Greece Joins IAPCO in ‘Unlocking Excellence’ for the Meetings and Events Industry

Photo source: HAPCO & DES

Greece’s conference organizers are backing a new campaign announced by the International Association of Professional Congress Organizers (IAPCO) that aims to showcase the high-quality services provided by its members.

Entitled “Unlocking Excellence”, IAPCO’s campaign seeks to promote the significant contributions of conferences and other events to national economies and sustainable development.

According to IAPCO CEO Martin Boyle, the initiative aims to highlight the stringent standards that professional congress organizer (PCO) members must adhere to, emphasizing the importance of service quality in the international meetings and events sector.

Greek PCOs support the initiative

The Hellenic Association of Professional Congress Organizers and Destination Events Specialists (HAPCO & DES) is actively supporting this initiative as a member of the IAPCO Global Task Force of National PCO Associations, while also promoting Greece as a premier conference destination.

President of HAPCO & DES Sissi Lygnou.

“Our support for IAPCO’s ‘Unlocking Excellence’ campaign reflects HAPCO & DES’s commitment to showcasing the efforts of the international community and the strategy of the international organization,” said HAPCO & DES President Sissi Lygnou in an announcement.

Lygnou further noted that HAPCO & DES plays an essential role in the ongoing professional development of the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) sector through its collaboration with IAPCO and adherence to the strict standards it establishes.

“This way we contribute to strengthening Greece’s position on the global conference events map,” she added.

It is important to note that IAPCO is the only accreditation body for professional congress organizers.

IAPCO’s 91 member associations, operating in 180 PCO offices worldwide, along with 17,657 conference and event professionals across 45 countries, organized more than 33,403 meetings, conferences, and other events in 2022-2023, generating a total direct and indirect turnover of 27.7 billion euros.

Additionally, for the period from 2025 to 2027, IAPCO has already confirmed 6,912 conferences and events, with another 4,050 in the pipeline.