Greek Helicotouring: the Journey starts the moment of lift-off

What’s your earliest memory of the Greek islands – and how has that shaped your vision for hoper?
I remember the first time I set foot in the Cyclades on a high school trip to Syros and Mykonos. After an overnight ferry ride, we woke up to the view of the rugged land and the whitewashed houses, setting foot on a completely different rhythm. That carefree feeling is what I hold dear to my heart when I think back to those days.

This is the feeling we’re trying to emanate through hoper’s helicopter service to the Greek Islands: the comfort, the access, the experience. In an effort to remove all of the hassle behind travel in and around the Greek Islands, we’re making helicopter flights more accessible.

How does being a Greek entrepreneur influence the way you approach travel, hospitality, and innovation?
A lot. I came back to Greece in 2010 after a stint of 10 years in the UK, Singapore and France, at a time when the country was on the verge of collapsing. Travel was one of the few industries that boomed during the following 8–10 challenging years. Opening up to the growing inflow of travellers in Greece and trying to elevate the country’s offering through small entrepreneurial ventures of mine was a way to learn and grow.

And there’s no good business in travel without hospitality and innovation. On the latter a lot can be done through technology nowadays. But at the core of what hospitality is about, lies customer experience. Attentively listening to customers and thinking one step ahead.

In your opinion, what makes helicopter travel in Greece not just faster, but more meaningful?
It’s about freedom, not just speed. With hoper, you can reach 14 islands from Athens or hop around islands on more than 40 routes, even to lesser-known gems. That kind of access changes how you experience the Aegean.

The Cyclades are wildly diverse – which island speaks to you the most, and why?
Kimolos. Crystalline waters, delicious food and small at scale. Largely unexplored albeit getting busy during August.

You talk about ‘reclaiming your time’ – what does that actually look like in a Greek summer?
It’s turning a 6-hour ferry into a 45-minute flight – and gaining a full day of sun, food, and freedom.

hoper opens up the lesser-known islands too – what’s one underrated destination you think deserves the spotlight?
Patmos. Located in the Dodecanese, Patmos is a very remote island with very difficult access. This has almost served as a filter for what crowd it attracts. Small at scale, the island is full of different types of beaches, a beautiful Chora (main town) up on a hill and a very hip crowd.

What do you love most about your role – is it the tech, the travel, or the storytelling?
All of it. I’m a generalist at heart. But ultimately it boils down to people. The people that you work with and our customers.

You’re reimagining how people move across the Aegean – what’s been the biggest challenge so far?
Innovation. The aviation space here moves slowly. Building a modern heliport network across the islands takes time – but we’re doing it, step by step, investing and working with local authorities and the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority. Our goal is to make heliports passenger friendly and to ensure high standards of service.

For travellers new to the Greek islands, how do you recommend they use hoper to experience the real Greece?
Go off the beaten path – reach Patmos, Folegandros, Antiparos in less than 60 minutes on what otherwise would have been a long or complex trip. Or try a day hop between nearby islands, like Mykonos to Sifnos or Santorini to AnafiWith tickets starting from €89! Some routes even run twice daily for quick escapes.

Looking ahead, what excites you most about the future of Greek travel?
Hopefully soon enough, one would be able to travel from afar to Athens and then to Patmos (or any other remote island in Greece) through a combination of flights (airplane and helicopter) all purchased in one go! That's where we're headed.

Forget ferry schedules. hoper, founded by Demitris Memos, Costas Gerardos and George Papaioannidis, is Greece’s answer to fast, flexible, Aegean travel. With sleek Robinson choppers and heli-bases in Athens, Mykonos and Santorini, they’ve carved out a new kind of island freedom – one that’s sustainable, spontaneous and solidly cool.

As Dimitris puts it, “the journey starts the moment of lift-off!”
Less transit. More tavernas. More beach time. More sunsets.
Let’s fly.