The new management structure is intended to technological digital transformation and the travel agency business in Germany.
DERTOUR Group is adapting its top management structure in response to its strong international growth. The expansion of the international Executive Board announced today follows the acquisition of Hotelplan in August 2025, through which the company has grown to around 200 subsidiaries and 15,000 employees worldwide. Changes at the Executive Board level are being implemented to support collaboration across regions and business segments. Against the backdrop of ongoing technological change, digital transformation is also becoming increasingly important for the organization. As part of this broader evolution, there will also be a change in management for DERTOUR Group in Germany.
Christoph Debus, CEO of DERTOUR Group, comments: “By expanding our Executive Board, we are aligning our leadership structure with our company’s growth and will be able to drive the implementation of our strategy even more effectively. This will allow us to sharpen our focus on customer centricity, profitable growth, and technological innovation across all regions and business segments. We are delighted to pursue this ambition together with a new leadership in Germany.”
Boris Raoul to head German and Austrian business and drive technological transformation.
As of 1 November 2025, Boris Raoul, former CEO of the Invia Group, will assume the role of CEO for DERTOUR Germany and Austria, succeeding Ingo Burmester, who will head DERTOUR Group’s international hotel business as a dedicated Executive Board division. Raoul will also take on the role of Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of DERTOUR Group and become a member of the international Executive Board. This means that technological transformation will be firmly anchored as a strategic focus topic at the top management level of the tourism group.
“I am delighted to take on responsibility for DERTOUR Germany and Austria and to return to the tour operating business, which has played such an important role in my professional career. Supported by advanced technology, our goal is to continuously enhance our service offerings and guest experience. Together with my new colleagues, I want to harness the opportunities of digital transformation and jointly shape the future. In doing so, I am particularly keen to strengthen our close cooperation with our sales partners so that we can continue to grow together,” says Boris Raoul about his new role.
Further strengthening the strong market position in Germany.
Under the new leadership, the company’s already strong market position in Germany and Austria is set to be further expanded. Important foundations have been laid for this. Christoph Debus emphasizes: “I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere thanks to Ingo Burmester for his very successful leadership over the past years. It has played a key role in helping us overcome the challenges of the pandemic and in sustainably strengthening our market position in Germany in the years that followed. Advancement was driven by a new booking system, improved production technology, a broader product portfolio, and continued guest satisfaction growth. I am very much looking forward to continuing our close and trusting collaboration on the Executive Board. After almost seven successful years at the helm of our German business, Ingo Burmester will now lead the growth path of our strategically important hotel division. With his deep passion for the hotel sector, he is also returning to his professional roots in hospitality.”
New leadership for stationary retail in Germany: Andreas Heimann initiates handover to Georg Welbers.
Sales leadership in Germany is also undergoing a transition: Chief Sales Officer Andreas Heimann is initiating his long-planned succession after 34 successful years with the company. As of 1 June 2026, Georg Welbers will assume overall responsibility for the travel agency business in Germany as Chief Sales Officer and will join DERTOUR from Alltours. Welbers will take over responsibility for the entire company-owned travel agency network, including all cooperations. Andreas Heimann will remain with the company in an advisory capacity. Starting summer 2026, Welbers will oversee both the company’s retail outlets and its German travel agency partners, unifying retail sales under his leadership.
“After leading our groups retail business for more than three decades, Andreas Heimann will hand over the baton to, Georg Welbers, a highly respected sales expert, at the end of May 2026. The change will take place as part of a carefully planned transition that ensures continuity and stability. With his strategic vision, innovative drive, and entrepreneurial strength, Andreas Heimann has shaped our travel agencies over the years. We are all the more pleased that he will continue to support us in an advisory role,” says Debus. Andreas Heimann will also continue to serve as Vice President of the German Travel Association (DRV), leading Section B, and will remain a member of the Supervisory Board of DERPART Reisevertrieb GmbH.
During his long tenure, Andreas Heimann successfully established one of Germany’s largest travel agency networks, further advancing its strategic growth and ensuring sustained profitability. Under his leadership, innovative shop concepts were successfully introduced, new omnichannel approaches established, and personal consultation in travel agencies made future-proof through digital platforms and AI-driven tools.
Commenting on his appointment, Georg Welbers stated: “Travel agencies are an integral part of DERTOUR’s operations, and I look forward to leading one of Germany’s major brick-and-mortar sales networks. The coming years will be crucial for the further development of travel agencies and personal consultation. I look forward to shaping this process together with our partners, drawing on the strengths of an established and successful organisation.”
Shaping technological transformation together with partners.
Commenting on the organisation’s future direction, Debus stated: “The development of artificial intelligence represents a significant shift. One of our key future tasks will be to combine the strengths and expertise of our employees with digital, AI-supported tools. Together with a strong team culture and our commitment to sustainability, technology forms the solid foundation for our future. We are therefore delighted to have gained two highly regarded and experienced leaders in Boris Raoul and Georg Welbers — professionals who will drive this transformation forward for the benefit of our employees, guests, and partners,” explained Christoph Debus. “We are convinced that our technological progress will also bring significant advantages for our travel agency partners. We see the industry’s transformation as a shared journey and look forward to shaping it together — further advancing the value of personal consultation.”
