The Institution of Tourism Excellence & the Award Procedures Days in the 7 Regions of Central Macedonia July 2022

Sep 6, 2022

In the context of the ‘Tourist Promotion of the Region of Central Macedonia’ (act) and the project entitled Development and Promotion of a Regional Quality Standard, the Region of Central Macedonia in collaboration with the sponsoring association IDS–IDEA, created the Quality & Local Responsibility Mark, in order to be used holistically in the Tourism Sector. The project is implemented within the Operational Programme of the Central Macedonia Region 2014-2020 and is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund of the European Union.

The association of IDS-IDEA companies contributes strategically to the promotion of tourist services in each of the seven regions of Central Macedonia.

In this context, from 11 to 14 July 2022, seven information days on the topic «THE INSTITUTION OF EXCELLENCE & THE AWARD PROCEDURES» are being organised in each of the seven regional units of the Region of Central Macedonia. During the days there will be a detailed presentation of the institution of Tourism Excellence as well as the Awarding procedures of the companies that will be distinguished.

This act is addressed to all categories of tourist businesses categorized into:

  • Accommodations
  • Food and beverage service
  • Transportation
  • Infrastructure
  • Tourism

More specifically, Tourism businesses have the opportunity to participate in the days of the Institution of Excellence and award procedures, once they start the process of obtaining the Responsibility & Local Quality Mark. Through this process they will be evaluated according to the required criteria and will be ranked in the gold tier, which will allow them to participate in the entire operation.

Read here the information letter of the Region of Central Macedonia for more information.

See here in detail the programme of the days per region.

  1. Mark of Quality & Local Responsibility
  2. The process of obtaining the Responsibility & Local Quality Mark
  3. Information Letter Excellence Region of Central Macedonia July 22
  4. EXCELLENT SCHEDULE JULY 2022

Dora is a Project Developer and she deals with the development of projects of National and European scope, from the stage of conception of an idea to its completion and evaluation.

(At) ids CONSULTING she specialises mainly in Erasmus+ and Interreg programmes, writing proposals for projects that promote mobility and Lifelong Learning and Training, focusing on language proficiency and the accessibility of digital and urban space.

With undergraduate studies in English Literature and History (AUTh) as well as postgraduate studies in New Technologies (UoWM) and English Didactics for Adults (University of Cambridge), Dora has a multifaceted portfolio. She has designed fast-paced English and IT Skills learning programmes for hundreds of young people in England, the Netherlands and Greece while she worked as a member of a research team at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in the diapolis programme (NSRF 2007-2013). Research and advisory work has also been produced for the SBE under the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (2014-2020), for the reintegration of 550 Young People not in Employment, Education, Training – NEET.

Efi Stergiou is a graduate of the Department of Agriculture at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki with a specialisation in Crop Production and since 2022 she is studying at the Hellenic Open University in the Postgraduate Programme with the title Master in Business Administration. She is fluent in English and French and has excellent computer skills. Regarding lifelong learning and training, she has been certified as an Administrative Support Executive and as a Digital Marketing Expert.

In 2021 she joined the human resources of ids CONSULTING, with main duties the administrative support and the implementation of co-funded projects.

Maria Papadopoulou is a graduate of the Department of Chemistry at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, with a master’s degree in Food Safety & European Food Law from the University of Wageninegn. She began her professional career in the field of policy formulation for the agri-food sector with emphasis on consumer rights and continued in the humanitarian sector where for 4 years she filled different positions (food security and at-risk livelihoods manager, asylum seekers support manager, psychosocial support team coordinator and as an executive in the procurement and supply chain department) in the context of implementing European programmes to support and accommodate asylum seekers in Greece.

Since 2020 she has been working as an expert in the management and implementation of European and co-funded projects for different institutions and objects (METROFOOD-RI, Regional Mechanism for the Diagnosis of Labour Market Needs in Central Macedonia.). Since the end of 2022, she has been working with ids CONSULTING to develop research proposals – mainly on agri-food and the environment – and to advise and support the company’s clients on project planning and management.

