President of Europe, Middle East, Eurasia & Africa, WYNDHAM HOTELS & RESRTS
Wyndham’s Dimitris Manikis on EMEA Growth and the Power of Franchising
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is experiencing rapid expansion across the EMEA region, and President Dimitris Manikis credits the ...
About Dimitris Manikis
In a July 2026 appearance on the Cityscape Global Podcast, Dimitris Manikis described hospitality as "the fastest-moving barometer of a city's ambition" and stated that "travel is the industry of peace." He said that Saudi Arabia has emerged as an "unlikely challenger" to established tourism destinations, comparing the country to "the Formula 1 of hospitality" due to its rapid deployment of new technologies. Manikis noted that he would have "lost a bet" 10 to 15 years ago if someone had predicted Saudi Arabia would become a major competitor in regional hospitality, but expressed excitement about the country's development under Vision 2030. Manikis also discussed the role of hospitality in urban planning, arguing that the industry is now more involved in the planning stage than in the past. He cited Barcelona's hotel development ban as an example of the need to balance growth with local culture and infrastructure. Drawing on 36 years of experience across the CIS region, the Gulf, and the Mediterranean, Manikis said he recently visited Armenia, Georgia, and the CIS region, and emphasized the importance of respecting local culture in cities that have existed for centuries.
Transcript (32 segments)
I
Interviewer0:00
Thank you so much. It's really lovely to talk to you as always.
D
Dimitris Manikis0:03
Likewise.
I
Interviewer0:04
And I mean, Windham has had really amazing growth recently in the EMIA region. So I just want to ask, what's behind all of this? Tell me something exciting.
D
Dimitris Manikis0:15
I'll tell you something exciting. I think it's the team. The guys are doing a phenomenal job. I'm blessed with an incredible team across EMIA. I'm blessed with having people who are not worried to go into the deep end. We are a relatively young company in EMIA, been around for about 12 years. Windham has always been a US company. We became a truly global company about seven years ago when we went public on Wall Street. In those 10 years that we've been in EMIA, the growth has been remarkable. I'm the last person to say I had anything to do with it because it's those guys. From Baku in Azerbaijan to Georgia, all the way down to Portugal and Spain, these guys love what they do every single day and preach the Windham gospel. That's how we did it, and we're not going to stop. We're excited about the future.
I
Interviewer1:19
And speaking of growth, tell me about something exciting you're doing in EMIA.
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Dimitris Manikis1:25
There are a lot of different pockets of growth. I just came back from India. We're going to close 100 hotels by the end of the year in India, which is a great accomplishment. We're number one or number two in many countries in EMIA. What's interesting about our model is that we're 95% franchise. We don't manage, own, lease, or operate hotels. So being in a pure franchise model is more challenging than many of our peers. But considering that, the team has done a phenomenal job. India has great prospects. The CIS region shows enormous growth. We've just dived into a new territory: branded residencies in the midscale space, which I believe has enormous future. I often tell my team we're like pirates in the Navy. We work for the Navy but we're a bit like pirates, and I love that sentiment.
I
Interviewer2:33,200
Yeah. I love your activities in there. Actually, I'm going for a honeymoon in Thailand.
D
Dimitris Manikis2:38
There you go! We've got some really amazing hotels there.
I
Interviewer2:42
A Wyndham, right?
D
Dimitris Manikis2:43
Yes, we've got some amazing properties there.
I
Interviewer2:47
So, speaking of franchising, how does your owner-first strategy translate into tangible benefits for franchisees in the region?
D
Dimitris Manikis2:56
Our main client is the franchisee, the owner. We have a duty of care to ensure an owner delivers, because when they are financially stable, the guest enjoys the benefits of hospitality. If owners are not financially stable or in good spirits, the guest suffers. In a franchise model, our duty of care stays with the owner. But we have an enormous ethos and values related to guest experience. It's a fine balance between what we do for the franchisee and how the owner and guest benefit. We don't always get it right, but the majority of our growth shows people believe in our thesis, and that's a great testament.
I
Interviewer3:51
That's wonderful. That's people-first.
D
Dimitris Manikis3:54
Exactly. You see me wearing my pin. This is our Count On Me pin. It underpins everything we do at Wyndham. You can count on me, you can count on us to do the right thing. It's not always easy, but that's what we do every single day and it drives our behavior.
I
Interviewer4:15
So obviously what works in Asia is different from what works in Europe or Italy. I'm wondering, how do you maintain brand consistency while adapting to local market needs?
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Dimitris Manikis4:31
Every time we do a virtual town hall in EMIA, I sit back and think, aren't you a lucky guy? So many nationalities, ethnicities, languages. I'm so blessed. My wonderful team across EMIA's number one priority, apart from everything else for the owners, is ensuring brand consistency. But let me tell you how things have changed after COVID. Brand standards used to be a thick book. Does it really matter? What we ask franchisees to do has changed, and the view on what's required in an asset has changed. Do you need a yellow versus red carpet or a table of a certain height? I don't think that's so important anymore. You have five signature items per brand. Ensure those are followed, then allow the brand to flourish based on local communities and local brand standards. For me, it's flexibility and adaptability. As long as you keep the five or six brand standard signature items, the rest is an open book, and it brings authenticity.