Mark Tantz moves to strategic advisory role as Senior Advisor.
Mark Tantz, Managing Director Operations, will also change his position within the company next year. After more than 15 years in senior operational leadership, he will move into an advisory role as Senior Advisor from June 2026 onwards, supporting strategic projects such as the integration of vtours. In this role, he will continue to contribute to the company’s strategic direction. Like Andreas Heimann, Mark Tantz will continue to represent DERTOUR as Vice President of the German Travel Association (DRV) and will maintain his seat on the Supervisory Board of DERPART. “I look forward to continuing to work with Mark Tantz on strategic projects. Over the past 15 years, he has demonstrated exceptional clarity and consistent leadership in increasingly volatile times. During the pandemic, he not only managed the largest repatriation operation in the company’s history but also successfully oversaw extensive system migrations and multiple transformation and reorganisation initiatives. His deep organisational knowledge and outstanding commercial and operational expertise will continue to be a great asset to us,” said Debus.
Mark Tantz, Managing Director Operations, has decided to change his position within the company next year as well. After more than 15 years of successful operational leadership, he will transition to a consulting role as Senior Advisor starting in June 2026, where he will support strategic projects such as the integration of vtours. In this capacity, he will continue to contribute to the company’s future strategic direction. Like Andreas Heimann, Mark Tantz will continue to represent DERTOUR as Vice President of the German Travel Association (DRV) and will also maintain his position on the Supervisory Board of DERPART.
“I am very much looking forward to continuing to work with Mark Tantz, who will now focus on strategic projects. As a highly respected leader, he has made an outstanding contribution to the company over the past 15 years, distinguishing himself through clear and consistent leadership in increasingly volatile times. During the pandemic, he not only managed the largest repatriation operation in the company’s history, but also successfully oversaw extensive system migrations and various transformation and reorganization initiatives. His deep organizational knowledge and excellent commercial and operational skills will continue to be a great asset to us,” said Debus.
Chief Human Resources Officer Britta Fischer, Managing Director Marketing and Customer Experience Matthias Lange, Managing Director Product Sven Schikarsky, and Chief Financial Officer Stefan Römheld will remain members of the German management team of DERTOUR Group.
Background information:
About Boris Raoul
Boris Raoul is an experienced manager and entrepreneur in the tourism industry with more than two decades of leadership experience and deep expertise in tour operations. After holding positions at Alltours and TUI Travel PLC, Boris Raoul took on several senior roles at FTI Touristik starting in 2001, including Product Director and later Managing Director. In 2003, he founded 5 vor Flug GmbH, serving as CEO. From 2006 to 2013, he was Group COO and Managing Partner at FTI Group before becoming CEO of Unister Travel in 2014. He subsequently continued as CEO of Unister Travel and, since 2017, has served as CEO of the Invia Group until its acquisition by WP Holding.
About Georg Welbers
Georg Welbers is a tourism executive with many years of experience in sales management. Since April 2020, he has served as Managing Director of Sales and Marketing at Alltours. Under his leadership, the sales division was strengthened and its strategic direction further developed. His contract with alltours runs until May 2026. Previously, the business administration graduate held several senior roles at Thomas Cook AG, including Managing Director of ÖGER TOURS, the Gesellschaft für Reisevertriebssysteme, and Thomas Cook Vertriebs GmbH. In his most recent role at Thomas Cook, he was Director of Omnichannel Marketing, Sales and E-Commerce, responsible for integrating digital and in-store sales channels. Earlier in his career, he served as Sales Director at Thomas Cook, Head of Management Consulting at KarstadtQuelle, and Senior Principal at Droege & Comp.
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Background:
DERTOUR Group has its head office in Cologne, Germany, and is REWE Group’s travel and tourism division. As one of Europe’s leading travel groups, DERTOUR Group encompasses approximately 200 companies and employs around 15,000 people worldwide. Every year, millions of guests travel with one of the Group’s tour operators or specialists. DERTOUR Group includes tour operators such as DERTOUR, ITS, Meiers Weltreisen, Kuoni, Helvetic Tours, ITS Coop Travel, Billa Reisen, Koning Aap, Apollo, Exim Tours and Fischer, as well as around 2,000 travel agencies (such as DERTOUR, DERPART, Kuoni, Exim, and Fischer, plus franchises and partners), the hotel brands Sentido, Aldiana, and ananea and the online travel agency Prijsvrij Vakanties. The DERTOUR Group also offers on-site support: The company runs an agency network with 71 offices in 31 travel destinations. The staff in the destination agencies assist the guests of the DERTOUR Group from their arrival at their holiday destination until their departure. For more information, go to www.dertour-group.com.