DERTOUR’s Plans in Greece | Revealing Interview with Leif Vase Larsen for Tornos News – What He Says About Hotels and the Government

"We want to work with the Greek government for the further development of tourism in the country – Plans for the acquisition or construction of new hotels."

The plans of DERTOUR Group for Greece are revealed in an interview with Tornos News by Mr. Leif Vase Larsen, CEO International and Executive Board member of DERTOUR Group.

In the interview, given to Tornos News journalist Sofia Kontogianni at a central hotel in Athens, the senior DERTOUR Group executive talks about the number of tourists the Group is expected to bring to Greece this season and the prospect of expanding operations through the acquisition of existing hotels or the construction of new ones.

Collaboration with the Greek government for tourism development

He also states the Group’s desire to work with the Greek government on a plan that will provide multiplier benefits in a sustainable way for Greek tourism in the future. It is particularly significant that the Group offers packages not only to the most popular summer destinations but also to areas with a smaller international tourism footprint in semi-mountainous and mountainous Greece. He also expresses his love for Greece, as he spends almost all of his summer holidays with his family in Greek destinations.

With a presence in 16 countries and more than 180 subsidiaries, DERTOUR Group is the second-largest travel company in Europe. It employs around 13,000 people, operates 2,000 travel agencies, and has a history of over 100 years. It belongs to the German REWE Group, which in 2024 recorded third-party sales of €96.1 billion, with a total of 16,000 stores and 380,000 employees.

DERTOUR Group is organized into three geographic divisions – Central, Northern, and Eastern Europe – provides Destination Management Company (DMC) services, and also has a hotel division. The Group has a strong hotel portfolio, with 120 hotels in 16 destinations and 14 brands, and through its DMCs, it operates in 31 countries, with 71 offices employing 2,000 people.

Over 1 million travelers to Greece

Greece is one of DERTOUR’s most important destinations. In 2024, more than 1 million travelers chose Greece via the Group’s brands. Over one-third of these visitors went to Crete and about one-fifth to Rhodes, while charter flights serve about 20 destinations. DERTOUR is the market leader in the Scandinavian market for trips to Greece, with a 42% share. Additionally, 31% of arrivals come from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, and 23% from Eastern Europe.

With a strategic focus on sustainability, authenticity, and extending the tourism season to 8–9 months, DERTOUR invests in experiences while strengthening partnerships with local hoteliers. At the same time, the Group has a structured crisis management system, emphasizing traveler safety and cooperation with Greek authorities, including through the mySafetyPlan platform.

Who is Leif Vase Larsen

Leif Vase Larsen, responsible for the Group’s international business, is a member of DERTOUR Group’s Executive Board. He is Danish and lives with his family in Copenhagen. He studied at Copenhagen Business School and holds an MBA from Stockholm University.

He began his career at A.P. Moller Maersk and later worked in finance, shipping, and business travel. In 1999, he joined the Kuoni Group as CFO for Scandinavia, and in 2006 became CEO of Kuoni Nordic. In 2007, Playitas sports resort and Kuoni Russia were added to his responsibilities. In 2009, he joined the Kuoni Executive Board, and from 2011 he oversaw all of the Group’s European tour operators. In 2015, he joined DER Touristik Group as CEO Northern Europe and member of the International Board. Since January 1, 2023, he has been CEO International and serves on the Executive Board of DERTOUR Group.

Here is the full Q&A interview:

• Mr. Larsen, how many tourists did DERTOUR Group bring to Greece last year, and how many are expected this year?

Overall, DERTOUR brings slightly more than one million visitors to Greece each year. This number has remained steady for many years. I would say that Greece is one of our most stable and reliable destinations, with many loyal customers who return again and again.

This year we expect the same number. I believe we will have a good season for Greece. There are differences from country to country, but overall, the season is progressing well.

Which are the most important markets for Greece?
The largest source markets for Greece, in terms of regions, are the Scandinavian countries, Germany, and, of course, Eastern Europe. The largest region within DERTOUR Group for arrivals to Greece is Scandinavia – Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland.

