All good for 2011 except fuel hike: Rewe

THE BIGGEST German tour operator to the Far East, Rewe Touristik, is seeing in excess of 15 per cent growth in bookings to the region, with chief Michael Frese saying the only blip on the horizon is rising fuel costs.

Political unrest in the Middle East has sent oil over US$100 per barrel, with airlines being forced to increase fuel surcharges. “If this continues, it will for sure have an impact on longhaul travel, as flying will become expensive. If you have to spend 250 euros just on taxes, clients with certain limitations will think twice. Now, it is not yet a problem, but if oil goes up, bookings will be affected,” Frese told TTG Asia ITB Berlin Daily.

Rewe, which operates DERtour, Meier’s Weltreisen, Jahn Reisen, ITS and Tjareborg, is seeing an overall 12 per cent rise in bookings, with growth being even to all places: 11 per cent to North America, 14 per cent to the Mediterranean, 20 per cent to Africa, even seven per cent to Australia despite the recent natural disasters. “No one’s a ‘loser’, save for Egypt and Tunisia, where bookings are down 60 per cent,” he said.

– Full report in TTG Asia

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