Stefanos Vrakas, Swiss Alpine Diploma, and BA (Hons) International Hospitality & Tourism Management
In 2003 Stefanos Vrakas graduated with a bachelor’s degree in International Hospitality & Tourism Management. From the very beginning of his hospitality career he worked for some of the best addresses in Greece. Having served A-list clients like Mel Gibson, Stefanos was involved in the luxury sector from a young age. Today, Stefanos is the Founder & Managing Director of Do Disturb Hotels & Consulting Group — a hotel management company operating 30 hotels in Athens, Mykonos, Santorini, Paros, Andros and Hydra. We sat down with Stefanos to learn all about his professional career and what made him choose to follow the road of entrepreneurship.
Stefanos, how was your passion for hospitality born and why did you choose to study hotel management in the first place?
My father was a captain on cruise ships and I was really interested to follow in his footsteps. In a conversation we once had, I told him that I wanted to be like him but he advised me that the conditions of the Greek navy would change for the worst in the future and that I should think of doing something similar. I asked him what is similar and he said that if you want to become a captain of a cruise ship you should consider becoming a general manager of a hotel. This conversation got me thinking about studying hotel management and so I did.
What’s the one thing that you learned at Alpine Center that has helped you in your career until this day?
Alpine Center was by far the best choice to study hotel management during those years and still is. Ι quickly adapted to the rules of discipline Alpine had and I felt that I was in the right place completing the right studies. Μy involvement with playing basketball on a professional level helped me a lot in this adjustment. My belief is that studies help you to focus your mind on something specific at a higher speed. Practical lessons which accounted for 80% of our studies and the good reputation of Alpine gave us the opportunity to work in the best places.
What inspired you to take the risk and to start your own hotel and consulting business?
I worked in Hotel Grand Bretagne and Grand Resort Lagonissi from the very beginning of my career. I gained valuable experience but because of my determination to do important things in this sector fast and with all the sacrifices I would need to make, I did not want to wait until I was 50 years old in order to become a general manager of an upscale hotel. With this in mind I decided to try to start managing small hotels in strong tourism destinations.
Ι gently entered the headquarters of accommodation in a strong and competitive market like Santorini. When I first arrived at the rooftop of the hotel located on the well know caldera cliff of Santorini in 2007, I asked the hotel owner, what are all these white houses on the cliff and she said hotels. Αt that moment I immediately thought — “who is managing all these small high-end units, professionally?”
Quickly the success of the hotel I was managing became well known on the island but I also loved to give advice based on my experience to my hotelier friends.
Soon afterwards I received many cooperation proposals but I did not want to leave the hotel I first started managing. I suggested to the hoteliers that I can employ a skilful person and guide him in daily operations in order to improve their product in the best way possible. So I started the “Do Disturb” Management Group. Currently we are managing more than 30 hotels in Athens, Mykonos, Santorini, Paros, Andros and Hydra and we wish to remain humble. The average time of cooperation with our collaborators (hoteliers and villa owners) exceeds 4,5 years and I believe this is our competitive advantage. My company now also manages two owned hotels in Mykonos as well.
The hospitality industry is always in demand of qualified and dedicated staff. How do you deal with the challenge of finding suitable personnel for all your hotels?
We cannot find suitable personnel for all our hotels. Unfortunately Greeks still have the mentality of the trade unions and the speed at which tourism development sky rockets on historic levels makes the operation of a hotel an adventure.
The staff turnover is high and this is why the management companies can ensure a smooth operation covering such needs by sending office staff in the hotels until we complete the prime number of staff for each hotel.
Greeks still want high salaries from the very beginning, 2 days off on a weekly basis and to be close to their houses. The globalization and I do not know if it is good or bad, needs a new order of the way things operate.
We would be happy to give you a call and answer any questions you may have.
