erlebe-fernreisen: building the new, leading during COVID-19

Two years as managing director of a tour operator with €33m revenue and 100 employees: built an incubator and a new destination, then secured liquidity during COVID-19.

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Fact sheet

Period09/2018 – 09/2020
Companyerlebe-fernreisen GmbH (tour operator, Krefeld), part of an international group (NL, UK)
Rolemanaging director in a three-person management board
Scope€33m P&L, 100 employees
StatusCompleted

Jens Schneiders

Overview

Two years as managing director of erlebe-fernreisen, as one of three managing directors within an international group: first, Jens Schneiders built an internal incubator for travel start-ups and opened up Ethiopia as a new destination with an impact business model. Then the COVID-19 pandemic brought the travel industry to a standstill – and liquidity became the central steering metric.

Situation

When Jens Schneiders joined the management in September 2018, the focus was on developing the tour operator further and on a more agile organisation: testing new ideas faster, opening up new destinations, linking the offer with impact. In spring 2020 the situation changed abruptly: with the COVID-19 pandemic, revenue and incoming payments collapsed almost overnight in the worst travel crisis since the Second World War – while customers, partners, banks and shareholders expected answers.

Approach

Making the organisation agile

Drove the transformation into an agile organisation so that decisions are made faster and teams take ownership.

Building an internal incubator

Built an internal incubator for travel start-ups to develop and test new business ideas close to the core business.

Opening up a new destination

Opened up Ethiopia as a new destination with an impact business model.

In the crisis: managing liquidity closely

From the start of the pandemic, cash was actively managed every day, payments were prioritised and liquidity planning and cash flow management were rebuilt.

Adjusting costs, securing financing

The cost structure was adapted to the new revenue reality without destroying the core business, and financing and funding options were negotiated with banks and shareholders.

Repositioning the business model

The business model was repositioned with "Impact Travel", while keeping the team and customer trust together.

Result

Result and handover

Before the crisis: a more agile organisation, an internal incubator for travel start-ups and, with Ethiopia, a new destination with an impact business model. During the crisis: solvency secured in an existential market situation, a stabilised company and an orderly handover in September 2020.

What others can take away

Building new things in good times creates more options in a crisis. And in a crisis, today’s liquidity counts, not yesterday’s plan.

Reference

“Even in the face of unforeseeable, dynamic developments, Mr Schneiders always kept the overview, set the right priorities and did not shy away from making difficult decisions.”

Managing Director & Owner, erlebe-fernreisen · translated from German