MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions)

The Hellenic Association of Professional Congress Organizers (HAPCO) has announced that it will hold a Think Forum in Athens with EFAPCO, the federation representing more than 1,500 meetings professionals, companies and institutions in 12 countries.

Greece has to invest in its image as a business destination to become more attractive to conference and event organizers, according to Reed Exhibitions researcher and analyst Rob Davidson.

The Thessaloniki Convention Bureau (TCB) introduced Thessaloniki as a destination ideal for holding conferences and events at the seventh Conventa, a leading B2B event in the South East European region area that took place recently in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

Developing a strong conference tourism network and forming metropolitan centers with excellent infrastructure are at the center of the national tourism promotion strategy, according to Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni.

Citing a considerable increase in conference tourism to Greece and the significant benefits to the country’s economy, the National Organization of Medicines (EOF) said on Monday that it was planning to actively promote conference tourism by bringing to the country large medical conventions.

Thessaloniki’s Olympic Museum and Mediterranean Palace Hotel have embarked on an initiative that aims to simultaneously boost the conference and cultural side of the Greek northern city to a global audience.

As part of its ongoing strategy to include all of the country’s productive forces in its conferencing activities, TIF-Helexpo invited chambers of commerce and local authorities across Greece to join them in a long-term partnership that will boost both local and national economies.

Developing the northern port city into a prime conference tourism choice was the focus of “Destination Thessaloniki” held at this year’s Philoxenia exhibition.

In its first months of operation, the Thessaloniki Convention Bureau (TCB) has laid the groundwork for the representation of the northern port city in the international market and its promotion as a prime MICE destination.

Thessaloniki has all the requirements and infrastructure to successfully host international conferences, according to the Greek northern city’s recently established convention bureau.