Alex Papasimakopoulou and her partner Stephen Fleming are the people behind travel agency Everymatic, which specialises in bespoke holidays in Greece, for all kinds of budget and taste.
“Visitors are voting with their feet, they’re not forgetting Greece and if anything are coming in the millions and looking for different propositions, not just the mass tourism options of years gone by.”
Coming from the music industry and having travelled extensively for their work, they found they both had Greece in their hearts more than any other place in the world.
While everything seemed to be crumbling down around them, they went against all odds and financial hurdles, taking the risk to stay in Greece and start over, redesigning their future and working on something inspiring. They loved travelling, taking photos and exploring the hidden beauties of Greece to the point of madness, therefore were proactively able to channel that into a job; a company that treats all clients as friends and creates unique experiences without the 5-star budget that is usually associated with such services.
“It was a risk that paid off,” Alex Papasimakopoulou tells Neos Kosmos.
NS (Nelly Skoufatoglou): How has the landscape of the bespoke travel industry changed in Greece in the midst of a Grexit and the crisis, during the time you have been around?
AP (Alex Papasimakopoulou): We have found that businesses like ours or those opened by similarly minded entrepreneurs – offering bespoke walking tours, funky pads in Athens’ city centre to name but a few – are flourishing in the crisis. Visitors are voting with their feet, they’re not forgetting Greece and if anything are coming in the millions and looking for different propositions, not just the mass tourism options of years gone by.
NS: Are the majority of people accessing your service Greek locals or from abroad?
AP: The majority are definitely from abroad, although they all seem to share a real love for Greece. It’s been harder for locals recently, due to the ongoing economic crisis.
NS: Why did you choose the term Everymatic?
AP: We can’t take credit for that, it was my brother’s idea. It stems from the Greek word ‘ευρηματικος’ as we aim to deal with every issue that comes up in a resourceful and creative way.
NS: What sort of bespoke travel holiday do you offer exactly?
AP: The client can expect a service 100 per cent tailor made to their needs. We listen to who is travelling (a group of friends, a couple, a family), what they enjoy doing whether at home or on holiday, their preferred budget, if it’s a special event like a homecoming, a birthday, etc. What makes us special is our local knowledge, our extensive contacts book and our background, which means that we happily veer off the beaten track to provide a one-of-a-kind experience.
NS: Do you ‘try’ everything beforehand yourselves? Describe your own personal travel style.
AP: Between the two company directors and our various colleagues, we don’t recommend anything without one of us having seen it first hand. It’s important to us that we treat our clients like family so we want the people we work with (hotels, restaurants etc) to have the same ethos we do. As for our travel style, I’d say we are hotel freaks. We love staying in hotels, so when we travel ourselves, we spend a lot of time researching them. Food definitely plays a big part in our holidays. Whether it’s a small Greek island or NYC, finding out the best places to eat is high on our agenda.
NS: Which of the experiences you offer is your favourite and why?
AP: We definitely have places in Greece that we have a soft spot for, mainly because of the people. Crete would be the prime example of that. We are discovering new places all the time though, especially on the mainland, as we want to show all parts of the country, not just the postcard white-washed island type. Not that there is anything wrong with that!
NS: Is your target market financially upscale clients/middle class? Do you think the cost is discouraging for the majority of the working class?
AP: No, not at all. We cater for all types of holidays and budgets, from ultimate 5-star to spartan and remote. We listen to our potential clients and their available budget is one of our first questions so we can offer them something they can afford.
NS: Given that the summer season is fast approaching (and not counting your current packages), where’s a good holiday destination beyond the usual hotspots in Greece?
AP: There is so much to choose from and we don’t want to give too much away. For a quick escape from Athens, islands like Kea and Hydra are a great choice. The south eastern part of Crete is real gem too. Just getting in a car and exploring is our real advice, whether it’s northern Greece or the Peloponnese. You can be on the beach one minute and in the middle of wonderful ancient ruins the next.
NS: Although we are all aware of certain parts of Greece being in the limelight, your photos depict another side of Greece, places most likely unknown to the masses … why have you chosen to highlight this side of Greece?
AP: It’s simple really. It’s the Greece that we love and the one we want to support. The places where you’re not treated as a number but a friend. Places where the accommodation is great but not extortionate, where the food is great and where you can actually find a beach with nothing but the waves for company.
NS: Most Greek Australians and Australians spend very little time in Athens – it’s mostly some kind of springboard for island hopping. Is there anything they might be missing?
AP: Athens is a great city. Full of history, ancient and modern, with great restaurants and bars and above all, amazing people. People who are weathering the crisis and opening interesting businesses making clothes, leather goods, promoting artisan products from all over the country etc. A lot of visitors also forget the amazing coastline just outside Athens. The temple at Sounio is one of our favourite places in the world.
NS: What sets Greece apart as a holiday destination?
AP: Despite what’s been going on here in recent years, people are still warm, supportive of each other and are finding a new creative streak in themselves that we hope will be the little spark the leads the younger generations out of the crisis. After all our years in the music business in the UK, we have to say that we have never come across the creative talent we have seen here. From photographers to graphic designers to jewellery makers and everything in between. It’s a cliché but it’s the people that make Greece.
For more information visit their website here: www.everymatic.com and join them on facebook for news and and many amazing photos from Greece here: www.facebook.com/everymatic