Erlebe-fernreisen

What Erlebe-fernreisen does

erlebe-fernreisen GmbH is a privately held German travel tour operator headquartered in Krefeld, founded in 2005. The company sells individualized, package-format tours across 70+ destinations worldwide, with documented emphasis on Bhutan itineraries including Punakha, Tigernest, Haa Valley, and Bumthang. Core products take two forms: pre-configured round trips (Bhutan Rundreisen) and individually combinable travel modules (Reisebausteine) that customers assemble with the help of specialist consultants. The company employs no proprietary technology platform; service delivery is human-led by destination-experienced travel specialists.

Revenue is generated through quote-based package pricing on organized tours that bundle guide, accommodation, and transport services, supported by free consultation that drives bookings. The go-to-market is sales-led: customers reach the company by phone, email, or online appointment scheduling (simplybook.it), and on-ground fulfillment is delivered through a local licensed Bhutanese partner agency as required by Bhutan's mandatory organized-tour policy. Distribution also relies on content marketing via the company blog, Trustpilot (4.8 TrustScore) and Google reviews as social proof, and an email newsletter with a €100 voucher incentive.

The firm is structured as a Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung (GmbH) and is privately held with no parent company, investor, or funding events disclosed. Statutory and industry memberships include DRSF (insolvency protection), DRV (Deutscher Reiseverband), AER (Arbeitsgemeinschaft europäische Reiseunternehmen), Safe-Travels, and Travelife (sustainability certification). Ownership structure, founder identities, headcount, and revenue are not publicly disclosed; the company does not have a mobile app, API, or disclosed AI capability.

Name

Erlebe-fernreisen

Legal name

erlebe-fernreisen GmbH

Website

https://erlebe-bhutan.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Short description

erlebe-fernreisen GmbH is a German private travel agency founded in 2005, selling customized package tours and combinable travel modules across 70+ destinations with documented emphasis on Bhutan, serving roughly 15,000 individual travelers annually via personalized human-led consulting.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Travel Agency / Tour Operator Services

NAICS

Tour Operators (56152), Travel Agencies (56151)

akta.pro primary industry

Bespoke Multi-Day Itinerary Planning & Custom Tour Design (THAJALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Destination-Specific Custom Itinerary Specialists (THAKAOAN), Culture, Heritage & Arts Itinerary Planning (THAKAOAK), Trip Planning & Itinerary Design (HSACAKAA)

Keywords

• Customized travel packages
• Bhutan round trips
• Individual travel consulting
• Long-haul travel agency
• Modular tour itineraries

Headquarters

HQ city

Krefeld

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Package Tours and Travel Modules: The company sells customized package tours and individually combinable travel modules to destinations worldwide. Customers can build personalized itineraries from pre-designed components (accommodation, transport, activities, guides) or select complete round trips that can be customized. Revenue is generated through the total package price of these organized tours.
2. Travel Consulting Services: Free individual travel consulting is provided by experienced specialists who have personally visited the destinations. This service supports the sales of package tours and travel modules by helping customers design personalized Bhutan trips.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

erlebe-fernreisen GmbH is a German travel operator that designs and sells individualized travel packages, with a flagship focus on Bhutan and additional offerings across 70+ worldwide destinations. Its core products are Bhutan Rundreisen (pre-planned round-trip itineraries) and Reisebausteine (individually combinable travel modules) covering accommodation, transport, activities, and guides. Customers receive free, non-binding consultation from Bhutan-experienced specialists to build or customize itineraries, with on-ground services delivered through a licensed local Bhutanese partner agency.

Product overview

Erlebe-fernreisen operates as a travel agency offering a dual product structure: pre-configured Bhutan Rundreisen (round trips) and flexible Reisebausteine (travel modules). The Rundreisen serve as ready-made itineraries to popular destinations including Punakha, Tigernest, Haa Tal, and Bumthang, while the Reisebausteine allow customers to construct custom trips by selecting and sequencing individual travel components. Both offerings are supported by personalized consultation services where travel specialists provide guidance and itinerary planning assistance. The company differentiates through sustainable travel practices and over 20 years of regional expertise.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bhutan Rundreisen (Bhutan Round Trips)

Quantifiable outcome

• 4.8 TrustScore on Trustpilot

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DRV (Deutscher Reiseverband)coreOthersAs a member of the German Travel Association (DRV), erlebe is committed to important industry topics including sustainability, child protection, and professional training. This membership provides industry representation and advocacy.
• AER (Arbeitsgemeinschaft europäische Reiseunternehmen)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerThrough the partnership with AER (Working Group of European Travel Companies), customers benefit from excellent flight tariffs and negotiated rates for travel services.
• DRSF (Deutscher Reisesicherungsfonds)coreOthersDRSF protects customers in the event of erlebe's insolvency, providing financial security for advance payments made on bookings. This is a regulatory requirement for German travel operators.
• TravelifeminorStrategic or Co-development Partnererlebe regularly undergoes neutral sustainability verification through Travelife, checking the sustainability of their travel offerings and internal processes. This demonstrates commitment to responsible tourism.
• Local Bhutanese Travel AgencycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal partner agency in Bhutan provides on-ground services including local guides, accommodation arrangements, and transport during trips. Required for Bhutan travel which must be organized through licensed Bhutanese travel bureaus.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Yangphel Travel and Tours: Bhutan-based inbound tour operator offering customized Bhutan itineraries to international travelers. Directly comparable product (custom Bhutan tours) but operates from inside Bhutan serving inbound demand.
• Druk Holidays: Bhutan-based tour operator specializing in customized cultural, trekking, and festival tours. Comparable product offering in the same destination, but serves global inbound demand from a local Bhutan position rather than from a German outbound base.

Direct peers

• Ikarus Tours: Austrian/German specialty tour operator focused on small-group and individual adventure, nature, and cultural tours worldwide. Comparable in destination breadth, bespoke itinerary design, and specialist-driven model.
• Studiosus Reisen: German tour operator specializing in cultural, bespoke small-group and individual travel worldwide. Closely comparable to erlebe in custom-itinerary design, specialist-led consulting model, and German SMB customer base.
• Gebeco Reisen: German tour operator offering individually customizable travel worldwide with expert guides. Similar cultural/heritage focus and modular customization approach targeting German-speaking travelers.
• Djoser Reisen: German tour operator specializing in individual and small-group worldwide travel with cultural and active-tourism focus. Comparable modular product structure and German customer profile.

Broad incumbents

• TUI Deutschland: Largest German tour operator offering mass-market and premium packages across all continents. Overlaps with erlebe on destinations but operates at vastly larger scale with mass-market orientation.
• FTI Touristik: German tour operator offering package holidays and individual travel worldwide. Competes in the same German SMB travel market but with mass-market positioning versus erlebe's bespoke niche.
• DER Touristik: Major German tour operator group with broad portfolio across package, specialist, and premium travel brands. Comparable in German market presence but at significantly larger scale.

Emerging players

• China Discovery: Asia-focused custom tour operator offering individualized itineraries across multiple Asian destinations including Bhutan-adjacent regions. Comparable in custom-itinerary model and cultural-tourism focus, though oriented to English-speaking markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Erlebe-fernreisen