Company Profile DER Touristik Group

The new DER Touristik
Facing the
future together
INTRODUCTION
Alain Caparros, CEO of REWE Group
2015 is an important year for REWE Group in the travel industry. We have acquired the European tour
operator and travel sales business of the Kuoni Group. Although many people only know REWE Group
as a retail group, we are also proud to rank among the biggest tourism businesses in Europe. Our travel
division DER Touristik is a major player at European level.
REWE Group is putting its faith in tourism, and the newly acquired Kuoni businesses are set to further boost
our position. After retail, tourism is the second pillar of our Group’s business. With companies and brands
in Switzerland, the Benelux countries, the United Kingdom, Scandinavia and Finland, we now boast close
proximity to the customers we cater for in these countries too.
Our strength lies in our diversity – the diversity of retail and tourism, but also the diversity of the 330,000
and more people who work for us in Europe. We appreciate and exploit this diversity, as it provides us with the
basis on which to satisfy customer requirements on a daily basis. Our common goal is to offer precisely the
right products and services for our markets. REWE Group serves 75 million customers a week in its
retail and tourism operations. This figure is both a vote of confidence and an incentive to do even better!
“Together for a better life” is the mission statement of REWE Group, and our travel division can make
a particularly valuable contribution towards achieving our goals. I would like to extend a cordial welcome
to all our colleagues from our new Kuoni businesses. It is particularly important that we all work hard and
provide good service. Each and every one of us is an important part of REWE Group.
Regards, Alain Caparros
CEO of REWE Group
3
the neW Big
naMe in touriSM
DER Touristik
DER Touristik
T
ogether we can look back on over 200 years in tourism.
Together we offer the greatest diversity in the European
travel market. DER Touristik and Kuoni’s former European
tour operator and travel sales business are embarking on a common
future as the new DER Touristik.
Europe has a new network of experts
when it comes to travel: ten tour operators
and 30 specialists with numerous travel
agency chains, a huge franchise business
and online portals have joined forces
under the banner of DER Touristik in the
autumn of 2015. The alliance is the result
of the acquisition of the Europrean tour
operator activities of Kuoni Holding in
Zurich by DER Tourisitik in Frankfurt.
This investment in the future underscores
the strategic interest of REWE Group,
DER Touristik’s parent company, in the
growth market of tourism. The robust and
successful parent company, the equally
successful DER Touristik with its wealth
of tourism experience, and Kuoni’s tour
operator and travel sales business form
the basis for a new, resolute and stable
force in the European travel market.
The acquisition brings together brands
that have shaped European travel for
well over a century. Kuoni (founded in
1906) and DER Touristik (founded as DER
Deutsches Reisebüro in 1917) now form a
European travel group that ranks among
the market leaders with its diverse
offerings and modern technology. Over
7.7 million customers from 14 European
countries travel with companies belonging to the new DER Touristik.
These customers put their faith in established companies and brands that are
well-known in their country – and nothing
will change in this respect. The tour
operators, specialists, travel agencies
and airline will continue to operate under
their own names in Germany, Austria,
Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the
Benelux countries, Scandinavia and
Finland. Each of these brands stands for a
promise to deliver that is upheld by our
employees on a daily basis.
The right holiday for everyone
A network of experts comprising 9,400
employees in 14 source markets and
covering over 150 destinations has only
one thing in mind: to transform the holiday
dreams of each and every customer into
a perfect, unforgettable experience.
Whether it’s a tailored city break in Venice,
an all-inclusive beach holiday in the Indian
Ocean, a study tour of South-East Asia,
a camper van trip through the USA or a
family holiday in the Mediterranean, the
unparalleled brand diversity of the new
DER Touristik offers the right holiday for
every requirement.
No travel wish is left unfulfilled. DER
Touristik is able to achieve this because
its employees are experts in global travel.
Tour operator staff know exactly what
they are doing when they purchase and
put together holiday packages and, as
employees of Europe’s biggest travel
sales business, are adept at identifying
and satisfying each individual customer’s
needs. Together they form DER Touristik’s
network of experts.
employees in 14 countries – our network of experts
5
REWE Group
an eYe on
the Future
REWE Group
‘Together for a better life’ is the mission
statement of REWE Group, of which DER
Touristik is the travel division. It is among
the most highly traditional, yet most
progressive retail and tourism groups in
Europe.
Millions of Europeans travel with REWE
Group companies and shop in REWE
Group retail outlets every year. This vast
enterprise with 330,000 employees,
15,000 stores and travel agencies and six
tour operator brands generated revenue
of over 51 billion euros in 2014. REWE
6
Group is a retailers cooperative that is not
listed on the stock exchange. It is regarded
as an extremely reliable enterprise with
far-sighted and sustainable business
operations and growth.
REWE Group’s plans for the future are
based on its wealth of experience. Digital
requirements in the retail sector are growing more stringent with the increasing use
of smartphones and tablets: mobile internet is becoming part and parcel of the
retail experience. Customers buy their
groceries both in local stores and online,
and book their holidays in travel agencies
as well as on the internet.
The digitalisation of our business is the
central challenge to be faced in the years
to come. One of REWE Group’s main
focuses is thus to launch and expand
e-commerce activities. Other goals are
to systematically modernise stationary
trade, to develop new sales formats
and channels, and to adapt those that
already exist to our customers’ changing
requirements and to the technological
challenges of the online era.
REWE Group
“
T
he acquisition of Kuoni’s European tour operator activities marks
a significant step forward in the European tourism business for
REWE Group. It is a key move in the Group’s future-oriented strategy
of systematic internationalisation and digitalisation of its business and
continuous modernisation of its stationary sales.“
Alain Caparros, CEO of REWE Group.
The acquisition of Kuoni’s operators,
specialists and sales business is in
keeping with the strategy of REWE Group,
which now boasts a wealth of strong and
successful retail and tourism companies
and brands. These include REWE and
BILLA retail outlets, PENNY and XXL
Mega Discount stores, the DIY store toom
Baumarkt, and all of DER Touristik’s tour
operator and sales brands.
REWE Group entered the travel sector
when it acquired an interest in a travel
agency franchise system in 1988, mark-
ing the start of what has grown to become one of Europe’s biggest travel
businesses.
The digitalisation of our
business is the central
challenge to be faced in
the years to come.
“We have repeatedly said that our strong
balance sheet has put us in the best
possible position to seize opportunities
that make sense and fit into our long-
term strategy,” says Alain Caparros, CEO
of REWE Group.
REWE Group and its subsidiaries attach
particular importance to sustainable
success and responsible action. The
responsibility assumed by the Group
towards its customers, the environment,
society and its employees alike extends
far beyond mere lip service and begins
with its own products and services.
The minimisation of emissions, waste
water and waste, the protection of flora
and fauna, and the active support of the
weaker members of society in Germany
and many other countries of the world
matter just as much to REWE Group
as its commitment to the health of its
employees.
REWE Group supports charitable national
and international associations and organisations with campaigns for healthy
eating in nurseries and schools, local
food bank initiatives and the like, and is a
strong advocate of sustainable tourism
and development projects in the holiday
destinations offered by its travel business.
The stability of REWE Group and its
future-oriented approach are very solid
foundations for DER Touristik.
7
Interview with Sören Hartmann
“We haVe the
SaMe Dna”
Interview with Sören Hartmann, CEO of DER Touristik
Mr. Hartmann, DER Touristik has acquired the entire European tour operator
and travel sales business of Swiss-based
Kuoni Holding. What were the reasons
for this deal?
Sören Hartmann: We have always
emphasised that we want to continue to
grow and intend to seize any good opportunities that arise, as long as they are in
keeping with our long-term strategy. And
Kuoni definitely falls into this category.
The brands and companies are an ideal
fit. Their source markets complement
one another with hardly any overlap.
The alliance has created a network of
“We are investing in a
business in which we have
the utmost faith.”
big-name tour operators, excellently
positioned specialists, a travel agency
sales business that leads the way in a
number of countries, and an up-andcoming online sales operation in 14
European countries. My discussions with
management and conversations with
employees in the individual countries
have shown me that we are all thinking
along the same lines, have identified the
same challenges, and boast the same
customer-orientation and resolute spirit.
What makes you believe in the future
of tour operators, specialists and travel
agencies at a time when others are
dropping out of this traditionally-minded
business?
