First International Tourism Exhibit for Athens

Anna Kogiou and Giorgos Karachristos of MACT S.A. fielding questions at last month’s press conference.

The capital city’s first International Tourism Salon (ITS) – Athens 2006, will be held November 30 through December 3 at the Piraeus Port Authority Center (OLP) announced Giorgos Karachristos, president and managing director of MACT S.A., the event organizer.

Mr. Karachristos described the upcoming exhibit as an important step for promoting both the Greek and Cypriot tourism product internationally. “ITS will serve as a meeting point for Greek and international tourism professionals through the invitation of selected international buyers and businesses,” he said. Special rooms for business meetings will be available to exhibitors.

“To date 400 tour operators of the 6,000 contacted have already agreed to participate,” said Mr. Karachristos. “Forty countries will be represented and we have strong support from the local embassies,” he added.

The exhibit’s organizing themes will showcase the new forms of tourism available in Greece. Themes will include tourism for all seasons, winter tourism, alternative forms of tourism, agro-tourism, outbound tourism and conference tourism.

The exhibit also will serve to inform the public about international destinations from leading international tour operators and tourism businesses.

Mr. Karachristos pointed out that ITS-Athens is supported by the largest Greek tourism organizations, and will be held under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism Development and the National Tourism Organization. The exhibit is also supported by the Municipality of Athens and by special agreement with the Cyprus Organization for Tourism.

In mid-May, all the event and media sponsors will be announced.