+ 106.9
+ 1 year
+ 142.3

+ 368.2
– 25.6
– 109.6

–

– 415.5
+ 32.2
+ 144.8
+ 1 year
+ 172.9

+ 484.7
– 30.7
– 137.3

–

The weighted average duration of the defined benefit obligations totalled 19.5 years (previous year 21.7 years) for the 
overall Group. In the UK, the weighted duration was 20.7 years (previous year 23.5 years), while it stood at 16.0 years 
(previous year 16.6 years) in Germany.

Fund assets are determined on the basis of the fair values of the funds invested as at 30 September 2017. The interest 
rate used to determine the interest income from the assets of external funds is identical with the discount rate used for 
the defined benefit obligation. 

For the forthcoming financial year, the companies of TUI Group are expected to contribute around € 183.1 m (previous 
year € 109.6 m) to pension funds and pay pensions worth € 32.7 m (previous year € 40.6 m) for unfunded plans. The 
year-on-year increase is primarily driven by a one-off payment of £ 50.0 m agreed with the trustees to reduce the existing 
coverage shortfall. For funded plans, payments to the recipients are fully made from fund assets so that TUI Group 
does not record a cash outflow as a result.

TUI Group’s defined benefit plans entail various risks; some of which may have a substantial effect on the Company.

 
 
 
200

I N V E S T M E N T   R I S K
The investment risk plays a major role, in particular for the large funded plans in the UK. Although shares usually out-
perform bonds in terms of producing higher returns, they also entail stronger volatility of balance sheet items and the 
risk of short-term shortfalls in coverage. In order to limit this risk, the trustees have built a balanced investment portfolio 
to limit the concentration of risks.

I N T E R E S T   R AT E   R I S K
The interest rate influences in particular unfunded schemes in Germany as a decline in interest rates leads to an increase 
in the defined benefit obligations. Accordingly, an increase in the interest rate leads to a reduction in the defined benefit 
obligations. Funded plans are less strongly affected by this development as the performance of the interest-bearing 
assets included in plan assets regularly dampens the effects.

I N F L AT I O N   R I S K
An increase in the inflation rate normally increases the obligation in pension schemes linked to the final salary of bene-
ficiaries as inflation causes an increase in the projected salary increases. At the same time, inflation-based pension 
increases included in the plan also rise. The inflation risk is reduced through the use of caps and collars. Moreover, the 
large pension funds in the UK hold inflation-linked assets, which also partly reduce the risk from a significant rise in 
inflation.

L O N G E V I T Y   R I S K
An increasing life expectancy increases the expected benefit duration of the pension obligation. This risk is countered 
by using regularly updated mortality data in calculating the present values of the obligation.

C U R R E N C Y   R I S K
For the TUI Group, the pension schemes entail a currency risk as most pension schemes are operated in the UK and 
therefore denominated in sterling. The risk is limited as the currency effects on the obligation and the assets partly 
offset each other. The currency risk only relates to the excess of pension obligations over plan assets.

(30) Other provisions

Development of provisions in the financial year 2017

€ million

Maintenance provisions
Risks from onerous contracts
Restructuring provisions
Provisions for other personnel costs
Provisions for other taxes
Provisions for environmental protection
Provisions for Litigation
Miscellaneous provisions
Other provisions

Balance as 
at 30 Sep 
2016 

Changes with no 
effect on profit 
and loss*

Usage

Reversal

Additions

613.6
31.0
24.0
35.6
32.5
41.7
79.3
320.1
1,177.8

– 6.8
1.8
– 0.6
–
– 2.2
–
11.0
4.5
7.7

83.9
3.8
14.6
10.3
0.5
1.6
19.1
118.1
251.9

27.2
3.3
11.2
–
0.1
3.9
15.7
38.0
99.4

119.7
17.9
30.2
15.5
5.5
7.7
25.5
95.1
317.1

Balance as 
at 30 Sep 
2017

615.4
43.6
27.8
40.8
35.2
43.9
81.0
263.6
1,151.3

* Reclassifications, transfers, exchange differences and changes in the group of consolidated companies.

Provisions for external maintenance primarily relate to contractual maintenance, overhaul and repair requirements for 
aircraft, engines and other specific components arising from aircraft operating lease contracts. Measurement of these 
provisions is based on the expected cost of the next maintenance event, estimated on the basis of current prices, expected 
price increases and manufacturers’ data sheets. In line with the terms of the individual contracts and the aircraft model 
concerned, additions are recognised on a prorated basis in relation to flight hours, the number of flights or the length 
of the complete maintenance cycle. 

N O T E S

 Notes on the consolidated statement of financial position

201

Provisions for onerous contracts principally relate to unfavourable lease contracts. The increase in financial year 2017 
is mainly driven by aircraft leases. 

Restructuring provisions comprise severance payments to employees and payments for the early termination of lease 
agreements. They primarily relate to restructuring projects in France and the UK for which detailed, formal restructuring 
plans have been drawn up and communicated to the parties concerned. The restructuring provisions included at the 
balance sheet date of € 27.8 m (previous year € 24.0 m) largely relate to benefits for employees in connection with the 
termination of employment contracts. 

Provisions  for  personnel  costs  comprise  provisions  for  jubilee  benefits  and  provisions  for  cash-settled  share-based 
payment schemes in accordance with IFRS 2. Information on these long-term incentive programmes is presented under 
Note 37 in the section ‘Share-based payments in accordance with IFRS 2’. 

Provisions for environmental protection measures primarily relate to statutory obligations to remediate sites contaminated 
with legacy waste from former mining and metallurgical activities. 

Provisions for litigation are established in relation to existing lawsuits. Taken individually, none of the lawsuits has a 
significant influence on TUI Group’s economic position. 

Changes in other provisions outside profit and loss primarily relate to changes in the group of consolidated companies, 
foreign exchange differences and reclassifications within other provisions. 

Where the difference between the present value and the settlement value of a provision is material for the measurement 
of a non-current provision as at the balance sheet date, the provision is recognised at its present value in accordance 
with IAS 37. The discount rate to be applied should take account the specific risks of the provision and of future price 
increases. This criterion applies to some items contained in TUI Group’s other provisions. Additions to other provisions 
comprise an interest portion of € 3.7 m (previous year € 6.7 m), recognised as an interest expense. 

Terms to maturity of other provisions

€ million

Maintenance provisions
Risks from onerous contracts
Restructuring provisions
Provisions for other personnel costs
Provisions for other taxes
Provisions for environmental protection
Provisions for litigation
Miscellaneous provisions
Other provisions

30 Sep 2017

30 Sep 2016

Remaining 
term more 
than 1 year

534.8
18.2
–
24.3
24.3
37.6
51.1
112.7
803.0

Total

615.4
43.6
27.8
40.8
35.2
43.9
81.0
263.6
1,151.3

Total

613.6
31.0
24.0
35.6
32.5
41.7
79.3
320.1
1,177.8

Remaining 
term more 
than 1 year

523.5
13.4
0.2
23.7
28.6
39.4
55.8
116.8
801.4

202

(31) Financial liabilities

Financial liabilities

30 Sep 2017

Remaining term

30 Sep 2016

Remaining term

€ million

up to 1 year

1– 5 years

Bonds
Liabilities to banks
Liabilities from finance leases
Other financial liabilities
Total

–
46.2
96.2
29.5
171.9

295.8
180.4
405.3
–
881.5

more than 
5 years

–
154.7
725.0
–
879.7

Total

up to 1 year

1– 5 years

295.8
381.3
1,226.5
29.5
1,933.1

306.5
47.0
92.2
92.0
537.7

–
169.4
349.0
0.1
518.5

more than 
5 years

–
194.4
790.5
–
984.9

Total

306.5
410.8
1,231.7
92.1
2,041.1

Non-current financial liabilities increased year-on-year by € 257.8 m to € 1,761.2 m as at the balance sheet date. This 
decline was mainly driven by the issuance of a bond with a carrying amount of € 295.8 m in October 2016.

Current financial liabilities declined by € 365.8 m to € 171.9 m year-on-year as at 30 September 2017. The decrease is 
primarily attributable to the redemption of a bond issued in September 2014 with a carrying amount of € 306.5 m.

Fair values and carrying amounts of the bonds issued 30 Sep 2017

€ million

2014 / 19 bond
2016 / 21 bond
Total

Nominal  
value  
initial

–
300.0

Nominal 
 value 
 outstanding

Interest rate 
% p. a.

–
300.0

4.500
2.125

Issuer

TUI AG
TUI AG

30 Sep 2017

30 Sep 2016

Stock  
market  
value

–
314.0
314.0

Carrying 
amount

–
295.8
295.8

Stock 
 market 
 value

308.3
–
308.3

Carrying 
amount

306.5
–
306.5

The fixed-interest bond with a nominal value of € 300.0 m issued in October 2016 has a coupon of 2.125 % p. a. The bond 
will mature on 26 October 2021. It can be redeemed ahead of its maturity date any time at its value as at the redemption 
date. In addition, a 100 % redemption option exists as per 26 July 2021. 

N O T E S

 Notes on the consolidated statement of financial position

203

(32) Other liabilities

Other liabilities

30 Sep 2017

30 Sep 2016

Remaining term

Remaining term

€ million

up to 1 year

1– 5 years

Total

up to 1 year

1– 5 years

Other liabilities relating to employees
Other liabilities relating to social security
Other liabilities relating to other taxes
Other miscellaneous liabilities
Deferred income
Other liabilities

238.7
49.4
26.6
239.4
43.9
598.0

22.8
–
–
44.0
83.4
150.2

261.5
49.4
26.6
283.4
127.3
748.2

237.8
45.7
27.8
221.7
38.1
571.1

17.1
–
–
69.9
73.1
160.1

Total

254.9
45.7
27.8
291.6
111.2
731.2

(33) Liabilities related to assets held for sale

In the prior year, the liabilities of the discontinued operation Specialist Group were presented in this line. For more 
detailed information, reference is made to the section ‘Discontinued operations’. 

(34) Contingent liabilities 

As at 30 September 2017, contingent liabilities amounted to € 156.1 m (previous year € 326.1 m). Contingent liabilities 
are reported at an amount representing the best estimate of the potential expenditure that would be required to meet 
the potential obligation as at the balance sheet date. Contingent liabilities decreased by € 170.0 m year-on-year. This 
primarily resulted from the repayment by Hapag-Lloyd AG of a bank loan guaranteed by TUI. Contingent liabilities as at 
30 September 2017 are mainly attributable to the granting of guarantees for the benefit of cruise and hotel activities. 

(35) Litigation

TUI AG and its subsidiaries are involved in several pending or foreseeable court or arbitration proceedings, which do not 
have a significant impact on their economic position as at 30 September 2017 or future periods. This also applies to 
actions claiming warranty, repayment or any other compensation in connection with the divestment of subsidiaries and 
business units over the past few years. As in previous years, the Group recognised adequate provisions, partly covered 
by expected insurance benefits, to cover all financial charges from court or arbitration proceedings. 

204

(36) Other financial commitments

Financial commitments from operating lease and rental contracts

up to 
1 year

365.2
237.9
62.8

1– 5 years

5– 10 years

866.2
413.6
117.3

229.7
66.9
28.7

37.2

102.1

54.2

27.1
20.3
750.5

2.1
27.4
1,528.7

–
8.7
388.2

Remaining term

more than 
10 years

–
10.0
8.3

40.3

–
51.4
110.0

30 Sep 2017

30 Sep 2016

Total

1,461.1
728.4
217.1

up to 
1 year

391.7
242.3
67.9

1– 5 years

5– 10 years

1,125.7
411.9
124.8

368.9
67.7
30.4

233.8

43.4

108.7

64.7

29.2
107.8
2,777.4

99.6
22.5
867.4

104.7
26.1
1,901.9

0.3
8.9
540.9

Remaining term

more than 
10 years

–
10.0
6.0

54.4

–
56.8
127.2

Total

1,886.3
731.9
229.1

271.2

204.6
114.3
3,437.4

€ million

Aircraft
Hotel complexes
Travel agencies
Administrative 
 buildings
Ships, Yachts and 
 Motorboats
Other
Total

The commitments from lease, rental and charter agreements exclusively relate to leases that do not transfer all risks 
and rewards of ownership of the assets to the TUI Group companies in accordance with IFRS rules (operating leases). 
The average basic lease term is around 9 years. 

The decrease in liabilities as against 30 September 2016 results above all from lower lease obligations for aircraft. Higher 
lease obligations due to the commissioning of new aircraft were more than offset by the lease payments made in the 
financial year. The lease obligations for ships, yachts and motor boats are down year-on-year as the obligations were 
significantly reduced due to the sale of Travelopia. A further decline was driven by foreign exchange effects for liabilities 
denominated in foreign currencies.

Order commitments in respect of capital expenditure and other financial commitments

30 Sep 2017

Remaining term

30 Sep 2016

Remaining term

€ million

up to 1 year

1– 5 years

more than 
5 years

Total

up to 1 year

1– 5 years

more than 
5 years

Order commitments in respect of 
 capital expenditure
Other financial commitments
Total 

733.0
49.6
782.6

2,769.4
46.3
2,815.7

662.1
–
662.1

4,164.5
95.9
4,260.4

657.1
68.1
725.2

2,929.7
45.9
2,975.6

1,199.9
–
1,199.9

Total

4,786.7
114.0
4,900.7

As at 30 September 2017, order commitments in respect of capital expenditure relating almost exclusively to Tourism 
declined by € 622.2 m year-on-year. This was due to various factors including the delivery of Marella Discovery and an 
aircraft. Further declines resulted from additional down payments for aircraft and aircraft equipment as well as foreign 
exchange effects for liabilities denominated in non-functional currencies, which were partly offset by new order 
commitments for aircraft.

(37) Share-based payments in accordance with IFRS 2

As at 30 September 2017, all existing awards except oneShare are recognized as cash-settled share-based payment schemes.

The following share-based payment schemes are in effect within TUI Group as at 30 September 2017.

N O T E S

 Notes on the consolidated statement of financial position

205

M U LT I - A N N U A L   B O N U S   PAY M E N T   ( M E V )
The long-term incentive programme for Board members is based on phantom shares. In each financial year, a new period 
of performance measurements commences, spanning the current plus the following three financial years. As a result, 
each performance measurement period has a general term of four years. All Board members have their individual target 
amount defined in their service contract. This is translated at the beginning of each performance measurement period 
into phantom shares based on the average price of TUI AG shares (‘preliminary number of phantom shares’). The average 
share price is calculated based on the share prices during the 20 days prior to the beginning of any financial year. The 
entitlement under the long-term incentive programme arises upon completion of the four-year performance period.

Upon the completion of the four-year performance period, the preliminary number of phantom shares is multiplied by 
the degree of target achievement. This degree is determined by the rank achieved by TUI AG when comparing the total 
shareholder return (TSR) of companies listed in the ‘Dow Jones Stoxx 600 Travel & Leisure’ index. The rank is subse-
quently translated into a percentage, which is the degree of target achievement. If the degree of target achievement is 
less than 25 %, no preliminary phantom shares are remunerated. If the degree of target achievement exceeds 25 %, it 
is multiplied by the number of preliminary phantom shares granted, subject to a cap of 175 %. At the end of the four-year 
performance period, the number of phantom shares determined in this way is multiplied by the average price (20 trading 
days) of TUI AG shares, and the resulting amount is paid out in cash. The maximum amount payable under the long-term 
incentive programme has been capped for each individual.

If the conditions mentioned above are met, upon expiry of the performance period, the awards are automatically exercised. 
If the conditions are not met, the awards are forfeited. The service period will be restricted to the end of the employment 
period if plan participants leave the Company, as long as employment is not terminated due to a significant reason 
within the sphere of responsibility of the participant or by the participant without cause. 

P E R F O R M A N C E   S H A R E   P L A N   ( P S P )
The PSP details the share-based payments for entitled Group executives who are not part of the Board. The scheme 
conditions are harmonized with the Multi-Annual bonus plan of the Board members with the notable exception of a three 
year performance period instead of four years. Target amounts and grant frequency are subject to individual contractual 
agreements.

Since MEV and PSP follow common scheme principles, the following development of awarded phantom shares under 
the programs are shown on a aggregated basis.

Development of phantom shares awarded

Balance as at 30 Sep 2015
Phantom shares awarded
Phantom shares exercised
Phantom shares forfeited
Measurement results
Balance as at 30 Sep 2016
Phantom shares awarded
Phantom shares exercised
Phantom shares forfeited
Measurement results
Balance as at 30 Sep 2017

Number of 
shares

Present value  
€ million

730,841
254,023
– 322,613
–
–
662,251
931,575
– 219,368
– 117,604
–
1,256,854

12.0
3.8
– 4.0
–
– 3.6
8.2
11.7
– 3.2
– 1.5
3.1
18.3

 
206

E M P L O Y E E   S H A R E   P R O G R A M   ‘ O N E S H A R E ’
Eligible employees can acquire TUI AG shares under preferential conditions when participating in the oneShare program. 
The preferential conditions include a discount on ‘investment’ shares bought during a twelve month investment period 
plus one ‘matching’ share per three held investment shares, after a lock up period of two years. Investment shares are 
created via capital increase, while matching shares are bought on the open market. Eligible employees decide once a 
year about their participation in oneShare. In the financal year 2017, two oneShare tranches commenced, the first with 
a  short  investment  period  of  four  months,  the  second  with  a  regularised  twelve  month  period.  Going  forward,  one 
tranche will be commenced per annum.

