New Growth Trends in Travel Industry
3 minute read
Industry Trends
March, 8, 2024
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Dertour-CEO Dr. Ingo Burmester expresses confidence in the past year and prospects for 2024.
New strategies fuel growth for tour operator Dertour – Surge in interest for travel to the Middle East.
Dertour Group saw expansion across all fronts last year, with promising predictions for the upcoming travel season in 2024. The group, a prominent player in Europe’s tour industry, experienced a 23 percent surge in revenue in 2023, as disclosed by Dertour’s CEO, Dr. Ingo Burmester, during the recent ITB Berlin event. Notably, long-haul travel is now witnessing a significant uptick following the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The spike in long-haul travel is primarily driven by an increasing demand for trips to Asia, which had faced stringent limitations due to the pandemic. Bookings for destinations like India and Vietnam have more than doubled during the recent winter season, according to Burmester. Indonesia and South Africa saw a surge of 61 percent, while Thailand experienced a 52 percent rise in bookings.
The outlook for the upcoming summer season in 2024 further supports these trends, with early bookings on the rise. Projections indicate a 30 percent revenue boost and a 24 percent spike in visitor numbers for the summer of 2024.
Burmester also noted a surprising shift in travel trends, with vacation durations increasing to an average of 8.1 days, compared to 2019. Emphasizing the importance of travel agencies, he mentioned that 47 percent of customers seek personalized advice before finalizing their travel plans, with agency clients leading in customer recommendations.
To bolster future growth, Dertour plans to enhance its hotel portfolio, as announced by Burmester. The company will introduce a new brand image for the upcoming season, rebranding as DERTOUR Group for improved international visibility. The revamped logo, featuring the name atop a distinctive red field, will now adorn all hotel and tour operator brands. However, local subsidiary brands in specific regions will be retained, particularly within the hotel group.