Apostolos Papatolios, General Manager of Sheraton Batumi Hotel: Turkey and Georgia are an excellent example of good neighbourly relations. The two brother countries are working to further deepen their commercial relations. The volume of trade created by entrepreneurs within the two countries in such areas as energy, tourism and transport reached $1.5 billion in 2018, and this number is aimed to be increased to $3 billion. Nurol Holding, which established the Sheraton Batumi Hotel based on its trust in the future of Georgia, is working to increase tourism potential in the country, and is striving to make the tourism sector in the country more qualified by increasing quality. Stating that the popularity of the region has increased since they founded the hotel, Apostolos Papatolios, General Manager of Sheraton Batumi Hotel, shared with our magazine his evaluations of the tourism sector that is developing in Georgia.
Can you tell us the position of Sheraton Batumi Hotel in the tourism sector? Having opened in 2010, the Sheraton Batumi Hotel is the first international brand hotel in the Black Sea region. Throughout these nine years, we have kept our promise to be a first-class hotel, and to operate in compliance with the standards of the Marriott International and Sheraton brands. I believe that by entering the local market, the hotel has changed the understanding of tourism, improved the service culture, attracted more sophisticated guests, increased the popularity of the region and become number 1 in many respects. Since the date we ranked #1 on TripAdvisor among the 59 hotels in our region, our occupancy rate has always been high and our revenues have increased every year. Our hotel is gorgeous, offering many different features that are extremely attractive for both business and leisure travellers. Its 360 Sky Bar& Restaurant is the only hotel bar and restaurant in Georgia offering a 360-degree panoramic view, while its outdoor swimming pool and ballroom are the largest in the country. The spacious rooms feature spectacular views and modern technologies, while the Sheraton Beds offer an exclusive sleeping experience. The most important feature of our hotel, however, is the unique services provided by our well-trained and professional staff, who do their best to go beyond our guests’ expectations to create a warm family atmosphere.