“Greece: All Time Classic” at ITB Berlin 2013

ITB Berlin opened its doors for 2013 today, Wednesday 6 March, with 10,086 exhibitors from 188 countries who are presenting their products and services on a display area covering 160,000 square meters.

Until 10 March, ITB Berlin will mirror the industry’s increasingly dynamic market trends and provide a representative overview of global travel products and attractive niche markets.

Greece: All Time Classic

On the Greek side, 48 Greek tourism enterprises and regions are participating in the Greek National Tourism Organization’s stand that is representing Greece this year under the slogan “Greece: All Time Classic.”

Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni is scheduled to visit the GNTO stand tomorrow, Thursday, 7 March, where she will meet with representatives of the Committee on Tourism of the German Bundestag.

The tourism minister is also scheduled to speak at an event-discussion entitled “Greece on the road to development. Tourism and Businesses: Challenges and Prospects” organized by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation and the GNTO.

Also attending the event will be the Minister of Rural Development and Food Athanasios Tsaftaris, the president of the Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises (SETE) Andreas Andreadis, board member of SETE Alexandros Angelopoulos and Greek businessman Pavlos Evmorfidis.

On Friday, 8 March, Mrs. Kefalogianni will meet with Germany’s federal deputy labor minister Hans-Joachim Fuchtel and discussions are to focus on Greek tourism investments and alternative forms of tourism. (It is reminded that Mr. Fuchtel has been appointed by Chancellor Angela Merkel as a special envoy to promote Greek-German cooperation on a local administration level).

The minister’s agenda at ITB also includes a series of meetings with the TUI’s CEO Friedrich Joussen, representatives of international tour operators and the foreign media.

ITB To Meet Greek Regions

In addition, on Friday, 8 March, the GNTO stand will  host a series of presentations of some of the country’s regions and islands (Santorini, Paros, Crete, Zakynthos, Skyros and more) to international tourism professionals and the media.

GTP will keep you updated on Greece’s presence at ITB!

ITB Berlin 2013 opening ceremony

Dr. Angela Merkel, German Federal Chancellor at the opening ceremony of ITB Berlin 2013.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel opened the ITB Berlin 2013 exhibition yesterday, 5 March.

Welcoming addresses were given by H.E. Dr. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, President of the Republic of Indonesia, Berlin’s Governing Mayor Klaus Wowereit and the Chief Executive Officer of Messe Berlin GmbH Raimund Hosch.

The evening’s 4,500 international guests enjoyed a brilliant multi-cultural introduction entitled “Indonesia, The World’s Heart of Wonders.”

Indonesia is ITB Berlin’s partner country this year.

Opening Ceremony of ITB Berlin 2013 with this year‘s partner country Republic of Indonesia.