Z. Georgiadou

Department of Interior Architecture, Decorative Arts and Design, Technological Educational Institute of Athens, Greece

D. Frangou

Department of Interior Architecture, Decorative Arts and Design, Technological Educational Institute of Athens, Greece

P. Chatzopoulos

Economist

ABSTRACT

The product of hotel consists of a combination of services and commodities. The cultural experience is the result of a mixture of these elements. But the location is the one that provides the specific product with characteristics for each unit.

The standard of Greek tourism product (3S) was bound to mass tourism for years. Local resources were exhausted by this standard and areas been developed in an anarchistic and uncontrolled way. Εndogenous development can be a proposal to solve the development problems caused by the previous policy.

“Amalia” hotels group is one of the oldest hotel chains in Greece and includes six luxury hotels located in different touristic destinations, founded during a period of 35 years. Through this 35years long period, the touristic model has been altered, following the developments in transportation technologies (means, information technology, telecommunication, digital communication), as well as social achievements (working rights, social security). These developments took place simultaneously with the tourist product and differentiated the meaning of travelling and hospitality.

The three hotels chosen as case studies in this paper are the following:

“Amalia” Hotel of Athens City (1956) a building subsumed into the modernism movement within the frame of holistic design and qualitative tourism.

“Amalia” Hotel of Olympia (1979) is constructed in a period in which the turn to mass tourism model was completed. Nevertheless, the hotel remains focused on qualitative tourism, which is the “Amalia” hotel group's strategy.

“Amalia” Hotel of Kalambaka (1991) is a building where the architectural design introduces certain elements from the local traditional architecture. During this period the touristic model was transformed from mass tourism product to quality customized tourism product.

The methodological tools for this research are the use of archival material (photographs and architectural plans), interviews and PEST analysis method concerning the characteristics of the touristic models, in order to establish a connection between the hotel environment (macro-spatial parameters) and the intertemporal transitions of the Greek Touristic models. These are connected, in our point of view, with the architectural analysis of the case studies, which will reveal the relationship between location, product and model. In conclusion, we consider the adjustment of the local economy according to the characteristics of endogenous development.

Keywords: hotel architectural design, tourist facilities, local tourist resources, hotel space and touristic model, Amalia Hotels.

1. INTRODUCTION

The period following the termination of the Second World War and the Civil War, Greece multiply injured (socially, economically, politically, ethically), is directed to Tourism industry as a springboard for reconstruction. The years that followed, international developments consolidated tourism as one of the sectors with a higher participation rate in GDP[i] growth, now estimated at 20%. The characteristics of the association and the involvement of other sectors in the production of the Greek tourist product are the connecting factors with the increase of the level of development achieved in the past.

Rising incomes and increased leisure time, improved transportation, the "industrialization" of the tourist production by multiplying the travel organizations and tourist guides, the abolition of borders, the status of lasting peace, the evolution of technology information and, in conclusion, the rise of life standards, were some of the most important factors, that gradually altered the tourist model and signaled a new era with the number of tourists being increased and redistributed in time and place. In the next 20 years (1970-1990), Greece followed the international tourism data, which was constantly growing. Greek tourism reached its peak in 80s, urbanizing basically much of the rural countryside[ii]. In these twenty years the coordinated tourist structured design of the previous period, aiming at the qualitative development model, is weakened and is delivered to an unconditional industrialization – massification of the tourism activity.

Industrialization carries significant load on the infrastructure of the hosting area while uncontrollable building constructions, seasonal character and occasional jobs created conditions of dualism, and one range – sector development model. The peripheral problem and intensity was rather invigorated by the presence of tourism. Local endogenous development may provide a solution to deal with the pathogenic phenomena.

In the late 1980s he first sign of slowing down appears because of the participation in the European Economic Community, the inflationary pressures of this season and the increased of costs prices in the hotel market, leading to a shift of the Greek tourism product to options such as new forms of tourism and qualitative upgrading of the existing ones. To strengthen its turnaround, Greece aims to reclaim the 1996 Olympics.