This is also due to the fact that Apollo, which is owned by DERTOUR Group, was founded by two Greek immigrants about 35 years ago. Therefore, there is still a Greek DNA in Apollo’s identity. It is the largest provider of packages for Greece, and Greece is by far its most important destination.

Matala in Greece

Crete and Rhodes dominate DERTOUR’s Greek program.

• Which destinations have the highest traffic?

We have all of Greece in our program. There is often talk about the “big” and the “small” Greece, and we are very proud to include both.

Of course, the largest volume of tourists goes to destinations such as Crete and Rhodes. But we also offer packages to smaller islands and to larger islands with less-developed tourist infrastructure, such as Lemnos. We are also present in mainland Greece, for example in Epirus, which is growing rapidly for Apollo and where our customers are very satisfied.

For Apollo, Crete is the largest destination. We have a very strong presence there.

Greece is a stable destination

• Are there any specific characteristics of visitors this year in terms of what they are looking for or their spending?

I wouldn’t say there’s anything specific just for this year. Greece has always been a high-demand destination. It offers everything visitors want: good climate, light, clean waters, beaches, landscapes.

The food here is also very good. Many say you don’t come to Greece for the food, but I really like Greek cuisine for its freshness. In a local taverna, I eat tomatoes that I never find in the Scandinavian countries – here they are fresh and juicy. The fish is excellent, especially on the islands.

Greece also offers stability and a sense of safety. Some competing destinations are more exposed to geopolitical issues. This makes Greece a stable destination for us.

There is a growing trend, especially in Scandinavia, for more authentic experiences. Scandinavians – and others – want to visit small islands and try local elements.

We differ from other tour operators such as TUI. I have used the term “TUIfication” in the past to describe their tendency to offer the same concept everywhere in the world. In contrast, we work more with local partners, in Greece and elsewhere.

Many of these partnerships have lasted 10, 15, or even 30 years, which shows the stability of both Greece and our presence here.

The fishing village of Loutro, Crete, in Sfakia

• Could you give us an early outlook for 2026?

It is still too early for 2026. We haven’t yet launched all products for sale, but we are seeing a good pace of bookings. However, our focus is now on the winter season and completing sales for the rest of summer 2025. We are quite optimistic for 2026 and the years ahead.

• Is there interest in less well-known areas of Greece – for example, urban destinations, mainland regions, mountain routes?

There is growing interest in all of Greece, both in popular destinations and in emerging areas.

With Apollo, we have a strong presence in Chania, in the Platanias area. But we also see growth in southern Crete, which offers a completely different experience from the north. Crete is not a uniform experience – it is highly diverse.

Epirus is also developing very quickly for us. We have many hotels in the mountains, such as in Zagorohoria, and we plan to expand into Tzoumerka, which is a completely different experience.

We also helped keep Ioannina airport operational. At one point it was close to shutting down, but with the charter flights we launched, we managed to support it.

There is also interest in lesser-known islands internationally, such as Lemnos and Lesvos. During the refugee crisis, we kept Lesvos in our program, which earned us a lot of positive local reputation. It’s a very beautiful island, although now it is starting to attract more tourists.

The question, however, is: What does Greece want? Should less well-known areas be developed through cooperation with tour operators like us, or should the country rely solely on low-cost airlines that come and go in the high season to major destinations such as Crete, Rhodes, Corfu, Kos? We don’t see low-cost flights to places like Lesvos, Ioannina, or Karpathos, or elsewhere.

Development across all of Greece and with an extended season

We try to develop all of Greece, not only for the summer season but with extended periods and diversified products aimed at specific visitor groups. The low season doesn’t sell by itself – it requires active effort, suitable products, and activities such as hiking or sports that can attract travelers in April and May.

We have long-term partnerships because we help our partners in difficult times, and they remember us in good times. When there is high demand, they know we stood by them before. That’s how a relationship of trust is maintained.

• Would DERTOUR Group consider direct investment in Greece, for example through acquiring a hotel portfolio?

