Business Insider Georgia's exclusive interview with David Gesto, Franchise Operations South & East Europe at Wyndham Hotels & Resorts

- The first Wyndham hotel in Georgia was opened in 2016 in Batumi. When the company made the decision to transfer the franchise, what did you learn about Georgia? Also, how satisfactory do you think the current level of tourism development in the country is, and what potential do you see?

Georgia is quickly becoming a mecca for international tourism. Its natural beauty and history make it the perfect destination for those wanting a holiday away from the usual tourist-heavy destinations elsewhere in Europe. We have been exploring the Georgian market for almost a decade, we opened our first hotel the Wyndham Batumi back in 2016 followed by the opening of our flagship brand Wyndham Grand in Tbilisi in 2019.  Georgia has remained a hidden gem for a long time, but over the last decade it has ‘’opened’’ itself and is gaining a tremendous attention in the international tourism sector, which leads to many hotels and tourism-related projects being developed in the country.

- Wyndham hotel is going to open one more hotel in Adjara. How many entities does Wyndham have negotiations with for the transfer of franchise in Georgia, and what are the company's plans for further expansion in the country?

Our network in Georgia is growing year by year. Today, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has seven hotels operating in Georgia, our latest additions at the end of 2023 being the Gino Seaside Tbilisi, Trademark Collection by Wyndham and the Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Batumi. We have a strong pipeline of future opening both Hotels & Residences. Within next 2-3 years,  we are paling to open over 25 Hotels and Residences properties across Georgia. The interest from the investors in constantly growing, and we currently have a very solid pipeline that will increase our footprint in Georgia in the following years. To that extent, we have now two resources with a vast international experience based out of Georgia, Mr. Sergey Egorov, Director of Development responsible to accelerate our expansion in the Georgian market and myself, the Director of Franchise Operations South & East Europe, to support and improve the business performance of the operating hotels.

- What is the average occupancy rate of Wyndham Grand Tbilisi today, and who are its guests, what is the geography - to describe what segment the hotel operates in most?

To put it roughly, the current average occupancy rate is over 65%. Main feeder segments of our property are Retail and Wholesale (transient & groups). Looking at the most recent time frame, we can state that visitors coming from all over the world, especially from Israel, USA, Europe, the Gulf countries, and neighboring countries. Wyndham Grand Tbilisi caters to tourists who seek comfortable and luxurious accommodations at an affordable price point, making it an ideal choice for them.

- In order for Wyndham Grand Tbilisi to attract more guests, what is being done by the hotel management? Does the hotel run independent marketing campaigns to gain a sustainable competitive advantage, and what is your strategy in this direction?

Even though Wyndham is a global brand, we recognize that each location is distinctive and has unique characteristics.  We do carry out separate marketing campaigns via various platforms. We make the most of our presence on social media, booking channels, and websites. We actively promote our guest loyalty program - Wyndham Rewards, which is a unique program to earn points, receive exciting benefits, get rewarded, and make your travel experience more enjoyable.

- What does Georgia look like from the outside? How well-known do you think the country is in Europe, and what should be done by both the tourism administration and the private sector to further promote the country?

Georgia is quite well known and I think that the Georgian Expat communities have played an important role to that.  Moreover, over the last decade there have been noticeable efforts from the Georgian authorities to promote the cultural wealth of the country and the diverse destinations that it offers. Having visited the country numerous times, I strongly believe that it is the people that really make the difference in the experience of the visitor. In Georgia you can still feel the genuine and generous hospitality, and this is something that we all need to highlight going forward.

- As Wyndham's European manager, are you satisfied with the current promotion of the country?

Well, as we all know, promotion is never enough. Even established destinations invest heavily on that front for staying in the radar and with the aim to expand their reach to new markets, new segments, and to the younger generations. As mentioned before, there is definitely a major improvement in the promotion of the country. The perception of Georgia has radically changed, and people are now more aware not only of Batumi and Tbilisi but also its wine and gastronomy heritage, and the unspoiled nature. State incentives play an important role for the international branding of Georgian hotels which ensure certain operational standards and an expanded marketing and distribution of the assets.

- Does the hotel plan to offer any kind of innovation to the customer? Do you see the need to develop additional services?

Wyndham Grand Tbilisi's primary benefit is the abundance of services available to guests for any needs they may have while their stay. In this fast-developing world we must constantly advance and not fall behind. To be competitive at the market and increase brand loyalty, we are implementing and developing Wyndham Green Program at Wyndham Grand Tbilisi. The Wyndham Green Program includes three integral components: Wyndham Green Toolbox, Wyndham Green Certification and Wyndham Green Housekeeping. This automatically means a safer, healthier environment and more comfort for the customers.

- Wyndham Grand Tbilisi Hotel's Ming Lounge & Terrace is the winner of the World Luxury Restaurant Award. How important is this award for the hotel and management, and is this award the beginning of new opportunities?

World Luxury Restaurant Awards, one of the most important awards in the world, has been held since 2015, with hundreds of thousands of people voting for the best restaurants in the world every year. That was our primary motivation for choosing to take part. This kind of start is particularly essential to us because our Asian space, Ming Lounge Bar & Terrace, launched only a few months ago.

- Specifically, in which categories did Ming Lounge & Terrace win, and could you explain to us, what is Ming Lounge & Terrace's competitive advantage today?

Ming Lounge Bar & Terrace won in the following three categories:

Best Sushi Menu Europe
Best Asian Cuisine Eastern Europe
Best Luxury Hotel Restaurant Georgia

The menu of Ming Lounge Bar & Terrace combines cuisines from various Asian countries, customers can taste Japanese, Chinese and Korean dishes in one space. Our chef interprets traditional meals in a unique way and serves them with the renowned Asian dining etiquette.

I should also talk about the terrace itself here. Its distinctive position offers a tranquil and comfortable atmosphere despite being extremely close to Freedom Square, which is important to our customers.

- What are the statistics of guest numbers at Ming Lounge & Terrace, is it increasing or not? And also, what is the geography of guests - what percentage are Georgian clients and how many are foreigners?

As the space has been operating for only a few months, it is difficult to talk about statistics. For the hotel as well as our restaurant, the summer has been very busy. We anticipate that this pattern will hold true throughout the winter as well.

Although the guests' geographic locations have changed over the past few months, our objective was to equalize the proportion of foreign and Georgian clients. Initially, the majority of the restaurant's customers were the hotel guests from overseas, but at this point, we can also declare that the number of Georgian customers has dramatically increased. We are happy that in such a short amount of time, people have become familiar with our space.