2. THE STUDY AREA AND THE METHODOLOGY OF ANALYSIS

The hotel group «Amalia» is one of the oldest hotel chains in Greece and includes six luxury hotel establishments in different areas, implemented on different dates in over 35 years. During the 35-year period the tourism model changes, along with developments in transportation technologies (means, information technology and telecommunications) and social achievements (labor rights, working hours, social security). These developments, playing a leading role in tourism demand, caused a significant change in the nature of travelling and hospitality. The evolution of tourism demand is investigated and connected to the spatial features of the hotels «Amalia». The study focuses on three of the hotels of the group, where the connection between tourism model of one period to the initial spatial design in the location is attempted.

The methodological tools used is the Political, Economic, Social and Technological (PEST) analysis[iii] with respect to the characteristics of the tourism model, while three of the six hotels of the group «Amalia» were selected as case studies. Specifically, this study focuses on Hotel Amalia of Athens, Hotel Amalia of Olympia and Hotel Amalia of Kalambaka, as they cover the entire period of tourism model development in Greece from 1956 to 1991. The analysis was carried out in a questionnaire (with closed- ended and open-ended questions in combination), architectural study of archival and contemporary photographic material and economic specialization of the statistical processing. The PEST analysis aimed at studying the evolution of temporal stages. The main target of the argument refers to the exploration of the intertemporal course of Greek tourism. Different periods are successive evolutionary phases. These phases are also common and occur worldwide, whereas their components are found universally. The case study method involves an interview with the head manager of the group «Amalia» and questionnaires to the directors of the units surveyed.

3. CASE STUDIES

3.1. HOTEL AMALIA IN ATHENS

The group of hotels «Amalia» started as a coaching transportation company «Hermes en Greece», which was acquired from 1954 to 1955, by Christos Koulouvatos, which evolved into «Chat de tour». The idea of extending the company to hotel facilities came from the need to accommodate tourists of high economic status (mainly British and Americans during the first period), who, in the context of cultural experience desired to visit historical and archaeological sites. So the first hotel in Athens was constructed in the area of Syntagma Square in 1957, named after Amalia Avenue, in an district covering the capital, the historic center and the Acropolis. (Figures 5, 6). The hotel was designed and created by the rising architect Nikos Valsamakis, who was appreciated for his actualized work and maintained friendly relations with the owner. The building covers 5556 m² area spread over 11 floors (including the basement) in a land plot of 661 m², with a capacity of 194 beds in 97 rooms today.

The architectural design, follows the parallel modern development of Xenia project[iv] with many designing samples of qualitative tourist buildings in the same spirit, having as a main goal the creation of « creation of standards in hotel resorts» in selected areas, on the basis of «offering tourist accommodation in high class hotels, and also showing to private investors the aspired level of the new hotel facilities, that should be constructed in order to develop tourism as the new profitable, financial field in which the state aimed for». The design of all hotel units, including Amalia Hotel in Athens, in those years conveys the basic principles applied to the overall architectural composition of the shell, the architecture of interior spaces in terms of the form simplicity, natural materials, color and textures, as well as the standardization of furniture and equipment, in a holistic design concept, and with absolute consistency in the principles of early Modernism[v]. In the publication of the architect’s drafts (1958)[vi] it is mentioned characteristically: «The new hotel at the corner of Amalia Avenue and Xenophon street which will be an A class hotel, will contain 98 rooms with bath, including 30 singles and the remaining doubles. On the ground floor, reception area is provided for as well as a restaurant in the mezzanine. In the semi-basement a refreshment bar and a hair salon will operate. There will also be space for the Directorate offices and the cloakroom. In the basement the kitchens, warehouses, air conditioning and central heating units will be located. The bedroom area of 16 sq.m. (space provided for luxury hotels) will be distributed to the rest of the floors. Those located on the facade will have a view to the national garden. In the terrace of the hotel a small refreshment bar is intended for, converted to a dancing area during the summer months». The building shell has been classified as preserved, a monument of modern cultural heritage, while the interior has been fundamentally renovated twice (1994, 2006). (Figures 1,2,3,4).

