Kuoni parent Der Touristik is being rebranded as Dertour Group as the second largest operator in Europe reported that strong travel demand last year had continued into 2024.
The group’s total revenue rose by 23% compared to 2022, with a 10% increase in European passenger numbers.
The average duration of holidays rose to 8.1 days – exceeding the average stay in 2019 by one day.
Strong early bookings for 2024 holidays reflect renewed traveller confidence, according to the Cologne-based group.
The rebranding is due to start in the second quarter of the year and is expected to conclude by the end of 2025 as the group seeks to establish a cohesive and internationally recognisable presence.
Central Europe chief executive Ingo Burmester said: “After a year of robust travel gains, we are noticing that the pent-up demand for travel shows no signs of waning.
“Consumers remain highly enthusiastic about travel and are seeking the benefits of early bookings and their appealing prices.
“As a diverse and international tourism group with more than 20 tour operators and around 30 specialist travel brands, we are committed to providing extraordinary travel experiences for travellers across Europe with an increased focus on more individual travel options in 2024.
“We are also intensifying our collaboration across our international teams.”
He added: “The transition from Der Touristik to Dertour Group underpins our ambition to take a leading role in the international travel and tourism market.
“We want to become more visible as one strong group, especially at the travel destinations. The new design concept provides a more modern, emotional, and relevant brand experience that will allow us to expand our reach.”
Almost one third of the group’s European clients are opting for a five-star hotel this summer, reflecting a strong interest in high-end travel experiences.
International chief executive Leif Vase Larsen said: “At the same time, we see that luxury is defined in various ways and can also mean experiencing nature, wellbeing or local cultures.
“In our markets, we see trends ranging from sports and outdoor travel to immersive holiday experiences – demonstrating an overall growing preference for more individual and unique travel.”
Reflecting on 2023, he added: “We saw a strong appetite for package holidays across markets with a European-wide trend towards higher quality holidays.”