Victor Dimitrov:

"Money needs to be earned and then cheerfully spent"

by Elena Zhmaeva
It is rather simple to be successful in the modern world that can crush everyone by the scope of competition in case of the slightest mistake. You just need to speak 5-6 languages, be quick-minded, have well-developed intuition, keep up with the latest market trends and work for 12 hour a day. Sounds not funny? Maybe. But some people consider such a living position to be the only one possible. And only such people become the winners after all. Viktor Dimitrov, the ideal self-made man, regional sales and marketing director of ‘SANI S.A.’ Russian and East-European division, answered our questions about the tough path to success and proper way of enjoying it.

-You are a Bulgarian, who promotes a Greek product in the Russian market, you have worked in Greece and now you live in Moscow. How do you succeed in balancing between such different minds I wonder?

— That makes many people surprised but I feel absolutely at ease. I adore Moscow. My Bulgarian origins only help me as we have the same Slavic roots with Russia and as a result our minds are similar. I must say that Greeks are a bit different. In business aspect Bulgarians and Russians are more money-oriented as compared to Greeks. Greek business is mostly developed by a number of big families, they possess the most of it, being extremely reluctant to let businessmen from other countries ready to take a certain niche enter. Greeks feel great to have as much rest as they can, being opposed to the Slavic who are ready to work from dawn to dusk. Greek life is arranged in a completely different way.

- What kind of business mostly flourishes in Greece? Is it tourism?

- It’s only natural that tourism in Greece is on top, but it doesn’t take the first place. The major in this country is shipbuilding, as well as the world’s biggest quote of transport ships belongs to Greece. Greeks have always built a great number of trade ships. These were the Greek ships that provided the transport connection between Africa and Europe during all the wars: they transported people, gas, oil, provisions. Then comes agriculture: Greece is the leading producer of cotton and olives. And only then comes tourism.

-Operating as a Marketing Director in Sani Resort company you have managed to raise up the percentage of the tourists from Russia and Eastern Europe from 3% to 32% within the period of 2 years. Sani Resort Hotels are hotels de lux though. How could you shift the overall stereotype that the Russian tourist comes to Greece to get fur coats?

— Well, to start with I can’t understand how people could go to Greece for fur coats only! This market is developed only in the North of the country, moreover it makes only a small part of Greek business as such. Believe me, Greece has something else to offer but a crazy fur-shopping. It comprises wonderful sea, beautiful beaches and magic nature. This is the perfect place for de lux kind of holidays. Few people are aware of the fact but there are more A1 class hotels in Greece than in the whole of Europe. This is the pillar for Greece to base its future on. I mean that it’s totally wrong to associate Greece with fur-shopping.

There was a moment when Greeks realized that Russian women needed fur coats in terms of the Russian climate. So fur coats became the issue that could attract Russian tourists at that very period. So that was the initial stage of aggressive Russian market penetration by Greeks. I will never forget these free of charge tours that companies sold at the condition that a tourist would buy a fur coat at Euro 3000. Thanks God it’s all over, this is really fatal for any understanding of the right and comfort holidays.