Marine Tours Group of companies consists of Marine Tours SA, MTS Tourism Solutions SA and BCD Travel Greece. Our Group specializes in Travel Management Services for the Maritime Industry, Corporate &VIP, MICE, as well as Leisure travel and incoming tourism.
Especially, the incoming segment is being serviced by MTS Tourism Solutions SA which stands for an Online Hotel Aggregator, servicing more than 2000 travel agencies in 15 countries (in Europe, North Africa and Middle East). The 50% of MTS SA turnover in 2019, derived from Greek Hotel Room nights offered to foreign travel agencies (approximately 12M€).
Οur organization employs 145 staff with a combined gross turnover of 140M in 2019. In 2020, we managed to celebrate our 40th birthday, 20 only days before the national lockdown sent us through the worst thunderstorm our industry has ever faced! The majority of our staff has been furloughed for almost 11 consecutive months.
It is worth to be mentioned that at the moment, only the essential travel is active, especially with regards to the sectors of Energy, Resources and Marine (ERM), while all the other travel sectors (Corporate, Leisure, MICE) are from 95% to 99% down vs 2019.
There is great uncertainty of what the tourism market will look like after the lock downs are lifted and normal life starts to resume, under the blanket of the vaccination programs. In this respect, we do not expect any investment in our sector and a scaling down program has already begun in 2020.
Additionally, and as the support measures continue, they do not allow flexibility with the workforce. It is true that we experience diversification on how the government addresses sectors of the tourism industry. For example, Airlines pay only the net salary , get full social security costs subsidy and they are allowed to lay off personnel, while Hotels and travel Agencies, linked to air travel, are not. Is there going to be any special legislation that will address the industry as a whole?
The legislative framework and labor cost related subsidies for all the Tourism Industry as an ecosystem, is a Key on a five year horizon! Low and stable taxation, less than 20%, and access to cheap capital are essential keys too, for a period of at least 5 years.
At the moment, all the government measures that are of a protective nature, they now need to become expansion tools to support growth in tourism and especially, hospitality, aviation and ferries, which have heavy CapEx. Most multinational Hotel Groups and Airlines have access to a pool of cheap funding and strong local demand while Greece- which focuses primarily on foreign tourism- has no local fund structure, neither access to competitive bank funding, in contrast to other European countries.
How can we keep Greek investments in the hands of Greek Entrepreneurs while our local banks do not increase their NPL ratios?
We need to push for a unified travel policy with the EU, the US and China, through which travelers will be allowed to travel with minimal hassle and no quarantine obligations. This is a “must” if we are to return to normality any time soon.
It takes time to formulate such policies and framework agreements; therefore time is of the essence. Infrastructure projects like Airports, Marinas, sewerage systems in the islands, access to fresh water, garbage disposal and processing, need to run fast, as the majority of them are being stuck within the public sector.
Without infrastructure, it is pointless for private investment to continue. Take Mykonos for example, that is growing in private investments while at the same time there is no fresh water, garbage processing and several power issues take place every summer. Can this investment continue without state assurances that infrastructure projects will initiate? Cyclades are like the Alps in the winter! Tremendous beauty and appetite for investment but with no infrastructure, it is pointless to even think a major tourism investment.
To my opinion, the areas that will grow more in tourism and investments are the island and coastal areas and especially the ones with air connection and road connection vs these ones with sea connection to the major city hubs.
Demand recovery will follow a V-Shaped curve, since we are at ground zero at the moment, but this is going to be dictated by the expansion rate of Covid- 19 and the measures taken to curb this expansion. Therefore, again, virus protective measures and travel industry recovery are interlinked! Bilateral agreements with important countries for our tourism product need to be made, regardless of what the EU is planning, as our economy is more tourism dependent than others.
In this respect, I totally believe that there needs to be a National Strategy to revive Tourism, with our Prime Minister and all the members of the cabinet, to be on top of this project. Tourism is everything in an economy and it supports all the sectors of it, but it also needs to be a national mindset, like the one we tried to build regarding Personal Accountability in the fight against Covid-19.
Are there any plans for a National Tourism Strategy with a 5-10 year horizon? If not, we urgently need one! My mantra is GINETAI* and because GINETAI, there is nothing that DEN GINETAI** if we put our minds and hearts to it!
*it’s possible, **is not possible
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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).
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.
Experienced Strategic Marketing & Communications professional with a proven track record of developing successful marketing campaigns & corporate communication plans,, brand building, driving digital transformation and delivering measurable business growth. Her academic background in Economics, Marketing & Digital coupled with 25 years of experience in the services industry in SE Europe, brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise in all customer touch points. As a seasoned marketer, with multidisciplinary corporate background in Banking, Hospitality & Technology, she specialises in developing and executing strategy & comprehensive marketing plans that help companies reach their business goals.
Throughout her career, she has consistently demonstrated a passion for innovation and a commitment to staying ahead of industry trends. Her ability to think both creatively and strategically combined with deep customer-centric knowledge delivers the highest standards of services from startups to listed companies & multinational brands.
Graduating with distinction from National and Kapodistrian University of Athens with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics, Nephelie demonstrated an early passion for numbers and analytical thinking. What sets Nephelie apart is her unwavering commitment to merging her financial skills with technology.
She embarked on a journey into Android development, driven by a curiosity to leverage technology for financial empowerment. Through dedication and hard work, she not only mastered programming languages such as Java and Kotlin but also developed a deep understanding of mobile app development.
