Georges Panayotis: Hospitality: a team sport
![Hospitality: a team sport](https://www.tornosnews.gr/en/files/Georges_Panayotis__144847152_801473192.jpg)
Destinations and especially major cities are the focus of events communications. Such coverage generously offers free media coverage, but also a major need to master and encourage it intelligently.
Yesterday London, tomorrow Rio, and then Tokyo... all are riding the Olympic wave. Paris, Moscow and Doha are all snapping up the attention of soccer fans; Dubai is busy preparing Expo 2020 while Paris, Rotterdam and Osaka are all vying for Expo 2025. They are all formidable work sites and challenges to mobilize new investments, to present an image of success, to federate diffused energies. But sometimes one wonders if the heart is truly in it, if it is truly a group effort, while contradictory messages sometimes clash.
The example of Paris is indicative, but it is not unique. The city is preparing to host the UEFA Euro 2016 together with other French cities that have been selected, but communications are timid and overshadowed by discussions at the highest level regarding security and the need to pursue the state of emergency. Since last November, the atmosphere has changed in the capital, but does that mean a Calimero complex should be cultivated through an identification with the unlucky, dissatisfied black chick? It is not about evading difficulties at hand or denying the legitimate wariness of visitors who want to be sure to have a good time. Security has become commonplace and integral to daily life without needing to add a layer to the psychosis of future dramas. It would be like shooting yourself in the foot before a race.
Competition persists between rival cities that want to look their best on Planet Tourism. This is clear in communications: the City in the broader sense is the right size for sparking desire. Destination marketing is vital to successfully differentiate and establish an image. Whence the need to unite operational, political, and economic, public and private strengths, and share the roles. Elected officials are expected to generate momentum, to resolutely involve municipalities in designing the project, organizing requirements, in national and international promotions. Companies are expected to play a collective, broader role rather than be free riders, and to partner in realizing the project with their available means and investments.
For Greater Paris, tourism is so obvious that elected officials have too easily rested on their laurels. Today we see delays in equipment, accommodations capacities, and travel connections. It is time to take action to make up for shortfalls more quickly. But this is not the only area that needs to promote its strong identity. In France alone there are a hundred or so regional brands that do specific thematic marketing: Biarritz, Bordeaux, Chamonix, Lyon, St-Tropez,… the Alps, Auvergne, vineyard regions, Baie du Mont-Saint-Michel, Val-de-Loire and Normandy, all have a specific identity, be it for golf, wine tasting, mountains, gastronomy or festivals.
While dimensions may vary, methodology remains the same, uniting all the dynamic forces around a theme to be carried over into differentiated products with added value. Tourism is becoming a team sport with a goal on the horizon; it has a captain, trainers, sponsors and especially, and above all, a desire to win together, although each player hopes for a fair return on their commitment.
2024, 2025, will be here tomorrow. Preparing for them today means making a break with what previously divided and isolated us yesterday.
GEORGES PANAYOTIS, PRESIDENT & CEO - MKG GROUP
Georges Panayotis is President of MKG Consulting. Born in a family of hoteliers for three generations, Georges Panayotis, 51, left Greece at the age of 18 to pursue his studies in Political Sciences and to obtain his Master in Management at the French University of Paris Dauphine. He then joined the Novotel chain, which will become the Accor Group, to manage the International Marketing Division. After developing specific marketing tools for the hotel industry, he left the group in 1986 to start his own company, MKG Conseil, now MKG Group. In twenty years, the group has become the European leader in studies and consulting for the Hospitality industry. The company employs over 100 people in four departments: marketing studies, database, quality control and trade press, with two publications HTR Magazine and Hotel Restaurant Weekly. The company helped the development of over 2,000 hotels in France and in Europe, with offices in Paris, Cyprus, London and Athens. Georges Panyotis is the founder of the Worldwide Hospitality Awards and the Hotel Makers Forum, and the author of several publications on Marketing and Operations in the hotel business, He is a regular consultant for several television channels, among which Bloomberg Television, and radio networks.
RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
25/07 23:18
Greek banks and EIB join forces to enhance access to finance for mid-cap firms
25/07 23:10
Hotel occupancy in Athens reaches 75.5% during the first half of 2024
25/07 23:01
25/07 21:07
Fifty-two municipalities throughout Greece embrace digital transformation
25/07 14:22
Bank of Greece: Loans and deposits by households and institutions rise in June
24/07 23:04
St. Irene Chrysovalantou Astoria marks its Annual Festival from July 25-28
24/07 22:46
Greek Finance Ministry enforces beach regulations after 4,500 citizen complaints
24/07 21:13
Greek president organizes reception for 50th anniversary of restoration of democracy
24/07 19:53
Guards at e-ticketed ancient sites, museums announcing work stoppage Thursday
24/07 16:08
Minister: Disbursement of €2.3 billion from the loan part of the Recovery Fund
22/07 23:29
Cyprus displays in Nicosia once-looted antiquities dating back thousands of years
22/07 23:25
Greek high school students clinch 6 medals at International Math Olympiad
22/07 21:37
Greek Climate Crisis Minister meets with visiting British Minister of State for Europe
22/07 21:33
Hellenic Parliament indowntown Athens undergoes energy upgrades
22/07 18:19
Book of condolences for Nguyen Phu Trong to open at Vietnamese embassy in Athens
21/07 18:05
Sharp hike in the viral load of SARS-CoV2 in the Greek city of Thessaloniki
21/07 15:29
Events for 50-years from democracy restoration in Greece start at the Presidential Mansion
21/07 14:14
Deputy Tourism Minister: Greece can emerge as a protagonist in diving tourism
21/07 13:24
19/07 00:18
UN Tourism and TUI Care Foundation jointly support African artisans in rural areas
16/07 14:47
16/07 11:55
Very high risk of fire for nine regional units across Greece on Tuesday
15/07 23:28
AADE implements mandatory digital export notification system beginning September
15/07 23:26
Hellenic Land Cadastre to be the first Greek state service to implement AI tools
15/07 21:06
US Embassy event marking July 4th: Embracing inclusion and accessibility
15/07 19:13
Athens Municipality opens air-conditioned halls during heatwave
14/07 14:39
National Tourism Organization and Netflix ink cooperation memo to promote Greece
13/07 23:31
OECD report: Greece makes significant strides in competition strengthening
10/07 22:53
Greek-American congressmen meet Greek Prime Minister in Washington DC
10/07 22:50
Greek National Gallery's 'Democracy' looks at Southern European history and art
10/07 21:56
10/07 19:59
Cypriot President visits Athens for event on 50th anniversary of Turkish invasion
10/07 15:44
09/07 22:28
The SFGFF comes to Athens in cooperation with Feelgood Entertainment
09/07 20:34
09/07 18:30
Deal for development of Sani-Kassandra property in Chalkidiki is inked
09/07 14:57
Golf & Maritime for a Good Cause at the 10th Greek Maritime Golf Event
09/07 11:56
The Ultimate Sports Event of Santorini Experience Coming to Santorini on October 3-6
08/07 22:53
Capital Link Invest in Greece webinar series continues on July 9 and 16
08/07 22:25
08/07 20:43
New data on the burial site of Lord Byron's illegitimate daughter Allegra
08/07 15:37
German ambassador: 'To live and work in Greece has always been my dream'
05/07 22:14
Greek port of Piraeus approves distribution of highest dividend in its history
04/07 23:09
Culture Minister inaugurates renovated theater at Dion in Central Macedonia
04/07 19:17
The 43rd Thessaloniki Book Festival opens at the waterfront Friday until July 21
04/07 17:20
Piraeus Port greenlights distribution of highest dividend in its history
03/07 00:24
03/07 00:02
Hotrec reveals digital trends in tourism: Hotels, Booking.com and DMA
01/07 19:28
Higher June temperatures in Greece compared to 2010–2019 average
01/07 19:13
More firefighting aircraft to reinforce firefighting efforts in Greek island of Kos
01/07 17:26
SNF extends support for the Greek National Opera in Athens with an €11 million grant
01/07 12:31
Amendment extending duration of measures against high prices tabled in Greek Parliament
28/06 19:18
Mount Pelion steam tourist train resumes daily service beginning July 1
27/06 14:36
Minister: Mycoast app received 8,911 complaints of illegal activities on beaches
26/06 22:56
Significance of OECD anti-bribery report for Greece's good image highlighted
25/06 19:08
FTI insolvency: Operational business of hotels remains unaffected
25/06 16:19
FinMin urges Greek banks to emulate European counterparts regarding commission charges
25/06 12:12
AEGEAN elected "Best Regional Airline in Europe" at the World Airline Awards 2024
25/06 10:16
Platform for Greece's 'Thessaly & Evros Pass 2024' opens on Tuesday
23/06 14:52
State Minister: Greece is the 8th cheapest country in the European Union
22/06 22:49
