Interview – George Bountounis, CEO of OneTourismo: ‘We Aim to Help Hotel Owners Achieve Their Goals’
Paying close attention to the needs and vision of the hotel owners that seek assistance in maximizing their revenue is key for George Bountounis, the CEO of hotel management company, OneTourismo.
OneTourismo Hotel Management launched in 2016 to help Greek hoteliers enhance their brand identity, boost their revenue and maximize their profit throughout the year. Initially working with hoteliers in the Peloponnese, the company soon expanded to other Greek regions and today has a portfolio of significant properties in some of the most popular destinations in Greece. OneTourismo Hotel Management specializes in boutique hotels, villas and villa complexes.
“What sets OneTourismo apart in the travel market is our holistic approach to working with our clients,” Bountounis tells GTP Headlines, adding that the company creates a personalized action plan to help hoteliers achieve their goals and create a recognized product.
“Our commitment to quality, efficiency and innovation sets us apart from other property management companies in the market,” he adds.
The opening of OneTourismo Hotel Management follows the launch of Bountounis’ main company Onetourismo Travel Technology, which provides technology solutions for travel agents such as a booking engine and channel manager, as well as website development and SEO.
According to Bountounis, what differentiates OneTourismo Hotel Management from other companies in the industry is the fact that it offers tech support to its partners and access to Onetourismo Travel Technology’s network of partners from the travel agency sector.
“This allows us to promote our clients’ hotels through a large network of partner agencies,” he highlights.
In this interview, Bountounis, a professional that counts two decades of experience in the market, introduces OneTourismo’s services and also discusses the latest on Greek tourism.
- GTP: George, please share some career highlights with our readers.
George Bountounis: As the founder and CEO of OneTourismo, I have over 20 years of experience in sales and marketing within the tourism industry.
Throughout my career I have held several positions, including Director of E-Sales for a hotel chain in France, Director of Development and E-Commerce for a boutique travel agency in Greece, Head of Digital Marketing for a leading hotel digital marketing company, and General Manager for a company that created a reservation system for travel agencies.
My career highlights include successfully leading several companies to growth and profitability while constantly striving for innovation and staying up-to-date with all aspects of the tourism industry.
- GTP: OneTourismo Hotel Management followed the establishment of your first company Onetourismo Travel Technology. How did this come about? What was your inspiration?
George Bountounis: Onetourismo Travel Technology provides technology solutions such as a booking engine and channel manager for travel agents, as well as website development and SEO. As a travel technology company, we realized that there was a need for better management solutions for hotels, especially in the Greek market.
With our expertise in technology and our understanding of the travel industry, we saw an opportunity to offer a comprehensive hotel management system that could help hotel owners streamline their operations and improve their guest experience. Our hotel management system integrates seamlessly with our travel platform, allowing us to offer a complete solution to our customers. It also enables us to offer more personalized services to our clients, giving us a competitive edge in the market.
I’d say that the inspiration for OneTourismo Hotel Management came from the desire to offer something missing from the Greek travel market. We saw a need for a company that provides a holistic approach to hotel management, from pre-opening assistance to sales and marketing planning.
- GTP: Where are the properties of OneTourismo’s portfolio located? What kind of accommodation is the focus of OneTourismo?
George Bountounis: Established in 2016, the company started with accommodations in the administrative region of Laconia, in Greece. Since then, we have expanded our portfolio to include 35 properties in destinations all over Greece, particularly on the mainland such as Athens, Peloponnese and Thessaloniki, but also Cyclades.
Our focus is on boutique hotels, villas, and villa complexes in Greece. We pay close attention to the needs and vision of the hotel owner to create a specialized and personalized action plan. Our aim is to help hotel owners achieve their goals and create a recognized product, while maximizing revenue.
- GTP: Do you have a specific screening process in order for a property to be added to your portfolio?
George Bountounis: We carefully select each property to ensure that it meets our high standards for quality and guest experience. We have a thorough screening process that includes an inspection of the property and a review of the owner’s credentials and past guest reviews. Additionally, we work closely with property owners to ensure that their property is fully prepared and equipped to provide the best possible guest experience.
- GTP: What would you say differentiates OneTourismo from other property management companies and makes it stand out?
George Bountounis: OneTourismo is unique in its approach to property management as we combine our extensive knowledge of the tourism market with innovative technology solutions. Our team of experienced professionals ensures that each property is managed with the utmost care and attention to detail, while our cutting-edge technology streamlines the booking and management process. We also offer personalized services tailored to the specific needs of each property owner, providing them with the flexibility and support they need to maximize their rental income.
OneTourismo offers a holistic approach to its clients. We strive to understand the unique needs and vision of each hotelier we work with and create a personalized action plan to help them achieve their goals and create a recognized product.
I’d like to point out that our services go beyond just sales and marketing; we also offer digital marketing, revenue management, and website design, as well as hotel operations support.
Another unique aspect of our company is the partnership I mentioned earlier with Onetourismo Travel Technology. This allows us to not only offer technological solutions such as website design and SEO, but also promote our clients’ hotels through a large network of partner agencies. Our focus on creating a comprehensive and tailored approach for each of our clients is what truly sets us apart in the competitive travel market.
So I’d say that our commitment to quality, efficiency, and innovation sets us apart from other property management companies in the market.
- GTP: Can your technology platform be used by travel agencies in other parts of the world? Do you have customers based outside Greece?
George Bountounis: We have partnered with several travel agencies in Greece and abroad, and our platform can be used by travel agencies worldwide. We continue to expand our customer base and work towards providing an exceptional travel experience to everyone who chooses to travel with us. Some of our clients include Manessis Travel, Cosmobeds DMCC, Smile Acadimos, Synthesis Travel Group, Skylines Euroski and many more.
- GTP: With regards to Greek tourism, how do you see the sector progressing this year?
George Bountounis: It will be a tough but productive year. Bookings progress compared to the previous years, however, there is a significant lack in specialized – but not only – personnel in all tourism sectors and the remaining employees will have to work even harder. Salaries have increased significantly, as well as the rates all tourism services (hotels, flights, etc)
- GTP: In your professional opinion, how much has the travel industry changed since the Covid-19 pandemic?
George Bountounis: In the very first years after 2019, people travelled individually or in smaller groups, booked mainly directly or through the OTAs, while not using much the services of travel agents. This year we can see again groups, incentive trips, as well as business travel recovering, giving an opportunity to travel agents to make a “comeback” in the industry.
- GTP: What do you think are some of the biggest opportunities for the travel industry in 2023?
George Bountounis: This year although we had a very promising start, we recently noticed a slow down. This is mainly becaue of the significant increase in prices for all related travel services (air tickets, hotels, F&B). The biggest opportunity this year will be the return to the stability.
- GTP: What’s next for OneTourismo? What are your future plans?
George Bountounis: As far as Onetourismo Hotel Management is concerned, the goal is to increase our portfolio while continuing to providing high quality services.