MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions)

The establishment of an aviation chamber and the development of Greece’s general aviation to the benefit of areas where Greek regional airports are located are two issues that must be seen to immediately, according to the common conclusion of speakers at the fifth scientific conference “Aviation–Present and Future” held recently in Athens at the Infrastructure, Transports and Networks Ministry.

Some 20,000 visitors were informed of this year’s top Greek destinations at the fourth Summer Holidays Expo international exhibition, according to organizer Helexpo. The exhibition took place 22-25 April at the Helexpo exhibition center in Thessaloniki.

Greece will grant multiple-entry visas for six to 12 months and up to five years to Russian citizens, Culture and Tourism Minister Pavlos Geroulanos announced to the Russian press during his visit to the 17th Moscow International Travel and Tourism (MITT) exhibition that ran 17-20 March.

Greece’s economic problems will not have an impact on German visits to the country this year, said Klaus Laepple, president of German Travel Association Deutschen ReiseVerbands (DRV), during the opening press conference of the 44th ITB Berlin travel trade show held last month.

Advice to create proposals that sell, branding in the economic downturn, key issues for the incentive and meeting industry and suggestions for an improved promotion of the Greek tourism product were among issues discussed at the 6th International Meetings and Incentives Conference (IMIC), which took place last month in Athens at the Megaron Athens International Conference Center.

This year’s HO.RE.CA. proved wrong all negative forecasts that saw a “frightened attitude of the tourism sector against the escalating economic crisis,” according to Forum, the organizing company of the fifth international specialized exhibition of equipment, accessories, furniture and interior items for hotels, restaurants and cafes.

ITB Berlin, the world’s leading travel trade show, on 10-14 March will await the whole variety of the international travel sector on the fairgrounds of Messe Berlin: destinations, tour operators, booking systems, carriers and hotels.

A range of issues that relate to the management of tourism and hospitality enterprises will be discussed at the “2nd International Conference on Tourism and Hospitality Management” organized by the Tourism Research Institute of the Action for the Development of Tourism and Tourist Education (DRATTE).

The 6th convention of the International Meetings and Incentives Conference (IMIC) series will once again bring together top tourism industry professionals to offer new ideas, increase expertise and offer tips for high quality incentive travel.

Following the success of last year’s congress in Thessaloniki for professional and conference tourism, the Hellenic Association of Professional Congress Organizers (HAPCO) has announced the 6th Panhellenic Congress and Workshops entitled “Managing Change in the Meetings Industry.”