Since investment and matching shares are equity instruments of TUI AG, oneShare is accounted for as an equity-settled 
share-based payment scheme in line with IFRS 2. Once all eligible employees have decided upon or against their yearly 
particpiation, the fair value of the equity instrument granted is calculated one time on the basis of the proportional 
shares price at grant date taking into consideration the discounted estimated dividends. 

The development of acquired investment and estimated matching shares, as well as the parameters used for the calculation 
of the fair value are as follows:

Overview oneShare tranches

Investment period 

Matching date
Acquired investment shares
Forfeited investment shares
Initially estimated matching shares
Forfeited matching shares
Share price at grant date 
Fair value: Discount per investment share 
recognised estimated dividend 
Fair value: matching share 
recognised discounted estimated dividend 

Tranche 1 
(2017 / 3)

Tranche 2 
(2017 / 7)

Total 

1 Apr 2017 – 
31 Jul 2017
30 Sep 2019
349,941
1,228
116,647
409
12.99
2.60
–
11.65
1.34

1 Aug 2017 – 
31 Jul 2018
30 Sep 2020
53,097
–
17,699
–
13.27
2.02
0.63
11.15
2.11

in €
in €
in €
in €
in €

–
–
403,038
1,228
134,346
409
–
–
–
–
–

C L O S E D   S H A R E - B A S E D   PAY M E N T   S C H E M E S
The following share-based payment schemes are closed, no new awards are granted. Awards made in the past remain 
valid and will vest according to the respective plan conditions. 

T U I   A G   S T O C K   O P T I O N   P L A N
The stock option plan for entitled Group executives below Board level was closed during financial year 2016. The last 
tranche was granted in February 2016 and will vest in February 2018.

Bonuses  were  granted  to  Group  executives  entitled  to  receive  a  bonus;  the  bonuses  were  translated  into  phantom 
shares in TUI AG on the basis of an average share price. The phantom shares were calculated on the basis of Group 
earnings before interest, taxes and amortisation of goodwill (EBITA). The translation into phantom shares was based on 
the average share price of the TUI share on the 20 trading days following the Supervisory Board meeting at which the 
annual financial statements were approved. The number of phantom shares granted in a financial year was, therefore, 
only determined in the subsequent year. Following a lock-up period of two years, the individual beneficiaries are free to 
exercise their right to cash payment from this bonus within three years. Following significant corporate news, the entitle-
ments have to be exercised within defined timeframes. The lock-up period is not applicable if a beneficiary leaves the 
Company; in that case, the entitlements have to be exercised in the next time window. The level of the cash payment 
depends on the average share price of the TUI share over a period of 20 trading days after the exercise date. There are 
no absolute or relative return or share price targets. A cap has been agreed for exceptional, unforeseen developments. 

 
N O T E S

 Notes on the consolidated statement of financial position

207

Since the strike price is € 0.00 and the incentive programme does not entail a vesting period, the fair value corresponds 
to the intrinsic value and hence the market price at the balance sheet date. Accordingly, the fair value of the obligation 
is determined by multiplying the number of phantom shares with the share price at the respective reporting date.

From the stock option plan which closed during the financial year 2016, as at 30 September 2017 153,760 share options 
are outstanding, thereof 61,008 share options (valued at € 0.9 m) have vested. Since the plan is closed, no new grants 
were made, 298,040 options were exercised (total value of € 3.9 m) and no options were forfeited.

S H A R E - B A S E D   PAY M E N T   S C H E M E S   O F   F O R M E R   T U I   T R A V E L   P L C
The  three  principal  schemes  below  were  all  closed  to  new  participants  during  the  financial  year  2016.  The  last  two 
tranches will vest in December 2017 and December 2018 with cash settlement. 

The share option awards of these remuneration schemes will only vest if the average annual return on invested capital 
(ROIC) is at least equal to the average weighted average cost of capital (WACC) over a period of three years. If this 
condition is fulfilled, the number of vesting awards is determined as a function of the fulfilment of the following 
performance conditions.

P E R F O R M A N C E   S H A R E   P L A N   ( P S P )
Up to 50 % of these awards granted will vest based on growth in the Group’s reported earnings per share (EPS) relative 
to the UK Retail Price Index. Up to 25 % of the awards will vest based on the Group’s total shareholder return (TSR) 
performance relative to an average of the TSR performance of an index of other capital market-orientated travel and 
tourism companies. Likewise, up to 25 % of the awards vest if the Group’s average return on invested capital (ROIC) 
meets predefined targets.

D E F E R R E D   A N N U A L   B O N U S   S C H E M E   ( D A B S )
The awards granted under this scheme vest upon completion of a three-year period at the earliest. Up to 50 % of the 
granted awards will vest based on growth in earnings per share (EPS) relative to the UK Retail Price Index (RPI). 25 % of 
the awards will vest based on total shareholder return (TSR) performance relative to the TSR performance of other 
capital market-oriented travel and tourism companies. Likewise, up to 25 % of the awards will vest if the average return 
on invested capital (ROIC) meets certain targets.

D E F E R R E D   A N N U A L   B O N U S   L O N G -T E R M   I N C E N T I V E   S C H E M E   ( D A B L I S )
The Deferred Annual Bonus Long-Term Incentive Scheme (DABLIS), for executive staff (except for the Executive Board) 
requires  a  25 %  conversion  of  any  annual  variable  compensation  into  share  options.  Some  eligible  staff  have  been 
awarded further (matching) share option awards as additional bonuses. Matching share options are limited to four times 
the converted amount. The earliest point for the share options to be eligible for release is at the end of a three-year 
period. Up to 50 % of the awards will vest based on achievement of certain EBITA targets. Up to 25 % of awards will vest 
based on the earnings per share (EPS) performance relative to the UK Retail Price Index and up to 25 % based on the 
total shareholder return (TSR) performance in relation to the TSR performance of other capital market-oriented travel 
and tourism companies.

208

The development of awards granted under DABS, DABLIS and the closed PSP of the former TUI Travel PLC schemes is 
as follows:

Development of phantom shares options awarded

Balance as at 30 Sep 2015
Phantom share options awarded
Phantom share options exercised
Phantom share options forfeited
Measurement results
Balance as at 30 Sep 2016
Phantom share options awarded
Phantom share options exercised
Phantom share options forfeited
Measurement results
Balance as at 30 Sep 2017

Number  
of shares

Present value  
€ million

1,604,386
829,786
402,039
292,200
–
1,739,933
–
171,351
210,912
–
1,357,670

26.7
13.5
6.5
4.8
– 6.7
22.2
–
2.2
2.7
2.2
19.5

All other outstanding equity-settled awards of subsidiaries were compensated during the financial year 2017.

Development of share options granted

Balance as at 30 Sep 2015
Granted during the financial year
Exercised during the financial year
Forfeited during the financial year
Balance as at 30 Sep 2016
Granted during the financial year
Exercised during the financial year
Forfeited during the financial year
Balance as at 30 Sep 2017

Number of shares

5,026,498
–
3,208,179
677,243
1,141,076
–
924,247
216,829
–

The weighted average TUI AG share price was € 12.32 at exercise date (previous year € 14.76). 

A C C O U N T I N G   F O R   S H A R E - B A S E D   PAY M E N T   S C H E M E S
As at 30 September 2017, all existing awards except oneShare are recognized as cash-settled share-based payment 
schemes and are granted with an exercise price of € 0.00. The personnel expense is recognized upon actual delivery of 
service according to IFRS 2 and is, therefore, spread over a period of time. According to IFRS 2, all contractually granted 
entitlements have to be accounted for, irrespective of whether and when they are actually awarded. Accordingly, phantom 
shares granted in the past are charged on a pro rata basis upon actual delivery of service.

In the financial year 2017, personnel expenses due to cash-settled share-based payment schemes of € 11.1 m (previous 
year € 14.1 m) were recognised through profit and loss.

As  at  30  September  2017  provisions  relating  to  entitlements  under  these  long-term  incentive  programmes  totaled 
€ 32.9 m and further € 1.6 m were included as liabilities (previous year provisions of € 25.9 m and € 1.9 m liabilities).

 
 
N O T E S

 Notes on the consolidated statement of financial position

209

In financial year 2017, personnel expenses due to equity-settled share-based payment schemes of € 1.9 m (previous 
year € 6.2 m) were recognised through profit and loss.

(38) Financial instruments

R I S K S   A N D   R I S K   M A N A G E M E N T

R I S K   M A N A G E M E N T   P R I N C I P L E S
Due to the nature of its business operations, the TUI Group is exposed to various financial risks, including market risks 
(consisting of currency risks, interest rate risks and market price risks), credit risks and liquidity risks.

In accordance with the Group’s financial goals, financial risks have to be mitigated. In order to achieve this, policies and 
procedures have been developed to manage risk associated with financial transactions undertaken.

The rules, responsibilities and processes as well as limits for transactions and risk positions have been defined in policies. 
The trading, processing and control have been segregated in functional and organisational terms. Compliance with the 
policies and limits is continually monitored. All hedges by the TUI Group are consistently based on recognised or forecasted 
underlying transactions. Standard software is used for assessing, monitoring, reporting, documenting and reviewing the 
effectiveness of the hedging relationships for the hedges entered into. In this context, the fair values of all derivative 
financial instruments determined on the basis of the Group’s own systems are regularly compared with the fair value 
confirmations from the external counterparties. The processes, the methods applied and the organisation of risk 
management are reviewed for compliance with the relevant regulations on at least an annual basis by the internal audit 
department and external auditors.

Within the TUI Group, financial risks primarily arise from cash flows in foreign currencies, fuel requirements (jet fuel and 
bunker oil) and financing via the money and capital markets. In order to limit the risks from changes in exchange rates, 
market prices and interest rates for underlying transactions, the TUI Group uses over-the-counter derivative financial 
instruments. These are primarily fixed-price transactions. In addition, the TUI Group also uses options and structured 
products. Use of derivative financial instruments is confined to internally fixed limits and other policies. The transactions 
are concluded on an arm’s length basis with counterparties operating in the financial sector, whose counterparty risk is 
regularly monitored. Foreign exchange translation risks from the consolidation of Group companies not preparing their 
accounts in euros are not hedged.

M A R K E T   R I S K
Market risks result in fluctuations in earnings, equity and cash flows. In order to limit or eliminate these risks, the TUI 
Group has developed various hedging strategies, including the use of derivative financial instruments.

IFRS 7 requires the presentation of a sensitivity analysis showing the effects of hypothetical changes in relevant market 
risk variables on profit or loss and equity. The effects for the period are determined by relating the hypothetical changes 
in risk variables to the portfolio of primary and derivative financial instruments as at the balance sheet date. It is assured 
that the portfolio of financial instruments as at the balance sheet date is representative for the entire financial year.

The analyses of the TUI Group’s risk reduction activities outlined below and the amounts determined using sensitivity 
analyses represent hypothetical and thus uncertain risks. Due to unforeseeable developments in the global financial 
markets, actual results may deviate substantially from the disclosures provided. The risk analysis methods used must 
not be considered a projection of future events or losses, since the TUI Group is also exposed to risks of a non-financial 
or non-quantifiable nature. These risks primarily include sovereign, business and legal risks not covered by the following 
presentation of risks.

210

C U R R E N C Y   R I S K
The business operations of the TUI Group’s companies generate payments or receipts denominated in foreign currencies, 
which are not always matched by payments or receipts with equivalent terms in the same currency. Using potential 
netting effects (netting of payments made and received in the same currency with identical or similar terms), the TUI 
Group enters into appropriate hedges with external counterparties in order to protect its profit margin from exchange 
rate-related fluctuations.

Within the TUI Group, risks from exchange rate fluctuations are hedged, with the largest hedging volumes relating to US 
dollars, euros and pound sterling. The Eurozone limits the currency risk from transactions in the key tourist destinations 
to Group companies whose functional currency is not the euro. The tourism business operations are mainly affected by 
changes in the value of the US dollar and the euro, the latter predominantly affecting the TUI tour operators in the UK 
and the Nordic countries. In tourism operations, payments in US dollars primarily relate to the procurement of services 
in non-European destinations, purchases of jet and ship fuel and aircraft and cruise ship purchases or charter.

The tourism companies use financial derivatives to hedge their planned foreign exchange requirements. They aim to cover 
80 % to 100 % of the planned currency requirements at the beginning of the tourism season. In this regard, account is 
taken of the different risk profiles of the TUI Group companies. The hedged currency volumes are adjusted in line with 
changes in planned requirements based on reporting by business units. 

Currency risks within the meaning of IFRS 7 arise from primary and derivative monetary financial instruments issued in 
a currency other than the functional currency of a company. Exchange rate-related differences from the translation of 
financial statements into the Group’s presentation currency are not taken into account. Taking account of the different 
functional currencies within the TUI Group, the sensitivity analyses of the currencies identified as relevant risk variables 
are presented below. A 10 % strengthening or weakening of the respective functional currencies, primarily euro and 
pound sterling, against the other currencies would cause the following effects on the revaluation reserve and earnings 
after income tax:

Sensitivity analysis – currency risk

€ million

30 Sep 2017

30 Sep 2016

Variable: Foreign exchange rate

+ 10 %

– 10 %

+ 10 %

– 10 %

Exchange rates of key currencies
€ / US dollar
Revaluation reserve
Earnings after income taxes
Pound sterling / €
Revaluation reserve
Earnings after income taxes
Pound sterling / US dollar
Revaluation reserve
Earnings after income taxes
€ / Swedish krona
Revaluation reserve
Earnings after income taxes

– 108.3
– 2.3

+ 197.4
– 8.9

– 138.9
+ 18.8

+ 31.7
–

+ 109.4
+ 0.9

– 190.9
– 2.2

+ 133.4
– 13.3

– 31.7
–

– 123.4
– 6.5

+ 176.0
– 8.4

– 114.3
+ 10.0

– 0.7
–

+ 124.0
+ 6.7

– 176.0
+ 3.5

+ 114.3
– 10.0

+ 0.7
–

I N T E R E S T   R AT E   R I S K
The TUI Group is exposed to interest rate risks from floating-rate primary and derivative financial instruments. Where 
interest-driven cash flows of floating-rate primary financial instruments are converted into fixed cash flows using derivative 
hedges, they are not exposed to an interest rate risk. No interest rate risk exists for fixed-interest financial instruments 
carried at amortised cost.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
N O T E S

 Notes on the consolidated statement of financial position

211

Changes in market interest rates mainly impact floating-rate primary financial instruments and derivative financial instru-
ments entered into in order to reduce interest-induced cashflow fluctuations.

The table below presents the equity and earnings effects of an assumed increase or decrease in the market interest rate 
of 50 base points as at the balance sheet date.

Sensitivity analysis – interest rate risk

€ million

Variable: Interest rate level for floating 
interest-bearing debt

Revaluation reserve
Earnings after income taxes

30 Sep 2017

30 Sep 2016

+ 50 basis 
points

– 50 basis 
points

+ 50 basis 
points

– 50 basis 
points

+ 2.9
+ 2.4

– 2.9
– 2.4

–
+ 2.6

–
– 2.6

F U E L   P R I C E   R I S K
Due to the nature of its business operations, the TUI Group is exposed to market price risks from the purchase of fuel, 
both for the aircraft fleet and the cruise ships.

The tourism companies use financial derivatives to hedge their exposure to market price risks for the planned consumption 
of fuel. At the beginning of the touristic season the target hedging ratio is at least 80 %. The different risk profiles of 
the Group companies operating in different source markets are taken into account, including the possibility of levying 
fuel  surcharges.  The  hedging  volumes  are  adjusted  for  changes  in  planned  consumption  as  identified  by  the  Group 
companies.

If the commodity prices, which underlie the fuel price hedges, increase or decrease by 10 % on the balance sheet date, 
the impact on equity and on earnings after income taxes would be as shown in the table below.

Sensitivity analysis – fuel price risk

€ million

Variable: Fuel prices for aircraft and ships

Revaluation reserve
Earnings after income taxes

30 Sep 2017

30 Sep 2016

+ 10 %

+ 84.1
– 0.2

– 10 %

– 83.9
+ 0.2

+ 10 %

+ 81.2
– 0.3

– 10 %

– 80.8
–

O T H E R   P R I C E   R I S K S
Apart from the financial risks that may result from changes in exchange rates, commodity prices and interest rates, the 
TUI Group is not exposed to significant price risks at the balance sheet date.

