Dimitris Manikis, President–EMEA, WYNDHAM Hotels & Resorts on talent, tourism and the untapped opportunity.
At an Inflection Point
What is your impression of the hospitality industry in India today?
I visit India about six times a year, and every visit fascinates me. The pace, perspective, and potential of this market are extraordinary. Each time I present India to my board, I realise that what I thought was happening three months earlier has already changed. That simply does not happen anywhere else in the world—and when it does, the change is often negative. Here, the changes are almost always positive.
At HOPE 2026, a presentation by Bain & Company’s Karan Singh highlighted the sheer scale of India’s economic transformation. Hospitality is only a small part of a much larger story. The scale of opportunity in India is staggering.
However, while the outlook is extremely positive, I always remind people that when the sun is shining in London, you still carry an umbrella because it may rain later. In other words, even in a booming market you must always think about the ʻwhat ifʼ and prepare alternative strategies for how things might evolve.
How does India compare to the West in terms of technology and the spirit of hospitality?
India is far ahead of the West in adopting technology within hospitality. At the same time, I believe the West has gradually lost touch with what hospitality truly means.
Asia, including India, has not only caught up, but in many ways, surpassed the West in delivering genuine hospitality. In the West, hospitality has increasingly become an industry people do not necessarily want to work in, and the returns are not what they once were.
In Asia, hospitality is understood at a deeper cultural level. It is not only about luxury—it exists everywhere: in the smiles, the warmth of the welcome, the friendliness of people. That spirit comes naturally.
I am Greek, and hospitality runs in our culture as well. When I come to India, I recognise the same instinct. It is one of the reasons India has been such a rewarding market for Wyndham.
