The holiday homes division of Hotelplan is performing exceptionally well. Following a successful brand relaunch, Interhome's booking business grew during the 2007/08 year by 5.7% to CHF 196.4 million. Turnover reached a record CHF 211.9 million (+1.4%). These figures are all the more impressive when it is considered that the previous business year was an «extended» period of 13 months. As a result of new cooperation agreements, the group is now ideally placed for further sustainable growth.

The 2007/08 business year can be considered as a milestone year for the Switzerland-based Interhome Group. The year saw the successful relaunch of the Interhome brand. And for the first time the group welcomed more than half a million guests (525,117) to its now 46,000 holiday home properties in 21 countries. Group turnover increased 1.4% to CHF 211.9 million, while booking business climbed 5.7% to CHF 196.4 million.

In view of the fact that 2006/07 was an «extended» business year of 13 months' duration, last year's figures are particularly notable. The largest increase in percentage terms was recorded by the source markets Russia (+59%), Germany (+14%), Poland (+13.7%) and France (+13.3%). Bookings from Swiss clientele also rose by 7.9%. Interhome registered a boom in winter bookings, with turnover up an impressive 14.1%. The top winter destination growth markets were Austria (+16.6%) and Switzerland (+13.5%).

Following its successful 2007/08 business year, Interhome is confident of continued growth. With effect from 1 January 2009, the group has been targeting the vast Indian source market. This is being achieved under a cooperation deal with the office in India of the Switzerland Travel Centre (STC), the holiday broker of Switzerland Tourism. Other new partnership agreements were concluded in 2008, ensuring access to two further source markets - the United States and the United Arab Emirates. Interhome CEO Simon Lehmann said: «We want to open our expanding portfolio of holiday homes and apartments to other interesting markets.» He also sees promising potential in the private property-owner sector. For this reason Interhome last year launched the online platform vacando.com, through which private owners can offer their holiday properties for hire an independent basis.

Interhome specializes in the renting of selected holiday homes, apartments and chalets. It offers a total of 46,000 top quality properties in 21 countries. In 2008 the group rented properties to a record 525,117 guests and registered turnover of CHF 211.9 million (+1,4%). Interhome publishes annual catalogues in 11 languages, totalling some 1.5 million copies. Easy and efficient booking is assured by an international reservations network, informative multi-lingual websites and the most modern communications technology. Interhome is based in Zurich/Glattbrugg and is a 100% subsidiary of the Hotelplan Travel Group. Hotelplan in turn is a 100% subsidiary of the Zurich-based Migros Cooperative, the largest Swiss consumer retailer chain in Switzerland.