Bank of Greece: Travel receipts increased by 22.0% during January-April 2024
22/06 18:11
Greek Tourism Ministry and embassies cooperate to address sector issues
22/06 18:05
Wyndham inked deal with Oikos for the first Ramada Residences in Greece
21/06 17:57
Event organized to present 'The Ilisian' - the new name of the former Athens Hilton
19/06 23:47
Greek state ten-year bond auction concluded with yield at 3.56%
19/06 23:41
Shipping Minister: Greece supports EU's efforts to modernise maritime safety rules
19/06 22:32
Culture minister reviews NSRF projects on the Greek island of Lesvos
19/06 19:41
US Ambassador to Athens applauds Greece’s comeback and investors interest
19/06 11:44
Minister: Reforms must follow investments to boost regional competitiveness
18/06 18:15
ARF 2024: US Ambassador to Athens on Greece's economic miracle
18/06 16:33
Capital Region AHEPA organizes 5th Annual Golf Outing in New York
18/06 14:58
18/06 14:24
Greek Minister refers to multiple benefits from the restoration of the Athens Riviera
18/06 13:35
Regional Governor of Attica: Greeks living abroad are the most important ambassadors
17/06 19:02
Conference focuses on Sifnos and sustainable development on Greek islands
17/06 18:56
Council of State discusses relocation of Mount Parnitha casino to Marousi again
17/06 18:56
Ministers and Super League chief talk digital tickets for upcoming soccer matches
17/06 15:59
Forecast: Very high risk of fire in two Greek regions including Attica
17/06 13:42
Passenger traffic in Greek ports records an increase of 11.1% during Q4 2023
14/06 22:58
14/06 22:03
14/06 17:58
Athens and Thessaloniki added 250 new electric buses to their urban transport networks
13/06 22:43
National Theater to perform Aristophanes at ancient Greek theaters over the summer
12/06 11:48
Athens Acropolis site closed down from 12:00 to 17:00 due to high temperatures
12/06 00:01
'Poor Things' costumes exhbition at Benaki Museum in downtown Athens
11/06 15:53
Schools in Athens to stay closed on Wednesday and Thursday due to heatwave
11/06 00:10
Greek Port Authority to acquire 11 boats for transfer of patients from remote islands
11/06 00:03
Greece's Interior Ministry issues directions for remote work during heatwave
10/06 23:45
Digital app for travellers to Greece 'mAIGreece' goes live on Monday
10/06 22:28
Greek Interior Ministry issues directions for remote work during heatwave on Tuesday-Thursday
10/06 19:38
Traffic restored on new Greek national highway leading to Corinth after truck explosion
10/06 14:42
09/06 22:47
High prices of consumer goods in Greek supermarkets are on a downward trend
09/06 11:18
UK Tourism 2024: Greece named top destination in the world with best value for money
08/06 00:22
Insolvency: FTI Touristik GmbH cancels all trips up to and including 05 July 2024
07/06 02:54
ERTFLIX International takes part in the Los Angeles Greek Film Festival
07/06 02:42
NBG: Greek tourism to break record in 2024 with 35 million arrivals and €22 billion in revenue
06/06 20:50
Greece elected to UN Security Council for 2025-26 in a 'historic day'
06/06 13:57
Hellenic National Archaeological Museum presents "The last Aphrodites" exhibition
05/06 22:00
FTI provisional insolvency admin strives for fastest possible solutions for clients
Hotel occupancy in Athens reaches 75.5% during the first half of 2024
Greek banks and EIB join forces to enhance access to finance for mid-cap firms
St. Irene Chrysovalantou Astoria marks its Annual Festival from July 25-28
Greek Finance Ministry enforces beach regulations after 4,500 citizen complaints
Bank of Greece: Loans and deposits by households and institutions rise in June
Guards at e-ticketed ancient sites, museums announcing work stoppage Thursday
Fifty-two municipalities throughout Greece embrace digital transformation
Minister: Disbursement of €2.3 billion from the loan part of the Recovery Fund
Greek president organizes reception for 50th anniversary of restoration of democracy
High risk of fire for Attica, Viotia and Evia regions in Greece on Thursday
FM: Procedures underway to repatriate 149 Greeks in Israel and Palestinian territories
Greece and Turkey agree to implement or reactivate CBM activity in 2024
Greek Tourism minister meets with Swiss, Albanian ambassadors in Athens
Media report: Cheap airfares aren’t coming back according to airline execs
PM at Axia discussion: Greece offering great investment opportunities in 2023
Bill lifting restrictions for Greeks voting from abroad greenlighted by majority vote
Minister: Greece will continue to demand the return of the Parthenon Marbles
ERTFLIX International takes part in the Los Angeles Greek Film Festival
The SFGFF comes to Athens in cooperation with Feelgood Entertainment
Tri-city winter luncheon unites upstate New York Philoptochos chapters