Op-Ed: ‘Wyndham Hotels & Resorts keeps up with its dynamic expansion in Greece’ – Dimitris Manikis, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts

Dimitris Manikis

President for Europe, M. East, Eurasia and Africa, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts

For the tourist market worldwide, 2024 will be one more positive year according to the up-to-date figures.

International traveling for tourist purposes keeps on increasing after the pandemic, despite the challenges that followed it, such as the war conflicts in two geographical areas and the inflationary pressures, with all the burdens the latter impose on national economies.

In this challenging environment for tourism worldwide, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts keeps up with its dynamic development. The 2023 results present proof of that, while the same holds true with those of the first quarter of the current year.

As an example, it is worth noting that Wyndham Hotels & Resorts was celebrated as the largest hotel franchising company worldwide in 2023, with approximately 9,200 hotels, with a capacity of 876,000 rooms, in more than 95 countries on six continents. The company operates a portfolio of 25 hotel brands, including Super 8, Days Inn, Ramada, Microtel, La Quinta, Baymont, Wingate, AmericInn, Hawthorn, Trademark Collection and Wyndham. The company’s award-winning Wyndham Rewards loyalty program offers to more than 108 million enrolled members the opportunity to redeem points at thousands of hotels, vacation club resorts and vacation rentals globally. Wyndham Hotel franchisees benefit from the Wyndham Advantage, a combination of a world class marketing approach, the distribution and other resources, designed to put owners on the path to success. During the last five years Wyndham has, among other initiatives, invested more than 275 million USD in innovative technologies, allowing its franchisees access to first class technologies from leading industry suppliers.

They include innovative next generation Property Management Systems and Revenue Management Systems, as well as a continuously increasing membership base of the Wyndham Rewards program globally.

It is worth noting that, with more than 60,000 hotels, resorts, vacation clubs and vacation rentals, the Wyndham Rewards program is tops among its kind, as voted by the USA Today and U.S. News & World Report readers. The program members account for more than one third of worldwide check ins, while they spend almost double on average, than non-members do.

The current year, 2024, marks the beginning of a new expansion phase for Wyndham Hotels & Resorts in Greece, as the company focuses on amplifying its presence in both well-travelled locales as well as in much promising emerging destinations.

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is currently partnering in Greece with a total of 13 hotels, three of which in the city of Athens, two in Loutraki and one of each in Vravrona, Nea Makri, Thessaloniki, Halkidiki, Alexandroupolis, Corfu, Rhodes and Crete. The “messages” from the Greek hotel market are extremely encouraging, with Wyndham Hotels and Resorts being actively interested in enhancing its portfolio in the country. The successful approach towards the Greek market, with tangible results for hoteliers up to today, presents a solid base for further, new partnerships of the franchise in our country. At the same time, the superior positioning of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts in comparison with its global competitors, will offer all those advantages hoteliers need, to live up to the continuously increasing demands of international travelers.

The operational focusing of the franchise includes, among others, the enhancement of its presence in popular as well as in lesser-known abroad, destinations in Greece, the inclusion of current hotel units – undergoing the necessary modifications – into the Group’s soft brands, such as the Trademark Collection by Wyndham and the Registry Collection Hotels, as well as entering the branded residence market. Top priorities also include the further highlighting of the advantages of the Wyndham Award program, the importance of the employee training programs and the creation of a talent hub in Athens, to bolster the market and to support affiliated hotels.

It is finally important to note that Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is committed to the international sustainability practices, through its Wyndham Green program. The initiative proactively addresses critical global tourism concerns, including climate change, energy and water conservation, waste reduction through recycling, minimizing single use plastics, as well as the protection of natural environments. Through its Green Program, the company supports, evaluates, certifies and endorses the sustainability endeavors of its network hotels.