TUI AG publishes advance announcement of key financials for Q1 2008 / Successful start into the new fiscal year

TUI AG announces the Group’s key financials for the first quarter of 2008 in advance in line with today’s 49th Annual General Meeting. Turnover by the Group’s divisions rose by around 24 per cent to around 5.1 billion euro (previous year: around 4.1 billion euro). Underlying earnings by divisions (underlying EBITA by divisions) account for -196 million euro (previous year: -248 million euro) for seasonal reasons. This represents a year-on-year increase of 21 per cent.

In the first quarter of 2008, turnover by the tourism division grew by around 38 per cent to around 3.6 billion euro (previous year: around 2.6 billion euro). The turnover growth is essentially attributable to the consolidation of the former First Choice activities. Operating earnings by tourism (underlying EBITA) rose slightly by 1.3 per cent year-on-year to a seasonally induced minus of 227 million euro (previous year: - 230 million euro). Adjusted for the profit contributions of First Choice, to be included in consolidation for the first time in the first quarter of 2008, operating earnings climbed substantially by more than 37 per cent to -144 million euro year-on-year.

In the shipping division, turnover rose by 2.4 per cent to around 1.51 billion euro in the first quarter of 2008 (previous year: around 1.47 billion euro). Operating earnings (underlying EBITA) by the division grew by almost 173 per cent to 24 million euro (previous year: -33 million euro).

TUI AG will publish detailed information on the first quarter of 2008 on Thursday, 15 May 2008.