Tamedia acquires stake in Hotelcard
Tamedia continues to invest in digital business models and has acquired a 20 percent stake in Hotelcard. Founded in 2009, the company offers its customers hotel stays at half price.
With the Hotelcard, which costs CHF 95 for private individuals and CHF 199 for companies, customers can stay in leading hotels at half price for a year. The offer already includes more than 500 hotels in Switzerland and neighboring countries. About the website Hotelcard.ch the discounted hotel rooms are available on a daily basis. The Hotelcard, the purchase of which often pays for itself with the first overnight stay, offers tourists, business travelers and families great savings potential. At the same time, the Hotelcard helps partner hotels to improve their occupancy rates over the course of the year and tap into new customer segments.
Hotelcard, based in Thun, employs ten people. Even after Tamedia's investment, the majority (80 percent) of the company remains in the hands of the existing shareholders around the founders Ivan Schmid and Marco Zumkehr. In addition to its headquarters in Thun, Hotelcard also operates a branch office in Wettingen.
Fabio Bolognese, CEO of Hotelcard, sees great potential in the collaboration with Tamedia: "As a leading Swiss media group, Tamedia can support us in further increasing awareness of Hotelcard and further developing the offer in Switzerland". Christoph Brand, Head of Digital at Tamedia, on the investment: "With Hotelcard, we are investing in a new area for us and are delighted with this exciting addition to our portfolio". Tamedia's investment in Hotelcard includes an option to acquire a majority stake during the course of 2018. The parties have agreed not to disclose the purchase price of the investment. A significant portion of the purchase price will be financed through media services.