Sofia Baxevanou is a graduate of the Department of Economics at Democritus University of Thrace with a specialisation in Economic Analysis. She holds two master’s degrees, the first in International Business Activities (MIB) of the Department of Business Administration at University of Macedonia and the second in “Local and Regional Development and Local Government” with specialisation in Development and Planning, of the Department of Political Science and International Relations of the University of the Peloponnese. Her research activity focuses on the evaluation of internal audit based on international standards of professional internal audit application and on internal audit in public sector entities, the case of LRAs. She is fluent in English and German and holds a certification on computers.

In 2018 she joined the human resources of ids CONSULTING with main duties the administrative support and the implementation of co-funded projects. Finally, she is in charge of the Quality Assurance Department.

George Lefopoulos is a graduate of the Department of Mathematics of the School of Sciences at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, with postgraduate studies in “Information Systems” at the Hellenic Open University. He has 25 years of professional experience in the fields of Computer Network Management, Software Development and Information Systems Implementation. In addition, he has many years of teaching experience, as he has participated as a Lecturer in adult educational programmes, focusing on Informatics & New Technologies, Applications of Informatics in Financial Management, Network and Database Management, etc.

Today he holds the position of Director of the Department of Informatics and Technologies at IDEA training, while at the same time he is the Head of the Technical Support and Computerisation Department at ids CONSULTING.

Natasa graduated from the Department of Applied Informatics at University of Macedonia. Since 2014 to 2017 she held the position of Project Management & Secretarial Support at IDEA training and she was responsible for the preparation of Publicity and Information Material.

In June 2022 she obtained a certificate from the Specialisation Programme in Counselling and Guidance (PSCG) of the Department of the Higher School of Pedagogical & Technological Education (DHSPTE).

Since 2017 she is responsible and participates in the coordination, management and implementation of European and Greek State Projects. She is involved in the Organization of Vocational Training Programmes for the Unemployed and the Employed and has also been active in the field of Consulting Services to public bodies, on issues of Strategic and Operational Planning. Finally, she has collaborated as an external partner with ids CONSULTING for the creation of consulting tools and for the provision of consulting services on vocational training issues.

Alexandra has studied Mathematics at the School of Sciences at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. She is a mother of three children and a member of voluntary organisations that provide food to vulnerable social groups.

As a founding member of ids CONSULTING she participates in the design of co-funded projects. As Senior Project Manager she coordinates and supports large project teams and oversees the Technical Proposals in terms of budget preparation and evaluation. Her duties also include the development of the company’s internationalisation and extroversion strategy.

Through her work, Alexandra promotes actions for Gender Equality in the workplace, Inclusion and the promotion of women in leadership positions.

Ioannis Savvoulidis works as a financial consultant for the I.D.S. Consulting and IDEA Training group of companies. He graduated from the Economics Department of the University of Macedonia and specialises in the preparation of Financial Statements and Budgets, essential tools for the determination of the financial plans of companies.

He is responsible for the development of all programmes related to the human resources of companies, as he is constantly updated on changes in labor and tax legislation.

He was General Manager of Financial Services in a large structure in the health care industry in Thessaloniki, Greece, for 26 consecutive years. In the same industry, he was for 21 years in charge of Human Resources Management and facilitator for the implementation of programme by the public sector.

More generally, his experience has been related to financial, accounting and Human Resources management in several companies in parallel for the last 25 years.

Kiki Keseoglou is a graduate of the Department of Accounting of the School of Management and Economics at Technological Educational Institute of Serres. She has 15 years of professional experience in the financial management of projects and training programmes.

From 2007 until today she holds the position of Assistant Accountant and Financial Manager in IDEA training while maintaining a permanent cooperation with ids CONSULTING. Since the beginning of 2013 she holds the position of Manager for the TopSA project of the DP. “Thessaloniki Intelligent City NGO”.

Nikos Thomaidis is a graduate of the Department of Economics at University of Macedonia, with a postgraduate specialisation in Crisis Management Strategies in a National and International Environment of the postgraduate programme “Environmental, Disaster and Crisis Management Strategies” of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.

