MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions)

Next year’s domestic tourism fair, Panorama, the ninth, takes place once again at the OLP Exhibition Center in Piraeus. The fair opens on April 22 and continues through to April 25.

The Organization of World Heritage Cities’ 7th international symposium will take place in the medieval city on the island of Rodos between Sept. 23 and 26. The symposium is under the auspices of the Greek Ministry of Culture and the Cultural Olympics and is in coorporation with UNESCO and the International Center for the Study, the Preservation and the Restoration of Cultural Property.

The 10th anniversary of Arabian Travel Market, the Middle East’s premier travel and tourism exhibition, which began a four day run at Airport Expo Dubai, highlighted the resilience of the tourism industry in the aftermath of war and in the face of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

In the midst of yet another international crisis, and a slow economy, Greeks took full advantage of this year’s Panorama tourism fair, the eighth, in hopes of finding some special deals and domestic holiday possibilities this year. Exhibitors said they were truly surprised at the numbers and the level of visitors to this year’s fair. Most had to get a special delivery of additional brochures and promotional material in order to satisfy demand.

Berlin’s international tourism exhibition last month was an eye opener for some but a chance to carry out substantial business for others. Stands at Greece’s pavilion were perhaps the least visited while stands at neighboring pavilions (France, Portugal, Spain) welcomed a steady stream of visitors.

Greek Tourism Enterprises Association President Stavros Andreadis told delegates at the opening of last month’s Tourism and Development Conference, which was organized by the association, that much more money must be spent on the promotion of Greece abroad. He suggested that all the profits from Hellenic Tourism Properties, instead of just those from the casinos, go directly to advertising and promotion. He tied this to the long-time proposal of the association for the creation of a body, led by the private and public sector, to manage and execute an annual tourism advertising and promotional campaign. If we make the proper changes and work together to create strong products, said Mr. Andreadis, Greece in 10 years’ time could become a worldwide “dream destination.”

Greece’s domestic travel fair, Tourism Panorama, runs this year from March 28-31 at the Piraeus Port Authority exhibition center. At a recent press conference, the fair’s organizer, the Kalofolias Group, said even though we are experiencing difficult times for tourism, the interest by tourism enterprises in this year’s fair surpasses every other and is above our initial expectations.

The world’s leading tourism exchange, International Tourism Exchange ITB Berlin, remains the industry’s number one fair and Greek participation this year again will be substantial.

Greece was a strong player in last month’s Luxury Travel Market fair held at Cannes. More than 20 Greek companies paid the steep fees required to participate. In all, some 450 exhibitors from around the world worked out of 167 stands.

Organizers of the International Tourism Exchange ITB Berlin 2002, which takes place on the Berlin Exhibition Grounds and in the ICC Berlin from 16 to 20 March, say applications for participation have remained constant. “At this point in time (early January) no countries have decided to pull out of the fair.”