Her remarkable accomplishments in Android development were further underscored by the acquisition of four highly competitive scholarships during her academic journey. As a financial analyst with a remarkable track record in Android development, Nephelie embodies the perfect blend of analytical precision and technological innovation. With a history of scholarship recognition and a commitment to pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in every combined field.
Konstantinos studied Economics at the University of Piraeus, and has a finance and accounting professional background with seven years of experience in the industry.
He perfectly deals with financial management and reporting, and handles the financial operations of DHR Services, including budgeting, forecasting, financial analysis, and reporting.
He works closely with the senior management team to develop and implement strategic financial plans to drive growth and profitability.
Helen works in Marketing field for 18y, in multinational companies, handling brands not only in Greece, but also in European countries, like Cyprus and Malta. She was responsible to increase brand awareness, market share and finally sales of many famous brands, which lead to be no1 in their industry.
She handles marketing plans for all 7 properties of Domotel Hotels & Resorts, in online and offline media, aiming to increase brand awareness for target groups not only in Greek market, but abroad as well.
She constantly studies competition, promotes facilities, and provides actions to build strong customer relationships.
In charge of optimizing online presence and distribution and improving the hotels’ online performance of Domotel Hotels and Resorts, Minas is a highly motivated and hardworking professional with more than 20 years of experience in various sectors of the tourism industry specializing in the ecommerce & online media channels.
Creative personality with innovative ideas and a “can do” attitude.
Able to meet deadlines in a professional and timely manner.
Matina has 25 years’ experience in the hospitality industry and has worked in some of the biggest hotel chains in Greece (Grecotel Hotels & Resorts) as well as worldwide chain, (Accor Hotels) in different managerial roles in Reservations, Banquet and Sales in diverse types of hotels (resorts, city and airport hotels).
She has participated in new hotel openings and numerous hospitality events.
Currently, she handles the corporate sales for all 7 properties of Domotel Hotels & Resorts as well as the New Business Development.
She constantly builds relationships with corporate clients and collaborates closely with Reservations, Banquet Department and Senior Management aiming to increase sales and ensure excellent customer service.
With over 16 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Foteini has honed her expertise in revenue management, guest satisfaction, and strategic planning.
Most of her professional journey was dedicated to one of the biggest international hotel chains, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, where she contributed for more than a decade in various capacities.
Part of her current duties is to maximize profitability by defining the pricing strategies and react quickly and decisively to demand patterns.
She participates in every hotel opening, and she is also responsible for the room revenue forecasting and budgeting.
She studied Civil Engineering in the Aristoteles University of Thessaloniki, and then obtained a Master of Science Degree in Earthquake Engineering and Structural Dynamics at Imperial College of Science & Medicine in London.
Fifteen years ago, she was the co-founder of PMA Engineering, a new design company in Greece. She was responsible for the quality assessment and management of the company, the staff training and appraisal, as well as the implementation and management of ISO 9001: 2008.
She moved to the field of HR, driven by her passion to work with people and helping them reach their full potential. During her career in Domotel Hotels & Resorts, she introduced a data-driven and analytical approach to HR strategy and implemented an innovative training and development programs to help employees grow and thrive.
She works closely with teams across properties, ensuring that employees fit perfect to their roles and that HR policies and procedures align with business.
Manolis is a C-level executive with 28 years of experience in roles of high responsibility in the hospitality sector, to include Managing Director of Chandris Hotels & Resorts, oversaw five hotels, Board Member of SETE (Greek Tourism Confederation), Member of the External Advisory Board of University of the Aegean, Project Director for the renovation and opening new hotels and Executive Consultant of SGS, a leading multinational certification company in Greece, for the establishment and development of the Hospitality Department.
Skilled in handling complex daily business operations, setting strategic policies and parameters that drive operational efficiency, coordinating staff and creating productive working environments, designing advanced business process improvement plans and profit analysis reporting systems which improve procedures, business performance and bottom-line profits.
He is graduated from the Athens University of Economics and Business, Greece (former ASOEE), holds an MBA from the University of Wales, Cardiff Business School, and an MSc in Hotels Operations from the Institute of Higher Education, Glion, Switzerland. He was a champion and member of the Greek National Athletics Team in 100-200-4x100m.
Appointed General Manager for numerous global hotel brands and possess a deep understanding of hospitality and tourism industry, both in Greece and abroad.
He has been working for some of the biggest international hotel chains in the world, like Hilton Hotels & Resorts and InterContinental Hotels Group in Greece, while he has working experience in the market of UAE, at Rotana Hotels & Resorts & at Al Bustan Rotana Hotel.
Being an Asset Manager for the ex-Ionian Hotel Enterprises SA Subsidiary of Alpha Bank, he successfully oversaw the total reconstruction and reopening of Hilton Athens.
Yiannis has served General Manager roles at Melia Hotels International for Dubai and Athens, while prior to that, he oversaw 5 properties owned and managed by Grecotel Hotels & Resorts.
Dakis is a seasoned IT expert with a wealth of knowledge and experience in hotel IT systems.
With over 25 years of hands-on experience in the industry, Dakis has developed a reputation as a trusted IT and reliable expert in hotel IT solutions. He is passionate about staying up-to-date with the latest trends and technologies in the industry.
He has a deep understanding for hotel property management systems, while provides secure solutions and constant support, ensuring that properties can operate at peak efficiency.
His working experience includes airline companies, logistics, IT companies and software houses, small boutique hotels to large international hotel chains.