Greek Meetings Alliance: new partnership to boost Greek MICE industry

Τhe Athens Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Hellenic Association of Professional Conference Organizers & Destination Event Specialists and the Thessaloniki Convention Bureau join forces to support the meetings industry in Greece.

 Three major stakeholders from the Greek MICE industry,  have joined forces to promote Greece as a destination for high-quality conferences and events. The Alliance is designed to boost the economic impact of the meetings industry by connecting the regions of Greece, creating jobs and promoting investment.

The new Greek Meetings Alliance will expand and amplify the long-standing informal collaboration between the largest organizations in the meetings and events sector: the City of Athens/This is Athens Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Hellenic Association of Professional Conference Organizers & Destination Event Specialists (HAPCO & DES) and the Thessaloniki Convention Bureau (TCB).

A memorandum establishing the Greek Meetings Alliance was signed during a celebration at the Megaron Athens Concert Hall on October 25. The signing of the Memorandum was followed by a discussion about the future of conference tourism and its economic impact featuring two important industry leaders Ray Bloom, Chairman of IMEX Group, and Senthil Gopinath, CEO of ICCA.

On November 18^th the GMA was formally presented in Thessaloniki during the Philoxenia Helexpo tourism exhibition.

Presentations in both cities were attended by a number of official key figures including Athens Μayor Kostas Bakoyannis, Deputy Tourism Minister Sofia Zacharaki, GNTO president Angela Gerekou and GNTO secretary general Dimitris Fragakis and Deputy Governor οf Tourism, Region of Central Macedonia Alexandros Thanos.

The alliance began taking shape during the pandemic and initially focused on building a portfolio of virtual events while the MICE industry faced an unprecedented crisis. In July 2020, the alliance completed the first survey recording the impact of the pandemic on Greek MICE industry partners.

At this moment Athens is ranking 6th in Europe and 8th in the world according to the most recent survey by the International Congress and Convention Association. Additionally, the This is Athens Convention & Visitors Bureau was recognized as Europe’s Leading City Tourist Board at the 2022 World Tourism Awards. Thessaloniki, the second tier city in the north, ranks 35 in Europe and 47 in the world according to the same survey.

The Mayor of the City of Athens, Kostas Bakoyannis, emphasized the importance of the MICE industry to the city’s strategy for the local economy. “We believe deeply in the power of partnerships to expand the profile of Athens as an international destination for conferences and events,” Bakoyannis said. “This is a strategic priority that is closely linked to urban development. It promotes the upgrade of city infrastructure and should be regarded as a tool that can improve the quality of life of residents.”