C R E D I T   R I S K
The  credit  risk  in  non-derivative  financial  instruments  results  from  the  risk  of  counterparties  defaulting  on  their 
contractual payment obligations.

Maximum credit risk exposure corresponds to the total of the recognised carrying amounts of the financial assets 
(including  derivative  financial  instruments  with  positive  market  values).  It  also  relates  to  the  granting  of  financial 
guarantees for the discharge of liabilities. Details concerning the guarantees at the balance sheet date are presented in 
Note 22. Where legally enforceable, financial assets and liabilities are netted. Credit risks are reviewed closely on conclusion 
of the contract and continually monitored thereafter in order to swiftly respond to potential impairment in a counter-
party’s solvency. Responsibility for handling the credit risk is held by the Group company holding the receivable.

212

Since the TUI Group operates in many different business areas and regions, significant credit risk concentrations of 
receivables from and loans to specific debtors or groups of debtors are not to be expected. A significant concentration 
of credit risks related to specific countries is not to be expected either. As in the previous year, at the balance sheet date, 
there is no material collateral held, or other credit enhancements that reduce the maximum credit risk. Collateral held 
in the prior period relates exclusively to financial assets of the category Trade receivable and other assets. The collateral 
mainly comprises collateral for financial receivables granted and maturing in more than one year and / or with a volume 
of more than € 1 m. Rights in rem, directly enforceable guarantees, bank guarantees and comfort letters are used as 
collateral.

Identifiable credit risks of individual receivables are subject to provisions for bad debts. In addition, portfolios are impaired 
based  on  observed  values.  An  analysis  of  the  aging  structure  of  the  category  Trade  receivables  and  other  assets  is 
presented in Note 18. 

Credit management also covers the TUI Group’s derivative financial instruments. The maximum credit risk for derivative 
financial instruments entered into is limited to the total of all positive market values of these instruments since in the 
event of counterparty default asset losses would only be incurred up to that amount. Since derivative financial instruments 
are concluded with different debtors, credit risk exposure is reduced. The specific credit risks of individual counterparties 
are taken into account in determining the fair values of derivative financial instruments. In addition, the counterparty 
risk is continually monitored and controlled using internal bank limits.

L I Q U I D I T Y   R I S K
Liquidity risks arise from the TUI Group being unable to meet its short term financial obligations and the resulting in-
creases in funding costs. TUI has established an internal liquidity management system to secure TUI Group’s liquidity 
at all times and consistently comply with contractual payment obligations. To that end, TUI Group’s liquidity manage-
ment system uses the opportunities of physical and virtual cash pooling for more efficient liquidity pooling. It also uses 
credit lines to compensate the seasonal fluctuations in liquidity resulting from the tourism business. The core credit 
facility is a syndicated revolving credit facility with banks with a volume of € 1,535 m as a cash line. 

As in the previous year, no material assets were deposited as collateral for liabilities. Moreover, the Group companies 
participating in the cash pool are jointly and severally liable for financial liabilities from cash pooling agreements. 

The tables provided below list the contractually agreed (undiscounted) cash flows of all primary financial liabilities and 
derivative financial instruments as at the balance sheet date. Planned payments for future new liabilities were not taken 
into account. Where financial liabilities have a floating interest rate, the forward interest rates fixed at the balance sheet 
date were used to determine future interest payments. Financial liabilities cancellable at any time are allocated to the 
earliest maturity band.

N O T E S

 Notes on the consolidated statement of financial position

213

Cash flow of financial instruments – financial liabilities (30 Sep 2017)

up to 1 year

1 – 2 years

2 – 5 years

more than 5 years

Cash outflow until 30 Sep

€ million

repayment

interest

repayment

interest

repayment

interest

repayment

interest

Financial liabilities
Bonds
Liabilities to banks
Liabilities from finance leases
Other financial liabilities
Trade payables
Other liabilities

–
– 46.2
– 96.2
– 29.5
– 2,653.3
– 185.5

– 6.4
– 11.6
– 32.0
– 0.1
–
– 28.6

–
– 42.2
– 100.2
–
–
– 20.7

– 6.4
– 10.3
– 32.5
–
–
–

– 300.0
– 138.2
– 305.1
–
–
– 22.2

– 19.3
– 22.6
– 75.3
–
–
–

–
– 154.7
– 725.0
–
–
–

–
– 10.4
– 54.4
–
–
–

Cash flow of financial instruments – financial liabilities (30 Sep 2016)

up to 1 year

1 – 2 years

2 – 5 years

more than 5 years

Cash outflow until 30 Sep

€ million

repayment

interest

repayment

interest

repayment

interest

repayment

interest

Financial liabilities
Bonds
Liabilities to banks
Liabilities from finance leases
Other financial liabilities
Trade payables
Other liabilities

–
– 47.0
– 92.2
– 92.0
– 2,476.9
– 175.7

– 13.5
– 12.0
– 33.5
– 0.1
–
– 19.8

–
– 47.6
– 91.2
– 0.1
–
– 8.4

– 13.5
– 12.4
– 31.6
–
–
–

– 300.0
– 121.8
– 257.8
–
–
–

– 20.3
– 32.2
– 81.8
–
–
–

–
– 194.4
– 790.5
–
–
–

–
– 31.6
– 71.5
–
–
–

Cash flow of derivative financial instruments (30 Sep 2017)

Cash in- / outflow until 30 Sep

€ million

up to 1 year

1 – 2 years

2 – 5 years

Derivative financial instruments
Hedging transactions – inflows
Hedging transactions – outflows
Other derivative financial instruments – inflows
Other derivative financial instruments – outflows

+ 6,449.2
– 6,487.6
+ 1,108.9
– 1,108.2

+ 1,621.7
– 1,602.5
+ 127.0
– 123.2

+ 196.3
– 198.8
+ 12.2
– 12.2

more than 
5 years

–
– 0.7
–
–

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
214

Cash flow of derivative financial instruments (30 Sep 2016)

Cash in- / outflow until 30 Sep

€ million

up to 1 year

1 – 2 years

2 – 5 years

Derivative financial instruments
Hedging transactions – inflows
Hedging transactions – outflows
Other derivative financial instruments – inflows
Other derivative financial instruments – outflows

+ 7,362.3
– 7,062.0
+ 1,688.0
– 1,714.5

+ 1,587.1
– 1,531.3
+ 44.4
– 43.0

+ 345.3
– 316.0
+ 0.7
– 0.8

more than 
5 years

–
–
–
–

D E R I V AT I V E   F I N A N C I A L   I N S T R U M E N T S   A N D   H E D G E S

S T R AT E G Y   A N D   G O A L S
In accordance with the TUI Group’s policy, derivatives are allowed to be used if they are based on underlying recognised 
assets or liabilities, firm commitments or forecasted transactions. Hedge accounting based on the rules of IAS 39 is 
applied to forecasted transactions. In the completed financial year, hedges consisted of cash flow hedges.

Derivative financial instruments in the form of fixed-price transactions and options as well as structured products are 
used to limit currency, interest rate and fuel risks.

C A S H   F L O W   H E D G E S
As at 30 September 2017, hedges existed to manage cash flows in foreign currencies with maturities of up to four years 
(previous year up to five years). The fuel price hedges had terms of up to four years (previous year up to four years). 
Hedges to protect variable interest payment obligations have terms of up to fourteen years (previous year none). 

In accounting for cash flow hedges, the effective portion of the cumulative change in market value is carried in the 
revaluation reserve outside profit and loss until the hedged item occurs. It is carried in the income statement through 
profit and loss when the hedged item is executed. In the completed financial year, income of € 371.8 m (previous year 
income of € 40.4 m) for currency hedges and derivative financial instruments used as price hedges were carried in the 
cost of sales. As in the previous year, there was no result from interest hedges. Expenses of € 4.5 m (previous year 
income of € 1.6 m) was carried for the ineffective portion of the cash flow hedges.

Nominal amounts of derivative financial instruments used

30 Sep 2017

30 Sep 2016

€ million

Interest rate hedges
Caps
Swaps
Currency hedges
Forwards
Options
Structured instruments
Commodity hedges
Swaps
Options

Remaining term

up to 1 year

more than 
1 year

Remaining term

Total

up to 1 year

more than 
1 year

150.0
–

7,010.8
–
113.5

754.3
19.9

115.6
255.4

1,854.6
–
–

407.9
–

265.6
255.4

8,865.4
–
113.5

1,162.2
19.9

–
–

8,924.1
–
63.0

779.9
20.7

150.0
25.2

2,006.3
–
10.9

476.6
–

Total

150.0
25.2

10,930.4
–
73.9

1,256.5
20.7

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
N O T E S

 Notes on the consolidated statement of financial position

215

The nominal amounts correspond to the total of all purchase or sale amounts or the contract values of the transactions.

F A I R   V A L U E S   O F   D E R I V AT I V E   F I N A N C I A L   I N S T R U M E N T S
The fair values of derivative financial instruments generally correspond to the market value. The market price determined 
for all derivative financial instruments is the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in 
an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. A description of the determination of the fair 
values of derivative financial instruments is provided with the classification of financial instruments measured at fair value.

Positive and negative fair values of derivative financial instruments shown as receivables or liabilities

30 Sep 2017

30 Sep 2016

€ million

Receivables

Liabilities

Receivables

Liabilities

Cash flow hedges for
currency risks
other market price risks
interest rate risks

Hedging
Other derivative financial instruments
Total

168.6
91.2
–
259.8
35.5
295.3

217.4
11.1
0.7
229.2
38.4
267.6

480.7
59.0
–
539.7
131.7
671.4

104.0
115.0
–
219.0
58.1
277.1

Financial instruments which are entered into in order to hedge a risk position according to operational criteria but do 
not meet the criteria of IAS 39 to qualify for hedge accounting are shown as other derivative financial instruments. They 
include foreign currency transactions entered into in order to hedge against foreign exchange-exposure to changes in 
the value of balance sheet items and foreign exchange fluctuations from future expenses in Tourism. 

F I N A N C I A L   I N S T R U M E N T S   –   A D D I T I O N A L   D I S C L O S U R E S

C A R R Y I N G   A M O U N T S   A N D   F A I R   V A L U E S
Where financial instruments are listed in an active market, e. g. shares held and bonds issued, the fair value or market 
value is the respective quotation in this market at the balance sheet date. For over-the-counter bonds, liabilities to 
banks, promissory notes and other non-current financial liabilities, the fair value is determined as the present value of 
future cash flows, taking account of yield curves and the respective credit spread, which depends on the credit rating.

Due to the short remaining terms of cash and cash equivalents, current trade receivables and other assets, current 
trade payables and other payables, the carrying amounts are taken as realistic estimates of the fair value.

The fair values of non-current trade receivables and other assets correspond to the present values of the cash flows 
associated  with  the  assets,  taking  account  of  current  interest  parameters  which  reflect  market-  and  counter party-
related changes in terms and expectations. There are no financial investments held to maturity.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
216

Carrying amounts and fair values according to classes and measurement categories as at 30 Sep 2017

Category under IA S 39

Carrying 
amount

At amortised 
cost

Fair value with 
no effect on 
profit and loss

Fair value 
through profit 
and loss

At cost

Values 
 according to 
IA S 17 
( leases)

Carrying 
amount of 
 financial 
 instruments

Fair value of 
financial 
 instruments

69.5

–

43.5

1,006.3

745.1

259.8

35.5
2,516.1

1,933.1
2,653.3

229.2

38.4
748.2

–

–
2,516.1

706.6
2,652.4

–

–
95.2

–

–

–
–

–
–

–

–
–

26.0

–

259.8

–
–

–
–

229.2

–
–

–

–

–

35.5
–

–
–

–

38.4
–

–

–

–

–
–

1,226.5
–

–

–
–

69.5

745.1

259.8

35.5
2,516.1

706.6
2,652.4

69.5

745.1

259.8

35.5
2,516.1

714.0
2,652.4

229.2

229.2

38.4
95.2

38.4
95.2

€ million

Assets
Available for sale financial assets
Trade receivables and other 
 assets
Derivative financial instruments
  Hedging

 Other derivative financial 
 instruments

Cash and cash equivalents
Liabilities
Financial liabilities
Trade payables
Derivative financial instruments
  Hedging

 Other derivative financial 
 instruments
Other liabilities

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
N O T E S

 Notes on the consolidated statement of financial position

217

Carrying amounts and fair values according to classes and measurement categories as at 30 Sep 2016 

€ million

Assets
Available for sale financial assets
Trade receivables and other assets
Derivative financial instruments
  Hedging

 Other derivative financial 
 instruments

Cash and cash equivalents
Liabilities
Financial liabilities
Trade payables
Derivative financial instruments
  Hedging

 Other derivative financial 
 instruments
Other liabilities

Carrying 
amount

At amortised 
cost

316.2
911.2

539.7

131.7
2,072.9

2,041.1
2,476.9

219.0

58.1
731.2

–
689.7

–

–
2,072.9

809.4
2,476.4

–

–
134.2

At cost

44.4
–

–

–
–

–
–

–

–
–

Category under IA S 39

Fair value with 
no effect on 
profit and loss

Fair value 
through profit 
and loss

Values 
 according to 
IA S 17 
( leases)

Carrying 
amount of 
 financial 
 instruments

Fair value of 
financial 
 instruments

271.8
–

539.7

–
–

–
–

219.0

–
–

–
–

–

131.7
–

–
–

–

58.1
–

–
–

–

–
–

1,231.8
–

–

–
–

316.2
689.7

539.7

131.7
2,072.9

809.4
2,476.4

219.0

58.1
134.2

316.2
689.7

539.7

131.7
2,072.9

818.0
2,476.4

219.0

58.1
134.2

The financial investments classified as financial assets available for sale include an amount of € 43.5 m (previous year 
€ 44.4 m) for stakes in partnerships and corporations for which an active market does not exist. The fair value of these 
non-listed stakes is not determined using a measurement model since the future cash flows cannot be reliably determined. 
The stakes are carried at acquisition cost. In the reporting period and in the previous year, there were no major disposals 
of  stakes  in  partnerships  and  corporations  measured  at  acquisition  cost.  The  TUI  Group  does  not  intend  to  sell  or 
derecognise the stakes in these partnerships and corporations in the near future.

Aggregation according to measurement categories under IAS 39 as at 30 Sep 2017

€ million

Loans and receivables
Financial assets

available for sale
held for trading
Financial liabilities

at amortised cost
held for trading

At amortised 
cost

with no effect 
on profit and 
loss

through profit 
and loss

At cost

Carrying 
amount  
Total

Fair value

Fair value

3,261.2

–
–

3,454.2
–

–

43.5
–

–
–

–

26.0
–

–
–

–

–
35.5

–
38.4

3,261.2

3,261.2

69.5
35.5

3,454.2
38.4

69.5
35.5

3,461.6
38.4

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
218

Aggregation according to measurement categories under IAS 39 as at 30 Sep 2016

€ million

Loans and receivables
Financial assets

available for sale
held for trading
Financial liabilities

at amortised cost
held for trading

At amortised 
cost

with no effect 
on profit and 
loss

through profit 
and loss

Carrying 
amount  
Total

At cost

Fair value

Fair value

2,762.6

–
–

3,420.0
–

–

44.4
–

–
–

–

271.8
–

–
–

–

2,762.6

2,762.6

–
131.7

–
58.1

316.2
131.7

3,420.0
58.1

316.2
131.7

3,428.6
58.1

F A I R   V A L U E   M E A S U R E M E N T
The table below presents the fair values of recurring, non-recurring and other financial instruments measured at fair 
value in line with the underlying measurement level. The individual measurement levels have been defined as follows in 
line with the inputs: 

•  Level 1: (unadjusted) quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities. 
•  Level 2: inputs for the measurement other than quoted market prices included within Level 1 that are observable in 
the market for the asset or liability, either directly (as quoted prices) or indirectly (derivable from quoted prices).

•  Level 3: inputs for the measurement of the asset or liability not based on observable market data.

Classification of fair value measurement of financial instruments as of 30 Sep 2017

€ million

Assets
Available for sale financial assets
Derivative financial instruments
  Hedging transactions
  Other derivative financial instruments

Liabilities
Derivative financial instruments
  Hedging transactions
  Other derivative financial instruments

Total

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Fair value hierarchy

26.0

259.8
35.5

229.2
38.4

–

–
–

–
–

20.1

259.8
35.5

229.2
38.4

5.9

–
–

–
–

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
N O T E S

 Notes on the consolidated statement of financial position

219

Classification of fair value measurement of financial instruments as of 30 September 2016

€ million

Assets
Available for sale financial assets
Derivative financial instruments
  Hedging transactions
  Other derivative financial instruments

Liabilities
Derivative financial instruments
  Hedging transactions
  Other derivative financial instruments

Total

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Fair value hierarchy

271.8

539.7
131.7

219.0
58.1

265.8

–

6.0

–
–

–
–

539.7
131.7

219.0
58.1

–
–

–
–

At the end of every reporting period, TUI Group checks whether there are any reasons for reclassification to or from 
one of the measurement levels. Financial assets and financial liabilities are generally transferred out of Level 1 into 
Level 2 if the liquidity and trading activity no longer indicate an active market. The opposite situation applies to potential 
transfers out of Level 2 into Level 1. In the reporting period, there were no transfers between Level 1 and Level 2. 

