My name is Manolis Nikolakakis, and I have been working at the University of Crete for over 25 years. I started as a volunteer in numerous Non-Governmental Organizations focused on environmental protection, such as the Society for the Protection of the Mediterranean Monk Seal, the Sea Turtle Protection Society, the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Aegina, etc. From 1995, my final year as a student, I worked at the Natural History Museum of Crete at the University of Crete, initially as a volunteer and later under contract until early 2021. One of my responsibilities at the Museum ended up being website development and management.

From 2021 to 2024, I worked at the Information and Communication Technologies Infrastructure and Services Center and then at the Public Relations Department of the University of Crete. My primary focus was website development and organizing a photo and video repository for the institution’s promotional needs.

I am self-taught in everything computer-related and work with various related fields, including databases, cartography, photogrammetry, website development, virtual tours, photo and video editing, AI image and video generation, etc.

From 2014, I also started developing my photography and editing skills as a hobby, mainly focusing on photographic panoramas to create small virtual tours, primarily of outdoor spaces. Now, I’ve dabbled in many photography subjects, including portraits, social event photography, architecture, street photography, etc.

Since 2018, I have been a small drone operator, mainly for photography but recently also for videography. I hold an A1 category license and have hundreds of flight hours in various environments, mostly outside urban areas. Since 2022, I have also gained some experience in FPV drone flying.

Since May 2024, I’ve been developing Geotour (https://www.geotour.gr/about-geotour/), a web portal that aims to showcase a wealth of information through a virtual tour experience, helping you immerse yourself in the Cretan terrain and virtually navigate charming villages and breathtaking natural wonders. This feature will also serve as an interactive way to explore our curated selection of listings.