THAILAND’S Diethelm Travel Group is flaunting new dynamism as it rejuvenates the brand, introduces new products and launches a core reservations system to move the business model “from static to dynamic”.
CEO Maarten Groeneveld, who took over the 57-year-old company last October after the abrupt departure of Richard Brouwer, said “the Diethelm team is on the right track not only for 2016, but for today”, when asked if the slew of initiatives was expected to turn around the company next year, if not this year.
Central to the gameplan is the introduction of Diethelm Distinctive and Diethelm Design, new product lines that rely on specialised expertise in order to add value for clients.
Asked about the difference between the two, Groeneveld said every Diethelm Distinctive journey will be “a hands-on experience” for guests.
Clients will have a sense of time being well spent as they will acquire new knowledge about local people and their way of life, culture and traditions, and the flora and fauna of the locality and its preservation.
Diethelm Design, on the other hand, creates high-end individual itineraries for a journey of a lifetime. A new department has been set up to curate these journeys, led by Sam Vincent, who has more than 20 years’ experience in the Asian travel industry.
“As the travel industry moves increasingly online, there is still the individual client who values personal attention, specialised product knowledge and a team who can create the journey of a lifetime for both individuals and groups alike,” said Groeneveld.
Meanwhile, Diethelm will roll out its core reservations system, Travel Studio, across all its 12 operations from April, with a targeted completion by December.
The system will broaden the company’s hotel and destination portfolio and will include XML links to suppliers, enabling Diethelm to offer dynamic rates.
Read the full story in TTG Asia-ITB Berlin Daily 2015
