viabledesign

Aggelos Manioudakis: Mykonos is that kind of destination where you meet people from every corner of the world and get a good idea of what the new emerging trends and habits are: Fashion, art, cuisine – you name it. One of the new trends capturing the island is the constantly increasing use of electric cars, which has been driven by both hotels and rental car companies. Even Tesla rental cars are now available to rent. In general, the trend to offer sustainable services and products is something that I am considering remarkable and innovative on the same time.

Aggelos Manioudakis: Innovation has always been key for the luxury hospitality industry, mainly in terms of differentiation and especially in high competition destinations like Mykonos. The last 18 months gave us all the opportunity to reflect, innovate and grow, both in private and in business. In our ever evolving industry, we had the chance to leave our comfort zones, walk without safety nets and start thinking out of the box. Leaving the high risk aside, I feel that we at Katikies managed to grow stronger and even more flexible, in order to achieve results.

Aggelos Manioudakis: Effectively managing cultures and excellent communication skills are two of the most significant success factors for a hospitality leader to constantly improve. Travelling and living in different parts of the world obviously will make any hospitality professional grow further and be able to develop their emotional intelligence. The thorough understanding of different cultures can turn a hospitality professional into a hospitality leader, not only because of the anticipation of guests’ expectations but most of all due to the better understanding of the needs of their multicultural teams at the same time.

Aggelos Manioudakis: At the beginning of the season – the preopening preparation – I must admit that I was quite reserved regarding to what the final outcome of the season would be. Being optimistic by nature, my instinct that this season could turn out to be a pleasant surprise was not proved false. Indeed, in Mykonos, we achieved numbers really close or sometimes even better than the results that we delivered in 2019, which objectively was considered to be one of the best seasons for the destination revenue-wise. Our results would not have been achieved without a high performing team. It was and it is still essential that the whole team values, share the same vision and speaks the same language. This approach is also key to when it comes to hiring new people. Our approach in finding the right talents is about a broad skill set, passion for hospitality, someone who can associate with our brand and our properties and most important: empathy for our clients and the willingness to serve and find the right solutions for them. I also believe that this is what makes hiring a challenge: Not all professionals are suitable for all properties. Sourcing talents is not different than making other investments, and this challenge gives me an additional motive to perform.

Aggelos Manioudakis: My aspiration is to see the Katikies Mykonos properties unveiling more of their full potential. I am confident that there is so much more to give, and I have some more projects in mind that we will soon start working on. Be surprised and be in touch with me and Katikies.

Aggelos Manioudakis: The Katikies Group of Hotels is already counting 35 years of expertise after the first property opened, being the Katikies Santorini. The corporate culture is all about offering real and authentic Greek hospitality in a luxury environment, combined with a beautiful setting and exquisite cuisine. The development of the company itself proves that the top management and owner are restless in seeking opportunities to expand the group’s portfolio by adding more unique and diverse properties. As tourism is the core business in our country and forecasts show that the profitability is due to increase, in combination with new properties by international brands to be launched overall Greece (including Mykonos), I strongly believe that within the next few years we will be seeing new projects, too.The Katikies hotel group started in Santorini and now oversees seven properties in Santorini and Mykonos. What is the uniqueness of its brand and are there plans to expand the success story also to other locations?

Aggelos Manioudakis: The Katikies brand is also expanding in a similar way. The most evident example is the “Katikies Club” project, which was already launched a few years ago. The Katikies Club has been designed to offer guests curated luxury experiences both on land and on sea (incl. own vehicles, yachts), always coordinated by a designated and experienced team to create lasting memories for our guests. Our aim is to be up to date and to further discover the potential of client niches. So when the opportunity arises, we will certainly be there to deliver unique value to the guest.

Aggelos Manioudakis: Having started my hospitality career as a butler at the most prestigious hotel in Athens was the best thing that could ever happen to me. Back in the days, I learned everything about demanding hospitality and personalized service. What assisted me though to enhance this knowledge were the event management positions that I acquired over the next few years. This experience made me realize that crafted professional experiences can be scaled: from offering personalized service serving ten persons in a VIP business meeting all the way to hosting award ceremonies with more than 600 attendees. My advice is to thoroughly listen to clients and have a great attention to detail. Understanding them with empathy and trying to get into the guests’ shoes and see yourself through their eyes is key. What would they expect from you? What would their “wow-factor” be in that specific moment? After all, our guests might forget room details or even hotel facilities but they will never forget how we made them feel while they were staying with us.

Aggelos Manioudakis: It has been a pleasure for me and I look forward to our future exchange as well.