Greek Meetings Alliance Teams Up with IFES to Boost MICE Activities

Photo source: Greek Meetings Alliance (GMA)

As part of efforts to bring major events and more training opportunities to Greece and to create new synergies, the Greek Meetings Alliance (GMA) announced that it had entered a strategic partnership with the International Federation of Exhibition and Event Services (IFES).

The news was announced during the 38th Philoxenia International Tourism Exhibition in Thessaloniki last week. The aim of the partnership, which will include jointly carrying out research projects, exchanging white papers, and other related initiatives, is to enrich educational content and upgrade skills training for the meetings and events industry in Greece and abroad.

Under the agreement, IFES and GMA will be co-hosting the IFES Masterclasses Europe in Athens next fall. The event is aimed at promoting synergies in the MICE industry and giving international players an opportunity to connect with leading Greek industries.

Additionally, the two bodies agreed to share a platform at leading events including the IFES World Summit 2024 and the GMA Annual Meetings, as well as co-organize educational workshops at global events such as IMEX Frankfurt 2024.

Photo source: Greek Meetings Alliance (GMA)

“This strategic partnership represents a significant step forward for the MICE industry and highlights one of the core goals of our synergy: building international connections,” said Hellenic Association of Professional Congress Organizers & Destinations Events Specialists (HAPCO & DES) President Sissi Lygnou.

She went on to add that the partnership will bring many opportunities, as help “create a single voice for our industry, promote sustainability, enhance education, and share best practices that benefit all our members and partners”.

“The ongoing success and growth of the Greek meetings and events industry depends on collaborations between like-minded organizations and different stakeholders more than ever before. As one of the founding members of the Greek Meetings Alliance, the City of Athens is helping to set the agenda for an industry that has experienced tremendous growth, achieved a very high level of international visibility, and is building the capacity to lead the tourism industry toward sustainability, accessibility, and inclusivity,” said City of Athens Development and Destination Management Agency CEO Epameinondas Mousios.

Lastly, IFES Executive Director Uta Goretsky said the aim of the partnership is to raise awareness of the exhibition and events industry. “We believe in the strength of collaboration and sharing knowledge and are looking forward to what this partnership will bring and how it will help us to create a bigger impact. From advancing sustainability and attracting our next-generation workforce to making pan-European commerce and travel more seamless, the challenges facing the business events industry are global in nature and will require global solutions,” she added.

A national coalition of MICE industry professionals, the GMA consists of the City of Athens & This is Athens Convention and Visitors Bureau, HAPCO & DES and the Thessaloniki Convention Bureau (TCB).