8
“Brands and sales operations require
proximity to the market,” says Sören
Hartmann, CEO of DER Touristik
Sören Hartmann: Our success has proved
us right. People travel every year and are
prepared to invest a lot of money in making
their holiday as perfect as possible. In
order to satisfy customer requirements,
you have to be able to convert dreams
into bookable travel arrangements or
itineraries. This calls for the right product,
excellent systems and processes, and
outstanding specialist advice. The
expertise of our employees, our efficient
systems and our method of planning,
assembling and booking holidays make
all the difference. Wherever the customer
looks, he will find us.
Do you mean that you are focussing on
diversity?
Sören Hartmann: Yes, absolutely. Each
tour operator has positioned itself slightly
differently in the market, and each offers
the right product for a different customer
target group. That’s the perfect strategy.
Kuoni, Helvetic Tours and Apollo are
established brands that customers
have confidence in and enjoy travelling
with. The same can be said of Dertour,
ITS, Meier’s Weltreisen, Jahn Reisen and
our other brands. Just take a look at our
specialists. Manta Reisen is perfectly
positioned in the diving holiday market,
while Kirker is the leading UK specialist
in city trips for discerning travellers.
We believe in the various business
models and put our faith in a multi-brand
strategy. This also applies to Germany,
where we have enjoyed huge success.
What action do you take if a company
in the Group gets into difficulties?
Sören Hartmann: We believe passionately
in our remit, which is to enable people
to travel all over the world. If problems
occur, then we solve them. This applies
to accidents, crises, and cases where one
of our companies requires new solutions
in the fields of technology, internal
workflows or commerce. The wealth of
experience, know-how and strength we
boast as a Group is an unbeatable
advantage for every single DER Touristik
company.
DER Touristik also pursues business
activities abroad with individual
German-based tour operators. Are you
worried about overlaps in the markets?
Sören Hartmann: There are hardly any
overlaps. In Switzerland, we have ITS
Coop which, like ITS BILLA in Austria,
Interview with Sören Hartmann
T
he alliance between DER Touristik and Kuoni’s European tour
operator business has created a new force in the market. CEO
Sören Hartmann is convinced of the success of this business
model, which is why he gives short shrift to the idea of a centralised
tourism group.
is a cooperation with a retail chain. We
can access an attractive sales channel
with the right product – and it’s not
easy to break new ground, given all the
established players in the market. Kuoni’s
tour operators are big names in source
markets where DER Touristik operators
have had hardly any kind of presence
to date. That’s also one of the crucial
benefits of the alliance between our two
businesses. Together, we now cover the
most important European source markets.
What enabled DER Touristik to win out
against the competition and secure this
deal?
Sören Hartmann: You’ll have to ask the
seller. The Kuoni Group is re-aligning its
core business and decided to sell its travel
operations to DER Touristik. In the course
of the negotiations, it became clear what a
good fit the businesses were. We have the
same DNA. I can only say that this acquisition is not merely a financial investment
for DER Touristik and REWE Group. It is an
investment in a business in which we are
a big player and have the utmost faith.
Of course it was also important that we
were willing to let the individual national
subsidiaries and their brands continue to
operate as independent units.
So it’s business as usual?
Sören Hartmann: : I very much hope not! A
company that stands still can’t stay afloat
for very long. And we should beware of
complacency: companies can self-implode
at the height of their success. The travel
market is changing incredibly quickly,
particularly in fields driven by new
technologies. DER Touristik intends to
help promote this development, and will
give our individual companies and brands
the right framework within which to
“Our IT platform and our
destination management
make us strong
as a Group.”
operate. If we regard and exploit changes
as opportunities, nothing can stand in the
way of our joint success. Our cooperation
will enable us to grow further and will
strengthen our position for the future.
Other tourism groups are merging
their various companies; why isn’t DER
Touristik doing likewise?
Sören Hartmann: I don’t believe in establishing a vast group of companies in
which all the markets are supplied from
the headquarters. People in Switzerland,
the Netherlands, the United Kingdom,
Scandinavia and the Czech Republic have
very different travel and booking habits.
Our job is to satisfy all these different requirements, and we do so by providing
strong, extremely competent businesses
in the individual countries. What makes us
strong as a Group is the joint use of our
leading IT platform and our international
destination management network. The
companies will work together from time
to time, whenever there is any advantage
to be gained from collaboration.
What makes the new DER Touristik
stand out from the crowd?
Sören Hartmann: Our employees are the
ones who make the difference. No other
European travel business offers such
diversity and individuality as we do. And
that’s down to the performance of the
entire team. We don’t just offer a bed or
a flight – we make holiday dreams come
true, and we do so efficiently and with the
focus on quality. That makes 7.7 million
travellers a year happy, and forms the
basis for the success of our business.
CV
Sören Hartmann (52) is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of DER Touristik.
He trained as a travel agent and served as managing director of a number
of well-known travel companies in the course of his career, including TUI
Deutschland and Robinson Club, before becoming management spokesman of what is now DER Touristik Köln in 2010. He was appointed CEO in
2014. Sören Hartmann is married with three children.
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Our values
a QueStion
oF attituDe
Our values
Both Kuoni and DER Touristik have been
committed supporters of human, climate
and environmental causes for many years.
Together, the businesses form a travel
group that is actively helping to shape
the future, while remaining aware of its
responsibilities in terms of economic and
ecological issues, as well as society at
large.
People travel to every corner of the globe
with DER Touristik’s tour operators, which
calls for particularly responsible and
sustainable action on the part of the entire
business. The bigger a tourism group, the
greater its influence in the destination
countries, and the greater its duty to
use this influence to protect humans and
nature or improve local conditions.
10
Responsibility for the environment
Environmental problems such as climate
change or the loss of species and habitats
also concern the tourist industry. While
tourism has played its part in causing these
problems, it is also affected by them. The
preservation of the local environment
that holidaymakers like to find at their
destination is thus particularly important
to DER Touristik. Some of the Group’s
companies are regarded as pioneers
where sustainability is concerned, and DER
Touristik as a whole is committed to a wide
range of environmental causes.
These include the protection of nature
and species at the holiday destinations,
as well as the protection of resources. The
Group’s own hotels and those of its part-
ners are carefully selected and encouraged to make a measurable contribution
towards sustained environmental protection by limiting their energy and water
consumption and reducing waste, to
name just a few examples. The development of sustainable tourism and minimisation of any adverse effects are among
the aims of DER Touristik.
Committed to people
DER Touristik offers fair working conditions and requires that its partners in
the destination countries do likewise.
The cornerstones of responsible action
include paving the way to a better future
for local residents and improving their
living conditions through work in the
tourism sector. The companies operating
Our values
T
he alliance between DER Touristik and Kuoni’s tour operator and
sales brands has united two market forces which share the same
values and a strong commitment to sustainability. The new group
of companies operating under the banner of DER Touristik stands for
responsible action – in both its internal and external dealings.
the MiSSion StateMent oF Der touriStiK
under the banner of DER Touristik are also
involved in a wide range of social projects.
The prevention of child abuse and sexual
exploitation is a matter of particular
concern to DER Touristik.
DER Touristik is also intent on creating
long-term prospects for its workforce. Its
ranking among the top 100 employers in
Germany is regarded as both an incentive
and an obligation. It is the dedication and
expertise of the Group’s employees that
make for such unforgettable holiday
experiences for its customers. As an
employer, it is DER Touristik’s job to
provide ideal conditions in which such
dedication and expertise can flourish.
Employees are offered many and varied
opportunities to develop, use their talents
and achieve their personal goals.
Being committed to people also involves
caring for the welfare of our guests.
Particular importance is attached to the
provision of professional security and crisis
management in which holidaymakers can
have absolute confidence, wherever in the
world they happen to be and whichever
DER Touristik company has organised
their trip.
We aspire to diversity
We offer a broader ranger of travel services. This is a deliberate strategy that reflects
the widely differing requirements of our customers. Our strength lies in the diversity
of our brands, products and services. For our customers, our brands represent clear promises
to deliver, and these are promises that we all work hard to keep. We are a reliable partner. This
enables us to strengthen our market position and secure the success of our business.
We count on every individual
Many and varied businesses operate under our banner. We draw our common
strength from the diversity of their individual talents and skills, honed by ongoing further training. The close collaboration between people of different nationalities is what
makes us so special. Independent action is what we’re all about. We have the ability to look
beyond our own field of work and actively seek to exchange ideas with our colleagues. That’s
because we can achieve more together.
