SWOT: Sees entry to Balkans – Central Europe and co-investment in hotels

By George Lampiris

In areas such as co-investment with international or domestic investors, the rental of hotel units that will be managed under its full responsibility by investors as well as the expansion in the Balkans and Central Europe, the hotel management company SWOT Hospitality has strategic plans for the coming years. , according to what Stelios Koutsivitis, president and Panos Konstantinidis, CEO of the company said. It should be noted that SWOT currently cooperates with international hotel groups such as Marriot, Hyatt, Accor, Intercontinental and Nikki Beach, having a total of 25 hotels under its umbrella. The company reaches the 2,000 rooms of 2022 with a turnover at the hotel level will reach 50 million euros turnover under management and the value of the assets it manages will amount to 150 million euros along with the new projects that will operate in 2022.

Its strategy focuses on the one hand to be a management platform for international hotel brands, so that it can support such collaborations. In addition, it aims to become a trusted partner of investors and real estate development companies that look forward to a more comprehensive development of real estate facilities with offices, malls. Its clients are institutional investors with a significant track record in the field of real estate, both internationally and domestically. In the hotel sector, these investors come and assign to SWOT the management of their investment.

Minority investments in hotel developments

Another key pillar of development of SWOT’s activities is the investment with a minority percentage in hotel developments, where in addition to the management of tourist facilities it cooperates and co-invests with the institutional investors it collaborates with. In this context, it will carry out an investment, with a possible acquisition, restructuring. This is something that is now starting as an evolutionary movement over the next three years and is expected to be a major pillar of strategic development.

The main axis is the rental sector, having at its disposal branded hotels. This practically means that a hotel with an international brand enters the SWOT umbrella, which not only retains the responsibility of management but is also the tenant, while it has the full responsibility to run the respective business it leases.

In the expansion plan in Central Europe and the Balkans

Emphasis is also placed on investments outside Greece, focusing on the Balkans and Central Europe, where there is a lack of support from local managers, with the result that investors operating in these countries have the need to develop land at the level of hotel facilities and seek management operator that will give them the solution in the management of these units. Therefore, the need that he initially diagnosed in Greece, SWOT comes to cover in other European countries, where there is a penetration of large hotel chains.

For his part, the CEO of SWOT, Panos Konstantinidis, said that hotels should be luxurious and be landmarks or stand out in terms of their presence, such as Moxy, which already operates one in Patras and will soon operate and in Athens. The hotels are differentiated as he noted in the field of architecture and the branding and the identity of the hotel are paramount, an area where as he mentioned, great emphasis is given. Special emphasis is given to FnB concepts in hotels, with its executives pointing out that the hotel restaurant can be full, have liveliness and identity and attracts the visitor to sit in the hotel to relax or have fun.

The new projects in Mykonos, Santorini, Thessaloniki and Rhodes

Referring to Nikki Beach, Mr. Konstantinidis said that it was a difficult project, where he collaborated in the restaurant with the Trastelis group, improving his results in the midst of coronavirus and the goal is to strengthen it even more. Also, in the case of Moxy of Patras, which already manages, it reflects a new trend that focuses on modern, modern and affordable hotel accommodation, owned by Dimand and Prodea. Next March, the Moxy Hotel in Athens will open, which will be the first modern style hotel with an international brand in Athens (Marriott brand). As mentioned in this way, SWOT’s relationship with Marriott is further consolidated.

The arrival of Hyatt in collaboration with the Papakaliatis family in Santorini

In March it follows the Magma Resort in Santorini, which is owned by the Papakaliatis family and managed by Hyatt. It is also a luxury brand called “The Unbound Collection” by Hyatt that is coming to Greece for the first time, as is the case with the Hotel Martinez in Cannes. Thessaloniki and will be the first international brand, a fact that upgrades the hospitality map of the co-capital.This move places SWOT as the third city after Athens and Patras.It is even open the possibility of operating in other areas of Northern Greece in the future. In addition, Ora Hospitality, owned by the Sawiris group in Elia of Mykonos, owned by Zetland Capital, will be launched in June 2022. Here, despite the absence of an international hotel brand, there is a strong investor. We remind you that the Sawiris group also participates in the Ayia Napa Marina in Cyprus. , in Lindos, Rhodes, the Lindian Village will operate in 2022 under the management responsibility of SWOT, while the goal is to lay the foundations for rebranding and repositioning, where the strategy is to lead an international hotel brand.