Reclassifications from Level 3 to Level 2 or Level 1 are effected if observable market price quotations become available 
for the asset or liability concerned. TUI Group records transfers to and out of Level 3 as at the date of the obligating 
event or occasion triggering the transfer. There were no transfers from or to level 3 in the reporting period.

The stake in Hapag-Lloyd AG listed in Level 1 in the financial year 2016 was fully sold on 10 July 2017.

L E V E L   1   F I N A N C I A L   I N S T R U M E N T S
The fair value of financial instruments for which an active market exists is based on quoted prices at the reporting date. 
An active market exists if quoted prices are readily and regularly available from an exchange, dealer, broker, pricing 
service or regulatory agency and these prices represent actual and regularly occurring market transactions on an arm’s 
length basis. These financial instruments are classified as Level 1. The fair values correspond to the nominal amounts 
multiplied by the quoted prices at the reporting date. Level 1 financial instruments primarily comprise shares in listed 
companies classified as available for sale and bonds issued classified as financial liabilities at amortised cost.

L E V E L   2   F I N A N C I A L   I N S T R U M E N T S :
The fair values of financial instruments not traded in an active market, e. g. over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives, are 
determined by means of valuation techniques. These valuation techniques make maximum use of observable market 
data and minimise the use of Group-specific assumptions. If all essential inputs for the determination of the fair value 
of an instrument are observable, the instrument is classified as Level 2. 

If one or several key inputs are not based on observable market data, the instrument is classified as Level 3. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
220

The following specific valuation techniques are used to measure financial instruments:

•  For over-the-counter bonds, liabilities to banks, promissory notes and other non-current financial liabilities, the fair 
value  is  determined  as  the  present  value  of  future  cash  flows,  taking  account  of  yield  curves  and  the  respective 
credit spread, which depends on the credit rating

•  The fair value of over-the-counter derivatives is determined by means of appropriate calculation methods, e. g. by 
discounting the expected future cash flows. The forward prices of forward transactions are based on the spot or cash 
prices, taking account of forward premiums and discounts. The calculation of the fair values of options concluded for 
currency options is based on the Black & Scholes model and the Turnbull & Wakeman model for optional fuel hedges. 
The fair values determined on the basis of the Group’s own systems are periodically compared with fair value confir-
mations of the external counterparties.

•  Other valuation techniques, e. g. discounting future cash flows, are used to determine the fair values of other financial 

instruments. 

L E V E L   3   F I N A N C I A L   I N S T R U M E N T S :
The table below presents the fair values of the financial instruments measured at fair value on a recurring basis, classified 
as Level 3:

Financial assets measured at fair value in level 3

€ million

Balance as at 1 October 2015
Disposals

conversion

Total gains or losses for the period
recognised througt profit or loss
recogniseed in other comprehensive income

Balance as at 30 September 2016

Balance as at 1 October 2016
Total gains or losses for the period
recognised througt profit or loss
recognised in other comprehensive income

Balance as at 30 September 2017

Available for sale 
 financial assets

340.7

334.9
0.2
0.2
–
6.0

6.0
– 0.1
–
– 0.1
5.9

Further information on Level 3 is not presented for materiality reasons.

E F F E C T S   O N   R E S U LT S
The effects of the measurement of financial assets available for sale outside profit and loss and the effective portions 
of changes in fair values of derivatives designated as cash flow hedges are listed in the statement of changes in equity.

 
 
 
 
 
N O T E S

 Notes on the consolidated statement of financial position

221

The net results of the financial instruments by measurement category according to IAS 39 are as follows:

Net results of financial instruments

2017

2016

€ million

from 
 interest

other net 
results

net result

from 
 interest

other net 
results

net result

Loans and receivables
Available for sale financial assets
Financial assets and liabilities held for trading
Financial liabilities at amortised cost
Total

– 2.7
–
– 2.5
– 22.2
– 27.4

332.8
173.3
20.0
– 50.5
475.6

330.1
173.3
17.5
– 72.7
448.2

– 6.4
–
– 0.6
– 44.2
– 51.2

263.1
– 99.2
– 9.2
– 25.5
129.2

256.7
– 99.2
– 9.8
– 69.7
78.0

In addition to interest income and interest expenses, the other net result of available-for-sale financial assets mainly 
consists of the result from participations, capital gains and losses, the effects of the fair value measurement and value 
adjustments. Details on the sale of the shares in Hapag-Lloyd AG are listed under Note 17.

Financial instruments measured at fair value outside profit and loss did not give rise to any commission expenses in 
financial year 2017, just as in the previous year.

N E T T I N G
The following financial assets and liabilities are subject to contractual netting arrangements: 

Offsetting – financial assets

€ million

Financial assets as at 30 Sep 17
Derivative financial assets
Cash and cash equivalents
Financial assets as at 30 Sep 16
Derivative financial assets
Cash and cash equivalents

Gross Amounts 
of financial 
 assets

Gross amounts of 
 financial  liabilities  
set off

Net amounts of financial 
 assets presented in the 
 balance sheet

Financial  
 liabilities

Cash Collateral 
received 

Net 
Amount

Related amounts not set off  
in the balance sheet

 295.3
6,222.3

671.4
4,917.8

–
3,706.2

–
2,844.9

 295.3
2,516.1

 671.4
2,072.9

 87.5
–

 277.1
–

–
–

–
–

207.8
2,516.1

394.3
2,072.9

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
222

Offsetting – financial assets

€ million

Financial liabilities as at 30 Sep 17
Derivative financial liabilities
Financial liabilities
Financial liabilities as at 30 Sep 16
Derivative financial liabilities
Financial liabilities

Gross Amounts 
of financial 
 assets

Gross amounts of 
 financial  liabilities  
set off 

Net amounts of financial 
 liabilities presented in the 
balance sheet

Financial 
 assets

Cash Collateral 
granted

Net 
Amount

Related amounts not set off  
in the balance sheet

 267.6
5,639.3

277.1
4,886.0

–
3,706.2

–
2,844.9

 267.6
1,933.1

 277.1
2,041.1

 87.5
–

 277.1
–

–
–

–
–

180.1
1,933.1

–
2,041.1

Financial assets and financial liabilities are only netted in the balance sheet if a legally enforceable right to netting exists 
and the Company intends to settle on a net basis. 

The contracts for financial instruments are based on standardised master agreements for financial derivatives (including 
ISDA  Master  Agreement,  German  master  agreement  for  financial  derivatives),  creating  a  conditional  right  to  netting 
contingent on defined future events. Under the contractual agreements all derivatives contracted with the corresponding 
counterparty with positive or negative fair values are netted in that case, resulting in a net receivable or payable in the 
amount of the balance. As this conditional right to netting is not enforceable in the course of ordinary business 
transactions, the derivative financial assets and liabilities are carried at their gross amounts in the balance sheet at the 
reporting date.

Financial assets and liabilities in the framework of the cash pooling scheme are shown on a net basis if there is a right 
to netting in ordinary business transactions and the Group intends to settle on a net basis.

(39) Capital risk management

One of the key performance indicators in the framework of capital risk management is the IFRS-based gearing, i.e. the 
relationship between the Group’s net debt and Group equity. From a risk perspective, a balanced relation between net 
debt and equity is sought. 

In order to exert active control over the capital structure, the TUI Group’s management may change dividend payments 
to the shareholders, repay capital to the shareholders, issue new shares or issue hybrid capital. The management may 
also sell assets in order to reduce Group debt.

Gearing calculation

€ million

Average financial debt
Average cash and cash equivalent
Average Group net debt
Average Group equity
Gearing 

2017

2,032.6
1,506.3
526.3
3,055.6
17.2

2016

2,396.3
1,425.8
970.5
2,314.8
41.9

%

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
N O T E S

 Notes on the consolidated statement of financial position, Notes on the cash flow statement

223

Notes on the cash flow statement

The cash flow statement shows the flow of cash and cash equivalents on the basis of a separate presentation of cash 
inflows and outflows from operating, investing and financing activities. The effects of changes in the group of consoli-
dated companies are eliminated. The cash flows are shown for continuing operations and the discontinued operation.

In the reporting period, cash and cash equivalents rose by € 112.5 m to € 2,516.1 m. The item Assets held for sale does 
not include any cash or cash equivalents. 

(40) Cash inflow from operating activities

Based on the Group result after tax, the cash flow from operating activities is derived using the indirect method. In the 
completed financial year, the cash inflow from operating activities amounted to € 1,583.1 m (previous year € 1,034.7 m). 

In the reporting period, the cash inflow included interest of € 17.7 m and dividends of € 121.7 m. Income tax payments 
resulted in a cash outflow of € 146.1 m. By contrast, tax payments of € 2.5 m on the gains on disposal from the sale of 
Hotelbeds Group in the prior year were carried under cash outflows from investing activities.

(41) Cash outflow / inflow from investing activities

In financial year 2017, the cash outflow from investing activities totalled € 687.7 m (previous year € 239.0 m inflow). The 
cash flow from investing activities includes a cash outflow for capital expenditure related to property, plant and equipment 
and intangible assets of € 1,049.0 m, including € 4.0 m for interest capitalised as borrowing costs. The Group also recorded 
a cash inflow of € 79.5 m from the sale of property, plant and equipment and intangible assets. The item also includes 
a cash outflow of € 122.6 m in connection with the acquisition of consolidated companies and the acquisition and capital 
increase of joint ventures as well as a stake in a technology provider for tourism. The Group recorded a cash inflow of 
€ 11.7 m from the sale of joint ventures in prior years. In the reporting period, the sale of Travelopia Group and the re-
demption of financial liabilities by the acquirer resulted in a cash inflow after deduction of income tax payments and 
consultancy costs and after deduction of the cash and cash equivalents of the consolidated companies sold (€ 423.6 m) 
of € 4.3 m. A part of the expenses (€– 23.0 m) in connection with the sale of Hotelbeds Group in the prior year were only 
payable  in  the  current  financial  year.  The  sale  of  another  three  consolidated  and  one  non-consolidated  companies 
caused a cash inflow of € 5.0 m for TUI Group after deduction of cash and cash equivalents (€ 0.4 m). The Group recorded 
a cash inflow of € 406.4 m from the sale of shares in Hapag-Lloyd AG in the reporting period.

(42) Cash outflow from financing activities

The cash outflow from financing activities totals € 733.8 m (previous year € 662.1 m). The amounts drawn from the external 
revolving credit facility to manage the seasonality of the Group’s cash flows and liquidity in the completed financial year 
have meanwhile been fully repaid. In October 2016, TUI AG recorded a cash inflow of € 294.9 m from the issue of a bond. 
Other TUI Group companies took out further financial liabilities worth € 34.9 m. In September 2014, TUI AG had issued 
an  unsecured  bond  maturing  on  1  October  2019.  This  bond  was  cancelled  as  at  18  November  2016.  An  amount  of 
€ 306.8 m was spent to redeem this bond. A further cash outflow of € 206.6 m related to the redemption of other finan-
cial liabilities, including € 97.8 m for finance lease obligations. An amount of € 74.8 m was used for interest payments, while 
a cash outflow of € 368.2 m related to dividend payments to TUI AG shareholders and a further outflow of € 88.6 m 
related to dividend payments to minority shareholders. The Employee Benefit Trust of TUI Travel Ltd acquired TUI AG 
shares worth € 22.3 m to be used for stock option plans. A cash inflow of € 3.7 m related to the issue of employee shares. 

224

(43) Development of cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents comprise all liquid funds, i.e. cash in hand, bank balances and cheques. 

The change in cash and cash equivalents driven by changes in the group of consolidated companies shows the increase 
in the Group’s cash and cash equivalents triggered by the merger of a previously non-consolidated with a consolidated 
company.

Other notes

(44) Services of the auditors of the consolidated financial statements

TUI AG’s consolidated financial statements have been audited by Deloitte GmbH Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft for 
the  first  time  in  the  current  year  following  the  election  of  the  auditors  effected  at  the  Annual  General  Meeting  of 
14 February 2017. Dr Hendrik Nardmann is the auditor in charge. In the prior year and for the review of the interim 
financial statements as at 31 December 2016, PricewaterhouseCoopers AG Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft had been 
TUI AG’s auditors. Total expenses for the services provided by the auditors of the consolidated financial statements in 
financial year 2017 are as follows:

Services of the auditors of the consolidated financial statements

€ million

Audit fees for TUI AG and subsidiaries in Germany
Audit fees
Review of interim financial statements
Other audit related services
Other certification and measurement services
Consulting fees
Tax advisor services
Other services
Total

2017 

2016  
restated

2.9
2.9
1.1
–
1.1
–
0.1
0.1
4.1

3.0
3.0
2.5
0.1
2.6
0.7
0.2
0.9
6.5

(45) Remuneration of Executive and Supervisory Board members acc. to § 314 HGB

In the completed financial year, the remuneration paid to Executive Board members totalled € 3,794.7 thousand (previous 
year € 4,720.6 thousand). 

Pension  payments  for  former  Executive  Board  members  or  their  surviving  dependants  totalled  € 13,497.1  thousand 
(previous  year  € 4,933.2  thousand)  in  the  completed  financial  year.  Pension  obligations  for  former  Executive  Board 
members and their surviving dependants amounted to € 64,683.5 thousand (previous year € 78,976.5 thousand) at the 
balance sheet date.

Disclosures of the relevant amounts for individual Board members and further details on the remuneration system are 
provided in the Remuneration Report included in the Management Report. 

N O T E S

 Notes on the cash flow statement, Other notes

225

(46) Use of exemption provision

The following German subsidiaries fully included in consolidation made use of the exemption provision in accordance 
with section 264 (3) of the German Commercial Code (HGB): 

Use of exemption provisions

Atraveo GmbH, Düsseldorf
Berge & Meer Touristik GmbH, Rengsdorf
DEFAG Beteiligungsverwaltungs GmbH I, Hanover
DEFAG Beteiligungsverwaltungs GmbH III, Hanover
FOX-TOURS Reisen GmbH, Rengsdorf
Hapag-Lloyd Executive GmbH, Langenhagen
Hapag-Lloyd Kreuzfahrten GmbH, Hamburg
Last-Minute-Restplatzreisen GmbH, Baden-Baden
Leibniz Service GmbH, Hanover
L’tur tourismus Aktiengesellschaft, Baden-Baden
MEDICO Flugreisen GmbH, Baden-Baden
MSN 1359 GmbH, Hanover
Preussag Beteiligungsverwaltungs GmbH IX , Hanover
ProTel Gesellschaft für Kommunikation mbH, Rengsdorf
Robinson Club GmbH, Hanover
TC V Touristik-Computerverwaltungs GmbH, Baden-Baden
TIC S GmbH Touristische Internet und Call Center Services, 
Baden-Baden

(47) Related parties

TUI 4 U GmbH, Bremen
TUI aqtiv GmbH, Hanover
TUI Aviation GmbH, Hanover
TUI Beteiligungs GmbH, Hanover
TUI Business Services GmbH, Hanover
TUI Customer Operations GmbH, Hanover
TUI Deutschland GmbH, Hanover
TUI Group Services GmbH, Hanover
TUI-Hapag Beteiligungs GmbH, Hanover
TUI Hotel Betriebsgesellschaft mbH, Hanover
TUI Immobilien Services GmbH, Hanover
TUI InfoTec GmbH, Hanover
TUI Leisure Travel Service GmbH, Neuss
TUI Magic Life GmbH, Hanover
TUIfly GmbH, Langenhagen
TUIfly Vermarktungs GmbH, Hanover
Wolters Reisen GmbH, Stuhr 

Apart from the subsidiaries included in the consolidated financial statements, TUI AG, in carrying out its ordinary business 
activities, maintains indirect or direct relationships with related parties. Related parties controlled by the TUI Group or 
over which the TUI Group is able to exercise a significant influence are shown in the list of shareholdings published in 
the Federal Gazette (www.bundesanzeiger.de). Apart from pure equity investments, related parties also include companies 
that supply goods or provide services for TUI Group companies.

Financial obligations from order commitments vis-à-vis related parties primarily relate to the purchasing of hotel services. 
TUI  Group  also  has  obligations  of  € 613.2 m  (previous  year  € 613.2 m)  from  order  commitments  vis-à-vis  the  related 
company TUI Cruises, resulting from finance leases for cruise ships. In addition, there are obligations of € 56.2 m (previous 
year € 8.4 m) from rental and lease agreements. 