Yes. I would say we are very satisfied with our local partners and want even more, but we could also invest in hotels or build hotels. One could say the hotel sector is a very important part of tour operating, so we need to be active there too.

I don’t see the Group owning 50 or 100 hotels in Greece, but we could have 5, for example – that’s just an indicative number. If a good investment opportunity arises in Greece, we will look at it very seriously. As I said before, Greece is a safe, reliable European country, a member of the EU, with a legal system you can rely on.

• So there are plans for acquisitions, investment, or hotel construction in the future.

Yes, and we are financially ready – but of course, it has to be the right opportunity and not at the expense of our local partners. We do not want to build massive 500-room complexes that operate like “machines.” While there are tourists who choose such units, the majority who come to Greece stay in smaller hotels.

This is one of the main characteristics that make Greece attractive. Small, local hotels offer a completely different experience than in other destinations.

• There is often talk about the need to diversify the tourism product. Are you planning special campaigns or tailor-made products for Greece?

We constantly try to diversify our portfolio with different concepts aimed at different target groups. This happens in all the main regions where DERTOUR Group operates.

We have had many discussions with Greek ministers about how the tourism season could be extended. It is clearly more difficult to fill a hotel in April or early May compared to July. To achieve this, you need different activities and new proposals, and of course these must be economically viable.

So diversification is a continuous effort. Sometimes we try to enter new areas or develop new products. A small example is skiing – a very small percentage, but indicative.

It could also be mountain hiking, in Epirus or elsewhere. We are constantly looking for elements that can attract visitors outside the peak season.

A good example is sports hotels. We have hotels that operate for families in July and August, but in the low-demand period they host teams, such as the Swedish Olympic Committee for training camps.

Sports teams do not come in summer because it’s too hot – they come in April, May, or at most early June, when the weather is milder and they can train outdoors. This is one of our strategies to extend the season and diversify the product.

• DERTOUR Group has emphasized the digitalization of the experience. How does this translate to the Greek market?

Our customers are becoming more and more digital, and we must follow them. A key tool is our new app, which accompanies the traveler even before booking.

When the booking is made, the trip appears in the app. Before departure, the user receives reminders about the destination, the flight, and available activities.

Upon arrival at the destination, they can purchase excursions from the app and receive notifications. Everything goes through the app. Of course, there are still guides visiting hotels, but the main point of contact is the app.

Through it, we try to get closer to the customer and be available for booking excursions, hotel services, and more.

I adore Greece...

• You love Greece… Do you visit often? Any favorite destination?

I spend almost all my summer holidays in Greece with my family. I love Greece – the hospitality, the feeling, the diversity. It depends a lot on where you are.

When I come here for work, I see Greece differently – in meetings, talking to hoteliers, partners, DMCs, and so on. But I equally enjoy coming as a tourist and experiencing the product from the inside. That way I see both the strengths and the areas for improvement – for example, Heraklion airport, which is perhaps the most crowded airport I have experienced. I know the new one in Kastelli is being built, but it will take at least 3–4 years.

I prefer smaller islands and less busy airports. I like to get to know both the well-trodden and the “unknown” Greece. This year I went to Rethymno, which is one of my favorite places – it has life, a university, a beach, an active local community. Last year I was in Lemnos, the year before in Epirus… Every place has its own identity. And people differ too – for example, Cretans are different from Epirotes – and that is interesting.

• Finally, is there anything else you would like to add regarding the Group’s general strategy for the coming years?

Greece has been and will continue to be a key pillar for us. It is a very stable, reliable, and strong destination. I believe – and I know – that we will continue to invest in Greece, possibly in cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism.

We have a common interest in developing Greece as a “sustainable destination.” Fortunately, we have not seen anti-tourism protests here like in Italy or Spain. To keep it that way, we must develop Greece sustainably.

How do we avoid overexploitation of certain islands or areas? We must develop all of Greece. I think the Greek government could approach us – we have a common interest.

We do not want to exhaust a destination, because that would backfire on us as well. And I imagine you don’t want your country to be exhausted either. So, this is an open invitation: Let’s see how we can, together, develop Greece in a sustainable way.