Executive Board member Ingo Burmester becomes CEO Hotel Division DERTOUR Group, Karl J. Pojer transitions to Senior Advisor function for DERTOUR Group.
Following the acquisition of Hotelplan in August 2025, DERTOUR Group is expanding its Executive Board: The changes announced today reflect the strong international growth of recent years and place customer-centricity, profitable growth, and technological innovation at the center (see also press release “DERTOUR Group: Strategic Changes to Executive Board” at www.dertour-group.com/en/press/).
This also brings changes at the helm of the Hotel Division, further strengthening the hotel business as a strategic growth area for DERTOUR Group. The hotel business will gain a dedicated role within the Executive Board: Executive Board member Ingo Burmester will take over the management of the hotel business from Karl J. Pojer as of 1 November 2025, with Pojer moving to the role of Senior Advisor DERTOUR Group. At the same time, Burmester will transfer responsibility for DERTOUR Group’s German and Austrian business to his successor, Boris Raoul. (see also press release “New Leadership at DERTOUR Group in Germany” at www.dertour-group.com/en/press/).
Today, DERTOUR Group’s Hotel Division comprises over 120 concept hotels in 16 countries including brands such as ananea, Aldiana, and Sentido, making it an important growth segment for the company.
Moving forward on the growth journey
“I am pleased to transfer the management of the Hotel Division to Ingo Burmester and make it a strategic priority at board level. With his extensive experience in the hotel industry and as a dynamic leader, Ingo Burmester will continue to drive the growth path of our hotel business and lead a key investment area,” said Christoph Debus, CEO DERTOUR Group. “At the same time, I would like to sincerely thank Karl J. Pojer for his great commitment over the past two years. In 2024, the acquisition of a majority stake in DSR Hotel Holding and the purchase of Travel Charme led to significant growth, and we were able to further advance the development of our Hotel Division. We owe this progress to the outstanding experience and extensive expertise of Karl J. Pojer.”
Ingo Burmester, upon assuming the position of CEO Hotel Division DERTOUR Group, commented: “This appointment allows me to draw upon my longstanding experience in hospitality. I look forward to leading our Hotel Division with enthusiasm and a clear commitment to further growth, quality and technological advancement, continuously striving to offer guests exceptional hotel experiences distinguished by superior service.”
Karl J. Pojer stated, “In my advisory role, I will be guided by consistent brand management, high quality standards, and a strong service orientation. I look forward to supporting the strategic development of the hotel business in close cooperation with Ingo Burmester.”
About Ingo Burmester
Ingo Burmester is an accomplished tourism manager with strong expertise in both tour operations and the hotel industry.After completing his scientific and technical studies and subsequent doctorate, he began his career in consulting before joining the TUI Group in 2000, where he held various leadership roles in the hotel and airline sectors. Notably, he served as CEO of Robinson Club from 2011 to 2017, where he was responsible for the growth and strategic development of the renowned club provider. He then led the international hotel business as a member of the management board at Thomas Cook, gaining substantial experience in the management and positioning of hotel brands. Since 2019, he has worked for DERTOUR Group overseeing Central Europe (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) as CEO. Since 2022, Burmester has been a member of the Executive Board of DERTOUR Group and has significantly influenced the expansion of the Hotel Division.
About Karl J. Pojer
Karl J. Pojer looks back on a long career with top management positions in international hospitality and cruise sectors. Pojer has worked for renowned hotel groups such as Kempinski Hotels, Sheraton, and Pestana Hotels, Resorts and Casinos. His long-standing role at TUI AG included serving as CEO of Robinson Clubs and as divisional board member of TUI Hotels & Resorts. In 2013, Pojer took over the management of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises and led the brand to sustainable success. In 2022, Pojer was appointed CEO Tourism at DSR Hotel Holding and has since worked closely with the DERTOUR Group Hotel Division which he led from 2024 onwards. The multi-award-winning manager has been named “Travel Industry Manager”, “Seatrade Cruise Personality Of The Year”, and received the special award of the prestigious industry prize “Hotelier of the Year”.
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Background:
The DERTOUR Group bundles its growing hotel business, which comprises 12 brands and over 120 hotels in 16 countries around the world, under the umbrella of DERTOUR Group Hotel & Resorts GmbH. To satisfy the wide range of holiday dreams and travel wishes of its customers, the hotel division offers both variety and highest quality: The company’s hotels cover a large number of different destinations, target groups and customer needs. Its brand portfolio comprises of leading brands in the international club and holiday hotel industry. These brands include Sentido, Aldiana, Playitas, ananea and Calimera in the medium and long-distance travel business. For land-based travel, DERTOUR Group is well positioned with the DSR Hotel Holding brands aja, A-ROSA, HENRI and MIRA Hotels as well as with its two individual hotels Hotel Louis C. Jacob and Hotel Neptun. You can find more information at www.dertour-hotels.com.
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.