The President (Europe-Middle East-Eurasia-Africa) of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Dimitris Manikis talks about overcoming challenges during pandemic, India plans and looking ahead.

Six continents, 95 countries, 8,900 hotels, 796,000 rooms, 20 hotel brands. The story of the world’s biggest franchise owners, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, is simply unbelievable. Even as one writes this, the group is perhaps signing up or opening up hotels somewhere in the world. In fact, Wyndham, at present, commands leading presence in the economy and midscale segments of the lodging industry.

Ramada By Wyndham Gandhidham Shinay 

Wyndham’s India plans

With Indian startups, technology, pharmaceuticals and heavy industries fast becoming important globally with each passing day, Manikis feels confident about a percent of 350 million middle-class Indians travelling abroad at some point of time. “We’re not limiting ourselves to the inbound or domestic market and are optimistic about the outbound one,” he says.

People, he says, think that India is a land of 1.3 billion people. “What they don’t realise is that it’s not only about population. It’s also about the diversity within the country that allows innumerable opportunities to flourish. There are some amazing local brands as well as hundreds of talented Indian origin general managers, sales, marketing and operations guys which make a difference to the hospitality sector,” he feels.

Confident about Wyndham’s brands and business in India, the president (Europe-Middle East-Eurasia-Africa), Wyndham Hotels & Resorts says that the group is looking aggressively into the budget sector. “We’re all set to introduce Days Inn and Super 8, our budget brands here but people also need to discover more about ‘Incredible India’. At our end, we need to introduce India to Wyndham’s 85-86 million rewards members,” he says. At the same time, the group wants to ensure that the 25 million Indians, the outbound industry that travels abroad, stay at one of Wyndham properties. “It’s not about putting a sign on a hotel or in front of someone’s door. It’s connecting our community and doing the best of our duty of care for the destination,” shares Manikis.

Manikis says that from a business perspective, he always feels ‘if you’re not at the table, you’re not on the menu.’ Hospitality, he adds, is one of the biggest employers in any country and according to UNWTO, one of the biggest employers in the world. “Hospitality is not just about hotels. It is also about the airline or airport staff, even cab drivers. Hospitality is far bigger than just the hotel industry,” he says.

Sharing that every region has its own values, Manikis says, “This lends it enormous diversity and opportunity to explore, not only from a business but personal perspective too. I view India as many different countries that multiply those countries with the opportunities and makes a mind-blowing opportunity for the future. That’s the reason we’re excited about India.”

Manikis feels Wyndham is growing across the world because it adds value and cares. “The duty of care is important. Instead of just signing up hotels and growing, we ensure value proposition,” he feels. Opining that the next two-three years are going to be critical as the world looks a different place than it did over a year or so ago, he says, “The way we travel has changed and corporate travel is unlike what it was so we are also gearing up to address these new challenges and opportunities.”

Ramada By Wyndham Lucknow

Pandemic and looking ahead

Commending the heroes of the hospitality sector – people who stayed open, served meals and the one at the local level during the period of Covid-19, Manikis informs that some Wyndham Hotels in India served food to the poor and the homeless. “Every single hotel has done its duty of care towards the community. I’ve never seen so many people getting together for a common good. We put together a relief fund to help the people who lost their jobs,” he says, adding that one should never stop until everyone’s back. “This would be one of our key targets as an industry. Technology will replace a lot of jobs but we should never stop ensuing that we can bring as many people back from those who’ve been affected or lost jobs,” says Manikis.

Outlining the safety of guests and team members as well as survival of the owners was the number one priority, Manikis puts in, “I keep telling people that there is no franchise business without franchisees. You need the owners to survive.” He adds the group has taken a few hard measures to support their franchisees to ensure that they stay alive. “We protected our own liquidity as well as our teams, closed our offices and now work from home. And we are positive about the vaccine too which will surely help us get back sooner than expected,” he avers.

However, Manikis strongly advises to not forget the lessons learnt over the last one year-plus. “On personal, corporate and relationship levels, we have had a lot of learnings during 2020 and we should ensure that we do not go back on being who we were a year ago. We should never let a crisis go waste and make it a part of life. Saying thank you, picking up the phone and talking to people, the importance of family time as also keeping the business afloat, the safety of guests and the economic relief you support your franchisees with are all very important in the hospitality sector,” he says.

Ramada By Wyndham Navi MumbaiTalking about the targets for the next five years, Manikis shares that though there has been a setback of a year-and-a-half, the group is optimistic about its future plans, especially in India. “The biggest positive is our development team signing more and more deals. If you look at the HVS Report, you will find Wyndham on number one and number two on international brands,” he shares.

From a share price perspective, Manikis says the group holds a better position than before the pandemic. “One of the great things about humans and our industry is resilience and commitment. Together we can and we will make a difference. It doesn’t matter as to how much time will it take but we all have a role to play and we will emerge victorious.”

Talking about the lessons learnt during the pandemic, Manikis puts in that the group learnt how to smile behind the mask. “We also realised that all the bells and whistles in a hotel room are not as important as we thought. Also that people care more about their health and safety and that smile when they get into a property. Another lesson has been is to pick up the phone and say, ‘thank you’, or ask, ‘how are you doing?’” he adds.

However, the biggest lesson learnt during this period has been solidarity, says Manikis. “At some point, we were all in it together – no competition, no brands, no small or big or different cultures and languages. We should never let go or forget about this solidarity,” he feels strongly.

Ramada By Wyndham Mussoorie Mall Road 

Approach towards sustainability

For years, shares the president (Europe-Middle East-Eurasia-Africa), Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, sustainability has been a key part of Wyndham strategy. “We’ve done some amazing initiatives in the last two-three years. Sustainability has always been one of our key strategies and core values – how we build and promote more sustainable environment and sustainable industry,” he says.

Personal ride

The journey, as the President (Europe-Middle East-Eurasia-Africa) for Wyndham, Manikis says has been incredible as has been the experience of meeting innumerable people from diverse religious and cultural backgrounds over these last three years. “Along with it has come a great amount of success. More importantly, there have been a lot of learnings en route,” he shares.

This article was published in BW hotelier issue dated '' with cover story titled 'HYGIENE THE X FACTOR ISSUE VOL 7, ISSUE 2'