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A&O has expanded its international sales team with three appointments, in a move that will strengthen its strategic focus on the French, British, and Scandinavian markets.
Adrien Colpaert will be based in Brussels, while David Kupsky, and Christos Praftsas will operate from A&O’s locations in London and Copenhagen, respectively.
Colpaert, who will be sales manager for France, holds a bachelor’s degree in Hotel Management from La Haute École de Namur and brings extensive experience in both event and hotel management, including roles in Spain, Australia, and Germany.
Kupsky, originally from the Czech Republic, has lived in the UK for the past ten years. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from the University of Portsmouth and has gained broad experience across the hospitality sector in a variety of roles.
Finally Praftsas, from Athens, holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Roskilde University. He has gained marketing and sales experience across several international companies.
Phillip Winter, chief marketing officer at A&O, said: “We have been able to attract young, dynamic experts who, in addition to their studies, have extensive practical experience and are themselves enthusiastic travellers – this perspective is extremely valuable with regard to our core guest groups.”
The move comes as A&O Hostels has reported a “significant” growth trajectory in the UK since 2021, opening new locations in Edinburgh (2021), Brighton (2024), London (2025), and Manchester (2026).
Winter said: “We expect a strong year in 2026, with up to 600,000 overnight stays across our UK properties, reaching an average occupancy rate of around 75 percent. In Copenhagen, we anticipate occupancy of approximately 80 percent, with around 328,000 overnight stays.”
