Philoxenia 2015 Wrap Up – Photo Report by the Greek Travel Pages (GTP)

Philoxenia-Hotelia 2015, opening ceremony – Alternate Tourism Minister Elena Kountoura.

Among the largest sector events in Greece, the Philoxenia – Hotelia – Polis fairs this year jointly held on November 12-15 in Thessaloniki, won over the crowds, reporting a 17 percent increase in participation for 2015 with the number of foreign buyers up by 39 percent for Philoxenia and 78 percent for Ηotelia, according to organizers TIF-Helexpo.

31st Philoxenia

At Philoxenia, a total of 107 hosted buyers from 32 countries made more than 3,000 scheduled B2B appointments with exhibitors to discuss tourism-related issues and pave the way for future collaborations.

Greece’s leading tourism exhibition welcomed 351 exhibitors — against 232 in 2014 — from Serbia, Turkey, Bulgaria, Tunisia, Egypt, Albania, the Philippines, Azerbaijan, Armenia, FYROM, Indonesia, Cyprus, Czech Republic and Slovakia). The Hotelia exhibition welcomed 157 exhibitors compared to 141 last year.

Highlights

Philoxenia 2015 – “Destination Thessaloniki” conference.

Hotelia 2015 – DPOINT Hotel Village.

The Philoxenia trade show, which serves as a podium of exchange and a channel of communication for Greek tourism professionals, featured a series of parallel events including the “Destination Thessaloniki” conference.

Key attraction of this year’s Hotelia once again was the DPOINT Hotel Village. At the same time, “Τhe Art of Drinking Coffee & Spirit” of the Polis show proved to be a success drawing in the crowds with its secrets on creating the finest and most innovative coffees, cocktails and drinks.

Philoxenia 2015 - “Destination Thessaloniki” conference.

Hotelia 2015 - DPOINT Hotel Village.

Polis 2015 - The art of Drinking Coffee & Spirit.

Parallel events

Philoxenia 2015 – 25th HATTA Awards.

Philoxenia 2015 – Mouzenidis Group event.

Parallel events held during this year’s Philoxenia included the annual awarding of the best travel agency brochures and websites by the Hellenic Association of Travel and Tourist Agencies (HATTA); the Hellenic Hotel Federation’s annual council of hotel associations and a presentation by Mouzenidis Group.

Philoxenia 2015 – Hellenic Hotel Federation’s council of hotel associations.

Exhibitors @ Philoxenia 2015

Greek Travel Pages (GTP)

Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO)

Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE)

Domotel Hotels

Qatar Airways

Anatolia Hotels

Meli Tours

Mouzenidis Group

Deltagroup

Deltagroup - Rent a car

Capsis

Grand Hotel Palace

Bulgaria

Turkey

Turkey

Greek destinations @ Philoxenia 2015

Skiathos

Region of Peloponnese

Corfu

Volos-Pelion

Halkidiki - gastronomy

Region of South Aegean

Zakynthos

Milos @ Region of South Aegean

Epirus

Region of Eastern Macedonia Thrace

Region of Eastern Macedonia Thrace

Monemvasia

Lemnos

Thessaloniki

Halkidiki

Delphi

Moments @ Philoxenia 2015

Philoxenia 2015 – Alternate Tourism Minister Elena Kountoura and Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE) President Andreas Andreadis met up at the 25th HATTA Awards.

GTP's publisher Maria Theofanopoulou with the team from Greek passenger transport company Maroulis Travel.

Maria Athanassopoulou and Chrissa Krassa of Respond On Demand (Hospitality Consultants and Event Organizer).

Gerasimos Zacharatos, Deputy Secretary General of the Tourism Ministry (left).

Dimitris Tryfonopoulos, Secretary General of the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO).

GTP's Sales & Advertising manager Charis Brousalian (right) with Hellenic Chamber of Hotels Vice President Kostas Leventis (center) and Kalambaka hoteliers Mr Alexiou (Alexiou Hotel) and Nikos Famissis (Famissis Hotel).

Giorgos Zafeiris, President of the Hotel Owners Association of Magnesia and GTP's Sales & Advertising Manager Charis Brousalian.

Fani Flerianou-Demertzi, Sales & Marketing Coordinator at Gold Star Aviation with GTP's Manolis Mathioudakis (Sales & Advertising).

Frini Alexiou (Hellenic Association of Travel & Tourist Agencies-HATTA), Dora Sgartsou (Hellenic Association of Professional Congress Organizers-HAPCO), Maria Alinfragi (Signature Travel), Vasiliki Skagia (Dayrise Holidays) and Maria Theofanopoulou (Greek Travel Pages-GTP).

George Maroutsos, President Greek Union of Air Travel Agencies and Katerina Mousbeh, Owner and Managing Director of Mideast Travel.

Andreas Andreadis (Greek Tourism Confederation-SETE), Yiannis Boutaris (Thessaloniki Mayor), Ioannis Yiorgos (Region of Halkidiki), Spyros Pengas (Municipality of Thessaloniki) and Grigoris Tassios (Halkidiki Tourism Organization).

Dimitris Pollalis, President of Laconia Hotel Association.

The "paparazzi" of Philoxenia.

Organizers are already planning next year’s event, set to take place on November 17-20, 2016, traditionally at the TIF-Helexpo center in the northern port city of Thessaloniki.

The joint fairs were held under the auspices of the Interior and Administrative Reconstruction Ministry, the Greek National Tourism Organization, the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE), the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels, the Hellenic Association of Travel & Tourist Agencies (HATTA) and the Hellenic Association of Professional Congress Organizers.

The Greek Travel Pages (GTP) was a communication sponsor for Philoxenia.