Riu Group Reorganizes Under 4th Generation
by Bruce Parkinson
Riu Palace Bavaro in Punta Cana.
The RIU Group is merging two of its holding companies as part of a corporate reorganization and simplification project. The merger project began to take shape after TUI sold its 49% stake in Riu Hotels S.A in 2021 to the Riu family who became that company’s sole owner.
As a result, Riu Hotels S.A. will absorb Hotel San Francisco S.A., unifying hotel operations and holdings in the group’s various legal entities. The merger project was presented in March and will be finalized this summer. Following the merger, Riu Hotels S.A. will employ more than 16,900 people and own 51 hotels (21 coming from Riu Hotels and 30 from Hotel San Francisco), with a total of 26,051 rooms in 15 countries.
RIUSA II, which is jointly owned by TUI and the Riu Family, and itself owns 29 hotels, will remain the management company of the new merged entity.
The current companies’ combined turnover in 2024 exceeded $2.85 billion. The new Riu Hotels S.A.’s fixed assets have a book value of $6.47 billion, and include the company’s 51 hotels.
The international RIU chain was founded in Mallorca by the Riu family in 1953 as a small holiday firm and is still owned by the family’s third generation. The board of directors of the new Riu Hotels S.A. will comprise all members of the fourth generation of the family.
The company specializes in holiday resorts and over 74% of its establishments offer the ‘All Inclusive by RIU’ service. With the inauguration of its first city hotel in 2010, RIU is expanding its range of products with its own line of city hotels called Riu Plaza. RIU Hotels & Resorts now has 98 hotels in 21 countries. In 2024, the chain welcomed 6.7 million guests and provided jobs for a total of 38,055 employees.
RIU is currently the world’s 40th ranked chain, one of the Caribbean’s most popular, and the fourth largest in Spain in number of rooms.
