Georges Panayotis
Encyclopedia
Georges Panayotis is a French
/Greek
businessman and consultant for the tourism
, hotel
and hospitality
industries. He has contributed to establishing more than 2,500 hotels (150,000 hotel rooms) in France
and throughout Europe
, representing a global investment of over 10.5 billion euros.
at the age of 18 to study Political Science
and earn a management degree at the University of Paris
, Dauphine. Panayotis began his professional career at Novotel, now part of the Accor
Group and rose through the ranks to become International Marketing Director. Having developed specialised marketing and management tools for the hotel industry, Panayotis left the group in 1986 to establish a company, now considered one of the world’s foremost tourism, hotel and hospitality consulting agency.
, specialising in four core activities: market surveys, quality control, database management, and industry press. In 2006, the company’s turnover equalled 12 million euro and was ranked 1st in France, specialising in marketing and the tourism industry, and ranked 20th in the national classification of the top 100 market research institutes by Marketing Magazine.
Other endorsements include:
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
/Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
businessman and consultant for the tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
, hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
and hospitality
Hospitality
Hospitality is the relationship between guest and host, or the act or practice of being hospitable. Specifically, this includes the reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers, resorts, membership clubs, conventions, attractions, special events, and other services for travelers...
industries. He has contributed to establishing more than 2,500 hotels (150,000 hotel rooms) in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and throughout Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, representing a global investment of over 10.5 billion euros.
Early life
Born into a family of hoteliers, Georges Panayotis left GreeceGreece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
at the age of 18 to study Political Science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
and earn a management degree at the University of Paris
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
, Dauphine. Panayotis began his professional career at Novotel, now part of the Accor
Accor
Accor is Europe's leading hotel group , part of the CAC 40 index , and operates in over 90 countries. Headquartered in Courcouronnes, Essonne, France, near Évry, France, the group owns, operates and franchises 4,229 hotels ranging from economy to luxury on five continents .Previously, the group...
Group and rose through the ranks to become International Marketing Director. Having developed specialised marketing and management tools for the hotel industry, Panayotis left the group in 1986 to establish a company, now considered one of the world’s foremost tourism, hotel and hospitality consulting agency.
Business career
Over the past 20 years, Panayotis has led MKG Conseil, now known as the MKG Group. As of 2008, the company has over 90 employees across Europe and the Middle EastMiddle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, specialising in four core activities: market surveys, quality control, database management, and industry press. In 2006, the company’s turnover equalled 12 million euro and was ranked 1st in France, specialising in marketing and the tourism industry, and ranked 20th in the national classification of the top 100 market research institutes by Marketing Magazine.
Public career
Panayotis is constantly involved with a number of extracarricular and public activities. He has helped launch industry publications HTR Magazine and Hôtel Restau, and has created two major annual events: Worldwide Hospitality Awards and the Global Lodging Forum. Meanwhile, his published work include Constat et Plan Marketing (Marketing Status and Planning), Marketing Opérationnel des Services (Operational Marketing of Services), and L'hôtellerie française et son évolution (The Hotel Industry in France and its evolution).Other endorsements include:
- Professor at the AccorAccorAccor is Europe's leading hotel group , part of the CAC 40 index , and operates in over 90 countries. Headquartered in Courcouronnes, Essonne, France, near Évry, France, the group owns, operates and franchises 4,229 hotels ranging from economy to luxury on five continents .Previously, the group...
Academy in Évry, France and Lecturer at University of Marne la ValléeUniversity of Marne la ValléeThe University Paris-Est Marne-la-Vallée is a French university, in the Academy of Créteil.-See also:* List of public universities in France by academy...
, social sciences, tourism and leisure. - Consultant for several radio (France InterFrance InterFrance Inter is a major French public radio channel and part of Radio France. It is a "generalist" station, aiming to provide a wide national audience with a full service of news and intelligent spoken-word programming, both serious and entertaining, liberally punctuated with an eclectic mix of...
, Radio Classique and BFM) and television stations focussing on the economy, travel and hospitality industry. - Sitting on the advisory panel for the Minister of the Economy, Industry and Employment (France).
- Candidate in the 13ème circonscription for the 15e (Saint-Lambert, Javel) arrondissement elections in 1988.
- Official National Distinctions Medals: Chevalier dans l’Ordre de la Légion d’Honneur and Chevalier dans l’Ordre National du Mérite.