The operation of this hotel corresponds to the first period of tourism development, 1950-1960, with Greece coming out heavily wounded both economically and socially of the recent war conflicts. It’s a popular destination for tourists of high income and education level, who are mainly interested in the monuments of ancient civilization. The currency devaluation in 1953 had the effect of making Greece as one of the cheapest destinations.

Figures 1, 2: Bar (1963) Source: Archives of Nikos and Maria Valsamakis’ Architectural office. Restaurant area (2007) Source: Archives of Christos Koulouvatos

Figures 3, 4: Typical room (1963) Source: Archives of Nikos and Maria Valsamakis’ Architectural office. Typical room (2007) Source: Archives of Christos Koulouvatos

The group «Amalia» hotels keeps up with the standard of tourism cultural product, constructing its first city hotel to accommodate numerous visitors and the second one in Delphi in 1963, inaugurating the option of the establishment sites of hotels near major ancient sites - monuments. It recognizes the economic conditions, particularly those of monetary devaluation, and the upcoming rise of mass tourism as an important opportunity. It adopts the trend of "cultural experience", and targets the high and middle income.

The historical center of Athens and the direct approach from the airport of Hellinikon, the nearby major roads that lead to the center of Athens and Plaka, as well as monuments: Herodion, Acropolis, Zappeion, etc, give particular local characteristics to the hotel. Tourists participate either in cultural experience visiting the tourist area Plaka, or seek for entertainment at the shops and nightlife of Athens. The product «Athens by night» is known to those who take the urban center as a city break. The fact of the deterioration of the touristic product of Athens, due to declining of mass tourism packages, the development of charters flights to other destinations and the environmental, functional degradation have led the tourism demand to significant decline.

Figures 5, 6: Facades of Amalia Hotel in Athens. Source: (1963) Archives of Nikos and Maria Valsamakis’ Architectural office, (2007) Archives of Christos Koulouvatos

As main spatial entity, the historical center of Athens is characterized as «mature»[vii], it has the characteristics of over-concentration of facilities with significant negative impacts reflected in weak development of tourist flows (arrivals rate, stays). The touristic offer is burdened by the minimal development of existing units and the total lack of innovative infrastructure.

The studied hotel upgraded its services as described above. In the functions covered, a conference area has been added, while, as in the initial stage, all the communal functions are also intended for passers-by, not only for its occupants.

The «Athens Amalia» hotel maintains its profitability despite the decline of the importance of Athens as a tourist destination (97% occupancy during high season, 85% low).

3.2. HOTEL AMALIA IN OLYMPIA

The third in order of implementation hotel of «Amalia» Group is Amalia of Olympia. Continuing the tradition to better serve tourists who choose the four-day excursions to places of historical interest, the group «Amalia» decides to build a hotel in the area of ancient Olympia and connect it conceptually to the Olympic Games. The hotel Amalia of Olympia was designed and implemented during the period 1977-1979. It has a capacity of three hundred beds and contains one hundred forty-seven (147) rooms distributed on three levels. The architect again is N. Valsamakis, who is in his second design period, and «has now escaped from the formalist up surges of the past and the solid glass has been replaced by an elaborate game of volumes on the exterior and a sensitively processed interior, respectively with level differences, interpenetration of spaces and wisely scheduled impressions from flight»[viii].Lounges, a restaurant, a cafeteria, a conference hall, shops and a swimming pool complete the whole lot covering a total surface of 9700 m². The idea to arrange the spaces in four wings (wing system) around a central patio and the use of the slope to create levels, accomplishes the volume breakdown and its integration into the environment. The purchase of large land plots in the region contributed to this accomplishment aiming, to spread and expansion the complexes which would be built in small heights. (Figures 7, 8, 9, 10). The rooms are at the back, distributed on three wings, each having a different view. On the side of the road, on two levels the common areas are located. The reception, bar and cafeteria are on the same level with the entrance, while the restaurant «descends» half level and the lounge «ascends» half level above the restaurant, respectively, as shown in the drawings. In this way, one can make eye contact with all public areas from the entrance hall and take advantage of the plot slope, offering a «discharge» of the dining room area directly to the natural ground. At the lowest level all ancillary rooms are also located. Adjacent to the dining room is the kitchen which communicates vertically with the cafeteria, bar, a small conference, or multipurpose room, and with the rest of the entrance spaces.

