More than 550 tourism professionals in Crete participated in the three-day HoReCa Empowered by Coca-Cola Tria Epsilon, gaining knowledge and training in in-demand skills.

Tailor-made trainings and workshops, hands-on presentations, tastings and speeches have been offered to Crete professionals by Coca-Cola Tria Epsilon’s leading free HoReCa Empowered employment program in Greece. More than 550 participating tourism professionals had the opportunity to be trained in in-demand skills in the HoReCa sector by renowned coffee experts, fine spirits representatives, bar managers and seasoned market leaders.

Fifteen trainings and inspiring conversations

In the weeks leading up to what is shaping up to be one of the best seasons in recent years, speakers from the tourism, food service and hotel industries provided training and guidance through more than fifteen thematic trainings on barista techniques, blending and bartending, human resource management, customer service, menu development and cost management, sales modernization, leadership and strategy development, goal achievement, business sustainability planning, etc.

The trainers included all coffee experts and Coca-Cola Tria Epsilon premium spirits ambassadors: Stathis Koremtas and Savvas Petrutsos, Coca-Cola Tria Epsilon coffee experts, Thodoris Anagnostou, Edrington Ambassador Greece, Alex Dontas, Brown Forman Portfolio Ambassadors, Vassilis . Kotsambasopoulos and Kyriakos Koutrumbis, Ambassadors of the Campari Academy, Mary Talaiporou, Chief Brand Ambassador of Schweppes. Giorgos Bagos, co-founder of Three Cents, Giorgos Dendrakis, Hersonissos Group Hotels Corporate Bar Manager, and Vassilis Leonidou, Olive Oil Chef, who shared their experiences through inspiring conversations, inspired those present.

The attendees also had the opportunity to take part in a particularly instructive discussion on the prospects for Greek tourism between Maria Anargirou-Nikolits, CEO of Coca-Cola Tria Epsilon, Margherita Siganou, Director of Siganos SA Wine & Spirits, Nikos Chalkiadakis, President of the Hotel Chamber of Heraklion, Manto Patsaura, managing director of kariera.gr, and Katerina Sadiku, founder and managing director of Workathlon, coordinated by athINEA CEO Marianna Skilakaki.

“We contribute to the renewal of the tourism product”

Ms. Anargyrou-Nikolits expressed her joy at hosting the program in Crete, calling the island “a leading domestic and international tourism destination, which is a very important base for us. One of our 4 factories is located in Heraklion, we employ over 110 workers and serve over 10,000 customers.” He noted the intention of the company through the HoReCa Empowered program “to further improve the tourism product of the island and the HoReCa sector by offering the necessary and most modern skills for free. Over the course of three days, more than 550 industry professionals had the opportunity to expand their knowledge to in turn create an exciting future for tourism, Crete and our country.” The President of the Heraklion Chamber of Hotels, Mr. Nikos Chalkiadakis described the program as “constructive” for the participants.

“Highly recommend”

Cretan tourism professionals shared their satisfaction with participating in the program. “HoReCa Empowered is a unique experience for every professional in the field. I got a lot of tools for my future plans, I met a lot of professionals, I learned something new, I developed and I hope to visit the next one to learn a lot more,” said Eleni, a bartender at the hotel complex on the island. Constantina, a student of tourism professions, has received many resources for her future career, she assured, who “absolutely recommends that anyone involved in the industry take the program because they will receive resources that they will use later in their lives.”

To date, over 40,000 HoReCa Empowered professionals have received tailor-made training to provide them with professional opportunities and opportunities to grow in their careers. HoReCa Empowered is implemented jointly with strategic partners Career.grAnd Workathlon. For Kariera.gr, investing in people involved in tourism is a one-way street, Ms. Manto said. Patsaura, Managing Director, noting that “all these years we have been striving to invest in people and professionals in this field, strengthening their skills and thus enhancing the dynamics of the sector in the Greek market.” The intention to “create a foundation stone that workers and employers can rely on for the development of everyone in the tourism industry” was expressed by Ms. Katerina Sadikou, founder and managing director of Workathlon.