 
226

Transactions with related parties

€ million

Services provided by the Group
Management and consultancy services
Sales of tourism services
Other services 
Total
Services received by the Group
In the framework of rental and leasing agreements
Purchase of hotel services
Distribution services
Other services
Total

Transactions with related parties

€ million

Services provided by the Group to
non-consolidated Group companies
joint ventures
associates
other related parties
Total
Services received by the Group from
non-consolidated Group companies
joint ventures
associates
other related parties
Total

2017

2016

104.2
79.2
0.7
184.1

46.6
253.1
8.0
11.3
319.0

93.2
62.2
1.3
156.7

33.2
224.8
8.8
9.0
275.8

2017

2016

0.7
92.0
28.8
62.6
184.1

6.6
264.2
34.5
13.7
319.0

0.5
72.9
29.7
53.6
156.7

6.1
224.1
34.3
11.3
275.8

Transactions with joint ventures and associates are primarily effected in the Tourism segment. They relate in particular 
to the tourism services of the hotel companies used by the Group’s tour operators.

All transactions with related parties were executed on an arm’s length basis, applying international comparable uncontrolled 
price methods in accordance with IAS 24.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
N O T E S

 Other notes

227

Receivables against related parties

€ million

Trade receivables from
non-consolidated Group companies
joint ventures
associates
other related parties
Total
Advances and loans to
non-consolidated Group companies
joint ventures
associates
Total
Payments on account to
joint ventures
Total
Other receivables from
non-consolidated Group companies
joint ventures
associates
Total

Payables due to related parties

€ million

Trade payables due to
non-consolidated Group companies
joint ventures
associates
other related parties
Total
Financial liabilities due to
non-consolidated Group companies
joint ventures
Total
Other liabilities due to
non-consolidated Group companies
joint ventures
associates
key management personnel
Total

30 Sep 2017

30 Sep 2016 

2.2
18.8
4.9
0.3
26.2

0.3
4.2
6.8
11.3

21.2
21.2

1.5
3.8
1.6
6.9

1.7
10.4
3.9
0.5
16.5

17.8
3.2
5.6
26.6

0.4
0.4

1.6
3.3
2.9
7.8

30 Sep 2017

30 Sep 2016 

–
36.2
4.1
0.1
40.4

6.7
175.7
182.4

5.7
13.7
1.9
7.9
29.2

1.0
23.0
2.5
0.1
26.6

6.6
192.1
198.7

7.5
13.5
5.6
8.5
35.1

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
228

Liabilities to joint ventures included liabilities from finance leases of € 168.4 m (previous year € 184.1 m).

The share of result of associates and joint ventures is shown separately by segment in segment reporting. 

The Russian entrepreneur Alexey Mordashov, CEO of OOO Severgroup, has been a member of TUI AG’s Supervisory 
Board since February 2016 and held 23.0 % of the shares in TUI AG as at the balance sheet date. 

At the balance sheet date, the joint venture Riu Hotels S.A. holds 3.4 % of the shares in TUI AG. Luis Riu Güell and 
Carmen Riu Güell (a member of TUI AG’s Supervisory Board) hold 51 % of the shares in Riu Hotels S.A. 

A family member of a Supervisory Board member was employed by TUI. Remuneration corresponded to TUI’s internal 
remuneration policies and was in line with the customary remuneration for persons in comparable positions.

In accordance with IAS 24, key management functions within the Group, the Executive Board and the Supervisory Board 
are related parties whose remuneration has to be listed separately.

Remuneration of Executive and Supervisory Board

€ million

Short-term benefits
Post-employment benefits
Other long-term benefits (share-based payments)
Termination benefits
Total

2017

13.5
1.5
3.5
–
18.5

2016

14.4
3.0
8.6
6.6
32.6

Post-employment benefits are transfers to or reversals of pension provisions for Executive Board members active in 
the reporting period. The expenses mentioned do not meet the definition of remuneration for Executive and Supervisory 
Board members under German accounting rules.

Pension provisions for active Executive Board members total € 19.7 m (previous year € 19.1 m) as at the balance sheet 
date. 

In  addition,  provisions  and  payables  of  € 10.2 m  (previous  year  € 8.6 m)  are  recognised  relating  to  the  long-term 
incentive programme.

N O T E S

 Other notes

229

(48) International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) not yet applied

New standards endorsed by the EU, but applicable after 30 Sep 2017 

Standard

Amendments to IAS 7 
Disclosure Initiative 

Amendments to IAS 12 
Recognition of 
Deferred Tax Assets  
for Unrealised Losses
IFRS 9 
Financial Instruments 

Applicable 
from

1 Jan 2017 

1 Jan 2017 

Amendments

The amendments will enable users of financial statements to better evaluate changes in 
 liabilities arising from financing activities. An entity is required to disclose additional 
 information about cash flows and non-cash changes in liabilities, for which cashflows  
are classified as financing activities in the statement of cashflows.
The amendment clarifies the accounting of deferred tax assets for unrealised losses 
from available for sale financial assets. 

1 Jan 2018 

The new standard replaces current the IA S 39 guidance on classification and measure-
ment of financial assets and introduces new rules for hedge accounting. The existing 
 impairment rules are being superseded by a new model based on expected credit losses. 

IFRS 15 
Revenue from  
Contracts with  
Customers 

Clarifications to  
IFRS 15 
Revenue from  
Contracts with  
Customers
IFRS 16 
Leases 

1 Jan 2018 

1 Jan 2018 

1 Jan 2019 

IFRS 15 combines and supersedes the guidance on revenue recognition comprised in 
various standards and interpretations so far. It establishes a single, comprehensive 
framework for revenue recognition, to be applied across industries and for all categories  
of revenue transactions, specifying which amount of revenue and at which point in  
time or over which time period revenue is to be recognised. IFRS 15 replaces, amongst 
others, IA S 18 Revenue and IA S 11 Construction Contracts.
The amendments comprise clarifications of the guidance on identifying performance 
obligations, the principal versus agent assessment (i.e., gross vs. net revenue presenta-
tion) as well as the accounting for revenue from licences at a ’point in time’ or ’over time’. 
In addition, it introduces practical expedients to simplify first-time adoption. 

IFRS 16 replaces the current IA S 17 and its interpretations. For lessees, there is no longer 
the requirement to classify into finance and operating leases. Instead all leases are 
 accounted for according to the so-called ’Rights of Use’ approach. In the statement of 
financial position a lessee is to recognise an asset for the right to use the leased item 
and a liability for the future lease payments. There are optional exemptions for short-term 
leases (< 12 months) and so-called small-ticket leases. For lessors, the accounting stays 
largely unchanged. Lessors will continue to classify leases in accordance with the criteria 
transfered from IA S 17. In addition, IFRS 16 includes several other new requirements, in 
particular a new definition of a lease, on sale and leaseback transactions and the account-
ing for subleases.

Expected impact on  
financial position & performance

TUI expects the amendments to 
result in additional disclosures. 

Not material 

TUI is currently assessing the 
 effects on the Group’s financial 
position & performance. The 
likely effects are explained below.
IFRS 15 and the clarifications to 
IFRS 15 may significantly affect 
the Group’s financial position & 
performance. The possible 
 effects are explained below. 

IFRS 15 and the clarifications to 
IFRS 15 may significantly affect 
the Group’s financial position & 
performance. The possible 
 effects are explained below.
The new standard will have 
 significant effects on the  
Group’s financial position & 
 performance. The likely effects 
are explained below. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
230

I F R S   15
The Group-wide project to analyse the effects and the implementation of IFRS 15 ‘Revenue From Contracts with Customers’ 
has not yet been completed. Within the scope of the project the contracts with customers within the businesses are 
being analysed using the five step model in IFRS 15. In order to determine the adjustments on transition and gather the 
information needed to collate the new disclosures data extracts were made from the relevant reservation-, booking- 
and accounting systems as per the year-end date. The evaluation and analysis of those data extracts has not been 
completed yet. A reliable quantification of the effects on TUI’s financial position and performance is therefore not 
yet possible. The new requirements will generally influence the following facts and circumstances, depending on the 
specific case: 

•  Revenue recognition at the tour operator: Depending on the specific contract terms, the tour operation business 
currently primarily recognises revenue as at the start date of a journey. The new rules will result in period-related 
revenue recognition for some business models. 

•  Change fees: Revenue from rebooking travel services will no longer be recognised when the change service occurs. 
Instead such fees will be recognised as a contract liability and recognised at the point in time or over time when the 
service is provided.

•  Travel agency commission: The assessment of the question whether the Group’s own travel agencies should recognise 

commissions earned at an earlier point in time is currently expected to not result in changes. 

•  Principal vs. agent: In assessing whether TUI provides services on its own account (gross revenue) or on behalf of a 
third  party  (net  revenue),  the  new  criteria  will  result  in  net  revenue  recognition  in  some  tour  operating  business 
models. 

•  Disclosures in the notes: The new requirements will result in a substantial extension of the qualitative and quantitative 

disclosures. 

In addition the further analysis, in particular of IT systems, to implement IFRS 15 within the accounting related processes 
and systems is ongoing. Building up on the results of thereof, the decision about the transition method on first-time 
application of IFRS 15 will be made. TUI will first apply the new standard from 1 October 2018. 

I F R S   9
In a Group-wide project, TUI is assessing the impact of the application of IFRS 9 Financial Instruments on the Group’s 
consolidated financial statements. We currently expect the following effects: 

•  There will be no significant impact on measurement base resulting from the reclassification of financial assets based 
on the business model for managing those financial assets and the related contractual cash flows. The financial assets 
currently carried at amortised cost satisfy the conditions for classification at amortised cost under IFRS 9.

•  For the equity instruments currently classified as financial assets available for sale, an election to classify as at fair 

value through other comprehensive income option (FVTOCI) is available.

•  Due to the transition from the incurred loss model to the new expected loss model impairment charges will have to 
be recognised in profit or loss earlier in the future. For the majority of its financial assets, TUI is able to use the simplified 
model, in which all expected losses are considered at initial recognition. 

•  Recognition of financial liabilities will not be affected. The new rules only relate to the recognition of financial liabilities 

for which the fair value option is elected. The Group does not make use of that option.

•  The new hedge accounting requirements will give TUI the opportunity to align the accounting for hedge relationships 
even more closely with the Group’s economic risk management. While the Group has yet to carry out a detailed 
assessment of the existing hedging relationship as at the transition date, it appears as if the current hedge relation-
ships qualify as continuing hedge relationships upon the first-time application of IFRS 9. TUI therefore expects no 
impact  on  the  accounting  for  hedge  relationships.  Subject  to  the  adaption  of  our  treasury  management  systems 
being completed in time, we intend to not make use of the choice offered on transition to IFRS 9 to continue to apply 
the hedge accounting requirements of IAS 39. 

N O T E S

 Other notes

231

A reliable estimate of the quantitative impact is not yet possible at this stage. The initial application of IFRS 9 from 
1 October 2018 will be done retrospectivel, except for the new hedge accounting requirements which are to be applied 
prospectively. The reclassification of the carrying amounts and loss allowances on transition from IAS 39 to IFRS 9 are 
to be presented in a reconciliation. TUI intends to make use of the election to not restate the prior year comparatives 
on transition.

Contrary  to  this  the  new  hedge  accounting  requirements  need  to  be  applied  prospectively  as  a  matter  of  principle. 
Notwithstanding this principle, according to the transition requirements TUI will need to apply the requirements retro-
spectively  regarding  the  accounting  for  the  time  value  of  options,  where  the  inner  value  was  designated  to  be  the 
hedging instrument, when the hedge relationship existed on 1 October 2017 or during financial year 2018. 

I F R S   1 6 
IFRS 16, in particular its new lessee accounting requirements, will have a significant impact on all parts of the consolidated 
financial statements and the presentation of the Group’s financial position and performance:

•  Statement of financial position: This far, payments for operating leases had to be disclosed in the notes only. In the 
future, in principle rights and obligations arising from all leases must be recognised as rights of use and lease liabilities 
in the statement of financial position. The right of use asset is initially recognised at the present value of future lease 
payments plus initial direct costs and is subsequently depreciated over the lease term. The lease liability is initially 
measured at the present value of the lease payments to be made during the term of the lease. Following initial 
recognition, the carrying amount will be increased for the effective interest and reduced by the payments made. Due 
to the existing obligations from operating leases presented in note 36, TUI expects a material increase in lease 
liabilities and fixed assets as at the date of first application. The equity ratio will decline as a result of this balance 
sheet extension. The material increase in lease liabilities will cause a corresponding increase in net financial liabilities.
•  Income Statement: In future, a lessee will recognise depreciation expense on the right of use assets and interest 
expenses from unwinding the discount on lease liabilities instead of lease expenses. This change will result in a 
significant improvement in key performance indicators EBITDA or EBITA and a moderate improvement in EBIT.

•  Cashflow statement: The payments that represent repayment of principal or interest portion of a lease liability will 
be included in cashflows from financing activities. Only such payments under leases that are either excluded from 
the measurement of the lease liability or, where TUI makes use of the respective exemptions, for short-term leases 
and small-ticket leases will be allocated to cashflows from operating activities. This change in presentation in 
comparison to current recognition of operating lease expenses will result in an increase in cashflows from operating 
activities and a decrease in cashflows from financing activities.

•  Notes: The new requirements will result in expanded disclosures for lessees and lessors in comparison to IAS 17.

TUI has launched a Group-wide project to assess the impact and to implement the new requirements. A reliable estimate 
of their quantitative effects is not possible, primarily due to the large number of external and internal leases, prior to 
completion of the ongoing impact assessment and decisions about the use of recognition and measurement choices.

TUI intends to apply the new requirements modified retrospectively and effective 1 October 2019. The Group has a 
choice to make use of several practical expedients on transition, and no decisions have yet been taken on how to exercise 
these. Upon first-time application, the cumulative adjustment on transition will be recognised in equity. The prior year 
comparatives for financial year 2019, which precedes the date of first-time application, will not be restated.

232

No decision has yet been taken by the European Union about recognition of the following changes and new standards. 

New standards and interpretations not yet endorsed by the EU and applicable after 30 Sep 2017

Applicable 
from

Amendments

Expected impact on  
financial position & performance

1 Jan 2018 

The amendments clarify the accounting for certain share based payment transactions. 

Not material 

Standard

Amendments to IFRS 2 
Classification and 
 Measurement of 
 Share-based Payment 
transactions
Amendments to IAS 40 
Transfer of 
Investment Property
Various  
Improvements to  
IFRS (2014 – 2016) 

IFRIC 22 
Foreign Currency 
 Transactions and 
 Advance Consideration
Amendments to  
IAS 28 
Long-term Interests  
in Associates and  
Joint Ventures
Amendments to  
IFRS 9 
Prepayment Features 
with Negative  
Compensation 

IFRIC 23 
Uncertainty over Income 
Tax Treatments 

1 Jan 2019 

1 Jan 2018 

1.1.2017 
(IFRS 12) and  
1.1.2018 
(IA S 28)
1 Jan 2018 

1 Jan 2019 

1 Jan 2019 

The amendments set out the conditions, according to which property under construc-
tion or development, which was previously classified as inventory, could be transferred 
to investment property in case of an evident change in use (and reversal).
The various amendments from the annual improvement project 2014 – 2016 affect minor 
changes to IFRS 12, IA S 28 and IFRS 1. The effective date for the mandatory adoption of 
the amendments to IA S 28 and IFRS 1 is 1.1.2018. Voluntary early adoption is permitted. 

Not material 

Not material 

The interpretation clarifies the exchange rate to be used when an entity has received or 
paid advance consideration in a foreign currency. The date of transaction for the purpose 
of determining the exchange rate to use on initial recognition of the related asset, expense 
or income is the date on which the entity initally recognises the advance consideration.
The amendments clarify that the impairment rules of IFRS 9 apply to long-term interests 
in associates and joint ventures that, in substance, form part of the net investment in 
the associate or joint venture to which the equity method is applied. Nevertheless, (as a 
second step) these long-term interests will have to be taken into account when the IA S 28 
loss allocations are trued-up to the value of the long-term interests.
The amendments serve to enable entities applying IFRS 9 that hold debt instruments with 
a prepayment feature under which a party receives or pays a reasonable compensation 
in the event of early termination of the contract to measure these instruments at amor-
tised cost or at fair value through other comprehensive income. Until the effective date 
of the amendments, such instruments have to be measured at fair value through profit 
or loss.
The interpretation complements the rules of IA S 12 on the accounting for actual and 
deferred taxes to clarify the accounting for uncertainties over income tax treatments 
and transactions by taxation authorities or fiscal courts. 

No impact as the current 
 accounting is in line with  
the new interpretation. 

TUI is currently reviewing  
the amendments and does not 
expect any material impacts. 

TUI is reviewing the amendments 
and currently does not expect any 
material impacts. 

TUI will review the impacts of 
the interpretation on the consoli-
dated financial statements in due 
time. We currently do not expect 
any material impacts.

