DERTOUR Group

With the holiday season fast approaching, we would like to extend warm Christmas greetings to our team members from all across the regions and brands! This special time of year is an occasion for us to celebrate togetherness and embrace the beautiful diversity within our organisation. Thank you for everything you do 🙏 Come join us in enjoying festive treats from various regions across the #DERTOURGroup, as we proudly highlight and celebrate our diverse cultures through these delicious recipes! Start with traditional 𝐆𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐙𝐢𝐦𝐭𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐞 🇩🇪, delightful cookies made from cinnamon and nuts. Then, savour the taste of 𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐳𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐜 🇷🇴, fluffy bread flavoured with cocoa and walnuts. Lastly, indulge in 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐜 𝐋𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐤𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 🇸🇪, rich and buttery saffron buns perfect for the Advent season. For detailed instructions on preparing the festive recipes, please visit this link https://lnkd.in/e5pEtnrB Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! 🎄🎁✨🎉

We are happy to share that DER Touristik Hotels & Resorts is expanding its premium club brand, Aldiana GmbH, by acquiring two exclusive resorts in Spain and Italy! 🏨𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐈𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐲 🇮🇹: The former LABRANDA Rocca Nettuno Tropea hotel will be acquired from the FTI Group with effect from year-end. Located in Calabria, this resort is now part of Aldiana's portfolio and is available for bookings! 🏖 𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐛 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐧 🇪🇸: We are also proud to add the popular Aldiana Club in Andalusia, Spain, to our owned and operated resorts. This club has been an integral part of the club portfolio since 1998. "With these two acquisitions in the holiday destinations of Italy and Spain, which are so popular with our guests, we are consistently pursuing our strategy of sustainable growth with the Aldiana brand and offering our guests a high-quality club experience," explains Karl J. Pojer, CEO of the DERTOUR Group Hotel Division. "We are making further investments in exclusive club resorts in outstanding locations. These steps emphasise our ambition to further expand the Aldiana club brand." We look forward to welcoming you to these stunning destinations! 🌍✈️ For more details, check out the full press release here https://lnkd.in/gUm_HxD5

We are so proud of our brands Koning Aap & Shoestring for recently being honored with the Sustainable Travel Organization of the Year award by Columbus Magazine! 🏆✨ The winners were unveiled during a festive ceremony at Keizer Culinair in Amsterdam on December 2 and were awarded the Egg of Columbus, a prize that symbolizes how challenges like #sustainability can be addressed with practical, effective solutions and initiatives. Koning Aap and Shoestring have deeply embedded sustainability in their business philosophy and communicate this commitment clearly. Their websites offer accessible explanations of how their policies and travel offerings not only aim to reduce the negative impacts of travel, but also actively enhance travel destinations. They involve travellers in local initiatives to promote nature, culture, and sustainable economic development while providing full transparency about their sustainability efforts. 📅 In 2024, the brands implemented stricter sustainability guidelines: no flights for trips within 1,000 kilometres, a minimum travel time of eight days for destinations between 1,000 and 3,500 kilometres, and a minimum travel time of fourteen days for journeys beyond 3,500 kilometres. Additionally, to encourage sustainable travel, travellers who choose train travel to European destinations receive a free night, and those picking the least taxing, non-stop flight to distant destinations receive a €100 discount ✈️. 💡 “Our efforts have been noticed in the market. How did we achieve this? Through focus, structuring all the sustainability efforts we have been doing for years, and taking concrete actions to improve. This means clearly communicating our efforts to enhance the positive impact on our destinations and addressing our responsibility towards nature, including the challenges we encounter. Our commitment to sustainability is not just the responsibility of our sustainability coordinator and team; it is integrated within all departments, products, and decisions we make,” explains Carla Rijnders-Matti, sustainability coordinator at Koning Aap & Shoestring. 🏅 The Columbus Travel Awards aim to celebrate exceptional sustainable initiatives and individuals in the travel industry, elevating them to a wider audience. Their editors carefully selected award winners, guided by the 'break-even travel' principles for sustainable travel and a simple question—how does the nominee make the world a little better for travellers and locals?— and the nominee's impact on improving the world for travellers and locals. We extend our heartfelt thanks to the Columbus Travel editors for recognising Koning Aap & Shoestring’s efforts and to the organisers for the great event. Congratulations to all the other winners for their outstanding contributions to sustainable travel! 🌏💚

Welcome back to #APeekInside, our series that takes you on an exploration of the diverse markets and brands that define #DERTOURGroup 🌍✨ In our Christmas special edition🎄🎅🎁, we are thrilled to feature an exclusive interview with Leif Vase Larsen, CEO International at DERTOUR Group. Enjoy this festive edition and happy holidays to everyone! 🎙️ How would you describe your job in 3 words? 💬 Inspiring, dynamic and international. 🎙️ Best aspect about your job? 💬 The best aspect of my job is meeting and interacting with our employees from various parts of the world and getting inspired and energized by their passion. Furthermore, seeing and engaging with our satisfied guests at the destinations, and witnessing our products and services in action, is very fulfilling. 🎙️ Tell us something about yourself that no one at DERTOUR Group would know. 💬 I grew up in a small town in the countryside, and I only flew once until I was 16 years old. It's interesting to think about, considering how often I fly now! It shows how much my professional journey has transformed my travel habits. 🎙️ How do you spend your free time? 💬 In my free time, I love to play padel, meet up with friends, and spend quality time with my family. These activities help me relax and recharge for the busy work weeks. 🎙️ Favourite holiday spot. 💬 My favourite holiday spots are our own destinations, where I can enjoy the climate, participate in sports activities at our sports hotels, and spend time with my family. Besides that, I also have a passion for exploring new and exciting places around the globe, discovering unique cultures and experiences.