Since 2009 he has held management positions in companies of the private sector, while in recent years he has supported civil society bodies in the management and implementation of projects in the context of the implementation of European, Co-financed and National programmes from the position of Financial Manager and from the position of Action Implementer. In addition, he has supported the design, development of programmes and funding proposals to international and national funding bodies, charitable foundations and managing authorities.

In 2020 he joined the human resources of ids CONSULTING with main duties the coordination and management of co-financed projects while at the same time cooperating with civil society bodies through the provision of consulting services on Planning and Management issues at the stages of the Project Management Cycle.

Spyros Ignatiadis works as the Director of Strategy & Development of the ids CONSULTING & IDEA training group of companies. Before that, his career included a series of positions of responsibility in the fields of management, business development and internationalisation of businesses. Specifically, he previously held the position of General Manager of the Exporters’ Association – SEVE while the positions of responsibility he held include the companies Organic Electronics Technologies (OET), as Director of Business Development & Marketing, at the same time he collaborated as head of Technology Transfer and Promotion of Research Results of the Nanotechnology Laboratory of AUTh, as well as Development Consultant of the Hellenic Association of Organic Printed Electronics. Greece – HOPE-A / Hellenic Organic & Printed Electronics Association.

While for fifteen years he held the position of General Manager of the Association of Information Technology Companies of Northern Greece-SEPVE (Thessaloniki) during the period of his work at SEPVE, he effectively helped for the development and consolidation of the association as well as for its international networking through the participation and organisation of important European Programmes. He also served for a period of six years as a Marketing & Public Relations executive at the Greek software company “Singular”.

His experience is based on a number of companies in matters of strategic development, internationalisation and extroversion of businesses and organisations, in areas such as international marketing of the Digital Economy, ICT-Information & Communication Technologies, Supply Chain Science – Logistics, Marketing – Communication & Public Relations.

Charalambos Apostolopoulos is a graduate of the Department of Business Administration at University of Macedonia, with postgraduate studies in Economics and Business Law of the Hellenic Open University (LLM) and the University of Nicosia.He has 35 years of professional experience, initially as a management & human resources management consultant and then as a consultant on Strategic & Operational Planning, Development Programmes and Funding from the Structural Funds of the European Union. He has been the head or member of research teams in the field of economics, gaining deeper experience in the preparation of Economic and Technical and Socio-Economic Studies. He collaborated with scientific bodies and was active in the implementation & management of Research Programmes.
Since 1991 he has been continuously involved in Vocational Training issues, as he has been responsible for a number of vocational training programmes, while he has participated as a Rapporteur in adult educational programmes and in the rapid training of teaching staff of the Vocational Training Centres with which he collaborated. Today, he is a Manager and founding member of ids CONSULTING, while at the same time he holds the position of Training Director at the Lifelong Learning Centre DIAVLOS

Leonidas Fakas is a graduate of the Department of Economics at University of Macedonia. He has 30 years of professional experience in the fields of Management & Project Management, Strategic Planning, Development Policy, Human Resources Development, Business Communication, Market Research.

He has participated as a coordinator or member of project teams in a number of Projects & Studies of socio-economic direction, Design of Strategies & Operational Programmes, implementation of Development Programmes for public bodies. Leonidas has participated in the design, implementation and evaluation of a large number of co-financed projects, both at the level of integrated programmes and at the level of sectoral interventions in the following areas: Urban Development & Governance, Social Policy & Employment, Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development Policies, Digital Economy, Tourism Development, providing specialised scientific & consulting services to public and private sector bodies.

Since 1991 he has been active in the field of Continuing Vocational Training & Lifelong Learning. In the period 2001-2007 he was a member of the Central Administration Body of the Economic Chamber of Greece while from 1999 to 2008 he was a member of the executive secretariat of the Board of Directors, Vice President & President of the Hellenic Association of Vocational Training Centres. Since 2003 and for 7 years he has maintained a permanent cooperation with ids CONSULTING as a Management Consultant, while since 2011 he now holds the position of Manager and Legal Representative of the aforementioned company. At the same time, since 1995 he holds the position of CEO of the Vocational Training Centre IDEA training.