TUI is not affected by the Amendments to IFRS 4 ‘Applying IFRS 9 with IFRS 4’ published on 12 September 2016 and 
adopted into European law on 3 November 2017 for first-time application from 1 January 2021, nor by the new IFRS 17 – 
‘Insurance Contracts’ published by the IASB on 18 May 2017. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
N O T E S

 Other notes

233

(49)  TUI Group Shareholdings

Company

Country

Capital share in %

Austria 
Malta 
Ireland 
Malta 
Malta 
Cyprus 
United Kingdom
France 
France 
Germany 
Germany 
Germany 
Germany 
France 
Bulgaria 
Cape Verde 
United Kingdom
Cape Verde 
Tunisia 
France 
United States
Greece 
Dominican Republic
Egypt 
Spain 

Consolidated companies
Tourism
"MAGIC LIFE" Assets AG, Vienna
Absolut Holding Limited, Luqa
Adehy Limited, Dublin
Advent Insurance PCC Limited, Qormi
Aeolos Malta Ltd., Pieta
Aeolos Travel LLP, Nicosia
AMP Management Limited, Crawley
Anse Marcel Riusa II SNC, Paris
Arccac Eurl, Bourg St. Maurice
atraveo GmbH, Düsseldorf
Berge & Meer Touristik GmbH, Rengsdorf
Boomerang-Reisen GmbH, Trier
Boomerang-Reisen Vermögensverwaltungs GmbH, Trier
Brunalp SARL, Venosc
BU RIUSA II EOOD, Sofia
Cabotel-Hoteleria e Turismo Lda., Santiago
Callers-Pegasus Pension Trustee Limited, Crawley
Club Hotel C V SA , Santa Maria
Club Hôtel Management Tunisia SARL, Djerba
Corsair S.A., Rungis
Crystal Holidays, Inc, Wilmington (Delaware)
Daidalos Hotel- und Touristikunternehmen A.E., Athens
Dominicanotel S.A., Puerto Plata
Egyptian Germany Co. for Hotels (L.T.D), Cairo
Elena SL, Palma de Mallorca
Entreprises Hotelières et Touristiques PALADIEN Lena Mary A.E., Argolis Greece 
Europa 2 Ltd, Valletta
Explorers Travel Club Limited, Crawley
Falcon Leisure Group (Overseas) Limited, Crawley
First Choice (Turkey) Limited, Crawley
First Choice Airways Limited, London
First Choice Holiday Hypermarkets Limited, Crawley
First Choice Holidays & Flights Limited, Crawley
First Choice Land (Ireland) Limited, Dublin
First Choice Travel Shops (SW ) Limited, Crawley
First Choice Travel Shops Limited, Crawley
Follow Coordinate Hotels Portugal Unipessoal Lda, Albufeira Freguesia Portugal 
Germany 
FOX-TOURS Reisen GmbH, Rengsdorf
Fritidsresor Tours & Travels India Pvt Ltd, Bardez, Goa
India 
GE AFOND Número Dos Fuerteventura S.A., Las Palmas, Gran Canaria Spain 
Spain 
GE AFOND Número Uno Lanzarote S.A., Las Palmas, Gran Canaria
France 
Groupement Touristique International S.A.S., Lille
Tunisia 
Hannibal Tour SA , Tunis
Bahamas 
Hapag-Lloyd (Bahamas) Ltd., Nassau
Germany 
Hapag-Lloyd Kreuzfahrten GmbH, Hamburg
Greece 
Hellenic EFS Hotel Management E.P.E., Athens
Spain 
Holiday Center S.A., Cala Serena / Cala d’Or
Morocco 
Holidays Services S.A., Agadir

Malta 
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Ireland 
United Kingdom
United Kingdom

100
99.9
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
75
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
89.8
100
66.6
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100

 
 
 
 
234

United Kingdom
Horizon Midlands (Properties) Limited, Crawley
Turkey 
Iberotel International A.S., Antalya
Turkey 
Iberotel Otelcilik A.S., Istanbul
Egypt 
Imperial Cruising Company SARL, Heliopolis-Cairo
Tunisia 
Inter Hotel SARL, Tunis
Cyprus 
Itaria Limited, Nicosia
Spain 
Jandia Playa S.A., Morro Jable / Fuerteventura
Belgium 
Jetair Real Estate N.V., Brussels
United Kingdom
JNB (Bristol) Limited, Crawley
Netherlands
Kras B.V., Ammerzoden
France 
Label Tour EURL, Levallois Perret
France 
Lapter Eurl, Macot La Plagne
Germany 
Last-Minute-Restplatzreisen GmbH, Baden-Baden
France 
Lodges & Mountain Hotels SARL, Notre Dame de Bellecombe, Savoie
Switzerland
L'TUR Suisse AG, Dübendorf / ZH
Germany 
l'tur tourismus Aktiengesellschaft, Baden-Baden
United Kingdom
Lunn Poly Limited, Crawley
Tunisia 
Magic Hotels SA , Tunis
Egypt 
Magic Life Egypt for Hotels LLC, Sharm el Sheikh
Greece 
Magic Life Greece Tourist Enterprises E.P.E., Athens
Tunisia 
Magic Tourism International S.A., Tunis
Germany 
Medico Flugreisen GmbH, Baden-Baden
France 
Morvik EURL, Bourg Saint Maurice
Mexico 
MX RIUSA II S.A. de C.V., Cabo San Lucas
Sweden 
Nazar Nordic AB, Malmö
Spain 
Nordotel S.A., San Bartolomé de Tirajana
Senegal 
Nouvelles Frontières Senegal S.R.L., Dakar
Ocean College LLC, Sharm el Sheikh
Egypt 
Ocean Ventures for Hotels and Tourism Services SAE, Sharm el Sheikh Egypt 
Orion Airways Limited, Crawley
PATS N.V., Oostende
Petit Palais Srl, Valtournenche
Preussag Beteiligungsverwaltungs GmbH IX , Hanover
Professor Kohts Vei 108 A S, Stabekk
PRomeociones y Edificaciones Chiclana S.A., Palma de Mallorca
ProTel Gesellschaft für Kommunikation mbH, Rengsdorf
Puerto Plata Caribe Beach S.A., Puerto Plata
RC Clubhotel Cyprus Limited, Limassol
RCHM S.A.S., Agadir
Rideway Investment Limited, London
Riu Jamaicotel Ltd., Negril
Riu Le Morne Ltd, Port Louis
RIUSA II S.A., Palma de Mallorca
RIUSA NED B.V., Amsterdam
ROBINSON AUSTRIA Clubhotel GmbH, Villach-Landskron
Robinson Club GmbH, Hanover
Robinson Club Italia S.p.A., Marina di Ugento
Robinson Club Maldives Private Limited, Malé
Robinson Clubhotel Turizm Ltd. Sti., Istanbul
Robinson Hoteles España S.A., Cala d’Or
Robinson Hotels Portugal S.A., Vila Nova de Cacela
Robinson Otelcilik A.S., Istanbul
Saint Martin RIUSA II SA S, Basse Terre

United Kingdom
Belgium 
Italy 
Germany 
Norway 
Spain 
Germany 
Dominican Republic
Cyprus 
Morocco 
United Kingdom
Jamaica 
Mauritius 
Spain 
Netherlands
Austria 
Germany 
Italy 
Maldives 
Turkey 
Spain 
Portugal 
Turkey 
France 

* Controlling influence

100
100
100
90
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
99.5
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
98
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
50*
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
67
100
100

CompanyCountryCapital share in %N O T E S

 Other notes

235

SER AC Travel GmbH, Zermatt
Skymead Leasing Limited, Crawley
Société d'Exploitation du Paladien Marrakech SA , Marrakech
Société d'Investissement Aérien S.A., Casablanca
Société d'Investissement et d'Exploration du Paladien de Calcatoggio 
(SIEPAC), Montreuil
Société d'investissement hotelier Almoravides S.A., Marrakech
Société Marocaine pour le Developpement des Transports 
 Touristiques S.A., Agadir
Sons of South Sinai for Tourism Services and Supplies SAE,  
Sharm el Sheikh
Specialist Holidays Group Limited, Crawley
Specialist Holidays, Inc., Mississauga, Ontario
Star Tour Holding A/S, Copenhagen
Stella Polaris Creta A.E., Heraklion
STIVA RII Ltd., Dublin
Sunshine Cruises Limited, Crawley
Tantur Turizm Seyahat A.S., Istanbul
TC V Touristik-Computerverwaltungs GmbH, Baden-Baden
TdC Agricoltura Società agricola a r.l., Florence
TdC Amministrazione S.r.l., Florence
Tec4Jets B.V., Rijswijk ZH
Tec4Jets NV, Oostende
Tenuta di Castelfalfi S.p.A., Florence
Thomson Airways Limited, Crawley
Thomson Reisen GmbH, St. Johann
Thomson Services Limited, St. Peter Port
Thomson Travel Group (Holdings) Limited, Crawley
TIC S GmbH Touristische Internet und Call Center Services, 
 Baden-Baden
Tigdiv Eurl, Tignes
TLT Reisebüro GmbH, Hanover
Transfar - Agencia de Viagens e Turismo Lda., Faro
Travel Choice Limited, Crawley
travel-Ba.Sys GmbH & Co KG, Mülheim an der Ruhr
Tropical Places Limited, Crawley
T T Hotels Italia S.R.L., Rome
T T Hotels Turkey Otel Hizmetleri Turizm ve ticaret A S, Antalya
TUI (Cyprus) Limited, Nicosia
TUI (Suisse) AG, Zurich
TUI 4 U GmbH, Bremen
TUI Airlines Belgium N.V., Oostende
TUI Airlines Nederland B.V., Rijswijk
TUI Airways Limited, Crawley
TUI aqtiv GmbH, Hanover
TUI Austria Holding GmbH, Vienna
TUI Belgium NV, Oostende
TUI Belgium Retail N.V., Zaventem
TUI BLUE AT GmbH, Bad Erlach
TUI Bulgaria EOOD, Varna
TUI Curaçao N.V., Curaçao
TUI Customer Operations GmbH, Hanover
TUI Danmark A/S, Copenhagen

Switzerland
United Kingdom
Morocco 
Morocco 

France 
Morocco 

Morocco 

Egypt 
United Kingdom
Canada 
Denmark 
Greece 
Ireland 
United Kingdom
Turkey 
Germany 
Italy 
Italy 
Netherlands
Belgium 
Italy 
United Kingdom
Austria 
Guernsey
United Kingdom

Germany 
France 
Germany 
Portugal 
United Kingdom
Germany 
United Kingdom
Italy 
Turkey 
Cyprus 
Switzerland
Germany 
Belgium 
Netherlands
United Kingdom
Germany 
Austria 
Belgium 
Belgium 
Austria 
Bulgaria 
Country of Curaçao
Germany 
Denmark 

100
100
100
100

100
100

100

84.1
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100

100
100
100
100
100
83.5
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100

CompanyCountryCapital share in %236

TUI Denmark Holding A/S, Copenhagen
TUI Deutschland GmbH, Hanover
TUI Dominicana SA S, Higuey
TUI DS USA , Inc, Wilmington (Delaware)
TUI España Turismo SL, Barcelona
TUI Finland Oy Ab, Helsinki
TUI France SA S, Nanterre
TUI Hellas Travel Tourism and Airline A.E., Athens
TUI Holding Spain S.L., Barcelona
TUI Hotel Betriebsgesellschaft mbH, Hanover
TUI InfoTec GmbH, Hanover
TUI Leisure Travel Special Tours GmbH, Hanover
TUI Magic Life GmbH, Hanover
TUI Mexicana SA de C V, Mexico
TUI Nederland Holding N.V., Rijswijk
TUI Nederland N.V., Rijswijk
TUI Nordic Holding AB, Stockholm
TUI Norge A S, Stabekk
TUI Northern Europe Limited, Crawley
TUI Norway Holding A S, Stabekk
TUI Österreich GmbH, Vienna
TUI Pension Scheme (UK) Limited, Crawley
TUI Poland Dystrybucja Sp. z o.o., Warsaw
TUI Poland Sp. z o.o., Warsaw
TUI PORTUGAL - Agencia de Viagens e Turismo S.A., Faro
TUI Reisecenter Austria Business Travel GmbH, Vienna
TUI Service AG, Altendorf
TUI Suisse Retail AG, Zurich
TUI Sverige AB, Stockholm
TUI Travel (Ireland) Limited, Dublin
TUI Travel Distribution N.V., Oostende
TUI Travel Group Solutions Limited, Crawley
TUI Travel Holdings Sweden AB, Stockholm
TUI UK Italia Srl, Turin
TUI UK Limited, Crawley
TUI UK Retail Limited, Crawley
TUI UK Transport Limited, Crawley
TUIfly GmbH, Langenhagen
TUIfly Nordic AB, Stockholm
TUIfly Vermarktungs GmbH, Hanover
Tunisie Investment Services Holding S.A., Tunis
Tunisie Voyages S.A., Tunis
Tunisotel S.A.R.L., Tunis
Turcotel Turizm A.S., Istanbul
Turkuaz Insaat Turizm A.S., Ankara
Ultramar Express Transport S.A., Palma de Mallorca
Wolters Reisen GmbH, Stuhr
WonderCruises AB, Stockholm
WonderHolding AB, Stockholm
Xidias Coaches Limited, Larnaca

All other segments
Absolut Insurance Limited, St. Peter Port

Denmark 
Germany 
Dominican Republic
United States
Spain 
Finland 
France 
Greece 
Spain 
Germany 
Germany 
Germany 
Germany 
Mexico 
Netherlands
Netherlands
Sweden 
Norway 
United Kingdom
Norway 
Austria 
United Kingdom
Poland 
Poland 
Portugal 
Austria 
Switzerland
Switzerland
Sweden 
Ireland 
Belgium 
United Kingdom
Sweden 
Italy 
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Germany 
Sweden 
Germany 
Tunisia 
Tunisia 
Tunisia 
Turkey 
Turkey 
Spain 
Germany 
Sweden 
Sweden 
Cyprus 

Guernsey

100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
74.9
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
51

100

CompanyCountryCapital share in % 
 
N O T E S

 Other notes

237

Asiarooms Pte Ltd, Singapore
B.D.S Destination Services Tours, Cairo
Canada Maritime Services Limited, Crawley
Canadian Pacific (UK) Limited, Crawley
Cast Agencies Europe Limited, Crawley
Cheqqer B.V., Rijswijk
CP Ships (Bermuda) Ltd., Hamilton
CP Ships (UK) Limited, Crawley
CP Ships Ltd., Saint John
DEFAG Beteiligungsverwaltungs GmbH I, Hanover
DEFAG Beteiligungsverwaltungs GmbH III, Hanover
First Choice Holidays Finance Limited, Crawley
First Choice Holidays Limited, Crawley
First Choice Leisure Limited, Crawley
First Choice Olympic Limited, Crawley
First Choice Overseas Holdings Limited, Crawley
First Choice USA , Crawley
Hapag-Lloyd Executive GmbH, Langenhagen
I Viaggi del Turchese S.r.l., Fidenza
Jetset Group Holding (Brazil) Limited, Crawley
Jetset Group Holding (UK) Limited, Crawley
Jetset Group Holding Limited, Crawley
Leibniz-Service GmbH, Hanover
Mala Pronta Viagens e Turismo Ltda., Curitiba
Manufacturer's Serialnumber 852 Limited, Dublin
MSN 1359 GmbH, Hanover
Paradise Hotels Management Company LLC, Cairo
PM Peiner Maschinen GmbH, Hanover
Sovereign Tour Operations Limited, Crawley
Thomson Airways Trustee Limited, Crawley
TUI Ambassador Tours Unipessoal Lda, Lisbon
TUI Aviation GmbH, Hanover
TUI Beteiligungs GmbH, Hanover
TUI Brasil Operadora e Agencia de Viagens LTDA , Curitiba
TUI Business Services GmbH, Hanover
TUI Canada Holdings, Inc, Toronto
TUI Chile Operador y Agencia de Viajes SpA, Santiago
TUI China Travel CO. Ltd., Peking
TUI Colombia Operadora y Agencia de Viajes SA S, Bogota
TUI Group Fleet Finance Limited, Luton
TUI Group Services GmbH, Hanover
TUI Group UK Healthcare Limited, Crawley
TUI Group UK Trustee Limited, Crawley
TUI Immobilien Services GmbH, Hanover
TUI India Private Limited, New Delhi
TUI Leisure Travel Service GmbH, Neuss
TUI LTE Viajes S.A de C.V, Mexico City
TUI Spain, SLU, Madrid
TUI Travel Amber E&W LLP, Crawley
TUI Travel Amber Limited, Edinburgh
TUI Travel Aviation Finance Limited, Crawley
TUI Travel Common Investment Fund Trustee Limited, Crawley
TUI Travel Group Management Services Limited, Crawley

Singapore 
Egypt 
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Netherlands
Bermuda 
United Kingdom
Canada 
Germany 
Germany 
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Germany 
Italy 
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Germany 
Brazil 
Ireland 
Germany 
Egypt 
Germany 
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Portugal 
Germany 
Germany 
Brazil 
Germany 
Canada 
Chile 
China
Colombia 
United Kingdom
Germany 
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Germany 
India 
Germany 
Mexico 
Spain 
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
United Kingdom

