Greek hotels can enter the new era of technology and artificial intelligence (AI) through tourism startups, improving their services and customer experience, Greek tourism professionals said on Wednesday during an event in Athens.

Named “New Technologies in Hospitality,” the event took place on March 20 at the Airotel Stratos Vassilikos Hotel.

Jointly organized by the CapsuleT Travel & Hospitality Accelerator of the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels (HCH) and the Athens- Attica & Argosaronic Hotel Association, the event aimed to inform Greek hoteliers on how new technologies in hospitality can help offer a superior customer experience with personalized options for guests.

“This event aims to introduce the hotel of tomorrow, a smart hotel with smart systems, which will help us communicate better with the customer; and take into account technology products for energy saving, sustainability, digital reform issues, big data management, AI, and strengthening the competitiveness of the unit,” said the association’s president, Labrini Karanasiou-Zoulovits.

Labrini Karanasiou-Zoulovits, president of the Athens – Attica & Argosaronic Hotel Association

Hoteliers engagement with the startup community through CapsuleT

During the event, nine Greek tourism startups, distinguished through the Greek hotel chamber’s CapsuleT acceleration program presented interesting new services and products to hoteliers and answered their questions about new trends in technology solutions for hotels.

The hotel industry professionals had the opportunity to learn how to adopt smart solutions to improve their services, while current and future opportunities for their technology upgrades were also discussed.

“The partnership between hospitality and the startup community is very important,” HCH President Alexandros Vassilikos said during his speech, highlighting the success of the chamber’s CapsuleT initiative.

Alexandros Vassilikos, president of Hellenic Chamber of Hotels.

An initiative by HCH that launched in 2019, CapsuleT is Greece’s first travel and hospitality accelerator created to support and promote Greek technology startups for tourism and hospitality, and boost synergies to bring innovation to the country’s tourism sector.

CapsuleT frequently runs the “Idea Platform” contest, an initiative that promotes startup companies that aim to contribute to the digital transformation of Greek hotels.

“Digital transformation is a strategic priority for the hotel industry, and CapsuleT shows the way that leads to innovation, creativity, intelligent business development, knowledge, and talent,” Vassilikos said.

The chamber’s president added that CapsuleT increases opportunities for young entrepreneurs while strengthening tourism, a sector “where Greece really has a strong development advantage and can highlight an innovative ecosystem with a global impact”.

Startups boost hotels’ operation and customer experience

Panel discussions were held during the event and representatives of Greek startups spoke about the tourism areas in which their companies operate. The audience was informed on issues related to the many cost-effective and time-saving solutions that the startups offer.

Moreover, the startuppers explained how technology can solve many issues and they showed ways to use, apply and easily integrate technology applications into the systems of large, small and medium-sized hotels. According to the startup creators, the solutions offered can optimize a hotel’s operation and strengthen relations with customers.

Evgenios Vassilikos, secretary general of the Athens – Attica & Argosaronic Hotel Association.

On his part, Athens- Attica & Argosaronic Hotel Association Secretary General Evgenios Vassilikos stressed the need for tourism and hotels to support innovation in practice and adopt the “smart and practical solutions” suggested by new companies such as those embraced by the CapsuleT accelerator of the Greek hotel chamber.

“The profit is great for hotels while these proposals are sure to satisfy visitors who not only seek but also appreciate innovations in our hospitality offering,” he said.

Periklis Terlixidis, project manager of the Smart Attica European Digital Innovation Hub (EDIH), speaking during the event.

On the sidelines of the event, the Smart Attica European Digital Innovation Hub (EDIH) was presented to the audience. The first EDIH for artificial intelligence in Greece, the hub specializes in the digital transformation of SMEs and public sector organizations aiming to advance their digital maturity.

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