We respect each other
Our collaboration is based on respect. Our dealings with one another are honest, fair,
open and respectful – regardless of our individual position, personal qualities, convictions and inclinations. We defend our point of view and make a constructive contribution to the
debate. We show some backbone and are willing to back others, but are also prepared to accept
criticism. Decisions, once taken, are shouldered together. Each and every one of us is part of this
successful international enterprise. This is the attitude we project to the outside world.
We focus on progress
Our strengths are our experience and our openness to new ideas. We develop solutions for our daily work and press ahead with technological developments. We maintain our proximity to the customer with our innovative travel offerings and sales concepts. We
identify and exploit new opportunities in the market. That is our recipe for sustained success.
We think about tomorrow today
Successful tourism in the long term is based on an intact environment, cultural diversity and social stability. We support the sparing use of natural resources, respect
the cultural traditions of the host countries and help to promote international understanding.
Our goal is to improve the quality of life of customers, employees and residents in the destination countries. We assume social responsibility and tackle the challenges involved in helping
to shape sustainable tourism head-on.
11
the netWorK
oF eXPertS
The european units of the new DER Touristik
Business units
E
uropeans love to travel, and do so frequently. Some countries
in Europe are already extremely well-travelled, while others are
about to experience a strong surge in travel activity in the not-toodistant future. It’s an exciting market for the tourism sector. However,
as much as the Europeans are united by a passion for travel, they are
divided when it comes to their booking habits, and the challenges facing
the individual DER Touristik markets also differ accordingly.
The Europeans set great store by their
holidays. The companies of the new DER
Touristik cover Europe’s most important
source markets. Whereas the units of the
old DER Touristik are active in Germany,
Austria, Switzerland and the growth
market of Eastern Europe, the Group’s
new Kuoni business units are big names in
travel in Switzerland, Scandinavia, Finland,
the United Kingdom and the Benelux
countries. The old DER Touristik and the
new Kuoni units complement one another
perfectly, with hardly any overlap. The EU
and Swiss competition authorities took
the same view, approving the alliance
unconditionally at the beginning of
September 2015.
Stationary and online markets
The German market boasts the world’s
highest density of travel agencies.
Stationary sales have been the strongest
sales channel here to date. Online bookings
are increasingly becoming a force to be
reckoned with, however – much more so
in the case of direct hotel, flight and rail
reservations than in the package holiday
business. In Switzerland, online bookings
are currently rising rapidly, with growth
driven by foreign tour operators as well as
by international online portals. Customers
have long been keen to book via international providers. The currency benefits
for Swiss residents in the neighbouring
European countries are putting local tour
operators under even more pressure.
The Nordic and Benelux countries already
make a significant proportion of their
bookings online. Businesses that are
seeking to succeed in these markets
require an outstanding online presence.
Europe’s most important
source markets united
under a single banner
Both Kuoni units satisfy this requirement.
Any investment in a stationary sales
network in these countries would not
be in keeping with the prevailing market
conditions. In other regions, however, the
stationary travel agency is set to remain a
significant sales channel.
Focus on the customer
The individual national subsidiaries are
positioned differently, depending on how
the respective national market operates.
Germany boasts the densest sales
network, while the Benelux countries
focus exclusively on online travel sales.
Kuoni UK serves a sophisticated premium
segment, offering high-end products
to discerning customers combined with
expert advice in its stylish Kuoni stores.
Apollo Travel Group – the Nordic unit –
provides a range of conventional beach
holidays for the volume market with a
strong online focus, as well as offerings
for special target groups such as the
golfing fraternity. The old DER Touristik is
a strong force as regards both sales and
tour operator activities, with six package
and modular tour operators, Germany’s
densest travel sales network and an
outstanding online presence. Kuoni
Switzerland also covers both areas; its
numerous specialists serve a particularly
large number of interesting niche travel
markets.
All the units of DER Touristik have two
things in common: they offer guidance
to customers at the respective locations
with their wide range of established
brands, and they are also united by the
challenges posed by the digitalisation of
the travel market. Smartphones and travel
apps, online bookings, internet search
engines and rating portals, data glasses
for a virtual holiday experience, the use of
Facebook and other social media and the
arrival on the market of data behemoths
such as Google – these are the major
challenges of the future. DER Touristik is
competing for a leading role in the field of
digitalisation too.
The positioning of the individual national
subsidiaries, their respective strengths
and USPs are described on the following
pages – in geographical order from north
to south.
13
Apollo Travel Group – Nordic
the heaVYWeight
oF the north
Apollo Travel Group – Nordic
May it be because of the long Scandinavian
winters, travellers from Sweden, Denmark,
Norway and Finland have a passion for
sunny holiday destinations with great
beaches. With easy to book package holidays Apollo caters to this demand while
also offering sports travel, golf tours and
high-end luxury holidays.
Apollo Travel Group’s own airline Novair
complements the portfolio perfectly,
operating between airports in Scandindinavia and destinations in the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands and Egypt.
14
Online driven market
The proportion of online booked travels
is extremely high in the Nordic market.
While Apollo is bookable in travel agencies,
sales through this channel account for a
relatively small amount. More than half of
the turnover is generated through online
bookings – with an upward tendency.
Accordingly, Apollo’s main focus is the
online distribution.
At Home in the North and in the World
Always looking to explore new frontiers,
Apollo has continuously broadened its
portfolio since its foundation in 1986.
The travel group has a strong connection
to its region and is at home in many
places all over the world. It was the love
for their home country that Fotios and
Georgios used as a starting point for the
tour operator Apollo back in 1986. They
challenged the market back then. And
Apollo has continued to challenge the
market ever since. Apollo’s background
as a specialist tour operator still applies
to the way the group works today. At the
heart of Apollo lies the conscious decision
to retain the advantages of a smaller scale
tour operator while benefitting from the
benefits of being one of the larger ones.
Apollo Travel Group – Nordic
T
he Apollo Travel Group joins DER Touristik as the third largest
touristic company of the Nordic region and with its own airline
and sports resort (in which the Swedish Olympic team trains for
the Games) is an established touristic heavyweight active in the Swedish,
Norwegian, Danish and Finnish market. Kuoni’s former Nordic business
unit, Apollo Travel Group draws its strength from a wide portfolio and the
dedicated work of its professional and loyal staff.
Leading in sports travel
In recent years, a trend towards active
holidays has developed in Scandinavia
and Finland. Catering to a target group
of active travellers interested in health
and sports, Apollo has achieved a leading
market position in the segment of active
vacation lifestyle and sports. The Playitas
resort, an established sports resort in
Fuerteventura, is a key factor in achieveing
this success.
Tours specialize in this segment, having
an eminent brand reputation. Golf Plaisir
holds the leading positions in pre-packed
and tailor-made golf tours. The tour
operator is also the market’s number
one in offering pro tours, which are
trips organised for local golf clubs that
are accompanied by the club’s trainer
to improve the members’ skills. Golf
Plaisir holds an exclusive partnership
engagement with PGA of Sweden,
Norway and Denmark and is the Swedish
Golf Federations exclusive partner within
the golf travel segment.
visitors on all Apollo websites in 2014
Catering to customer demands
Apollo Travel Group adjusts and adapts
to customer needs fast: Tour operator
Apollo constantly aligns its portfolio
of packaged holidays to changing
customers’ requirements. Lime Travel,
the Group’s specialist for high-end
luxury holidays offers carefully selected
properties, resorts and roundtrips to a
discerning clientele. Accordingly, the tour
operator Lime Travel offers tailor-made
tours only and no prepackaged trips. This
personal service that focuses entirely
on the customer’s wishes is key to the
brand’s success and reason for a large
number of repeat clients. Lime Travel is
particularly preferred by the Swedish
market and by Swedish expats around
the globe.
“We are the best equipped tourism
group in the Northern region. The ever
changing market environment of our
industry is our driving force that
leads us to new heights.”
