39th Philoxenia-Hotelia Exhibition Opens with 10% Growth in Foreign Participation

The 39th Philoxenia-Hotelia International Tourism and Hotel Equipment Exhibition opens its doors on Thursday, November 14, showcasing a 10 percent increase in both exhibition space for foreign exhibitors and direct foreign participation, according to event organizers TIF-HELEXPO.

Held at the Thessaloniki International Exhibition Centre, this year’s exhibition will feature 342 exhibitors from Greece and 24 countries, covering 12,000 square meters across four exhibition halls. The honored destination for this year’s event is the Municipality of Didymoteicho.

“Philoxenia-Hotelia is an eminently extroverted exhibition, embodying the international quality that such an event should have,” said TIF-HELEXPO President, Tasos Tzikas, during a recent press conference.

International Participation & Business Meetings

This year, foreign participation includes representatives from Armenia, Luxembourg, Indonesia, the Philippines, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Poland, Portugal, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Kosovo, Egypt, the UK, Albania, Italy, Morocco, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Moldova, Cuba, and several Indian Ocean countries. A total of 22 companies from the Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, and the Seychelles will also participate.

The event will host over 140 foreign hosted buyers from 36 countries, along with two business delegations from Northern Macedonia and Bulgaria, totaling approximately 80 participants. Throughout the three-day exhibition, organizers expect around 4,000 scheduled business meetings.

Cultural Focus & Special Programs

This year’s exhibition emphasizes the intersection of tourism and culture, with the Organization for the Management and Development of Cultural Resources (ODAP) participating for the first time. The expo will feature a conference titled “Experience. Culture. Everywhere. – Connecting the Dots” on Friday, November 15, at stand number 14. ODAP will also present “Hellenic Heritage”.

Parallel Events & Cultural Highlights

Philoxenia-Hotelia also hosts various parallel events, including:

• A photography competition and exhibition focused on the theme of Philoxenia and Culture, organized by the Greek Instagramers Events Social Media & Culture Community.
• A session on “Architectural Stories” organized by the Inn Hotel and Architecture group, taking place on Saturday, November 16, at stand number 12.
• The “Thessaloniki Living Experience” initiative, introducing 9 local hotels, offering visitors a chance to experience the city, even without staying overnight.
• A special concert marking 50 years since the restoration of democracy in Greece and the invasion of Cyprus, featuring the Children’s and Youth Orchestra of the Mikis Theodorakis Conservatory of the municipality of Ambelokipi-Menemenis.

Additionally, the Thessaloniki #JobFestival 2024, organized by skywalker.gr, will be held at the “I. Vellidis” Conference Center on November 15-16, open to the public.

Visitor Information & Opening Hours

Philoxenia-Hotelia will be open to professionals and buyers on November 14, with public access on November 15-16. Visitors will also have a chance to win various prizes, including trips, hotel stays, and more, donated by tourism and hotel businesses.

– Thursday, November 14: Open from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM (for professionals).
– Friday and Saturday, November 15-16: Open from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM (for the public).

The Philoxenia-Hotelia exhibition is a Zero Waste Expo, emphasizing sustainability throughout the event.

The Greek Travel Pages (GTP)  is a media sponsor of the Philoxenia 2024 exhibition.