SPONSORED FEATURE
A Nordic Welcome
Marco Wendicke is the Commercial Director of Nordic Hotels in Denmark
Marco, what is your background and what is your role in Nordic Hotels?
I think I have almost been working in all possible departments in a hotel, I started in F&B (food and beverage) and moved to various departments like front of house, conference, sales, and later became Director of Sales at the opening of Villa Copenhagen before I was honoured with the position of Commercial Director in Denmark.
How many hotels are there in the Nordic Hotels group?
Nordic Hotels & Resorts has 39 hotels and over 200 hotels if we include our sister chain Nordic Choice Hotels.
What can Nordic Hotels & Resorts offer the LGBTI+ traveller which other hotels cannot?
For our founder, Petter A. Stordalen, Pride is one of the most important events of the year. For him, it goes without saying that the company should support Pride and the LGBTI+ community.
For us, diversity means a better culture, he says. Petter A. Stordalen has always seen the benefits of an inclusive environment. I have filled my house, my office and my hotels with gays, lesbians and all the children of the rainbow. Tolerance creates security, security provides openness. An open space to be different. We see that a colourful workplace creates colourful solutions. Stordalen explains why these values are so important to highlight and celebrate.
Nordic Choice Hotels supports this cause because we want to tell the world that our door is always open, no matter who you love or how you identify yourself. We raise our voices for equality, tolerance and that all people are equally valuable. It does not matter if your name is Ali or Ole, Kari or Per, is a dog or cat person, gay, straight, bi or trans, refugee or disabled – there is room for you at Nordic Choice Hotels.
What is the best thing about Villa Copenhagen?
Just as Petter Stordalen describes it above, the best thing about Villa is its inclusive nature. Villa is open for all in the sense that we have an open door policy, so you don’t have to look a certain way, dress a certain way or love a certain way to stay, work or dine here.
Sum up Nordic Hotels in three words.
Inclusive, happy and courageous.
