The planned expansion of the Rewe bonus program to include travel has sparked sharp criticism in the industry. At the annual conference of Schauinsland-Reisen Partner, Nils Casmir defended the model, but travel agencies see the partnership on an equal footing as being threatened.
The announcement by the Dertour Group to involve travel agencies in customer loyalty through a Rewe bonus program, while reducing commissions, has caused significant discontent among industry players, not just TSS CEO Manuel Molina. The issue was already being discussed on the bus ride to the Robinson Club Ierapetra on Creta on Thursday. “The only solution is to avoid it for now,” said a travel agency owner, who wanted to hear Casmir’s arguments on the panel discussion before making a decision.
Discussion Focuses on Rebates and Refunds
The panel discussion, which was supposed to focus on the future of travel sales until 2030, quickly became mired in the topic of discounts and refunds. Casmir attempted to put the recent decision by the Rewe group into perspective, explaining that it was neither a classic cashback model nor a price reduction, and that the travel price would remain unchanged.
Casmir also pointed out that the portfolio of Clevertours and Rewe Reisen International accounted for less than four percent of the total offer, and that the decision should be seen in the context of the competition for customer loyalty programs at Rewe. The bonus credit would be split between Rewe and the respective travel agency partner, and the commissions for the affected trips would be capped at ten percent.
Low commissions have sparked outrage among travel agencies, with moderator Jörg Nielsen calculating that on a travel price of 2,000 euros, the commission would be 200 euros, while the Rewe bonus would be 160 euros. If the trip was booked through a travel agency and the corresponding bonus code was used, the agency would receive half of the bonus, or 80 euros, leaving only 120 euros in commission. This would mean that the travel agency would earn only six percent commission (instead of ten percent).
Casmir referred to the development of the commission model for stationary sales, pointing out that Dertour had improved the compensation in recent years, abolished ceilings, and further developed the conditions for partners. At Schauinsland-Reisen Partner (Alpha cooperation), the commission had already increased by almost half a percentage point and was expected to rise again in the new financial year, allowing more than 160 agencies to increase their commission on the total portfolio by one to two percentage points.
Related Post: Travel firm hosts regional networking tour across North America
Guarantees on Brand Scope and Service Obligations
Nils Casmir did not confirm that the model would remain limited to the two named brands. He clarified that the current concept did not yet include an expansion to classic tour operator brands. This clarification did not satisfy many travel agencies, as the news had caused a “shock” within their offices.
Casmir thanked the group for the clear feedback and promised to observe the development. He confirmed that he and the management had already received numerous responses and emails regarding the issue. Although the decision had been communicated, the criticism would be taken into account.
Pressure on Small Partners from Online Agencies
Alain Moulai, a travel agency owner, criticized the situation. He praised Schauinsland-Reisen for not opening the “Pandora’s box” on large online portals. He stated that OTAs have gained too much power and can demand better conditions from organizers. This development places additional pressure on smaller sales partners.
Travel agency owners viewed the discussions as little reconciliatory. The debate continued intensely even after the session ended. One owner understood the corporate step from an economic perspective. The owner noted that equal partnerships with organizers are increasingly rare.
Impact of Discount Codes and OTA Pressure
Casmir explained the existing regulation. He explained that Dertour had modified the previous ten percent commission cap two years ago to better remunerate stronger sales partners. In exchange, a deduction of one percentage point is applied for certain discount actions.