Figures 7, 8: Facades of Amalia Hotel in Olympia. Source: (1977) Archives of Nikos and Maria Valsamakis’ Architectural office

During this period, Greece followed the international tourism standards. By the 90s, international tourism has been constantly massified. This model was followed by the Greek tourism that was developed and reached its climax (peak point) by the middle of the 80s. Major markets were the USA, UK, and the industrialized countries of Europe (France, Germany, and Scandinavia). A number of factors contributed to this: the loss of popularity of Spanish destinations, the trend for new destinations and the relatively cheap Greek product, as well as the potentiality it acquired by the tour operators, the development of major infrastructure and restructures, developments in aviation, etc. In the late 80s, the first signs of decline appear because of the participation of Greece in the EEC, while inflationary pressures of the time and rising of costs / prices in hotel market are the reasons of the Greek product shift, to options such as new tourism forms and qualitative upgrading of the existing mass model. Greece in order to strengthen its turnaround, has been working hard to claim the 1996 Olympics. The «Amalia» hotel group continues to develop, relying on the strategy to invest in units placed near important ancient monuments and important road junctions and in the development of local infrastructure and restructuring.

The spatial characteristics of the touristic product of the area are important both in abundance and variety. The area of Olympia[ix] (Olympia, Patras, Kyllini) collects 94% of the region and also has significant infrastructure for special interest tourism. Nevertheless, insufficient utilization of these resources is found in a number of indicators, as following:

• 21 beds per 1,000 inhabitants, compared to 60 in the whole country,
• average length of stay five days versus eight in the entire country,
• increase of beds number by 4% in the period 1999-2000, compared to 29% in the whole country.

Figures 9, 10: Typical room, lobby. Source: (2000) Archives of Christos Koulouvatos

This situation appears in the hotel data first. It works during the high season (the last two years) with a completeness of about 35%. Also, an important spatial feature is the presence of foreign tourism in the area, with the rest of the region attracting Greek customers.

3.3. HOTEL AMALIA IN KALAMPAKA

The fifth and last hotel of «Amalia» Group was constructed in Kalambaka in 1996 on the occasion of Meteora, which has always been a tourist attraction. The Amalia Hotel in Kalambaka is the latest hotel designed by the architect N. Valsamakis for the Group. He is in his mature creative period and the style of his works, during this phase, can be described as postmodern. Without abandoning his basic synthetic principles, N. Valsamakis designs again a building based on the atrium core, the wing system for the bedrooms, the breakdown of the volumes and the connection to the place and for the first time combines it with the local characteristics. Because of its size, the specific nature of the space and specificity of the place, there are there are two atriums, so that no space is any less than another in terms of the view and accessibility.

«In his buildings, that are so adapted to the Greek climate and light, the interior merges with the outside as it is expanded and shaped into an outdoor living space. At the same time, he manages to make use, in a modern way, of the traditional materials and construction methods»[x]. Poised between past and future, the architect gives form to the building, through its functionality, exploits the local morphological characteristics and modifies the idea of white cubist volumes, using color in plaster and tile (Figures 11, 12).

The hotel is built on 3 levels and has 170 rooms and 2 suites with a view to Meteora and the lush gardens, an area of about fifty acres. On ground floor is the magnificent entrance on many levels, with distinct areas of the living rooms, in small or large recesses with a fireplace in some cases, and in front or next to large openings to exploit the natural light and view. The rest of the common areas (dining room, bar) follow the slope and the idea of direct access to the pool and to the outdoor area around it. The architectural design is of particular importance. The international style seen of the architect’s design has been taken out of this project, giving way to visible «Greek» local characteristics, both on the outside and mostly on the inside.

