Rostock, 15 January 2025 – Rolf-Dieter Maltzahn (57) will be the new CEO of A-ROSA Flussschiff GmbH. The experienced manager will replace Jörg Eichler as managing director at the beginning of February 2025. Eichler will leave the company at the end of February 2025 following a handover of responsibilities. In his position, Maltzahn will work closely with Markus Zoepke, COO and co-partner of the company since 2003, who will continue to be in charge of operations at the Chur location in Switzerland.

“We are delighted to have found a very experienced but also innovative CEO for A-ROSA in Rolf-Dieter Maltzahn. Thanks to his many years of diverse expertise in the tourism industry, particularly in the areas of business strategy, digitalisation and agile transformation, he will successfully lead A-ROSA River Cruises into the future,” emphasises Michael Ungerer, Chairman of the Advisory Board of the A-ROSA Group. “On behalf of the shareholders and the Advisory Board, I would like to thank Jörg Eichler for over eleven years of successful leadership and for developing A-ROSA into the premium brand it is today.”

Rolf-Dieter Maltzahn has had an impressive career in the tourism industry. His career began in 1989 at TUI, where he held various management positions until 2008, ultimately serving as Head of Purchasing Central Europe. He then moved to DER Touristik, where he initially headed the hotel unit as CEO until 2013 and was responsible for package holidays as Managing Director until 2019. In these roles, he drove forward brand repositioning, digital innovations and process optimisation, which led to a successful turnaround with significant increases in sales and efficiency gains. A particular highlight was the launch of the ‘Cooee’ hotel brand, which made a meaningful contribution to winning new customers and increasing margins.

Most recently, as Managing Director of GALERIA Reisen GmbH, he was responsible for the travel and tourism division. His work there included implementing the transformation to omnichannel sales, which combines modern digital concepts with in-store services. Other key areas were a realignment of the corporate culture as well as sustainable brand positioning.

Rolf-Dieter Maltzahn on his new role as CEO: “I am looking forward to continuing the successful growth of A-ROSA Flussschiff GmbH. This is possible thanks to the strong team and trusting partnerships. In an environment of growth and digitalisation, it is also particularly important to win and maintain customer loyalty with very good omnichannel sales – which we will continue to work on together.”

After more than eleven years as CEO, Jörg Eichler is leaving A-ROSA Flussschiff GmbH on his own initiative to take on a new and fulfilling role in the tourism industry. He is looking forward to handing the company into capable hands: “The timing is ideal for a successful handover of management responsibility at A-ROSA,” he summarises. “Following the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, we were able to get A-ROSA firmly back on track by introducing new strategies and technologies. In 2024, we achieved the highest turnover in the company’s history and the pre-bookings for 2025, at +35%, also indicate that the more flexible premium fare has been well received. The company can now capitalise on this and continue its success story.”