New figures on the German travel market, DER Touristik results and new faces at Sun Express and Meiers Weltreisen are among the news this week.

The Rhine is central to German tourism. Foto: Thinkstock

Germany has overtaken Japan as the worlds third-largest travel nation behind the USA and China in terms of the sectors economic impact, according to a new study by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). In 2014, the German travel sector contributed 258 billion to the countrys GDP and accounted for nearly five million jobs, and further growth of 2.4% and 1.9% respectively are forecast for 2015. This shows the strength of the travel industry which is growing more strongly and creating jobs faster than the overall German economy, the WTTC commented.

DER Touristik increased its revenues by 6.9% to 4.9 billion last year and plans to expand its online business, parent group Rewe announced as part of its 2014 financial results. The supermarket and retail store group increased overall turnover by 2.4% to 51.1 billion while operating profits improved by 29% to 468 million.

Germans plan to spend more on their holidays this year, according to a new TripAdvisor survey. Two out of every five respondents want to increase their travel spending, with the average cost of a two-person holiday rising by 300 to 6,700, the Ipsos survey of some 34,000 travellers in various countries, including 2,400 persons in Germany, found. Hoteliers are also optimistic about prospects for this year, with a high 75% saying they are very optimistic.

Paul Schwaiger Foto: Christian Stelling

Jaan Albrecht will take over from long-serving Paul Schwaiger as head of leisure airline Sun Express, the Lufthansa Turkish Airlines joint venture, in June. Albrecht will move from Austrian Airlines, where he is currently CEO, to replace the 60-year-old Schwaiger, whose contract expires in the summer. Antalya-based Sun Express flies from various European countries to Turkey, while subsidiary Sun Express Germany flies from Germany to diverse Mediterranean destinations. From November onwards the airline will operate long-haul budget flights from Cologne for Eurowings, the new Lufthansa budget brand, under a wet lease agreement.

Sedat Tatli will take over management of DER Touristik brand Meiers Weltreisen in June. Currently product manager for Asia and the Indian Ocean, he will replace Matthias Rotter who has been appointed head of the overall DER Touristik Frankfurt business, which includes Dertour and ADAC Reisen.

German dynamic tour operator JT Touristik has increased the number of its sales partners to 10,000 and expects to add more travel agents to its distribution network in future. The Berlin-based company sold 28,000 holidays last year.

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More sales and new faces