As we wrap up our 10-month anniversary series celebrating DERTOUR Foundation’s decade of impactful collaborations, we are thrilled to spotlight a truly inspiring partner - Smiling Gecko. This Swiss 🇨🇭 aid organization is making profound strides in rural development in Cambodia 🇰🇭, and we couldn’t be prouder to share their story.   𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 Founded by Swiss social entrepreneur Hannes Schmid, Smiling Gecko is transforming lives in the communities around Phnom Penh. Spanning over a 150-hectare site, the project utilizes a holistic approach, providing vital opportunities and resources to uplift socially disadvantaged Cambodians. Hannes' journey began with a life-altering encounter in Cambodia, which inspired him to create Smiling Gecko with the mission of empowering thousands to escape poverty and build sustainable lives.   Since 2019, the DERTOUR Foundation has proudly supported the Smiling Gecko Farmhouse Resort & Spa, facilitating training for young locals in service, kitchen housekeeping, and tourism. These programs equip them with the skills needed to become self-sufficient. Since 2020, our tour operators have included visits to this and similar projects in their itineraries, offering tourists a first-hand view of the meaningful work being done.   Amidst the stories of resilience, one narrative stands out—the remarkable journey of Mariya Un Noun, now the head chef at Smiling Gecko Farmhouse. From being sold as a maid at twelve to becoming the head chef at Smiling Gecko Farmhouse, her journey is a testament to resilience and determination. Smiling Gecko became her sanctuary, where she discovered her passion for cooking. 👩🍳   "I found my love for cooking at Smiling Gecko," shares Mariya. Her culinary talents presented opportunities to study in Switzerland and work alongside Michelin-star chefs. Now, Mariya trains others, using visuals to overcome language barriers: "Education is about understanding people, not just skills," she emphasizes. 👏   Looking ahead, Mariya dreams of promoting Cambodian cuisine globally and achieving fine dining recognition. Her vision extends beyond personal achievement to signify collective progress with her dedicated team. "From humble beginnings to fine dining, we've come a long way," Mariya says. "The support from DERTOUR Foundation has been a game-changer, offering opportunities beyond the kitchen. Together, we're shaping a legacy for Cambodian cuisine." 🙌   All 10 partner stories are now available on the anniversary subpage of the DERTOUR Foundation website https://lnkd.in/eXtnHMGZ

Our Ambassadors play a vital role in spreading information across all corners of the DERTOUR Group, acting as the crucial link between units, brands and headquarters. They enable smooth information flow, strengthening international dialogue 🌍 and ensuring every achievement is recognized and celebrated 🎉. Since the formation of the Group Ambassadors in 2021, they have achieved a great deal: they’ve developed their own branding, launched a group-wide newsletter, and organized very informative Group Lunch Breaks featuring interesting and insightful guests.   This week, we had a productive workshop with the Ambassadors at our Frankfurt 🇩🇪 office, where we shared ideas and reinforced our joint vision. Thanks to everyone who made the trip from various European locations, we were thrilled to see you all in person!   To wrap up the day, we visited the Christmas market, where we laughed, sampled festive treats and soaked in the cheerful holiday atmosphere. 🎄✨

It brings us immense joy to see brands under the DERTOUR Group umbrella gaining well-deserved recognition through prestigious award nominations. 🙌 We are particularly proud of Apollo Reizen, onderdeel van DERTOUR Group, for being nominated for TravMagazine’s Holiday Awards 2025 in four categories!    • 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: Apollo Sports  • 𝗛𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘀: Apollo Mondo Concept hotels  • 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁-𝘂𝗽: Apollo Reizen  • 𝗦𝘂𝗻 𝗛𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗰𝗲: Apollo Reizen    The team at Apollo Reizen is committed to creating unforgettable holiday experiences for travellers, and their hard work is now being recognised. Your vote can make all the difference! We would also like to extend our warmest congratulations to Koning Aap & Shoestring on being nominated in four categories! If you would like to show your support for Apollo Reizen and Koning Aaap & Shoestring, please consider casting your vote for them here 🗳 https://lnkd.in/e_ttjuub

At DERTOUR Group, our collaboration is like travel: it’s not just the destination, but the shared experiences along the way! 🤝🌟 Jokes aside, our international HR's teamwork is the glue that holds us together, ensuring we achieve our goals while enjoying the journey! We hope everyone had a great time in our office in Dorking 🇬🇧!

🎉 Milestone celebration! 🎉 Last week, Apollo Rejser 🇩🇰 celebrated its 30th anniversary! The special occasion was marked with a wonderful reception at the office — it was a day filled with joy, mingling, and laughter as everyone came together to honour Apollo Denmark's three decades of success and outstanding service in the travel industry. The excitement didn't end there. A 24-hour sales campaign with a promo code was launched on the same day, exceeding all expectations with over 500 participants 🚀 From all of us at DERTOUR Group, heartfelt congratulations to Apollo Denmark on reaching this remarkable milestone. Thank you to everyone who has been part of this incredible journey. Cheers to the future! 🎉🙌

A very warm official welcome, ANIXE team! Happy to have you on board 🎉