Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, reportedly, is the largest hotel franchise company in the world. And our meeting with Dimitris Manikis, President, EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Eurasia and Africa), Wyndham Resorts and Hotels, on Dimitris’ recent visit to India was an absolute delight.
Easy-going, enthusiastic, and always smiling best describe this hospitality tycoon whose passion for his work could be felt in every word he spoke.
In a free-flowing and candid conversation with Hotelier India, Dimitris shares his love for India, his ambitious vision for expansion plans here, and more…
Wyndham In India
‘I believe that India’s decade is now. India’s growth in infrastructure means that it will need brands like Wyndham – leaders in economy and midscale hospitality.
“We are among the first companies in India to discover spiritual tourism, and grow in tier two and tier three cities. Well, luxury has always been there, but that’s 10 % of the world. Economy and midscale are going to be clear winners…
“As a country, we know that Indians love to drive. So I think that’s a huge opportunity for Wyndham. If you look at the US, every 10 minutes of drivable distance, there is a Wyndham property. We have 6,500 properties in the US. We have 1,500 properties in China. Can India become the next China for Wyndham? That’s the big question that I need to answer in the next 18 months.
“In India, we currently have 65 Wyndham properties. Our plan is to have 150 by the end of 2025.”
A Perfect Fit For India
“We want to be what India wants to be for itself.India wants to be one of the fastest growing hospitality countries in the world. So it fits with our plans.
“But at the same time, India has to rediscover its destination marketing. What India means for the world from a tourism destination perspective? The challenge I see in the next two-three years is that we all depend so much on domestic tourism, which at some point will be saturated. How can we bring more international travellers to India? How can Wyndham help India bring more international travellers is the big opportunity for me? How can we make Indians, who want to explore the world, stay at Wyndham properties? To me, these are the big opportunities.”
Not Competing With Any Brands
“Everybody finds their niche. We don’t have a product for the luxury space. But we are the leaders in economy, budget and midscale, and that’s our strength. And we’re going to play to our strengths.
“Wyndham has a very specific plan. We grew to 65 hotels in India in a franchise environment; we literally introduced franchise to India. Now, everybody talks about franchise.
“So now, we have to take the next path. With infrastructure development growing in India, how can we build a network for those who travel across the highways? That’s what I believe is the next big bet for us…
“We have more economy and budget hotels than anybody else. And we have a model that is good, and tested in so many different countries around the world. So we are a reliable partner. We are flexible, relevant and reliable. And that I think are the three cornerstones of what we’re going to do for India in the next 12-18 months.”
The Route To Growth
“Growth was never a sprint. It will take time, a very good team, and a plan. It will take people like you passing on the message to the rest of the industry on what our plans are. And it will take owners who understand where the future is, and what our brand value is. Franchise is not just about money.
“I always say this to my team: Control the controllable; only worry about the things you can control.
“What does worry me is geopolitical uncertainty. Someone asked me recently, what’s your five-year plan, and I said, are you crazy? We all had five-year plans, and then COVID happened, and all plans went down the drain. We had plans for Israel, and the Gaza war happened. We had 6,000 rooms pipeline in Russia, and the Ukraine war happened. So what do you do? You adjust yourself every day.
“Yes, you do have a plan because everybody needs a compass. But you need to adjust, be flexible and relevant. And you need to be a reliable partner. I keep saying 18 months, because I do believe there’s going to be some fundamental changes happening in Indian hospitality in the next 18 months. You’re going to see consolidation, new brands, new ideas, with infrastructure development changing the dynamics of the industry. So it’s an exciting time.”
Attrition – A Growing Concern?
“However, having said that, when people ask me about workforce attrition in the industry, I do feel that hospitality is not seen as sexy anymore. I have two daughters, 26 and 24; and they don’t see it as an industry that could give them a career. We have really tough working conditions, and if you look at the new generation, they want an easier life. They are very clear about work-life balance or not making sacrifices.
“I lost my dad six months ago, and he died at the age of 94. He was my hero. When I grew up, my dad taught me five things: Success is corner office, leather chair, company car, company credit card, and lots of air miles. Fast forward 50 years to my daughters, who work from home, don’t have an office, no leather chair or company credit card or car. The narrative has changed.
“If hotel brands and companies don’t realize the fundamental change that is happening in today’s world, we’re all going to be relics of the past. How are we going to attract the younger generation?”
Rebuilding Trust
“Incidentally, when COVID happened four years ago, what did we do? We fired people; and people felt this is not an industry that cares. We broke the circle of trust, and we need to rebuild that trust. That, I think, is the biggest objective. You have to enhance your learning and development, your HR practices; you need to give purpose to people as to why they need to work in hospitality.
“Of course, you need to promote technology, but if I am a 20-year-old and I hear somebody saying Artificial Intelligence will replace human bodies in hospitality, I’d be like, why should I work somewhere that is going to replace me with a robot. We have to remind people that hospitality is about people.
“Yes, you can have contactless checking. Yes, you can tap on an iPad and get your key but you need to Smile. Have you ever been to a hotel where nobody smiles? Will you ever go there again? No.
“The good news about India is you have an amazing workforce and a lot of talent. And people in India still believe that hospitality is an industry that they can have a career in. India is the market with the biggest potential for us. And that’s why we spend so much time here; we are opening a new office here, and we’re very excited.”
Personal Work Philosophy
“I don’t have a Plan B because I make sure that Plan A works. My job is to do whatever it takes to make Plan A work; and I am bullish on that. I might fail; no problem. But I don’t want to have the luxury of having a plan B, because if I do that, I will keep thinking about Plan B and not Plan A. My job is to make Plan A work.
“Of course, we will never compromise on the company’s culture, for anybody and anything. And I also have a huge belief that we’re going to grow faster in India than anywhere else. I love your country.
“The biggest number of owners that we have in our hotels in the US are of Indian origin. In our conference last year, we had 7,000 delegates, out of which 4,500 were of Asian origin. So we, at Wyndham, owe a lot to the Indian diaspora for what we are today. And we want to give back to India as well.”
Wyndham’s Part in ESG And Sustainability
“We have Wyndham Green, our sustainability practices programme, around the world, and we are the first midscale and economy brand that made certification of Wyndham Green Level One as a brand standard. So if you don’t certify, you don’t get our brand. Wyndham Green is at the heart of everything we do. Our ESG report is one of the best and we are voted one of the most ethical and green companies in the world.
“But we cannot be complacent. I think climate change is the biggest challenge and threat to our industry. Another reason one of my daughters doesn’t want to work in hospitality. She has a Masters in human rights, and she insists that hospitality is an industry that doesn’t have a clear path or strategy on climate change. More hotels means more water scarcity, more energy consumption, more emissions. We, as an industry, need to make sure that we open up that conversation.
“I have the pleasure of being on the board of the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, which is one of the biggest alliances in the world, and we have these conversations every day but how can we get to net zero.”
