Category: DERTOUR Group

After 25 years with DERTOUR Group, Leif Vase Larsen, CEO International, has decided to leave the company at his own request at the end of April 2026 to take up a new role outside the Group starting May 1, 2026.

Throughout his career, he has been recognised for leading multinational teams, shaping international market strategies across Europe, and driving digital and organisational transformation. His responsibilities included steering international expansion, harmonising operational structures, and strengthening the DERTOUR Group’s competitive position in the global tourism market.

At the international tourism trade fair ITB in Berlin, the DERTOUR Group shared its current perspective on developments in the European travel market and presented the latest booking trends. As an international travel group operating in 16 European with approximately 200 companies, the DERTOUR Group is a key player in the European tourism and travel experiences market. Christoph Debus, CEO DERTOUR Group, emphasized the company’s strategic focus on sustainable growth and guest experiences.

As everyday life becomes faster, more digital, and less predictable, European travellers are seeking clarity and mental recuperation, and they expect that feeling to guide their journey from the moment they begin planning their holidays until they return home. This is the core message of the DERTOUR Group’s first European Travel Trend Report, released today. This report is based on a survey conducted among 8,000 participants across 13 European countries.

DERTOUR Hotels & Resorts (DTHR) is continuing its growth path. In 2026, the hotel division of the DERTOUR Group will expand its portfolio with seven new properties in popular destinations across the Mediterranean. In addition, two new HENRI Hotels will open in Germany through the company’s majority stake in DSR Hotel Holding.

With this expansion, DERTOUR Hotels & Resorts is strengthening the strategic positioning of its brands, from lifestyle concepts such as ananea, classic beach resorts to family-focused offerings and boutique city hotels.

Today, many of us feel the world speeding up around us. In this reality, travel has started to mean something deeper for people across Europe. Travelers seek moments of calm, clarity, and comfort; they want to slow down, breathe more deeply, and let go of constant demands.​
​The first edition of DERTOUR Group’s European Travel Trend Report reflects a growing desire to unwind: travelers want holidays that feel effortless from the start. Simplicity guides decisions more than ever, shaping how people plan, book, and experience their trips. Simplicity guides decisions more than ever, shaping how people plan, book, and experience their trips. Whether through seamless travel arrangements, supportive expertise, or environments that naturally invite relaxation.

Kuoni France Group, a DERTOUR Group company, today announced a planned leadership transition. After 30 years at the head of the company, Emmanuel Foiry, Chairman of Kuoni France Group, will step down from his role on 31 December 2025. He will continue to serve as Strategic Advisor to the Chairman throughout 2026. Gonzague de Gélis, currently Chief Financial Officer of Kuoni France Group, has been appointed to succeed him as Chairman, effective 01.01.2026. 
The transition marks a significant chapter in the company’s journey, highlighting its rich history as an iconic travel brand.

Following the approval by the relevant competition authorities, DERTOUR Group has completed the acquisition of four of the five business units of the Hotelplan Group, an international travel group specialising in leisure and business travel. This includes the entire travel retail and tour operator business of Hotelplan Group in Switzerland, Germany, and the United Kingdom. The holiday home specialist Interhome, is excluded. The travel brands of Hotelplan Group will remain and are joining the tourism network of the DERTOUR Group, which is already represented in 16 source markets with over 180 companies.

Following the approval by the relevant competition authorities, DERTOUR Group has completed the acquisition of four of the five business units of the Hotelplan Group, an international travel group specialising in leisure and business travel. This includes the entire travel retail and tour operator business of Hotelplan Group in Switzerland, Germany, and the United Kingdom. The holiday home specialist Interhome, is excluded. The travel brands of Hotelplan Group will remain and join the tourism network of the DERTOUR Group, which is already represented in 16 source markets with over 180 companies.

In May, the Swiss Competition Commission announced an in-depth review of DERTOUR Group’s planned acquisition of the Hotelplan Group (with the exception of Interhome). After a three-month investigation, the Swiss Competition Commission announced today that it has approved the transaction without conditions or obligations. Accordingly, DERTOUR Group has now obtained all necessary merger control clearances.

In the 2024 financial year, the DERTOUR Group benefited from the continued widespread appetite for travel in Europe. Despite challenging times, we were once again able to record a strong increase in demand for travel. As the focus on material goods is decreasing, the importance of experiences continues to grow. Especially in times of change and digital distance, consumers are consciously investing in their well-being.

Effective April 1, 2025, Sebastian Spratte will be appointed Chief Financial Officer of the DERTOUR Group Hotel Division. Additionally, he will become a member of the Aldiana management team, succeeding Max-Peter Droll, who will take over the role as Senior Advisor Hotels & Resorts. In this dual role, Spratte will report directly to Karl J. Pojer, CEO of the DERTOUR Group Hotel Division. 

DERTOUR Group acquires the entire Hotelplan Group from Migros, with the exception of Interhome, thereby strengthening its presence as a travel group in Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Germany. The DERTOUR Group is already represented in 16 countries with over 130 companies and more than 10,000 employees. The takeover will take place as soon as possible – subject to the approval of the relevant antitrust authorities.

DERTOUR Group acquires the entire Hotelplan Group from Migros, with the exception of Interhome, thereby strengthening its presence as a travel group in Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Germany. The DERTOUR Group is already represented in 16 countries with over 130 companies and more than 10,000 employees. The takeover will take place as soon as possible – subject to the approval of the relevant antitrust authorities.

„DERTOUR Deutschland GmbH“ preuzima specijaliziranog organizatora putovanja – turoperatora I.D. Riva Tours te time jača svoju ponudu u segmentu specijaliziranih putovanja. I.D. Riva Tours sa 55 zaposlenika, jedan je od najpoznatijih organizatora putovanja u Hrvatsku, s fokusom na krstarenja malim brodovima, grupna putovanja te iznajmljivanje kuća za odmor i apartmana.

Effective January 1, 2025, Stefan Römheld, Chief Financial Officer DERTOUR Central Europe, will be appointed to the executive management of DERTOUR Germany as well as DERTOUR Central Europe.
“Stefan Römheld brings extensive experience and a proven track record from recent years. We are confident that he, with his strategic mindset, will help ensure our company’s continued growth in the future.”

Subject to the antitrust clearance by the relevant competition authorities, the DERTOUR Group is acquiring the technology company Anixe, headquartered in Wroclaw (Poland), from the Munich-based FTI Group. With Anixe, a leading technology provider in the travel sector, the DERTOUR Group further expands its technological and digital expertise, laying the foundation for future content enhancements in the booking and distribution systems.