“Lifetime Achievement Award”
International Hospitality Investment Forum - 2023

Thessaloniki, 18 May 2023 - The 24th International Hospitality Investment Forum (IHIF) Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Stavros Andreadis and Andreas Andreadis at this year’s event, which took place May 15-17 in Berlin. This award is a recognition of their innovative work in the development and promotion of the Sani/Ikos Group in Greece and the Mediterranean and their significant contribution to the restoration of luxury hospitality as a profitable investment, setting a benchmark for Greek and international tourism.

The iconic IHF Lifetime Achievement Award is offered to market leaders who have revolutionized the hospitality industry with their work, leaving a legacy for future generations. Previous winners have been industry leaders such as David Kong, former CEO of Best Western Hotels & Resorts; Sol Kerzner, founder and former chairman of Kerzner International Holdings Limited; Bill Marriott, honorary chairman of Marriott International; and Isadore Sharp, founder and chairman of Four Seasons.

This year’s award ceremony took place during the forum - themed “Fortune Favours the Bold” with the participation of more than 2,000 distinguished hospitality professionals, owners, and investors.

“It is a great honour to stand alongside prominent leaders and pioneers of the tourism industry. The Sani/Ikos story is the result of a lifetime of dedication, collective effort, and passion for hospitality. Since the creation of Sani Resort 50 years ago and subsequently the pioneering Ikos Resorts model, our family business has expanded to top Mediterranean beachfront locations, offering guests unique experiences and quality, warm service with the DNA of Greek Hospitality. We are proud to prove, through our dynamic growth, that the luxury hospitality sector is one of the most innovative and attractive sectors for investors” said  Stavros Andreadis and Andreas Andreadis, upon receiving the honorary award.

The International Hospitality Investment Forum (IHIF) is a member of the Questex Hospitality Group which is a benchmark and meeting point for leaders of the hospitality industry from around the world. It brings together key industry players, including investors, developers and owners, aiming to forge partnerships and agreements that shape  developments in the sector worldwide.

Alexi Khajavi, Group President of Questex Travel and Hospitality, said: “The IHIF Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to individuals who have made a lasting impact on the hospitality industry. The achievement of Stavros and Andreas is truly impressive. The creation and development of brands Sani Resort & Ikos Resorts which are considered industry-wide standards for the attention to detail they demonstrate, are the ultimate reflection of their hard work. Congratulations!”

The Sani/Ikos model: A global case study of vertical hotel operations & a model for growth and autonomous operations

Sani started as a classic family business in Halkidiki in the 1970s. With Stavros Andreadis as Chairman and Andreas Andreadis as CEO, it has evolved into the fastest growing hospitality group in the Mediterranean, with privately owned all-inclusive luxury resorts. In 2015, a group of shareholders and Mathieu Guillemin created the Sani/Ikos Group, placing their trust in its management team and pioneering model of vertical operation as owner, developer and operator. With the support of international investment groups, they led the Group to quadruple its size and assets in seven years. Sani/Ikos Group’s successful strategy was confirmed yet again during the pandemic period, with its remarkable resilience and strong financial performance.

In 2022, Sani/Ikos Group entered into a partnership agreement with Singapore’s investment fund, GIC, a transaction valued at €2.3 billion, becoming the largest deal in the European tourism sector since the pandemic. Today, the Group has 12 resorts creating significant added value for all stakeholders – the state, the business and its employees, the local communities, the investors – through major investments in building strong brand values, uniqueness, service quality, advanced infrastructure, human resources and innovative sustainability programs with international recognition. Andreas Andreadis and Mathieu Guillemin are at the helm of the company, with Stavros Andreadis as honorary Chairman.

For the next five years, the Group’s investment plan exceeds €900 million to upgrade existing resorts and expand the Ikos brand across the Mediterranean with two new luxury all-inclusive hotels. The Group’s expansion plan will create over 2,900 new jobs in the region by 2025.

Stavros Andreadis and Andreas Andreadis - Significant contribution to the promotion of Greek tourism

Stavros Andreadis has played an active role in various collective bodies of the Greek Hospitality and Tourism Sector and served as Chairman of SETE – Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises – for eight consecutive years (2001-2008), consequently becoming honorary Chairman and social partner. Dr. Andreas Andreadis has served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Hellenic Federation of Hoteliers and during the 2011-2017 period was Chairman of the Board of Directors of SETE, while also being the initiator of Marketing Greece and INSETE, two non-profit organizations aiming to officially promote the Greek travel industry in cooperation with public and private entities. Stavros Andreadis and Dr. Andreas Andreadis continue to actively pursue the promotion of Greek tourism globally.

Σχετικά με τον Όμιλο Sani/Ikos

Ο Όμιλος Sani/Ikos είναι ένας καινοτόμος, δυναμικά αναπτυσσόμενος ξενοδοχειακός όμιλος, με συγκροτήματα πολυτελείας σε μοναδικούς παραθαλάσσιους προορισμούς της Μεσογείου.  Μέσω των εμπορικών σημάτων του Sani Resort και Ikos Resorts, αναπτύσσει και λειτουργεί πάνω από 3.450 δωμάτια και σουίτες σε 12 ιδιόκτητα ξενοδοχειακά συγκροτήματα στην Ελλάδα και την Ισπανία, τα οποία συγκαταλέγονται στα κορυφαία resorts πολυτελείας παγκοσμίως. Ο Όμιλος έχει εξασφαλίσει νέα επενδυτικά έργα δυναμικότητας σχεδόν 1,000 δωματίων, σουιτών και βιλών για την επέκταση της μάρκας Ikos στην Ελλάδα (Κρήτη) και την Πορτογαλία (Αλγκάρβε), που προγραμματίζεται να λειτουργήσουν το 2025, ενώ νέοι προορισμοί βρίσκονται στα σχέδια. Στόχος του Ομίλου Sani/Ikos είναι να συνεχίσει την ανάπτυξη των εμπορικών σημάτων Sani Resort and Ikos Resorts στην Ελλάδα και το εξωτερικό, προσφέροντας απαράμιλλη φιλοξενία στους επισκέπτες του και δημιουργώντας προοπτικές ανάπτυξης για τους ανθρώπους του, σημαντικά οφέλη για τα οικοσυστήματα που περιβάλλουν τα ξενοδοχεία του, αλλά και αξία για τους μετόχους του. Πρωτοπόρος σε θέματα βιώσιμου τουρισμού, ο Όμιλος έχει αναπτύξει ένα φιλόδοξο στρατηγικό πλάνο αειφορίας (ESG), ενώ είναι μέλος του  Οικουμενικού Συμφώνου των Ηνωμένων Εθνών για τις επιχειρήσεις (UN Global Compact). Περισσότερες πληροφορίες: https://www.saniikos.com/