Ruefa to acquire 31 Reisewelt branches in Austria

Ruefa, the travel agency subsidiary of the Austrian tourism group Verkehrsbuero, is expanding its presence in Austria through the acquisition of 31 Reisewelt branches. The deal, which has been approved by the supervisory board of Raiffeisenlandesbank Oberösterreich (RLB OÖ), is subject to approval from antitrust authorities.

The acquisition includes approximately 170 employees and will significantly increase Ruefa’s footprint, particularly in Upper Austria. The transaction covers 18 agencies in Upper Austria, four each in Burgenland and Vienna, three in Salzburg, and one each in Lower Austria and Styria. It also includes group travel operations and the flight department.

According to Verkehrsbuero CEO Martin Winkler, the branches will initially continue to operate under the Reisewelt brand before a rebranding schedule is implemented. Existing travel bookings and vouchers will remain valid. The strategic move aims to combine personal consultation with digital accessibility to meet high demand for individual services.