TUI Puts 3,000 Trees and 45 Jobs Behind Rhodes Wildfire Recovery

TUI will restore 80,000 square meters of land on Rhodes, plant more than 3,000 trees and create or maintain 45 local jobs through a three-year wildfire regeneration project launched under the name TUI Forest Rhodes.

The initiative targets areas of the Greek island damaged by the 2023 wildfires. On October 16, 25 crew members from the Marella Discovery — TUI's cruise brand — joined a tree-planting event on the island, putting staff rather than press releases at the front of the program.

Around 1,500 volunteers, including tourists and tourism employees, will take part over the project's three-year run. For a tour operator whose product depends on the island looking recoverable, that's not pure philanthropy. Rhodes is a volume destination for TUI, and the 2023 fires forced mass evacuations during peak season — a direct hit to bookings and destination perception.

What does the project actually build?

Beyond trees, the plan includes hard infrastructure:

• An irrigation system drawing water from a natural spring, backed by the island's water network
• Fencing and fire-prevention infrastructure
• Renovation of an existing stone building into an Education and Information Center for environmental education, volunteer activities and visitor engagement
• A new nature trail through the project area, built for guided experiences and tree-planting activities open to tourists, residents and students

The education center and trail point to the commercial logic underneath: they turn restoration into a bookable, repeatable experience that keeps visitors engaged with the destination rather than just informed about it.

Who is running it?

The project runs through the TUI Care Foundation, the operator's charitable arm, in partnership with Greek environmental organization Gia Ti Fisi. It also forms part of the broader Rhodes Co-Lab initiative, which coordinates sustainability efforts on the island.

"Rhodes has long been an important destination for our customers, so it's incredibly meaningful to support efforts to restore and protect the island's natural environment," said Joel Hipple, cruise operations director at Marella Cruises.

Hipple added: "We're proud to support initiatives like TUI Forest Rhodes and work alongside the TUI Care Foundation, local partners and communities to help create a positive and lasting impact in the destinations we visit. This is a project that not only helps regenerate areas affected by the wildfires but also creates opportunities for local people and visitors to connect with and care for the island's unique natural landscape."

Why it matters for sellers of travel

Climate resilience has moved from CSR slide to distribution reality. Mediterranean destinations hit by wildfires in recent seasons have seen cancellations and rebookings spike within days of each event, and operators that can point to on-the-ground recovery programs hold a stronger hand in reassuring bookers.

TUI is, in effect, investing 45 jobs and 1,500 volunteer placements in destination equity. The volunteer component — tourists included — also creates a marketing asset the operator can weave into cruise and package itineraries, converting a recovery cost into an engagement feature.

The measured outcomes so far amount to one planting day and a crew of 25. The 80,000-square-meter restoration, the education center and the nature trail are commitments on a three-year clock. If TUI delivers them, Rhodes gains more than trees — it gains a working model for how a major operator rebuilds a fire-hit destination with its own customers in the loop.