100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
75
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100

CompanyCountryCapital share in %238

TUI Travel Holdings Limited, Crawley
TUI Travel Limited, Crawley
TUI Travel Nominee Limited, Crawley
TUI Travel Overseas Holdings Limited, Crawley
TUI-Hapag Beteiligungs GmbH, Hanover

United Kingdom
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Germany 

Germany 
Cyprus 
Morocco 
Spain 
France 
Germany 
Germany 
Germany 
Switzerland
Germany 
Germany 
Germany 
Germany 
Germany 
Germany 
Germany 
France 
France 
Greece 
France 
Poland 
France 
Jersey
Austria 

Non-consolidated Group companies
Tourism
"Schwerin Plus" Touristik-Service GmbH, Schwerin
Aeolos Limited, Nicosia
Airline Consultancy Services S.A.R.L., Casablanca
Ambassador Tours S.A., Barcelona
AMCP S.a.r.l., Montreuil
Atora GmbH i.L., Kiel
Best4Concept GmbH, Rengsdorf
Boomerang - Solutions GmbH, Trier
Boomerang Reisen - Pacific Tours AG, Zurich
FIRST Reisebüro Güttler GmbH & Co. KG, Dormagen
FIRST Reisebüro Güttler Verwaltungs GmbH, Hanover
FIRST Travel GmbH, Hanover
Gebeco Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, Kiel
HANSE ATIC TOURS Reisedienst GmbH, Hamburg
Hapag-Lloyd Reisebüro Hagen GmbH & Co. KG, Hanover
Hapag-Lloyd Reisebüro Hagen Verwaltungs GmbH, Hanover
Hotel Club du Carbet S.A., Montreuil
HV Finance S.A.S., Levallois-Perret
Ikaros Travel A.E.(i.L.), Heraklion
Loc Vacances S.A.R.L., Chartres de Bretagne
L'TUR Polska Sp.z o.o., Stettin
L'TUR S.A.R.L., Schiltigheim
Lunn Poly (Jersey) Limited, St. Helier
Magic Life GmbH, Vienna
Magyar TUI Utazásszervezö, Kereskedelmi és Szolgáltató Kft., Budapest Hungary 
N.S.E. Travel and Tourism A.E. (i.L.), Athens
NE A Synora Hotels Limited (Hinitsa Beach), Porto Heli Argolide
New Eden S.A., Marrakech
NOF Sociedade Imobiliaria, Lda, Lisboa
Nouvelles Frontières Burkina Faso EURL, Ouagadougou
Nouvelles Frontières Tereso EURL, Grand Bassam
Nouvelles Frontières Togo S.R.L.(i.L), Lome
Reisefalke GmbH, Vienna
Résidence Hôtelière Les Pins SARL (i.L.), Montreuil
RIUSA Brasil Empreendimentos Ltda., Igarassu (Pernambuco)
Societe de Gestion du resort Al Baraka, Marrakech
STAR TOURS Reisedienst GmbH, Hamburg
TLT Urlaubsreisen GmbH, Hanover
Transat Développement SA S, Ivri-sur-Seine
travel-Ba.Sys Beteiligungs GmbH, Mülheim an der Ruhr
Trendturc Turizm Otelcilik ve Ticaret A.S., Istanbul
TUI 4 U Poland sp.zo.o., Warsaw
TUI d.o.o., Maribor
TUI Magyarország Utazasi Iroda Kft., Budapest
TUI Reisecenter GmbH, Salzburg

Greece 
Greece 
Morocco 
Portugal 
Burkina Faso
Ivory Coast
Togo 
Austria 
France 
Brazil 
Morocco 
Germany 
Germany 
France 
Germany 
Turkey 
Poland 
Slovenia 
Hungary 
Austria 

100
100
100
100
100

80
100
100
100
100
100
100
95
100
75.1
75
100
50.2
100
70
70
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
99
60
100
99
100
100
100
100
83.5
100
100
100
100
100

CompanyCountryCapital share in % 
 
 
 
N O T E S

 Other notes

239

TUI ReiseCenter Slovensko s.r.o., Bratislava
TUIFly Academy Brussels, Zaventem
V.P.M. SA , Levallois Perret
VPM Antilles S.R.L., Levallois Perret

Slovakia (Slovak Republic)
Belgium 
France 
France 

All other segments
Bergbau Goslar GmbH, Goslar
l'tur ultimo minuto S.A., Palma de Mallorca
Mango Event Management Limited, London
Preussag Beteiligungsverwaltungs GmbH XIV, Hanover
Real Travel Ltd, Crawley
Società Consortile a r.l. Tutela dei Viaggiatori i Viaggi del Turchese, 
 Fidenza (Pr)
Sportsworld Holdings Limited, Crawley
Student City S.a.r.l., Paris
TUI Insurance Services GmbH, Hanover

Germany 
Spain 
United Kingdom
Germany 
United Kingdom

Italy 
United Kingdom
France 
Germany 

Joint ventures and associates
Tourism
.BOSYS SOF T WARE GMBH, Hamburg
Ahungalla Resorts Limited, Colombo
Aitken Spence Travels (Private) Limited, Colombo
alps & cities 4ever GmbH, Vienna
Atlantica Hellas A.E., Rhodos
Atlantica Hotels and Resorts Limited, Lemesos
Bartu Turizm Yatirimlari Anonim Sirketi, Istanbul
Daktari Travel & Tours Ltd., Limassol
DER Reisecenter TUI GmbH, Berlin
ENC for touristic Projects Company S.A.E., Sharm el Sheikh
Etapex, S.A., Agadir
Fanara Residence for Hotels S.A.E., Sharm el Sheikh
GBH Turizm Sanayi Isletmecilik ve Ticaret A.S., Istanbul
Gebeco Gesellschaft für internationale Begegnung und Cooperation 
mbH & Co. KG, Kiel
GRUPOTEL DOS S.A., Can Picafort
Holiday Travel (Israel) Limited, Airport City
Hydrant Refuelling System NV, Brussels
InteRes Gesellschaft für Informationstechnologie mbH, Darmstadt
Interyachting Limited, Limassol
Jaz Hospitality Services DMCC, Dubai
Jaz Hotels & Resorts S.A.E., Cairo
Kamarayat Nabq Company for Hotels S.A.E., Sharm el Sheikh
Karisma Hotels Adriatic d.o.o., Zagreb
Karisma Hotels Caribbean S.A., Panama
Nakheel Riu Deira Islands Hotel F Z CO, Dubai
Raiffeisen-Tours RT-Reisen GmbH, Burghausen
Riu Hotels S.A., Palma de Mallorca
Sharm El Maya Touristic Hotels Co. S.A.E., Cairo
Sun Oasis for Hotels Company S.A.E., Hurghada
Sunwing Travel Group, Inc, Toronto
Teckcenter Reisebüro GmbH, Kirchheim unter Teck
Tikida Bay S.A., Agadir
TIKIDA DUNE S S.A., Agadir

Germany 
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Austria 
Greece 
Cyprus 
Turkey 
Cyprus 
Germany 
Egypt 
Morocco 
Egypt 
Turkey 

Germany 
Spain 
Israel 
Belgium 
Germany 
Cyprus 
United Arab Emirates 
Egypt 
Egypt 
Croatia 
Panama 
United Arab Emirates 
Germany 
Spain 
Egypt 
Egypt 
Canada 
Germany 
Morocco 
Morocco 

100
100
100
100

100
51
100
100
100

100
100
100
100

25.2
40
50
50
50
49.9
50
33.3
50
50
35
50
50

50.1
50
50
25
25.2
45
50
51
50
33.3
50
40
25.1
49
50
50
49
50
34
30

CompanyCountryCapital share in % 
 
 
 
 
 
240

Tikida Palmeraie S.A., Marrakech
Togebi Holdings Limited, Nicosia
Travco Group Holding S.A.E., Cairo
TR AVEL Star GmbH, Hanover
TUI Cruises GmbH, Hamburg
UK Hotel Holdings F ZC L.L.C., Fujairah
Vitya Holding Co. Ltd., Takua, Phang Nga Province

Morocco 
Cyprus 
Egypt 
Germany 
Germany 
United Arab Emirates 
Thailand 

All other segments
ACCON-RVS Accounting & Consulting GmbH, Berlin

Germany 

33.3
25
50
50
50
50
47.5

50

CompanyCountryCapital share in % 
 
N O T E S

 Other notes, Responsibility  statement by management

241

R E S P O N S I B I L I T Y 
 S TAT E M E N T   
B Y   M A N A G E M E N T

To the best of our knowledge, and in accordance with the applicable reporting principles, the consolidated financial 
statements give a true and fair view of the net assets, financial position and results of operations of the Group, and the 
Group Management Report includes a fair review of the development and performance of the business and the position of 
the Group, together with a description of the principal opportunities and risks associated with the expected development 
of the Group.

Hanover, 11 December 2017

The Executive Board

Friedrich Joussen

Horst Baier

David Burling

Sebastian Ebel

Dr Elke Eller

242

I N D E P E N D E N T   
A U D I T O R ’ S   R E P O R T

To TUI AG, Berlin and Hanover

Report on the audit of the consolidated financial statements 
and the combined management report

Audit opinions

We have audited the consolidated financial statements of TUI AG, Berlin and Hanover, and its subsidiaries (the Group), 
which comprise the consolidated balance sheet as at 30 September 2017, the consolidated income statement, the con-
solidated statement of comprehensive income, the consolidated statement of changes in equity and the consolidated cash 
flow statement for the financial year from 1 October 2016 to 30 September 2017 as well as the Notes to the consolidated 
financial statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies. In addition, we have audited the combined 
management report of TUI AG, Berlin and Hanover, for the financial year from 1 October 2016 to 30 September 2017. In 
conformity with the German legal regulations, we have not audited the section ‘Corporate Governance Report / Declaration 
on Corporate Governance’ contained in the combined management report with regard to their content. Furthermore, 
we have not audited the section ‘Non-financial Group declaration’ in the combined management report. 

In our opinion, based on our knowledge obtained during the audit,

•  the  accompanying  consolidated  financial  statements  comply  with  the  International  Financial  Reporting  Standards 
(IFRS) as adopted by the EU and the supplementary German legal regulations to be applied in accordance with 
Section 315a German Commerial Code (HGB) in all material respects and give a true and fair view of the Group’s net 
assets and financial position as at 30 September 2017 as well as its results of operations for the financial year from 
1 October 2016 to 30 September 2017 in accordance with these requirements and

•  the accompanying combined management report as a whole provides a suitable view of the Group’s position. In all 
material respects, this combined management report is consistent with the consolidated financial statements, complies 
with the German legal requirements and suitably presents the opportunities and risks of future development. Our 
audit opinion on the combined management report does not extend to the contents of the above-mentioned section 
‘Corporate  Governance  Report / Declaration  on  Corporate  Governance’  or  of  the  section  ‘Non-financial  Group 
declaration’.

Pursuant with Section 322 (3) Sentence 1 German Commercial Code (HGB), we state that our audit has not led to any 
reservations  with  respect  to  the  propriety  of  the  consolidated  financial  statements  and  the  combined  management 
report.

Basis for the audit opinions

We conducted our audit of the consolidated financial statements and the Group management report in accordance with 
Section 317 German Commercial Code (HGB) and the EU Audit Regulation (No. 537 / 2014; hereinafter ‘EU Audit 
Regulation’) and German generally accepted standards for the audit of financial statements promulgated by the Institute 
of Public Auditors in Germany [Institut der Wirtschaftsprüfer (IDW)]. We have conducted the audit of the consolidated 
financial statements also in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (ISA). Our responsibilities under these 

Independent auditor’s report

243

requirements, principles and standards are further described in the section ‘Auditor’s responsibility for the audit of the 
consolidated financial statements and the combined management report’ of our report. We are independent of the 
Group companies in accordance with European and German commercial law and rules of professional conduct and we 
have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities applicable in Germany in accordance with these requirements. In addition, 
pursuant to Article 10 (2) lit. f EU Audit Regulation, we declare that we have not provided any prohibited non-audit 
services pursuant to Article 5 (1) EU Audit Regulation. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient 
and appropriate to provide a basis for our audit opinions on the consolidated financial statements and combined 
management report.

Key audit matters in the audit of the consolidated financial statements 

Key audit matters are those matters that, in our professional judgement, were of most significance in our audit of the 
consolidated financial statements for the financial year from 1 October 2016 to 30 September 2017. These matters were 
addressed  in  the  context  of  our  audit  of  the  consolidated  financial  statements  as  a  whole  and  in  forming  our  audit 
opinion thereon; but we do not provide a separate opinion on these matters.

In the following we present the key audit matters in our view:

1   Recoverability of goodwill
2   Recoverability of hotel prepayments
3   Recoverability of deferred tax assets
4   Specific provisions
5   Accounting for the acquisition of Transat France S.A.
6   Sale of the shares in the Travelopia Group companies
7   EBITA adjustments

Our presentation of these key audit matters has been structured as follows:

A   Description of the issue (including reference to associated disclosures in the consolidated financial statements),
B   Auditor’s response.
C   If necessary important conclusion.

1   Recoverability of goodwill

D E S C R I P T I O N   O F   T H E   I S S U E 
In TUI AG’s consolidated financial statements as at 30 September 2017, goodwill totalling € 2,889.5 million is reported under 
the balance sheet item ‘Goodwill’. Goodwill is subject at least once a year, on 30 June of the financial year, to a test of 
its recoverability (known as an impairment test). Measurement is by means of a valuation model based on the Discounted 
Cash Flow method. The result of this valuation depends to a great extent on the estimate of future cash inflows by the 
Management Board and also on the discount rate used. The valuation is accordingly fraught with considerable uncertainty. 
Against this background, we believe that this issue is of particular importance within the framework of our audit.

The Company’s disclosures on goodwill are contained in section (13) of the Notes to the consolidated financial statements.

A U D I T O R ’ S   R E S P O N S E
We investigated the process for performing the impairment test of goodwill and conducted an audit of the accounting-
r elevant controls contained therein. Specifically, we convinced ourselves of the appropriateness of the future cash inflows 
used in the calculation. To do so, among other things we compared these figures with the current budgets contained in 
the three-year plan adopted by the Management Board and approved by the Supervisory Board, and checked it against 
general and industry-specific market expectations. Since even relatively small changes in the discount rate can have a 
material effect on the amount of the business value determined in this way, we also focused on examining the parameters 
used to determine the discount rate used, including the Weighted Average Cost of Capital, and analysed the calculation 

244

algorithm. Owing to the material significance of goodwill and the fact that the valuation also depends on macroeconomic 
conditions which are beyond the control of the Company, we also assessed the sensitivity analyses prepared by the 
Company for the cash-generating units with low excess cover (carrying amount compared to present value). 

2   Recoverability of hotel prepayments 

D E S C R I P T I O N   O F   T H E   I S S U E 
Prepayments to hotels amounting to € 309.5 million are recognised under the balance sheet item ‘Touristic payments 
on account’ in TUI AG’s consolidated financial statements as at 30 September 2017. 

In our opinion, this is a key audit matter, as the measurement of this significant item is based to a large extent on estimates 
and assumptions made by the Management Board. 

The Company’s disclosures on Touristic payments on account are contained in section (19) of the Notes to the consolidated 
financial statements.

A U D I T O R ’ S   R E S P O N S E
We investigated the process of evaluating hotel prepayments and carried out an audit of the accounting-relevant controls 
contained therein. In the knowledge that there is an increased risk of misstatements in financial reporting with estimated 
values and that the valuation decisions of the Management Board have a direct and significant effect on the consolidated 
net income, we have assessed the appropriateness of the valuations by comparing these values with historical values 
and  using  the  contractual  bases  presented  to  us.  We  assessed  the  recoverability  of  hotel  prepayments  against  the 
background of current developments in Turkey and North Africa. For this we took into account, among other things, 
the repayment schedules agreed with the hoteliers concerned, the options for offsetting against future overnight 
accommodation and the framework agreements concluded.

3   Recoverability of deferred tax assets 

D E S C R I P T I O N   O F   T H E   I S S U E 
TUI AG’s consolidated financial statements as at 30 September 2017 report deferred tax assets totalling € 323.7 million 
under  the  balance  sheet  item  ‘Deferred  income  tax  assets’.  Recoverability  of  the  deferred  tax  assets  recognised  is 
measured by means of forecasts about the future earnings situation. 

In our opinion, this is a key audit matter because it depends to a large extent on estimates and assumptions made by 
the Management Board and is fraught with uncertainties.

The Company’s disclosures on deferred tax assets are contained in the Notes to the consolidated financial statements 
under ‘Accounting policies’ and in Section (20).

