Diethelm Travel and Tourasia merge Asia operations

Publisher: Tourasia, Sept. 12, 2017

Tourasia Roemer – the largest tour operator in Switzerland specializing in travel to Asia – and Zurich-based Diethelm Travel Holding are merging their Asian destination management operations. The deal creates one of the largest destination management companies in Southeast Asia, with more than 500 staff in 13 countries and a combined annual turnover of USD 90 million. From mid-September Stephan Roemer, founder and Managing Director of Tourasia, takes over the post of CEO with responsibility for all operational activities headquartered in Bangkok.

Swiss Asian travel specialist Tourasia is merging its "All Asia Exclusive" and "Blue Horizons Travel & Tours" brands with the Asian portfolio of Bangkok-based Diethelm Travel. The deal creates one of the largest incoming tour operating enterprises in Asia. Under the Diethelm Travel Holding parent company, "Diethelm Travel" and "Blue Horizons Travel & Tours" together comprise some 500 staff. This figure includes the entire personnel of "All Asia Exclusive", which will no longer operate as an independently managed brand. Operational management of the merged activities is being assumed from mid-September by Stephan Roemer, founder and Managing Director of Tourasia. Roemer: "By joining forces and combing our considerable strengths, we will be the only travel company operating a fully comprehensive service network with its own locations throughout Southeast Asia." Roemer will be the new CEO of the Diethelm Travel Group as well as serving on the board of management of Diethelm Travel Holding. Country managers in Asia will in future report directly to Stephan Roemer.

Paramount priority of the new destination management enterprise will be to set superior quality standards. Guests will benefit from exclusive travel comfort in the company's own fleet of luxury limousines and the services of highly qualified professional tour guides. At all destinations a round-the-clock multilingual concierge team will further ensure that guests enjoy a memorable holiday experience with exceptional added value.

The Diethelm Travel Group (founded in 1957) is a subsidiary of the Diethelm Keller Travel Group, the travel division of Switzerland's internationally active Diethelm Keller concern. The Diethelm Keller Travel Group also owns STA Travel – the world's largest student travel company – and as well as holding a 50 percent stake in the Globetrotter Group in Switzerland and a majority shareholding in the Explorer Group in Germany. Diethelm Travel is one of the oldest-established tourism enterprises in Asia, operating from locations in 12 countries, including Sri Lanka/the Maldives, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, Malaysia and Singapore. Tourasia operates subsidiaries in Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines, servicing prestigious and predominantly specialized tour operators from throughout the world as well as private travellers.                                                                                                           

DK Travel Holding Chairman Angelo van Tol: "With Stephan Roemer we welcome aboard a top travel specialist with long and extensive in-depth experience of Asia". Roemer (53) has been working in the Asian travel sector since 1982, having first helped to develop the Wettstein tour operating company in Switzerland before founding Tourasia 10 years later. Tourasia is based in Wallisellen/Zurich, also operating in Germany and Poland and currently employing 50 staff in Europe.

Contact:

tourasia
Stephan Roemer
Tel. +41 43 233 30 90
stephan.roemer@tourasia.ch

Diethelm Travel Holding AG
Angelo van Tol
Tel.  +41 44 265 33 00
info@diethelmkeller.com

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