DKT ships in new blood

BANGKOK Diethelm Keller Travel Group has appointed a top STA Travel executive, Lisa Fitzell, as the new managing director of Diethelm Travel based in Bangkok.
She moved to Bangkok in July to take up her new assignment, after DTG CEO Maarten Groeneveld left the company last June.
At the same time, the group vice president of sales and marketing James Ramage also left the company.
Diethelm Keller Travel Group is due to make an official announcement on top-level changes in Bangkok. However, TTR Weekly learned about the changes earlier this week.

inside no 6Diethelm Travel, a major inbound tour operator in Asia, has offices in 11 countries in Asia with 535 employees and is owned entirely by the Zurich-based Diethelm Keller Holdings.
Operationally it comes under Diethelm Keller Travel Group, headed by CEO John Constable, who was until recently CEO of STA Travel.
DK Travel Group CEO, John Constable, commented on recent changes: “We’re pleased to announce a stronger working relationship between all Diethelm Keller owned travel brands, including Diethelm Travel and STA Travel, under a new umbrella brand DK Travel group.”
inside no 6.1 Lisa Fitzell
Lisa Fitzell
“This development enables us to operate as a connected business – sharing resources, systems, services, and products – whilst maintaining the individuality of our brands and customers. Both companies continue to operate as they did previously; this move simply allows for greater collaboration and cooperation across our travel businesses.”
Fitzell has been appointed to the position of group managing director for Diethelm Travel Group.

She was previously the global land product director for STA Travel, based in London, and prior to that, she was head of worldwide and Australasia for TUI from 2004 to 2008.
In this role Lisa was responsible for product, marketing and commercial teams across eight shops and more than 100 staff at Austravel.
Hailing from Preston Lancashire, UK, she studied tourism management at Sheffield City College.
Constable added: “This is an exciting time for the newly reshaped DK Travel Group. It makes sense to forge a closer relationship between our businesses to ensure continued growth in a fast paced and constantly adapting travel industry.”
“This development allows us to work together to stay dynamic and expand our offering, while continuing to provide outstanding service to our customers across all our brands. Importantly it helps us to pursue innovation and look at our businesses with fresh eyes to drive success.”
Over the last two years, Diethelm Keller Holdings consolidated control of its travel related enterprises under the holding company Diethelm Keller Travel.
Today, three companies are identified under the Diethelm Keller Travel umbrella; Diethelm Travel Group in Asia, STA Travel headquartered in the UK and Swiss-based Globetrotter (DKH holds a 50% stake).
Diethelm Travel has been in operation since 1906 and is home to almost 500 employees across 11 countries in Asia, with its head office in Bangkok.
STA Travel is much younger, started by two students in Australia before it was acquired by the Diethelm Keller Group in 1979. Today it is the world’s leading youth travel company and has more than 2000 people working in almost 200 stores and offices across the world. STA Travel is headquartered in London.
The companies within the DK Travel Group make up the travel operations of the Diethelm Keller Group. Travel has been a key business for the Diethelm Keller Group for more than half a century.
Today the Diethelm Keller Group encompasses brand management, marketing, logistics and travel services. It developed from a trading company with Swiss roots dating back almost 150-years. It is a privately held organisation.

sourced:ttrweekly.com