A U D I T O R ’ S   R E S P O N S E
We involved our own tax specialists in our audit of tax issues. With their support we assessed the internal processes and 
controls established for recording tax issues. We assessed the recoverability of deferred tax assets on the basis of internal 
forecasts on the future taxable income situation of TUI AG and its major subsidiaries. In this context, we referred to the 
planning prepared by the Management Board and assessed the appropriateness of the planning basis used. Among 
other things, these were examined in the light of general and industry-specific market expectations. 

Independent auditor’s report

245

4   Specific provisions 

D E S C R I P T I O N   O F   T H E   I S S U E 
Provisions  for  aircraft  maintenance  amounting  to  € 615.4  million  and  provisions  for  onerous  hotel  lease  contracts 
amounting to € 2.5 million are disclosed under the balance sheet item ‘Other provisions’ in TUI AG’s consolidated financial 
statements  as  at  30  September  2017.  Furthermore,  provisions  for  pensions  and  similar  obligations  amounting  to 
€ 1,127.4 million were recognized as at 30 September 2017. In our opinion, these are key audit matters, as the recognition 
and measurement of these significant items are based to a large extent on estimates and assumptions made by the 
Management Board. 

The Company’s disclosures on provisions are contained in sections (29) and (30) and in the disclosures on accounting 
and valuation methods in the Notes to the consolidated financial statements.

A U D I T O R ’ S   R E S P O N S E 
We investigated the process of recognising and measuring specific provisions and carried out an audit of the accounting- 
relevant controls contained therein. In the knowledge that there is an increased risk of misstatements in financial reporting 
with estimated values and that the valuation decisions of the Management Board have a direct and significant effect on 
consolidated net income, we assessed the appropriateness of the valuations by comparing these values with historical 
values and using the contractual bases presented to us. 

Among other things we

•  assessed the valuation of the provision for onerous hotel leasing contracts, in particular for hotels in Turkey. We did this, 
among other things, on the basis of the contracts concluded and the Company’s profit planning for the individual 
hotels;

•  analysed the calculation of the expected costs of aircraft maintenance. This was done on the basis of Group-wide 
maintenance contracts, price increases expected on the basis of external market forecasts and the discount rates 
applied, supported by our own analyses;

•  assessed the appropriateness of the valuation parameters used to calculate the pension provisions. Among other 
things we did this by comparing them with market data and including the expertise of our internal pension valuation 
specialists.

5   Accounting for the acquisition of Transat France S.A.

D E S C R I P T I O N   O F   T H E   I S S U E
As at 31 October 2016,  TUI acquired 99.99 % of the shares in the tour operator Transat France S.A. (and all its 
subsidiaries) at a purchase price of € 64.0 million. A period of twelve months from the date of acquisition, i. e. until the 
end of October 2017, is available for carrying out the final allocation of the purchase price to the acquired assets and 
liabilities.  The  purchase  price  allocation  was  completed  by  the  end  of  September  2017.  In  our  view,  the  accounting 
treatment of the acquisition of Transat France S.A. is a key audit matter, since the identification of the acquired assets 
and liabilities, their recognition and also their measurement are based to a large extent on estimates and assumptions 
made by the Management Board. 

The company’s disclosures on the acquisition of Transat France S.A. are included in the ‘Acquisitions’ section of the 
Notes to the consolidated financial statements.

A U D I T O R ’ S   R E S P O N S E
We examined the allocation of the purchase price to the assets and liabilities acquired. For this, we availed ourselves of 
the expertise of our internal specialists on the topic of accounting for business combinations and assessed the assumptions 
made in identifying as well as valuing the assets and liabilities, for example by comparing them with market-related 
data. We scrutinised the calculation models used and, with regard to the planning calculations used, reconciled them 
with general and industry-specific market expectations.

246

6   Sale of the shares in the Travelopia companies

D E S C R I P T I O N   O F   T H E   I S S U E
In the financial year 2015 / 16, the Company decided to sell its shares in the companies belonging to the Travelopia Group. 
For this reason, the companies in the Travelopia Group were categorised as at 30 September 2016 as a disposal group 
(IFRS 5) and classified as a discontinued operation. The Travelopia companies were sold and deconsolidated with effect 
from 15 June 2017. The sale of Travelopia Group resulted in a loss of € 151,7 million which consists of the current result 
of the period until 15 June 2017 of € – 66,4 million, thereof impairment of goodwill amounting to € 47,4 million, and of 
an overall disposal loss of € – 85,3 million. In our view, the accounting treatment of the disposal is a key audit matter, 
since the contractual agreements are complex and the impact on the TUI Group are material.

The Company’s disclosures on the disposal of its shares in Travelopia are contained in the ‘Discontinued operations’ 
section of the Notes to the consolidated financial statements.

A U D I T O R ’ S   R E S P O N S E
As part of the audit of the proper accounting treatment of the sale of the shares in the companies belonging to the 
Travelopia Group, we examined, among other things, the foundations in company law and the provisions of the underlying 
sales contract. 

In this connection, we examined the fulfilment of the criteria for classification as a disposal group (IFRS 5) during the year, 
the resulting effects on the valuation of the assets and liabilities, the requirements for classification as a discontinued 
operation and the deconsolidation of the Travelopia Group.

7    EBITA adjustments 

D E S C R I P T I O N   O F   T H E   I S S U E 
For steering and analysis purposes, the TUI Group uses operational Earnings Before Interest, Taxes and Amortisation 
(EBITA), adjusted for special effects. Adjustments to the EBITA of continuing operations of € 75.6 million leading to 
an increase in EBITA compared to unadjusted EBITA are shown in TUI AG’s consolidated financial statements as at 
30 September 2017. The adjusted EBITA are used by the Management Board as a significant financial performance indicator 
in its communications with the capital market. 

The adjustments to EBITA were a key audit matter, as they are made on the basis of TUI AG’s internal accounting regulations 
and there is a risk that the Management Board may exercise its discretionary powers one-sidedly.

The Company’s disclosures on the adjustments to  EBITA and the calculation thereof are presented in the ‘Notes to 
segment data’ in the segment reporting in the Notes to the consolidated financial statements.

A U D I T O R ’ S   R E S P O N S E
We analysed the calculation of the adjusted EBITA and took a critical look at the identification of special effects and 
non-operating earnings influences. 

At the same time, we examined, on the basis of the findings of our audit and the information provided by the Management 
Board, whether the adjustments made were carried out in accordance with the definition and procedure described in 
the notes to the segment reporting.

O T H E R   I N F O R M AT I O N
The Management Board is also responsible for the other information. This other information includes:

Independent auditor’s report

247

•  the non-financial statement, 
•  the Corporate Governance Report / Declaration on Corporate Governance, the assurance pursuant to Section 297 (2) 
Sentence 4 HGB in relation to the consolidated financial statements and the assurance pursuant to Section 315 (1) 
Sentence 5 HGB in relation to the combined group management report, and

•  the remaining parts of the annual report, with the exception of the audited consolidated financial statements and the 

combined management report.

Our audit opinions on the consolidated financial statements and on the combined management report do not extend 
to cover the other information, and accordingly we do not issue an audit opinion or any other form of assurance conclusion 
thereon.

In connection with our audit, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, to consider whether 
the other information

•  is  materially  inconsistent  with  the  consolidated  financial  statements,  the  combined  management  report  or  our 

knowledge obtained in the audit, or

•  otherwise appears to be substantially misstated. 

R E S P O N S I B I L I T Y   O F   T H E   M A N A G E M E N T   A N D   S U P E R V I S O R Y   B O A R D S   F O R   T H E   C O N S O L I D AT E D   F I N A N C I A L 

S TAT E M E N T S   A N D   T H E   C O M B I N E D   M A N A G E M E N T   R E P O R T
The Management Board is responsible for the preparation of consolidated financial statements which comply with IFRS, 
as adopted by the EU, and the supplementary requirements of German legal regulations pursuant to Section 315a (1) 
German Commercial Code (HGB) in all material respects, so that the consolidated financial statements give a true and 
fair view of the net assets, financial position and results of operations of the Group in accordance with these requirements. 
In addition, the Management Board is responsible for the internal controls they have identified as necessary in order 
to enable the preparation of consolidated financial statements that are free from material misstatements, whether 
intentional or unintentional.

In preparing the consolidated financial statements, the Management Board  is responsible  for assessing the  Group’s 
ability to continue as a going concern. Furthermore, it has the responsibility to disclose matters related to going concern, 
as applicable. In addition, it is responsible for using the going concern basis of accounting, unless the intention is to 
liquidate the Group or to cease operations or there is no realistic alternative but to do so.

In addition, the Management Board is responsible for the preparation of the combined management report, which as a 
whole provides a suitable view of the Group’s situation, is consistent with the consolidated financial statements in all 
material respects, complies with the German legal regulations and suitably presents the opportunities and risks of future 
development.  Furthermore,  the  Management  Board  is  responsible  for  such  arrangements  and  measures  (systems) 
which it has deemed necessary in order to enable the preparation of a combined management report in accordance with 
the German legal regulations to be applied and to furnish sufficient and appropriate evidence for the statements in the 
combined management report. 

The Supervisory Board is responsible for overseeing the Group’s financial reporting process for the preparation of the 
consolidated financial statements and the combined management report.

A U D I T O R ’ S   R E S P O N S I B I L I T Y   F O R   T H E   A U D I T   O F   T H E   C O N S O L I D AT E D   F I N A N C I A L   S TAT E M E N T S   A N D   

T H E   C O M B I N E D   M A N A G E M E N T   R E P O R T 
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements as a whole are 
free from material misstatements, whether due to fraud or error, and whether the combined management report as a 
whole provides an appropriate view of the Group’s position and, in all material respects, is consistent with the consolidated 
financial statements and with the findings of the audit, is in accordance with the German legal regulations, and appro-
priately presents the opportunities and risks of future development, as well to issue an auditor’s report that includes 
our audit opinions on the consolidated financial statements and the combined management report.

248

Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with 
Section 317 German Commercial Code (HGB) and EU Audit Regulation and German generally accepted standards for 
the  audit  of  financial  statements  promulgated  by  the  Institute  of  Public  Auditors  in  Germany  (IDW)  and  subject  to 
supplementary compliance with ISA will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise 
from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected 
to  influence  the  economic  decisions  of  users  taken  on  the  basis  of  these  consolidated  financial  statements  and  the 
combined management report.

As part of an audit, we exercise professional judgement and maintain professional scepticism. We also

•  identify and assess the risks of material misstatements in the consolidated financial statements and the combined 
management report, whether due to fraud or error, design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, 
and obtain audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our audit opinions. The risk of not 
detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than one resulting from error, as fraud may involve 
collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control.

•  obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit of the consolidated financial statements and the 
arrangements  and  measures  relevant  to  the  audit  of  the  combined  management  report  in  order  to  design  audit 
procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effective-
ness of these systems.

•  evaluate the appropriateness of the accounting policies used by the Management Board and the reasonableness of 

accounting estimates and related disclosures made by the Management Board.

•  conclude  on  the  appropriateness  of  the  Management  Board’s  use  of  the  going-concern  basis  of  accounting  and, 
based on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty exists related to events or conditions that 
might cast significant doubt on the Group’s ability to continue as a going concern. If we conclude that there is a material 
uncertainty, we are required to draw attention in our auditor’s report to the related disclosures in the consolidated 
financial statements and the combined management report, or, if such disclosures are inadequate, to modify our 
opinion. Our conclusions are based on the audit evidence obtained up to the date of our auditor’s report. However, 
future events or conditions may cause the Group to cease to continue as a going concern.

•  evaluate the overall presentation, structure and content of the consolidated financial statements, including the 
disclosures, and whether the consolidated financial statements represent the underlying transactions and events in 
a manner that the consolidated financial statements give a true and fair view of the net assets and financial position 
as well as the results of operations of the Group in accordance with IFRS as adopted by the EU and the supplementary 
requirements of German law pursuant to Section 315a (1) German Commercial Code (HGB).

•  obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence regarding the financial information of the entities or business activities 
within the Group to express opinions on the consolidated financial statements and the combined management report. 
We are responsible for the direction, supervision and performance of the group audit. We remain solely responsible 
for our audit opinions.

•  evaluate the consistency of the combined management report with the consolidated financial statements, its legal 

consistency and the view it provided of the Group’s position.

•  perform audit procedures on the forward-looking information presented by the Management Board in the combined 
management report. On the basis of sufficient appropriate audit evidence, we particularly evaluate the significant 
assumptions underlying the forward-looking information by the Management Board’s and evaluate the correct 
derivation of the forward-looking information from these assumptions. We do not issue an independent opinion on 
the forward-looking information or on the underlying assumptions. There is a significant, unavoidable risk that future 
events will differ materially from the forward-looking information.

We communicate with those charged with governance, among other matters, the planned scope and timing of the audit 
and also significant audit findings, including any deficiencies in internal control which we identify during our audit.

Independent auditor’s report

249

We also provide those charged with governance with a statement that we have complied with relevant ethical requirements 
regarding  independence,  and  communicate  with  them  all  relationships  and  other  matters  that  may  reasonably  be 
thought to bear on our independence, and where applicable, related safeguards. 

From the matters communicated with those charged with governance, we determine those matters that were of most 
significance in the audit of the consolidated financial statements of the current reporting period and are therefore the 
key audit matters. We describe these matters in the auditor’s report, unless law or regulation precludes public disclosure 
about the matter.

Other legal an regulatory Requirements 

Other information pursuant to Article 10 EU Audit Regulation

We were appointed by the annual general meeting on 14 February 2017 to audit the financial statements. We were 
engaged by the Supervisory Board on 27 February / 19 March 2017 and on 11 / 24 September 2017. We have been engaged 
as the auditors the consolidated financial statements of TUI AG, Berlin and Hanover, since the financial year 2016 / 17.

We confirm that the audit opinions contained in this auditor’s report are consistent with the additional report to the 
audit committee pursuant to Article 11 EU Audit Regulation (‘Prüfungsbericht’).

Review of the Management Board’s declaration of compliance with the  
UK Corporate Governance Code

Pursuant to Section 9.8.10 (1 and 2) of the Listing Rules in the United Kingdom, we were engaged to review Management’s 
statement pursuant to Section 9.8.6R (6) of the Listing Rules in the United Kingdom that relate to provisions C.1.1, C.2.1, 
C.2.3 and C.3.1 to C.3.8 of the UK Corporate Goverance Code and Management’s statement pursuant to Section 9.8.6R (3) 
of the Listing Rules in the United Kingdom in the financial year 2016 / 17, or, in the case of deviations, the explanations 
given. We have nothing to report in this regard.

Responsible auditor

The auditor responsible for the audit is Dr Hendrik Nardmann.

Hanover, 11 December 2017

Deloitte GmbH
Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft

Schenk 
German Public Auditor

Dr Nardmann 
German Public Auditor

250

F O R W A R D - L O O K I N G 
S TAT E M E N T S

The annual report, in particular the report on expected developments included in the management report, 
includes various forecasts and expectations as well as statements relating to the future development of the 
TUI Group and TUI AG. These statements are based on assumptions and estimates and may entail known 
and  unknown  risks  and  uncertainties.  Actual  development  and  results  as  well  as  the  financial  and  asset 
situation may therefore differ substantially from the expectations and assumptions made. This may be due 
to market fluctuations, the development of world market prices for commodities, of financial markets and 
exchange rates, amendments to national and international legislation and provision or fundamental changes 
in the economic and political environment. TUI does not intend to and does not undertake an obligation 
to update or revise any forward-looking statements to adapt them to events or developments after the 
publication of this annual report.

Financial calender

1 3   D E C E M B E R   2 0 1 7
Annual Report 2017

1 3   F E B R U A R Y   2 0 1 8
Annual General Meeting 2018

1 3   F E B R U A R Y   2 0 1 8
Quarterly Statement Q1 2018

2 8   M A R C H   2 0 1 8
Trading update

9   M A Y   2 0 1 8
Half-Year Financial Report H1 2018

A U G U S T   2 0 1 8
Quarterly Statement Q3 2018

D E C E M B E R   2 0 1 8
Annual Report 2018 

P U B L I S H E D   B Y
TUI AG
Karl-Wiechert-Allee 4
30625 Hanover, Germany 
Tel.: + 49 511 566-00
Fax: + 49 511 566-1901
www.tuigroup.com 

C O N C E P T   A N D   D E S I G N
3st kommunikation, Mainz, Germany

P H O T O G R A P H Y
Christian Wyrwa (p. 9); Michael Neuhaus (p. 18 – 19); 
Robinson Club GmbH (cover photo, p. 98 – 99); 
Rüdiger Nehmzow (p. 3, 6 – 7); TUI Cruises (p. 132 – 133)

P R I N T E R
Kunst- und Werbedruck, Bad Oeynhausen, Germany

The Annual Report of TUI Group, and the fi nancial statements of TUI AG are also 
available online: http://annualreport2017.tuigroup.com 

This report was published on 13 December 2017.

The German version is legally binding. The Company cannot be held responsible for 
any misunderstandings or misinterpretation arising from this translation.

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TUI AG
Karl-Wiechert-Allee 4
30625 Hanover, Germany