Ioanna Dretta | DHR Services

NEW OPPORTUNITIES AHEAD

Over the last decade, the global hospitality industry has enjoyed massive growth, benefitting the tourism industry by putting on the map travel activity as a way of living.

According to WTTC, in 2019 the direct, indirect and induced impact of travel & tourism contributed US$8.9 trillion to the world’s GDP. Of course, when the Covid-19 pandemic appeared these figures collapsed and now every part of tourism is fighting its battle in order to rebuild the industry upon new values and principles and, at last, a new working model.

Efforts will take place both within the hospitality area via the renewal of existing services and the implementation of health protocols, and outside with DMO’s having to deal with new travel trends and styles.

In the post-Covid-19 world, the framework of tourism will broaden and travelers will be drawn to destinations and experiences that make it easy for them to maintain social distancing practices, be in contact with nature and provide them with feelings of freedom and happiness. More remote locations and niche experiences will be sought, as well as outdoor activities that satisfy their new preferences. On top of this, we should take into consideration that sustainability is no longer a trend but a request. So DMO’s have to workin a totally new environment, by redefining tourism products and promoting new ideas and travel options. They are going to create the offer but destinations need to respond to the demand that will arise. How? Via the investments that are going to take place in the hospitality industry. Therefore, the need for something new creates a great opportunity.

We all know that destinations without facilities are not able to host travelers. And of course, the opposite is also true. Without a destination, we cannot have facilities.

Hospitality investment and destination marketing have a codependent relationship. Both are defining the new standards, helping destinations emerge and supporting the tourism industry in every way.

In conclusion, if we want to rebuild Greek tourism, every section has to cooperate and contribute its part to the battle, including and beyond facilities.

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CEO

Konstantinos Alexopoulos has been a professional in the Greek hospitality industry for two decades with extensive experience in hotel
management, operation and consulting. He is the CEO of Domotel Hotels & Resorts Group, which has a history of more than 15 years in its current form and a heritage in the hospitality sector which began in 1964. Additionally, he holds the position of CEO at DHR Services,
supporting hospitality brands through his extensive know-how in the industry; both positions are reinforced by his ten years of experience in the construction sector in Greece and the Balkans, which furthered his knowledge of local markets. Having completed his Degree as a Civil Engineer at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, he continued with a Master in Science in “Construction Economics and Management” in UCL and a Master of Arts in Hospitality Management in Middlesex University. Furthermore, he has attended two complementary training programs in finance and management at the University of Macedonia. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Greek Tourism Enterprises Confederation (SETE) and the treasurer of the Board of Directors of the Institute of SETE, a member of the Leadership Committee of the Hellenic – American Chamber of Commerce and holds positions in a number of Boards of Directors of other organizations.

Vice President

After completing her Bachelor in Business Administration (Minor in Science and Economy) at the American College of Thessaloniki, she continued with an MBA in Hospitality Marketing at Les Roches School of Hotel Management in Switzerland and a Diploma of Higher Education in International Tourism “The French approach” from the Universite Paris I Pantheon Sorbonne. She has been running the family owned hotel for almost twenty years, initially as an Operations Manager and later on as General Manager and CEO. She has been a member of the Board of Directors in Thessaloniki’s Hotels Association and has participated as a guest speaker in several lectures and seminars such as Yield Managementin Les Roches (Bluche, Switzerland), and Operations Management Principles and Housekeeping Principles in CMH (Paris, France).