Leif Vase Larsen,
CEO Apollo Travel Group
Golf being a popular sport in Scandinavia,
tour operator Golf Plaisir and its subbrands Out of Bounds and Krone Golf
15
Kuoni UK
the PaceSetter
Kuoni UK
Never complacent, Kuoni UK strives
to offer its customers and guests the
best experience possible in all stages of
their journey from the booking process
to travelling. In order to deliver superb
services, Kuoni UK has invested in
developing its digital presence, creating a
network of stylish travel shops in premium
shopping locations, brand building marketing campaigns and creating a bestin-class product range. The prestigious
Sunday Times featured Kuoni in their
list of best companies to work for in two
consecutive years. United by the passion
for travel and delivering the very best
16
for their customers, the Kuoni UK team –
bright new talent and staff who have
remained loyal to the brand over many
years – take pride in working for Kuoni.
sets Kuoni apart from its competitors, is
designed to steer anyone visiting Kuoni’s
website to talk directly to relevant experts.
While hotel rooms or flights are simple to
Delighting customers from start to finish
Kuoni stores on the High Street and
concessions in John Lewis retail stores are
unlike any other travel shop. With stylish
design and colours and a selection of
international drinks, the aim is for people
to feel that their holiday starts when they
walk through the door. To reach customers
outside of the stores as well, Kuoni UK
started Click & Connect. The strategy, which
The Kuoni mission is
simple: booking and
travelling with anyone else
wouldn’t be the same.
click and book online, Kuoni’s experience
shows that long haul and complex travel
itineraries and cruises need useful and
inspiring online content backed up by the
Kuoni UK
I
n the highly competitive sector of premium worldwide travel, Kuoni
Travel has continued to set the pace in the UK market for fifty years.
The company excels in creating tailor-made holidays around the world.
The retail team carefully plans and books thousands of holidays every year
to dream destinations in all corners of the globe from the Maldives to
Sri Lanka and the USA to Italy.
First rate service is highly valued by
customers. Since Kuoni implemented
performance-related pay based on NPS
(net promoter score), post booking and
post-holiday scores have continued to
rise each month. All evidence shows that
people will pay for premium added-value
service and these higher margins allow
further investment in customer-focused
initiatives.
Just as the customer experience is crucial
to the booking process, so is a wide
destination range and an exclusive
portfolio which can't be booked elsewhere.
Accordingly, both have been a main focus
of Kuoni’s tour operating brands in the
UK, specifically expanding the Indian
Ocean product range by the addition
of further luxury properties, which are
exclusively bookable through Kuoni in the
UK market.
Investing in the Future
Kuoni constantly strives to improve its
market position. High profile marketing
campaigns have been designed to
increase awareness of the brand throughout the UK. A new television advertising campaign, shot in the Maldives,
started in January with the “Find Your
Amazing” theme, featuring a synchronized
swimmer seemingly walking on water.
In a new partnership with Conde Nast
Brides magazine Kuoni created its first
magazine-style honeymoon guide promoting the expansion of Kuoni’s destination range. With creative ideas and a
strong commitment to its brands, Kuoni
UK will continue to enhance its product
range and to further retail expansion,
digital development and smart-marketing
to focus on personalisation.
of UK customers would
recommended Kuoni to their friends
bespoke advice of a travel expert. Offering
both, Click & Connect is key to convert
browsing into bookings.
“DER Touristik and Kuoni UK share
the same values in terms of ambition,
customer focus as well as nurturing
the talent within our teams.”
Derek Jones,
Managing Director Kuoni UK
17
DER Touristik - Germany, Austria, Switzerland
the StaBLe
Force
DER Touristik - Germany, Austria, Switzerland
The key to the success of DER Touristik
is its sustainable positioning in all the
segments of the market: conventional
holiday trips, individual and long haul
travel, and stationary and digital travel
sales alike. These are the cornerstones
that enable DER Touristik to deliver on
its promise to provide individual holiday
experiences in Germany, Austria and
Switzerland.
Individual and customer-oriented
Satisfying the individual requirements of
each and every customer – that is the
aspiration of the six clearly defined
tour operator brands belonging to DER
Touristik. They provide the travel products
to suit every holiday requirement and
budget: the modular and individual tour
18
operators Dertour, Meier’s Weltreisen
and ADAC Reisen belonging to DER
Touristik Frankfurt, and the package tour
operators ITS, Jahn Reisen and Travelix
from DER Touristik Köln. Every individual
is different. And every individual’s holiday
dreams differ too. It is the DER Touristik
brand world that makes these dreams
come true.
Not any old holiday.
A DER Touristik holiday.
The prime focus is always on customer
requirements, and proximity to the
customer is a key factor, from the provision
of expert personal advice and the careful
planning of the trip all the way to
the service we provide throughout the
holiday. This attitude is also reflected in the
promise given by sales brand DER Reisebüro: “Wünsche werden Reise” (“Travel
Dreams Come True”).
DER Touristik is Germany’s clear market
leader in travel sales, with some 2,100 of
its own and cooperating travel agencies as
well as the online digital platform DER.COM
to complement the comprehensive retail
network.
Embarking on a digital future
The majority of DER Touristik’s tour operator products – 80 per cent – are still
booked at retail travel agencies, while
the remaining 20 per cent are booked
online. Thus the personal advice provided
in the travel agencies still constitutes
DER Touristik - Germany, Austria, Switzerland
T
he DER Touristik Group can look back on a company history
that spans almost a century. Founded in Berlin as DER Deutsches
Reisebüro in 1917, DER Touristik has developed and shaped the
face of tourism in Germany over the decades. Now Germany’s second
largest tourism group, it also enjoys a secure position in the Austrian
and Swiss markets.
Outstanding business travel
management
FCM Travel Solutions and DERPART rank
among Germany’s top business travel
providers. FCM Travel Solutions is one
of the world’s top five business travel
chains, providing multi-national corporations and small and medium-sized enterprises alike with professional business
travel management services. Special
tour operators, its own hotel brands,
international agencies at the destinations
and affiliations abroad complete the DER
Touristik brand family in Germany.
The enduring force in tourism
Every year, over six million customers in
Germany, Austria and Switzerland rely on
the brands of DER Touristik to make their
holiday dreams come true. This is both a
source of great pride and an incentive –
and demonstrates that the Group is on
the right track with its future-oriented
attitude, unparalleled range of offerings
and consistent focus on consulting.
Its range of brands, almost 100 years of
experience in the market, state-of-theart technology and the perfect interaction
of all its individual operations, from travel
agency via hotelier all the way to local
agency at the destination, form the basis
of DER Touristik’s business in Germany,
Austria and Switzerland. This is what
provides the necessary endurance and
sustainability in a travel industry marked
by constant change.
travel agencies – Germany’s densest
travel sales network
the most important sales channel of
DER Touristik’s German tour operator
brands. The digitalisation of travel sales
is progressing at different rates: individual
hotel, flight or rental car reservations
are increasingly being made online, while
this development is much slower to take
hold in the package holiday business.
DER Touristik’s digitalisation strategy
in Germany is based on the digital sales
platform DER.com and the various tour
operator websites. They complement the
group’s retail travel sales perfectly and
constitute the tools for the future in the
tourism sector.
“Individual, reliable, broad-based –
DER Touristik is an established player
in the German, Austrian and Swiss
travel market.”
René Herzog,
CEO of DER Touristik
Central Europe
19
Kuoni Specialists – Benelux
the WiLD
Young thingS
Kuoni Specialists – Benelux
Three of the Kuoni Benelux brands – Koning
Aap, Shoestring and YourWay2GO – are
particularly prominent in the Netherlands
and Belgium. The fourth and youngest
brand, Entdeck die Welt, pursues the
same business model as YourWay2GO
and has had an online presence in Germany
since 2014.
Many variations on one key idea
All four specialists have three basic
strategies in common: they focus on destinations outside Europe and, as direct
20
sales brands, rely on the internet as a sales
channel. They also all chat, tweet and post,
using social media and chat forums to attract and advise customers. The type of
holidaymaker they are targeting with their
respective website’s offering, content and
booking system differs, however.
Four portals for different target groups
Koning Aap, the oldest Benelux operator
and the one with the highest sales,
focuses on group tours for the over-45s
accompanied by a Dutch or Belgian tour
guide. It also offers tours for families.
YourWay2GO and Entdeck die Welt, on
the other hand, concentrate primarily on
individual holidaymakers. Their websites
provide useful travel advice and ideas,
30 years in
the online business
with employees divulging their expert
knowledge and personal insider tips.