I
Interviewer6:01
Absolutely. My Days Inn in Dubai is a bit different than my Days Inn in Turkey, and my Ramada in Dubai is different than in the UK. But that's fine as long as those five signature items are there. You mentioned looking after what the guest wants. So what trends are you seeing in guest expectations, and how is Wyndham adapting?
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Dimitris Manikis6:32
It's very interesting. I was thinking about it the other day. Guests don't really want anything different than they wanted 100 years ago: health, safety, security, a great bed, a great bath. 100 years ago they didn't have Wi-Fi; now they want Wi-Fi and lots of plugs. But what guests really want is connectivity. They want to feel comfortable, to feel that for the next few days they can call it home. Connectivity with the guest is far more important today than ever. How do we connect in a world where technology has taken over, where everyone talks about AI, boats, and robots? I think guests around the world want to connect more.
I
Interviewer7:37
But don't you think there's more expectation of a luxury feel? More people want that proximity. But you know, what is really luxury? It's different for everyone.
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Dimitris Manikis7:56
Definitely. Is luxury the price point, location, how much you pay per room, or the brand? A lot of people talk about slow luxury or low luxury. This 1.2 billion people traveling this year, what is luxury? 10% to 12%. But what about the rest 80%? We need to cater for every segment of travelers and make sure they feel engaged with the product, whether they stay in a luxurious, economy, or midscale property.
I
Interviewer8:48
But I think you're looking at luxury from a hotel perspective. When I look at luxury, it's that feeling of uniqueness and exclusivity. Maybe it's not a $1,000 room price point.
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Dimitris Manikis9:03
True, very good point. I love that you raised this. A blue-collar worker traveling to Dudolf on a data center plant wants something unique? No, they want a decent bed at a decent price close to the factory and a decent breakfast. A salesman traveling across the UK wants something unique? No, they want the same things. We have to remember all travelers fit into different categories. The magic is to have a product that delivers to every one of them. With our 25 brands at Wyndham, we have a product for the family wanting to re-engage and the blue-collar worker in Dudolf. That's why we have economy, premium economy, midscale, luxury, extended stay, all-inclusive. The world has changed. You can't put travelers in a box anymore. The same traveler who stays in a five-star deluxe hotel this week might be on a Ryanair flight with his family staying at a campsite in France. That's the beauty of hospitality today.
I
Interviewer10:38
And it's really about catering to each type of stay.
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Dimitris Manikis10:42
Absolutely. Look at my family, we're four. Each of us has different views about holidays. But over the year, we'll do a camping holiday, an island holiday, a city break, and somewhere focused on gastronomy. So things have changed, trends changed, demand changed, needs changed. You need to have brands, services, and products that, in the different segments of a consumer's lifetime, you actually have something to give. That's the exciting thing about hospitality. That's why we see new brands, new ideas, new destinations. We're the best industry in the world.
I
Interviewer11:32
And I cannot let you go without talking about branded residences. You mentioned it in passing, and it's growing rapidly. What is Wyndham's vision for this space in the UK and India?
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Dimitris Manikis11:48
We realized there's a lot of talk about luxurious branded residences like Armani or Four Seasons. We said, hold on, there must be a need for branded residences in the midscale, because what percentage of the world is luxury versus midscale and economy? So we got into midscale branded residencies, both in hospitality and standalone living residences. We just launched with a great partner in Dubai, the first Ramada residences in Dubai. We're expanding this across Europe and bringing it to India. Branded residencies are a segment with enormous growth opportunity. What is hospitality really? It's real estate. The days of only talking about RevPAR are long gone. It's about revenue per available square meter or square foot. That's the future of hospitality, combined with guest experience, great locations, and affordable pricing. Hospitality today is a human right.
I
Interviewer13:09
Yeah, oh yeah.
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Dimitris Manikis13:10
It's a human right. Travel is a human right, not a luxury anymore. The only way to bring peace to this world is when people meet others, exchange cultures, and understand each other. That's hospitality. I've been in this industry for 35 years, and today I'm so excited to see hospitality and travel being a human right.
I
Interviewer13:40
It's been really lovely speaking with you. It's always a pleasure. And with your work on branded residences, maybe I would be able to afford one.
D
Dimitris Manikis13:50
Come on, look at that ring. Human right. Travel is a human right. Branded residences is a human right. Absolutely. We celebrated World Tourism Day on Friday, the 27th of September. It has never been so important to remind the world that we are the industry of peace, the industry of fun, that connects people around the world. Without getting too political, that is so important.
I
Interviewer14:24
Absolutely. We are the industry that does all that. We should all be blessed to serve this industry, regardless of years. For me, that's the great message I want to end with.
D
Dimitris Manikis14:36
So positive. Thank you so much, Dimitris. I'm not going to give you a hand; I'm going to give you a hug. Fantastic.