A Growth Engine for Europe

Just outside Ermoupoli on the island of Syros, Dimitris Sarris’ holiday lettings business Sarris Planet found itself at a disadvantage when faced with stiff competition online. Dimitris and his wife, who helps manage the business, didn’t have the knowledge they needed to boost their online presence. They felt they were losing business and weren’t reaching as many people as they could.

So, they turned to Grow Greek Tourism Online and thanks to a face to face training session with an Online Advisor who visited the island and provided support, they quickly started to feel more confident about the steps they needed to take. They created a new mobile-friendly website, increased the number and quality of photos, and enabled Google My Business. “I didn’t know what to expect from Grow Greek Tourism Online, but it went beyond anything I could have hoped for! It provided me with excellent training which I was able to put into practice straightaway. The programme gave us the skills we needed to promote our business online, which kept running costs low and started to produce results. I believe this programme is essential for the tourism industry,” Dimitris says. Sarris Planet has a much more effective online presence now. Thanks to a new and improved website, more active involvement in social media and better presence in local listings, potential customers can check out the rooms in detail, not to mention the view and hotel amenities. The number of fully booked days per season has significantly increased from 30 days in 2012 to 90 days in 2016. Dimitris and his wife are now seriously considering taking on their first employee.