Holidaymakers are invited to assemble
their own personal trip in a step-by-step
Kuoni Specialists – Benelux
K
uoni’s Benelux business unit, Kuoni Specialists B.V., has set out to
carve out a niche for itself: its four tour operators all specialise in
exciting long haul destinations. The strength of this unconventional,
creative team lies in the fact that it is so well positioned when it comes to its
online business operations. The Kuoni Benelux unit knows how to exploit the
benefits of the digital world in its role as tour operator, focussing heavily on
particular target groups with its online offering.
A team of international explorers
Shoestring specialises in group adventure
holidays. Young globetrotters aged between 25 and 45 make up its target market. Shoestring, as its name suggests,
is aimed at the price-conscious “budget
traveller”. It offers a combination of action,
adventure and fun. Travel groups consisting primarily of tourists from the Netherlands, the UK and Germany are accompanied by English-speaking tour guides.
Shoestring has also offered customised
holidays since 2014, enabling its customers
to adapt holiday offerings to their own
individual requirements.
Customer focus in the digital world
The Benelux specialists have their sights
firmly set on their customers and the
latter’s travel requirements. Customers
are given ample freedom and a wide range
of options when it comes to planning and
booking – which is the guiding principle
behind the entire group. These specialists
know how to attract the customer’s
interest in a particular holiday experience
and are skilful at integrating their travel
know-how in the booking process. They
sell exclusively online and that’s also
where they connect with their customers
– on social media such as Facebook
or Twitter. Their success is based on
a cutting-edge and future-oriented
business model.
page views a year on four portals
process. Once they have selected their
destination, they are directed to the
page of the respective country. Here
they will find starter packages, various
travel modules and a wealth of ideas
and inspirations from which they can
assemble their individual holiday.
“We are a young, dynamic team
with great solidarity and an
unconventional way of thinking.
That’s our strength.”
Jan Middelhoek,
CEO of Kuoni Specialists
21
Exim Tours/Kartago Tours – Eastern Europe
the Beach
eXPertS
Exim Tours/Kartago Tours – Eastern Europe
Tour operators Exim Tours and Kartago
Tours belong to the international, Praguebased Exim Group. While Exim Tours has a
strong presence in the Czech Republic and
Poland, its sister company Kartago Tours
operates in Hungary and Slovakia.
The vast majority of the two companies’
business – 90 per cent – comprises
conventional package tours in the Mediterranean. The success of all their
products is based on an extremely solid
price-performance ratio.
22
No call for extravagance
The most popular holiday destinations
include Tunisia, Egypt, Turkey, Greece,
Spain and Italy. The focus is largely on ho-
Exim Tours is the No. 1
in the Czech Republic
tels in the 3- to 4-star category, with lowcost charter flights transporting holidaymakers to their destination. More exotic
long haul destinations are gradually also
coming into the picture. The idea is to travel
further and experience more. Thus those
of a more adventurous disposition can now
relax in the Caribbean, discover the United
Arab Emirates (UAE), Kenya and Zanzibar,
or explore the Cape Verde Islands.
The portfolio is supplemented by skiing
holidays in the winter season and hotels
with self-arranged travel in Europe. For
most Exim Tours and Kartago Tours customers, affordability takes precedence
over extravagance of any kind.
Exim Tours/Kartago Tours – Eastern Europe
E
astern Europeans are big fans of beach holidays, which they prefer
to any other type. Exim Tours has risen to become market leader
in the Czech Republic with a finely tuned product offering. Exim
Tours and Kartago Tours are well positioned in the growth markets of the
Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary. One future challenge will
be to help shape digital developments in the changing world of tourism.
Pace of development increasing
The Eastern European market is undergoing increasing change. Dynamic products are gaining in relevance and the
flight market is opening up, paving the way
for much more flexible travel offerings. At
the same time, the internet is assuming
increasing importance in Eastern Europe
too. These days, some 25 per cent of
Exim’s customers book their travel online,
with 10 per cent using the Exim website
www.eximtours.cz. This development is
encouraging Exim to strike out in a new
Dynamic products
are called for
direction, namely towards market digitalisation. Dynamic products call for
powerful and flexible technology.
of customers book Mediterranean beach holidays
Pink sales network
An Exim travel agency is easy to spot: the
external façade, interior décor, uniforms
and advertising hoardings stand out by
virtue of their bright pink colour scheme.
Whereas the Exim travel agencies focus
exclusively on the sale of their own
products, Exim Tours and Kartago Tours
also cooperate with franchise partners
and external travel agencies, providing
them with a comprehensive presence in
their home countries.
“We are well acquainted with the
Eastern European market and have
long been the market leader in the
Czech Republic. Every single company
operating under the banner of DER
Touristik can contribute its know-how
to the benefit of all.”
Ferid Nasr,
General Director of Exim Holding
23
Kuoni Switzerland
the SPeciaLiStS
Kuoni Switzerland
The special atmosphere is immediately
apparent on entering a Kuoni travel
agency: it speaks to the soul’s sense of
wanderlust, with the high-quality materials
providing a warm welcome. Dedicated
employees devote themselves to each
and every customer, taking the time
to offer individual advice, note down
requirements and transform them into
bookable holidays. Special requests? No
problem! Kuoni’s employees have set
themselves a clear objective in all they
do: to give their customers wonderful
moments to remember on their travels.
24
Their brief is to organise holidays that live
up to their customers’ expectations –
holidays that will live long in the memory.
Great importance is attached to individual
consultation. Even the most demanding
customer will head off on holiday with a
smile on their face. Kuoni travel agencies
are located throughout Switzerland.
Business travellers are catered for in
separate business travel centres.
Well positioned for online business
Those who make their travel arrangements
online are spoilt for choice at kuoni.ch,
helvetictours.ch and last-minute.ch. All
three websites offer dynamically packaged flights and hotels at current prices
on a daily basis. Kuoni established
X-Helvetictours, Switzerland’s first virtual
tour operator, in 2011.
From beach holiday to camping safari:
the tour operators and specialists
Kuoni’s tour operator business is known
for providing selected premium holidays
for discerning customers. Those who
book their holidays with Kuoni can look
forward to excellent service and an
Kuoni Switzerland
extremely high level of on-site support.
Helvetic Tours provides affordable
package beach holidays and city breaks
for those on a limited budget. The ten
special Kuoni brands, on the other hand,
offer customised holiday experiences,
Perfect moments
for every customer
making more unusual travel dreams
come true. There’s almost no limit to the
ideas that can be realised, whether diving
holidays in the Indian Ocean, private
safaris in Africa, Polar expeditions, or rail
journeys the world over. Many of Kuoni’s
specialised tour operators lead the
market in their particular field.
Fair partner for over a century
Values such as reliability, authenticity
and passion, far from being clichés, are
lived out daily at Kuoni. Kuoni sets great
store by fair relationships with employees,
customers and partners the world over.
Ever since Alfred Kuoni founded the
company in Zurich in 1906, the business
has stood for reliability and high quality, as
well as for innovation and the passion for
discovering pastures new.
Tradition and experience since
K
uoni is one of Switzerland’s most prestigious and traditional
brands. It has been synonymous with high-end travel, outstanding
customer service and the provision of individual advice in its own
travel agencies for well over a century. A high level of quality awareness
among its tour operator and sales staff is the secret of its success.
online travel magazine “elsewhere by
Kuoni”, for example, takes account of the
growing desire for travel inspiration. Kuoni
is also developing its CRM tool “Kuoni
Customer Love”, used for the rating and
enhancement of customer satisfaction
on an ongoing basis. A new catalogue
scanner app and the ‘Kuoni Travel
Compass’ are tools that play a key role in
the sales process.
“Kuoni Switzerland is an established
company. But tradition isn’t everything.
The future of tourism lies largely in the
digitalisation of the world of travel, and we
are joining forces with DER Touristik to
respond to this challenge.”
Marcel Bürgin,
CEO of Kuoni Switzerland
Innovative ideas for satisfied customers
Kuoni puts its faith in innovation. Its
25
The network
a Strong
netWorK
Ideal complement in 14 countries
NO
DK
UK
NL
BE
DE
CH
26
The network
T
he numerous tour operators that form part of the new DER Touristik include well-known brands of the likes of Dertour, Meier’s Weltreisen, ITS, Jahn Reisen, Kuoni, Helvetic Tours, Apollo and Exim.
