Why Greek Tourism will rise like a Phoenix
Lia Zampetoglou
Director of Learning and Development
INSETE
Ι do not know the future of global economy. I cannot even begin to imagine the fate of international travel, airlines, tour operators, hotel chains. I am not even able to say for certain if season 2020 will be a complete loss for Greek and international tourism. Seems like it? Maybe. Do I know? No, no one knows. I’ve read what you’ve read, I’ve heard what you’ve heard, maybe I have talked to more people than you have, but that didn’t help, as they are as puzzled as I am.
So, I must confess that my crystal ball is well and truly out of order! Just like it was on that rainy Sunday at the end of June 2015, when I stood for 3 hours in a queue at the bank with 100 other people, waiting to get some cash, lost and scared, believing the world as we knew had ended. But it did not. A few months later we had learned how to live with capital controls, how to do business, how to organise ourselves and our obligations based on it and then, a few years later they were gone.
So, I might not know a lot of things, but I do know a few. I know that human nature is programmed in a way that it resents change on one hand but has a built-in mechanism to embrace it and manage it on the other. I know that this is a historic era and we need to make sure that we come out of it alive and kicking, because there are far too many new horizons to conquer. I know that Greek Tourism will be wounded, however in a few years from now, these wounds will also become a memory and our industry has the maturity and the capacity to absorb the changes and thrive. And you know how I know it? Because for the past 5 years, I have watched the “engine”, of this industry, its people, grow, learn and excel in
ways they haven’t in decades. I’ve observed them become smarter, more knowledgeable, savvy, trusted and trustworthy. When did we go from trying so eagerly not to become “The waiters of Europe”, to small tourism business owners who are not only passionate about what they do, but dive into subjects like strategy, indigenous guest experiences, and loyalty, and young adults who decide that tourism is their dream career?
I was blessed to see -and keep seeing- the shift from easy profit and quick fixes to authentic hospitality and developing our people. Don’t take me wrong, it’s an on-going process and we still have a long way to go, but it’s definitely happening. If you pay close attention to the people, you will be able to see it for yourself. In the next generations of business owners, father and daughter attending training courses together, in the immaculately groomed, young, college student who wants to be a waiter, because he knows that that’s the best way to become a GM in the future, in the brilliant entrepreneurs and start-uppers, who pop up with intelligent ideas aiming to conquer the world.
Greek Tourism will be wounded, however in a few years from now, these wounds will also become a memory and our industry has the maturity and the capacity to absorb the changes and thrive
More Stories
I wasn’t paying attention myself. Being an insider for 20 years does alter your perception. Moving from working in Hotels and into INSETE changed my point of view. Actually, it altered it completely, to a degree that I couldn’t see clearly at first. Then we started touring Greece with seminars. People were sceptical at first, and then slowly but gradually they started realising “Oh, I need to be up front, I need to make a difference, I need to fight the competition”, and they joined the cause. Then School of Tourism OnTour came along and destinations shifted in my eyes. It was no longer just another island or just another city. Those places were alive, they had a vibe, they had challenges and blessings, they had people whose hearts were beating to one tune “We want to be better; we want to make it right!”. Then, a couple of weeks ago, when we entered a scary lock down, with life threatening conditions, and we launched The INSETE Webinar Series, they were there again. They rushed to learn, to keep up, to stay active, to become better, to stay competitive, apply new knowledge, develop their businesses, stay updated. They are the reason we will make it. Because they are scared and disoriented but somehow, manage to find their True North. They are hurt but, now they know how to take care of their injuries, they use tools and technology, have the ability to shift their products and services to match the new guest needs, and they can exercise empathy to become one with their future guests. They are full of questions, but now they are not afraid to ask for answers, they look for the experts and they no longer worry this it might hurt their ego. And finally, they no longer travel alone. They’ve got others with them, they have realised the magic of companionship, synergies, togetherness and now whole destinations travel in packs.
No matter what happens, even if I trust no one, I trust them. And because they trust us, we will keep going, a never-ending circle of give and take, a never-ending belief we will make it and Rise like a Phoenix. TILL THEN #KeepLearning & #StaySafe
Other Voices of Clarity
