Yiannis Kosmas – ‘‘Anantara is a brand that focuses on authenticity’’

Yiannis Kosmas has always been an unusual dreamer. A visionary, he soon entered the management field and, by force of fate, opened his eyes and mind to the opportunities that tourism offers.

This entrepreneur was born in Greece, in the small coastal town of Koroni. When he set foot on Mozambican soil for the first time, in October 2021, the highlight of his agenda was the visit to Anantara-Bazaruto, one of the most prominent hotel establishments in the country and part of the Minor Hotels chain, of which Yiannis Kosmas was already part. “Honestly, from the photos, I never thought the place was real. I must say it looks even better than in the photos.”

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At the time, Yiannis Kosmas already had a long background of international travel and had many interesting facts in mind. But, above all, he wanted to delve deeper into the stories (not all positive) told about Mozambique around the world. “I can safely say that Mozambique is wonderful, full of warm and welcoming people and an incredibly beautiful country.”

These are wonders that, he believes, can help Mozambique position itself as a world-class tourist destination. “The beaches, the good food, the welcoming people, the warm climate, the safari experiences and the warm waters are factors that are difficult to combine in a single destination.” And Mozambique can do it.

Confident and firm in his actions, he decided to take on the responsibility of managing Anantara Bazaruto, certain that he would make the space an open window to show the world the tourism potential that the country presents. “I always wanted to work in Africa and when Minor – our holding company – offered me the opportunity to manage Anantara-Bazaruto, I decided to accept it. But we not only represent Anantara Bazaruto, but also Vilankulo, Inhambane and Mozambique.”

What makes Anantara Bazaruto unique is exactly the fact that we value the place where our busi- ness is, we value the culture, the people who build the brand.

Through Anantara Bazaruto, which is currently a brand that focuses on authenticity and local culture, Yiannis Kosmas took on the challenge of exposing the country to a wider network. The struggle is to expand the field of local tourist exposure, investing 100% in the resources that the environment offers. “It is an incredible destination in itself, with crystal clear waters full of marine life, but we offer a unique arrival experience; Anantara is a brand that focuses on authenticity and local culture.”

There are 50 Anantaras in the world and they are all part of the global network made up of more than 500 hotels and resorts in the Minor Hotels portfolio. This makes the display of the country and its power throughout the world unlimited. ‘‘You won’t find two Anantara hotels selling the same experience, even though we have the same brand promise. What makes Anantara Bazaruto unique is exactly the fact that we value the place where our business is, we value the culture, the people who build the brand.”

However, he points out, it is necessary to create and sustain a value chain around Mozambican tourism, to guarantee mobility and connectivity between destinations. “And connectivity is not just about airlines, but also about airports. It’s great to see LAM’s efforts to add more destinations and improve services”, he argues, but highlights that “we need more airlines to add Mozambique to their network, improve airport infrastructure and services and a possible reduction in airport fees.”

Edição 81 Out/Nov/ Dez| Download.