These big names are supplemented by outstanding specialists, an airline,
the group’s own hotels, a dense sales network and thriving online sales
to boot. A unique network of experts has come together: Kuoni (blue)
and DER Touristik (red) are a perfect match. Together, they now cover the
most important European source markets.
SE
customers a year
FI
PL
CZ
SK
AT
HU
27
iMPreSSiVe
DiVerSitY
The brand world of the new DER Touristik
The brand world of the new DER Touristik
T
he satisfaction of customer needs in respect of guidance and
service is becoming increasingly important. DER Touristik takes
account of these needs with its numerous tour operators, specialists,
successful travel agency brands, an outstanding online presence and
agencies at destinations the world over. The brand world of DER Touristik
is presented on the following pages, in geographical order from north
to south.
Apollo Travel Group - Nordic
Scoring with beaches, sports travel and roundtrips
Apollo is one of the leading tour operators in the Nordic region.
Apollo has a strong emphasis on package holiday trips to sun
and beach destinations. In the field of active vacation and
sports travel Apollo holds a leading market position. Cruises,
roundtrips and flexible travel packages with a focus on city
breaks are also part of the Apollo portfolio.
www.apollo.se; www.apollo.no;
www.apollorejser.dk; www.apollomatkat.fi
Leading golf tour operator with eminent brand reputation
Golf Plaisir and its sub-brands Out of Bounds and Krone Golf
Tours are the leading golf tour operator in Scandinavia and
Finland. With 17.000 guests per year they hold the leading
market position in pre-packed and tailor-made golf tours as
well as in organizing so called Pro tours for local golf clubs. Golf
Plaisir holds exclusive partnership engagements with PGA of
Sweden, Norway and Denmark and is also the Swedish Golf
Federation’s exclusive partner within the golf travel segment.
www.golfplaisir.se
Tailor-made travels for discerning clients
Lime travel is a tour operator specialising in the high-end
luxury segment. The portfolio comprises carefully selected
properties, resorts and roundtrips for a sophisticated clientele.
Lime Travel offers tailor-made tours only and no prepackaged
trips. This personal service that focuses entirely on the
customer’s wishes is key to the brand’s success and reason for
a large number of repeat clients.
Leading sports resort in Europe
Playitas is the leading sports resort in Europe. It offers its
clients endless possibilities for an active vacation. Premium
training facilities cater to the needs of both amateurs and professional athletes. Located on Fuerteventura, Playitas offers
perfect weather conditions year-round to practice a variety
of sports. Playitas is the official training site for the Swedish
Olympics team.
www.playitas.net
Fulfilling holiday wishes in flight
Apollo Travel Group’s own airline Novair, founded in 1997,
operates with three Airbus A321-200 between airports in
Scandinavia and destinations in the Mediterranean, the Canary
Islands and Egypt. In the spring of 2017 three new Airbus Neo
will replace the existing fleet. Novair is the perfect addition to
the Apollo Travel Group, allowing its tour operator brand to offer
air links to beach destinations all year round.
www.novair.se
www.limetravel.se
29
The brand world of the new DER Touristik
Kuoni UK
Award-winning premium worldwide travel
As a tour operator Kuoni Travel has continued to set the pace
in luxury worldwide travel in the UK market for fifty years. The
tour operator excels in creating tailor-made holidays and honey­
moons around the world to more than 80 destinations and is
market-leader to the Indian Ocean. Kuoni Travel enjoys strong
partnerships with the world’s leading resort groups and airlines
and enjoys extremely strong consumer awareness in the UK.
www.kuoni.co.uk
Specialists in luxury, tailor-made holidays
Carrier is one of the UK’s foremost luxury tour operators,
established for over 30 years and renowned for creating stylish
holidays worldwide enhanced by superlative personal service
and desti­nation knowledge. The designer, lifestyle brand is
available throughout the Kuoni retail network, independent
travel agents and an award-winning website. The expertly
curated portfolio is showcased through seven brochures.
www.carrier.co.uk
Inspirational Journeys Worldwide – the Travellers’ Companion
With over 35 years of experience VJV tours are rich in history,
culture and wildlife. They span the globe following carefully
devised itineraries by air, road, river and rail capturing the true
essence of each destination. All groups are expertly guided
by local specialists enhanced by exclusive excursions and
special events, and the pleasure of the company of travellers
who share similar tastes and interests.
Finest Villas in most sought-after locations worldwide
For more than 40 years CV Villas has organised luxury villa
holidays for customers who enjoy the experience so much
that they return year after year. A CV holiday combines
beauti­ful handpicked villas in inspiring locations with flights,
car hire and expert local support. CV Villas guides the client to
the ideal villa and organises everything down to the last detail,
ensuring peace of mind and another very special villa holiday.
www.vjv.com
www.cvvillas.com
Short Breaks & Cultural Tours for discerning travellers
Founded in 1986, Kirker creates tailor-made holidays with a
cultural twist. The brand appeals to independent, experienced
travellers who value the personal advice and first-hand
knowledge of Kirker’s expert consultants. Selected hotels are
combined with a carefully curated menu of cultural activities
provided by the Kirker Concierge, such as pre-booked museum
tickets, local restaurants and tickets for opera and ballet.
Kuoni Retail - Beautiful sales outlets staffed by travel experts
Kuoni has created a new retail concept on the UK High Street
with the aim of driving more direct business. The result is a
collection of high-end, boutique-style travel stores, staffed
by highly-motivated and well-trained personal travel experts.
Stores are located throughout the UK, including several
concessions within John Lewis shops. More outlets in premium
locations are planned to open within the next months.
www.kirkerholidays.com
www.kuoni.co.uk
30
The brand world of the new DER Touristik
DER Touristik – Germany, Austria, Switzerland
Beach and mountain holidays
The package tour operator ITS offers beach holidays and selfdrive travel for families and couples: 4-star family-friendly
accommodation, child discounts, childcare arrangements and
numerous offerings for single parents with children at popular
holiday resorts guarantee plenty of fun for all the family. The
brand is known as ITS Billa Reisen in Austria, as ITS Coop Travel
in Switzerland and as ITS Billa Travel in the Czech Republic.
www.its.de; www.itsbilla.at;
www.itscoop.ch; www.itsbilla.cz
Holidays with an extra touch
The premium brand Jahn Reisen caters for discerning
individualists in the package tour segment. Six holiday worlds
focus on special travel experiences at the most beautiful
destinations in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, the Indian Ocean
and the Caribbean: the range of offerings includes luxury hotels
as well as golfing and spa packages, numerous round trips and
cultural programmes.
www.jahnreisen.de
Plenty of holiday for a small outlay
The dynamically priced tour operator Travelix boasts a high-­
quality offering comprising some 4,000 hotels at over 100 destinations. At many of these destinations, Travelix customers
are given the option of booking a transfer along with their flight
and hotel. They can also opt to book just the hotel on its own.
The programme includes traditional holiday regions and popular city destinations – with customers offered a range of short,
medium and long haul trips.
www.travelix.de
Modules that can be combined individually – for global travel
Dertour is one of the largest tour operators in Germany and
Austria. The modular expert is the market leader for city breaks
and many long haul destinations, including North America.
Dertour produces some 30 country and themed catalogues
every season. Its Dertour live operation also offers travel and
admission tickets for cultural or sporting events throughout
the world, while the premium brand Dertour deluxe provides
holidays for the discerning traveller.
www.dertour.de
The long haul specialist
Meier’s Weltreisen has maintained its position as a long haul
specialist in Germany and Austria for over 30 years. The market
leader in travel to Asia is known for providing high quality at
extremely competitive prices. Its offering includes travel to
the world’s most beautiful long haul destinations. As well as
traditional resorts, Meier’s Weltreisen also offers unusual
holidays to lesser-known regions and travel modules for the
more adventurous tourist.
www.meiers-weltreisen.de
Self-drive exploration near and far
ADAC Reisen is the expert in mobile travel. Its operations are
geared to people who appreciate freedom and mobility on holi­
day. The offering developed in cooperation with the German
automobile association ADAC includes travel in or on customers’
own cars or motorbikes as well as hire car, camper van and
coach holidays. Five catalogues showcase the full range of
mobile holidays available in Europe, North America, Australia,
New Zealand and Southern Africa.
www.adacreisen.de
31
The brand world of the new DER Touristik
Travel offerings for business partners
clevertours.com designs and markets high-quality travel
products for business partners. Whether bargain or premium
travel, package or modular holidays, driving or flying – nothing
is impossible. The attractively priced clevertours.com offering
has proven successful with key accounts such as the travel
agency sales business and retail companies including REWE and
PENNY.
