Evi Diethelm will gradually transfer all of her shares and investments in Asian Trails to Luzi Matzig

Evi S. Diethelm, main investor behind the Asian Trails companies, and Luzi A. Matzig, originator of the Asian Trails idea, have negotiated a sales contract in terms of which Evi Diethelm will gradually transfer all of her shares and investments in Asian Trails to Luzi Matzig. No financial details regarding the transaction will be available, the parties have agreed on keeping details confidential.

The sale will be implemented in several steps, and the overall deal will be concluded by mid-2003.

Amongst the first companies in which Evi Diethelm has already sold her shareholding and simultaneously has resigned from both the Board of Directors and Chairmanship is the largest of all Asian Trails companies, Asian Trails Thailand, headed by Luzi A. Matzig as managing director.

One of the reasons behind Evi Diethelm's decision to sell her shareholdings in Asian Trails is her concept of entering not only in long term investments but also in medium term ones in order to help new companies start their business and obtain a market share. Thereafter, partners can opt to take over her stake in a management buyout. Evi Diethelm holds a number of time-consuming investments, and new ventures and projects are demanding her full attention, of which she will keep some for an undefined period but will dispose of others once mature.

The Asian Trails vision was first conceived in April 1999 by a consortium of shareholders, most prominent amongst these Luzi A. Matzig and Evi S. Diethelm. Evi Diethelm, whose great-grandfather founded the Diethelm trading company at the end of the 19th century, was the main investor behind Asian Trails. Luzi A. Matzig, formerly with Diethelm Travel Thailand for 29 years, came up with the Asian Trails idea. Asian Trails has rapidly become a success story. In Thailand, where the first Asian Trails company was established, Asian Trails has grown quickly, becoming one of the major players in the incoming tour business market within only two years from its start of operations. During these same two years, many other Asian Trails companies have been founded, establishing a network now covering most major Asian tourist destinations. Be it by founding own companies or through strategic joint-ventures and representative agreements, the Asian Trails uniform can now be seen in most countries in the Australasian region.