Figures 11, 12: Amalia hotel in Olympia. Source: (1996) Archives of Nikos and Maria Valsamakis’ Architectural office, (2004) Archives of Christos Koulouvatos

In the architectural shell we find postmodernism elements not adopted by the totality of architect’s projects contemporary to this hotel (e.g. houses), which appear to be compatible with his mature style of the previous period with building volume simplicity. The interior is dominated by wood-carved ceilings and painted surfaces, assisted by different types of carpets, carved chests, etc. and all these coexist with different styles of furniture (for example, leather «chesterfield» style sofas). It is perhaps the only hotel where «massification» in the furniture form and decoupling of the separate elements, embedded in the holistic planning of the previous hotels, can be seen[xi].(Figures 13, 14, 15, 16).

Figures 13, 14: Hotel interiors. Source: (2004) Archives of Christos Koulouvatos

The architect uses local construction techniques and connects them, to the international modernism. «In his buildings, that are so adapted to the Greek climate and light, the interior merges with the exterior, as it is expanded and shaped into an outdoor living space. At the same time, he manages to exploit in a modern way traditional materials and construction methods. Valsamakis’ morphological patterns cover a vast variety of influences, ranging from the local architecture - Greek traditional and modern – to the current newest trends in the European and American architecture»[xii].

Since 1980, Greek tourism has been declining. The government's inaction, the opportunistic way of exercise and the tactic of «skimming» followed in previous years by the business community, and the impact of massification on environment and define these results as non-reversible. To deal with these phenomena, tourism is now looking at improving the quality features and product upgrade. The goal of the Olympics centenary and the request of hosting them, marks the starting point of this strategy. A request, through, that does not involve a solid intervention of development nature (main pathologies being the lack of planning and inadequate training), and does not cure the «mutilated» parts of the tourism product. Ranking twentieth and being in one of the lowest revenue position, the customer tank is the countries of Western and Central Europe. Over the last decade and after the Olympic Games, it is catching up and it’s repositioned in the global market, which however make progress and is dominated by better-informed consumers, with requirements in quality characteristics. It is also oriented to the search of «cultural experience», equivalent with the concept «value for money».

Figures15, 16: Hotel interiors. Source: (2004) Archives of Christos Koulouvatos

4. CONCLUSIONS

The model of mass tourism 3S, should be seen as a part of the historical context.

The various developments in the political, economical and social level is either interpreted in terms of transnational, or regional, or local terms, and influenced the current form of the Greek product. Its features dominated in these twenty years and the structured tourist planning of the previous period with the aim of quality development model is weakened and is delivered in an unconditional industrialization –massification of touristic activity. Industrialization carries significant load on the infrastructure of the hosting area while the uncontrollable and anarchistic building, seasonal character and occasional jobs created conditions of dualism, and of establishing an one range development model.

The parameter «space – place» participates in the development as a variable of social welfare. In this relationship, issues that arise concern spatial parameters such as:

• Population data and distribution.

• Developments of transport (means, communication, computer science)

•Percentage relationship population / area and exploitation of natural resources (capacity, scarcity).

• Environment - natural resources.

Local development is based on the participation of decentralized government agencies to evaluate their own resources in the activation of the «intramural» productive forces and internal control of the development process.

The characteristics of such a process in general may be:

• The process of development is linked to economic growth whose results are compact, corrective, lasting and irreversible.

• All modules have a spatial resource stocks (financial, human, institutional and cultural, natural associated with territorial concessions) and of various levers of mobilizing (agencies and institutions, entrepreneurship and initiative).

The Group «Amalia» hotels kept targeting the cultural experience - product choosing installation points where local resources were the attraction of their customers. For local development, the business model of the Group can be an example. The major reasons are summarized as following:

• Commitment to quality of hotel infrastructure (technical, operational, institutional) at each level of operation that ensures sustainability.

• Units that are constructed in an environmental friendly way (Olympia, Kalambaka).

• Perception to the staff of the group which ensures employment and education of employees and of the members of the family as well, showing the orientation towards sustainability rather than temporary profit.

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