Your specialist for special holidays
The tour operator Transair belongs to Rewe Austria Touristik
GmbH. It designs, develops and markets high-quality travel
products tailored to a wide range of target groups via the
retail companies Merkur, BILLA and Penny. All requirements
are catered for, whether luxury or low-budget break, modular
city trip or beach holiday, and travel by car or train. The products
are attractively priced throughout.
www.clevertours.com; www.penny-reisen.de;
www.rewe-reisen.de
www.transair.at; www.merkur-ihr-urlaub.at;
www.penny-reisen.at; www.billareisen.at;
Motor home travel the world over
camperboerse.de is the market leader in the Germanspeaking countries for online sales of motor home holidays
in all corners of the globe. The programme featuring over 50
motor home rental agencies can be booked both online and
via a travel agency. Together with its subsidiary, Motorhome
Bookers Ltd., camperboerse.de is among the agencies with
the highest revenue in Europe in this sector of the market.
Motorhomebookers.com offers motor homes to customers in
the UK, Europe and Australia.
www.camperboerse.de;
www.motorhomebookers.com
Online ferry bookings throughout Europe
Ocean24 is an internet portal that can be used to compare
the routes, departure times, crossing times and prices of all
European ferry companies at a glance. Once a decision has
been made, tickets can be purchased online directly from the
respective company. The direct access to the reservation
systems of the shipping companies is a unique feature that
enables the customer to find out immediately whether or not
berths are still available.
The DER travel agencies – expert advice throughout Germany
Some 2,000 travel experts in around 500 DER travel agencies
all over Germany work hard to deliver the company’s promise
“Wünsche werden Reise” (“Travel Dreams Come True”). The
focus is on providing personal advice based on sound expertise,
as well as first-class service. The wealth of offerings
provided by the DER travel agencies covers the entire portfolio
of the big tour operators, including travel insurance and flight,
sea crossing and rail tickets.
www.der.com/reisebuero
The franchise offering for independent travel agencies
Founded over 30 years ago, Derpart has risen to become one
of Germany’s largest and most successful travel agency partner
systems. It now boasts a total of 450 travel agencies in all. Of
these, 71 are “Derpart Travel Service Centers” that specialise
in the business travel sector. Franchise partners operating as
independent entities under the DER Touristik banner receive
support in areas such as IT and marketing.
32
www.ocean24.com
www.derpart.com
The brand world of the new DER Touristik
Perfect cooperation with DER Touristik
DER Touristik Partner-Service is the umbrella organisation
for the travel agency alliances Deutscher Reisering, ProTours/
RCE, TourContact and the DER Touristik partner companies,
Karstadt travel agencies and the ADAC Regionalclub
Württemberg. DER Touristik Partner-Service boasts over
800 travel agencies in all and is part of Germany’s DER travel
agency sales network.
www.dtps.de
The business class of the new DER Touristik
The business travel specialist FCM Travel Solutions takes care
of the business travel needs of corporate customers all over
Germany in its 60 business travel centres. DER Touristik’s
business travel expert is a partner in the international FCM
Travel Solutions network which, with over 12,000 employees
in more than 90 countries, ranks among the world’s top five
business travel chains.
An evolving online force
DER.COM is the central web portal for the over 500 DER travel
agencies, and thus for DER Touristik’s entire sales operation.
The platform is being developed into a strong online sales brand
with close links to the travel agency branches. DER.com pools
the know-how of some 2,000 travel experts in an online offering
that also features a wide range of holiday ideas. Specialists
from DER Touristik Online, founded in 2013, are responsible for
running the travel portal.
www.der.com
Perfectly networked around the globe
DER Touristik has its own agencies at destinations in many of
the world’s tourist countries. At its major long haul destinations,
these include the Group-owned New World Travel (USA),
branches of Go Vacation in Thailand, Indonesia and Sri Lanka,
and Go Caribic. DER Touristik is also represented by Destination
Touristic Services in the big warm-water regions of the
Mediter­ranean, while Dertour Austria and DER Viaggi in Italy
complete the network of Group-owned destination agencies.
www.de.fcm.travel
Fun in the sun for 25 years
The Club Calimera offering includes clubs in Spain, Tunisia,
Egypt, Greece, Bulgaria and Turkey. All the hotels are of a good
4- to 5-star standard, are situated close to the beach and have
a comprehensive all-inclusive concept. The club offering also
includes German-speaking staff, a wide variety of sporting
and entertainment options, and professional childcare services
for children aged 3 and over.
Attractive and affordable beach holidays
The PrimaSol hotel brand guarantees family-friendly beach
holidays at affordable prices. The offering features spacious
family rooms, playgrounds, childcare at the Prima Kids Club and
a broad all-inclusive concept. The 15 PrimaSol family hotels are
located in the most popular beach resorts in Turkey, Bulgaria,
Spain, Tunisia and Egypt, and on the Greek islands of Rhodes
and Corfu.
www.calimera.com
www.primasol.com
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The brand world of the new DER Touristik
The hotel brand with the extra special touch
lti hotels boast a sophisticated 4- to 5-star standard. The
fittings and furnishings of the three hotel lines – classic, fashion
and premium – start in the high-end segment. lti hotels are
situated on the Spanish and Greek islands, on Madeira, and in
Egypt, Bulgaria, Morocco, Tunisia and Turkey. The hotel offering
is supplemented by lti’s own Nile cruise ship, which acts as a
floating hotel.
www.lti.de
Online travel portal on the Dutch market
Prijsvrij.nl has become one of the most successful online travel
portals in the Netherlands since its launch in 2011. prijsvrij.nl
offers high-quality travel at affordable prices. The online
travel portal supplements DER Touristik’s international sales
business.
www.prijsvrij.nl
Exim Tours/Kartago Tours –
Eastern Europe
Heading for the sun
Exim Tours is the No. 1 in the Czech Republic and also ranks
among the major tour operators in Poland. Founded in 1993,
the tour operator has evolved extremely dynamically; the
Czech Republic and Poland are growth markets. Exim Tours’
main focus is on package holidays in the Mediterranean. Its
programme is rounded off with European car trips, skiing
holidays and long haul travel.
www.eximtours.pl;
www.eximtours.cz
Specialist in traditional package holidays
Kartago Tours, a sister brand of Exim Tours, is a popular
tour operator in the Hungarian and Slovakian market. As
in the neighbouring countries, demand in Hungary and
Slovakia centres mainly on low-cost beach holidays in the
Mediterranean, which make up around 90 per cent of Kartago
Tours’ business. Its programme is rounded off with European
car trips, skiing holidays and long haul travel.
www.kartagotours.hu;
www.kartagotours.sk
Kuoni Specialists - Benelux
Group tours and family tours – outside of Europe
Operating in the Netherlands and Belgium, Koning Aap offers
group holidays accompanied by dedicated Dutch or Belgian
tour leaders. The portfolio includes countries outside of Europe
such as exclusive trips to Central Asia, Iran and North Korea.
Koning Aap focuses on the 45 plus target group and on family
trips. The Internet is Koning Aap’s main sales channel.
www.koningaap.nl
www.koningaap.be
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Customizable tours outside of Europe
YourWay2GO is the specialist for long haul individual travel
from the Netherlands and Belgium. YourWay2GO allows
travelers to assemble trips according to their individual needs
and wishes by offering different starter kits, excursions and
customizable roundtrips that have been carefully selected
by the travel specialists at YourWay2Go who are passionate
travelers themselves with many years of travel experience.
www.yourway2go.nl
www.yourway2go.be
The brand world of the new DER Touristik
Long haul group tours and tailor-made holidays
Shoestring is a tour operator that specialized in budget travels
with a good mix of action, adventure and fun, catering to
travelers between 25 and 45. In 2014 Shoestring launched
tailor-made holidays to provide customers with the opportunity
to customize their own trips. Shoestring’s best-selling
destinations are Central and South America, Asia and Africa.
Individual tours outside of Europe
Entdeck die Welt is an online travel specialist in individual long
haul travel for the German market. Specialising in carefully
selected travel modules that can be individually combined by
customers, Entdeck die Welt offers round trips and excursions
at many of the world’s long haul destinations, with a strong
focus on the authentic experience of cultures and countries.
www.shoestring.nl;
www.shoestring.com
www.entdeck-die-welt.de
The complete travel experience — for over a century
Kuoni is Switzerland’s largest and best-known tour operator.
