The owner of Archontiko Kaltezioti – a hotel member of Tresor Hotels & Resorts and one of the leading mountain resorts in Greece - talks to us about the essence of what quality mountainous tourism is. 

Interview by Despina Zefkili

As an owner of a leading mountain resort, how do you perceive its course of evolution within the framework of development in Greece?  What do you believe as essential for the further development of mountainous tourism?  

“Archontiko Kaltezioti” has already established itself as a rich source of hospitality as far as the county of Arcadia is concerned. But this does not stop it from evolving continuously and from ameliorating its profile.Greece has numerous mountainous regions that are characterised by a rich set of elements which we ought to exploit and promote in order to attract the domestic and foreign tourist preference.

I strongly believe that mountainous tourism is in great need of financial support and to diminish bureaucracy as much as possible if we wish to nationally create a business-friendly environment.    

How have you handled the internal crisis so far? How do you find the public’s response?

Our personal “odyssey” as hoteliers begun in mountainous Arcadia approximately ten years ago. It was Nikos Kalteziotis who envisaged and planned the whole project and I helped him to implement his visions. Out hotel is well placed within the market and this accounts for the fact that we handled well the internal crisis.
We have successfully managed to create a healthy relationship with our loyal customers who keep us high in their preference and this automatically gives us the required courage to keep going without making compromises and discounts in the things that are of crucial value to us: aesthetics and quality.
Quality in provided services constitutes the key to its survival at such difficult times.

Archontiko Kaltezioti is run by four members of our family who work hard in supervising all activities and services. I believe that during periods of crisis, it is the human factor that plays the most important role for the qualitative upgrade of a business.

What are your future plans?
There are certainly plans for the future, but for the time being our business is going through a quite hesitant phase, as far as a new and ambitious project is concerned, which would aim at the further tourist development of the region and its establishment as a top destination. We can’t make a concrete move if we don’t see a dramatic change in the present situation first.

Have your detected -in the last few years- a shift in the demands of your customers and a change in the type of visitors that approach your resort?    

The type of visitor that approaches our resort has always been demanding and with a rich list of travels in their life. Without doubt our customers demand that everything is well organized and that our services are of high quality, so that they can relax and unwind when they come to us. If they don’t reach satisfaction the first time round, they will never come again.
During the crisis - and although holidays may always be within the human needs -, unfortunately they are now considered more of a luxury. We have detected a growth in the number of last-minute bookings and, also, the fact that most travelers select a destination and a hotel based purely on their impulse and without really planning it beforehands.  
Travelers across the world are nowadays seeking for unusual destinations and they do search for an unprecedented experience through the culture and everyday life conditions of the area they are visiting.

Do your think that Greece will always connote to a summer vacation by the beach, or do you believe that in future Greece will manage to acquire the much-wanted elongation of its vacation season by attracting foreign tourists at its mountainous regions?
I do believe that in the future we will indeed see a growth in the number of tourist attracted by our mountainous regions. It would suffice if Greece improved its infrastructure, if it exploited more its natural beauties, its forest paths, its ski resorts its caves, its ancient sites, if it promoted further a religious tourism, the alternative tourism and its gastronomic tourism.
Greece should not simply connote to the sea and the sun. Our country’s mountainous regions present enormous interest and I am sure they can attract tourists all year round, by offering them unforgettable and unique experiences.   

How do you perceive the levels of tourism in your region, Arcadia? Would you like to see something changing?

I believe that the region of Arcadia has great potentials in becoming an ideal destination for a getaway, due to the fact that it consists of a majestic nature all around. Dozens of cherished monasteries within green mountains and numerous archaeological sites scattered at every direction, present visitors with points of interest and motivation for daily excursions and activities outdoors. By visiting the villages and smaller settlements of the area at large, the visitor can come into direct contact with the locals and grasp the essence of their daily way of life. Undoubtedly, three quarters of Greek mythology are based or were initiated in the county of Arcadia. All of the above must me promoted and projected with care and respect by the Greek State, so that we can see an amelioration of the whole situation in our region and subsequently an increase in the number of tourists wishing to approach it.  

On the positive side, we really appreciate the completion of the Athens – Tripoli – Kalamata autoroute which turned Arcadia into a nodal location in the Peloponnesian peninsula, plus it brought us closer to Kalamata airport serving not only domestic but also international flights.   

Give us your own tips for visitors of the region of Arcadia. What would you advise them to see and do?

“Archontiko Kaltezioti” is located at the gate of mountainous Arcadia and at a very privileged position in the village of Kapsia of Mandineia at only 160 km from Athens city center. I would advise visitors to take advantage of the invigorating nature that surrounds us by taking a hiking session in mythical mountain Menalo. This is where our guests could see the unique black fir forests and admire the crystal clear waters of rivers Loussios and Ladonas. I would also advise them to take excursions to any of the beautiful monasteries of the area.

The area offers numerous opportunities for outdoor activities, such as trekking, rafting, mountain biking, off road 4x4 rides, climbing and hiking. Apart from that, we also recommend our guests to visit the Kapsia Caves which are in the top ten of the country. Also worthy of a visit are the theaters of Megalopolis, Orhomenos, Mandineia and Tegea.  
Last but not least, the villages of Kapsia, Levidi, Vitina, Dimitsana, Stemnitsa, Lagadia and other smaller ones, constitute superb specimens of the plain architectural style of the area which the visitor is bound to find highly picturesque. 

For further information about Archontiko Kaltezioti, please press here.

From: Eva Kanellopoulos

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