From 19 April 2010 the business operations of the Switzerland-based Hotelplan Group are to be re-organised in three new divisions - Full Service Travel Operations, Specialised Tour Operating and Travel Related & Online Services. In addition, Corporate Communications and Corporate Development will be integrated into the group organigram. The Switzerland Business Unit is to be renamed, changing from M-Travel Switzerland to Hotelplan Suisse.

The Hotelplan Group's management is being restructured. It will in future be presided by Hans Lerch as Vice Chairman & CEO Hotelplan Group, and comprise Thomas Stirnimann (CEO Hotelpan Suisse and Deputy CEO Hotelplan Group) and Markus Glesti (CFO Hotelplan Group) as members of the Executive Board. The members of the Executive Committee comprise Guido Kaufmann (CIO Hotelplan Group), Lukas Zurkinden (Head of Human Resources Hotelplan Group), Marco Cisini (CEO Hotelplan Italy), Litsa Constantinou (CEO Inghams, Great Britain), Boris Burykin (CEO Ascent Travel, Russia), Simon Lehmann (CEO Interhome) and Roland Zeller (CEO travel.ch).

The largest of the three new business divisions, Full Service Travel Operations, comprises Hotelplan Suisse with bta first travel and Hotelplan Italy, and will be headed by Thomas Stirnimann. The Specialised Tour Operating division brings together tour operators Inghams in Great Britain and Ascent Travel in Russia. This division - as well as Travel Related & Online Services (holiday apartment provider Interhome with Vacando and Swiss online portal travel.ch) - will report directly to Hans Lerch.

In addition, Corporate Development with Lukas Lüthy and Corporate Communications with Prisca Huguenin-dit-Lenoir is being integrated into the group organigram. Prisca Huguenin-dit-Lenoir will continue to act as Head of Corporate Communications as well as Media Spokesperson for Hotelplan Suisse (with Denner Reisen, Migros Ferien, Hotelplan, Tourisme Pour Tous, Travelhouse and Globus Reisen).

"This new and enhanced group structure will enable us to pool together our similar business operations and make better use of group synergies", says Hans Lerch.