Founded by Alfred Kuoni in 1906, its wide-ranging offering
includes package beach holidays in high-quality hotels at
short, medium and long haul destinations, sea voyages all over
the world, city breaks, round trips and travel for individuals —
particularly in North America, the Caribbean, the Arabian
Peninsula, Asia and Australia/Oceania.
www.kuoni.ch
Happy and affordable holidays
Helvetic Tours is Kuoni’s budget package holiday brand in
Switzer­land. Its range of affordable, yet classy and stylish
beach holidays makes no concessions to comfort and quality.
In 2011, Kuoni became the first Swiss tour operator to launch
a virtual operator, X-Helvetictours, which offers dynamically
packaged flights and hotels.
The travel specialist for the Eastern Adriatic
Adria 365 is the leading Swiss tour operator for holidays in
Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia & Herzegovina,
Macedonia and Albania. The team consists of experts who have
strong personal as well as professional ties with the individual
countries. In addition to traditional beach holidays and city trips,
Adria 365 also offers cruises, active sailing holidays, guided
tours and cycling holidays.
The travel specialist for Asia
Asia 365 specialises in organising trips to countries including
Japan, China, Bhutan, Nepal, India, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia,
Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, East Timor,
Hong Kong and the Philippines. This select world of travel
offers a wealth of exciting itineraries and activities in the form
of round trips, beach breaks, adventure holidays and river
cruises, all arranged by Asia experts.
www.adria365.ch
www.asia365.ch
Kuoni Switzerland
www.helvetictours.ch
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The brand world of the new DER Touristik
Experts in special group travel
Cotravel has been one of the leading Swiss providers of highquality study trips and special group travel for almost three
decades. It joins forces with partners from the media to create
reading tours featuring top-class subject specialists for wellknown newspapers and magazines. Cotravel also offers a wide
range of other exclusive tours all over the globe – from Africa
all the way to Central Asia.
www.cotravel.ch
The travel specialist for South America & Costa Rica
The team members at Dorado Latin Tours have either explored
Latin America at length or even lived there for a time. They
invest all their passion for the region in planning customised
trips to South America and Costa Rica. From trekking in Peru via
beach holidays in Brazil all the way to expedition cruises around
the Galapagos Islands – Dorado’s offering comprises many
different types of travel that reflect the diversity of these
fascinating countries.
www.dorado-latintours.ch
The specialist in Northern travel
Kontiki Reisen is the leading Swiss tour operator for
Scandinavia, with an offering that includes Hurtigruten, Iceland,
Scotland, Russia, the Baltic and Polar travel. Authentic travel
experiences are the name of the game: encounters with the
native population, appreciation of unspoilt nature and insights
into local traditions are writ large. Kontiki makes Nordic dreams
come true in snowy Lapland or on a hire car tour through the
rugged scenery of the North.
www.kontiki.ch
The travel specialist for sea & river cruises
The Kuoni Cruises offering ranges from luxury yachts via
conventional cruises and voyages all the way to floating holiday
resorts and expeditions. The experienced cruise specialists
know all the latest vessels and trends and advise customers
competently and with refreshing enthusiasm. Customers will
find the perfect cruise at Kuoni Cruises – be this a Mediter­
ranean, Caribbean or Transatlantic voyage.
The specialist for the Indian Ocean & diving holidays
Manta Reisen specialises in diving holidays around the globe,
and in the islands of the Indian Ocean in particular. The company
is the Swiss leader in this field. Exotic destinations including
the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, the Seychelles, the Pacific
and the Red Sea make for the perfect holiday experience in
combination with the carefully selected offerings. Manta also
offers Ayurveda holidays and honeymoons.
The travel specialist for Africa
Private Safaris has been organising round trips, beach holidays
and safaris in Eastern and Southern Africa for almost 50
years. During this period, it has been awarded the accolade
of “Best Swiss Tour Operator for Africa” on no fewer than
twelve occasions. The team of experts makes regular visits to
the continent with a view to optimising the select offering –
comprising camping, off-road trips, gorilla trekking and beach
holidays – on an ongoing basis.
www.privatesafaris.ch
www.manta.ch
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www.kuoni-cruises.ch
The brand world of the new DER Touristik
Europe’s No. 1 in rail travel and city trips
Railtour is a traditionally-minded tour operator that is seeking
to consolidate its market leadership in European rail travel and
city trips for tourists. Its travel experts put together individual
packages involving rail travel, whether this be a city break in
Paris, an excursion to Milan or a holiday on the North Sea. The
wide-ranging offering is supplemented by rail adventure travel
and group tours.
The No. 1 for France
Frantour is the Swiss market leader in travel to France. Its
main focus is on city trips to Paris and on holidays in the South
of France and Corsica. Frantour also specialises in trips to
Center Parcs and theme parks. Customers frequently benefit
from attractive, low-cost offerings thanks to long-standing
partnerships with rail companies and service providers at the
destinations.
www.railtour.ch
www.frantour.ch
Music trips, festivals, guided gala & cultural tours
ACS-Reisen is an experienced specialist in the field of cultural
tours and memorable trips, with top-level contacts around the
globe. It has been enabling people to travel in style since 1958.
The cultural tours combine classical aspects with art, culture
and indulgence. Musical highlights are on offer in famous opera
houses and concert halls, and festival visits are arranged to
boot. Tours are accompanied by experienced guides.
Make sure you travel with friends
Pink Cloud offers gays and lesbians a world of travel tailored to
their requirements. Hotels and destinations are either gay or
gay-friendly. Special offers promote a tolerant, open lifestyle
in the company of like-minded individuals. The broad-based
programme offers everything from gay & lesbian cruises on
the world’s oceans via trekking in the Andes all the way to tours
of South Africa.
www.acs.ch
www.pinkcloud.ch
Dense sales network in Switzerland
Kuoni boasts a comprehensive sales network throughout
Switzerland, with 73 Kuoni travel agencies, five Helvetic Tours
agencies, three rewi reisen branches and the Premium Specialists travel agency at the company’s headquarters in Zurich. In
addition, four Kuoni business travel centres attend to the business travel needs of small and medium-sized enterprises and
key accounts alike. A specialised MICE (Meetings, Incentive,
Congress, Events) unit rounds off the Swiss sales organisation.
www.kuoni.ch
The portal for bargain-hunters
Lastminute.ch is an online portal selling package deals offered
at short notice by tour operators in the Swiss and German
travel markets. Customers can choose from last-minute and
package holidays, city trips, charter and scheduled flights
and hotel-only offerings. Lastminute.ch stands for affordable
travel prices at the lowest daily rates. It’s a must-visit portal for
holidaymakers on the look-out for travel bargains.
www.lastminute.ch
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Passion
1906
the Swiss textile specialist Alfred Kuoni redefined travel.
He discovered a new fundamental desire of people: They want
to experience the world. This realisation led to the creation
of the Kuoni travel and tourism company.
1917
the same idea in Berlin brought together the railroads of Germany
and the ship-operating companies Norddeutscher Lloyd and
Hamburg-Amerika-Linie. They established Deutsche Reisebüro (DER).
Over a period of about 100 years, Kuoni and Deutsche Reisebüro became two of the leading
international travel and tourism companies.
2015
DER Touristik and the travel and tourism activities of Kuoni were
merged in DER Touristik Group. A new European travel alliance
was created. It has one passion: to turn every travel wish into an
unforgettable holiday experience.
38
Hier steht die Rubrik
HIGHLY IMPRESSIVE
DER Touristik in figures
Our latest business figures online:
www.dertouristik.com/de/gruppe/zahlen-und-fakten
Photocredtis: © REWE Group; © DER Touristik; © Kuoni UK; © Apollo Travel Group; © Kuoni Reisen AG; © Kuoni Specialists; @ Exim Holding
The competitive landscape and customer behaviour are in a state of flux. We are keeping
pace with all the changes. The latest DER Touristik business figures are available here under
“Facts and Figures”.
39
MM-1986/16
Imprint
DER Touristik GmbH
Unternehmenskommunikation
Emil-von-Behring-Straße 6
D-60424 Frankfurt
www.dertouristik.com