Greece can become a destination and entry gate for Asian travellers, provided it works in a continuous, consistent and methodical manner over the next 3 to 5 years. This was the main conclusion of the International Tourism Conference of the 33rd Philoxenia titled ‘Asian Tourism: Greece as a Destination and as a European Gate’. The Asian markets and, in particular, the Chinese market present the highest growth rates in terms of outgoing tourism, both at the level of travellers and, more importantly, at the level of travel expenses.

China already holds first place among the countries with the highest travel expenses, amounting, according to World Tourism Organisation data for 2016, to USD 261 billion, much higher than the USA at second place with USD 124 billion and Germany in third place with USD 81 billion.

Europe welcomes approximately 12% of Asian tourists travelling abroad, while Greece is a destination for a very small number of Asian tourists, which is disproportionate to its popularity in Asia and particularly China. Our country, as an important part of both the Maritime Silk Road and the Western Silk Road, in the context of the ‘Belt and Road’ initiative of the Chinese government, is in a good starting place to penetrate the Asian markets – and the Chinese market, in particular.

The first step has already taken place at the political level, following recent contacts between the two governments; what must immediately follow is a systematic approach to the Asian market, starting with China, which is expected to send over 25 million tourists to Europe over the next 5 years, who will spend approximately USD 35 billion.

The next steps and necessary requirements are the facilitation of access to visas and the increase in air connections between Greece and Asia. The recent commencement of the direct connection between Beijing and Athens by Air China, the announcement of Qatar Airways for the connection between Doha and Thessaloniki in 2018, as well as the plans of Athens International Airport to increase the number of connections to Asia are supporting the penetration effort, which must also benefit from the declaration of 2018 as the EU-China Year of Tourism.The benefits of this initiative for Greece will be maximised through a public-private partnership.

This partnership must aim at the creation of a marketing plan that will include specific geographical and product areas that will be the result of research, in cooperation with Chinese companies that are familiar with the market. In any event, considering the size of this market, the endeavour must remain continuous, consistent and methodical, and positive results may appear even within three years.

16/11/2017 – 15:15

With an international character and featuring 300 artists from 30 galleries, representing 10 countries, the 2nd Art Thessaloniki Fair will welcome visitors at Thessaloniki International Exhibition Centre from 23 to 26 November 2017.

Following last year’s successful 1st Art Thessaloniki Fair and the vote of confidence of over 12,000 visitors from 22 countries, the 2nd Art Thessaloniki Fair housed in Pavilions 8, 9 and 10 is raising the bar even higher, hosting 6 museum exhibitions among its many events.

The Fair is being organised by TIF-Helexpo and the artistic director of Art Thessaloniki Fair, Mr Pantelis Tsatsis.

The programme of side events at the 2nd Art Thessaloniki Fair includes:

• Honoured Artists: Costas Tsoklis from Greece and Wolf Vostell from Germany, curated by Sania Papa. 
• The museum exhibitions of Theodoros Stamos (Zacharias Portolakis collection), curated by Manos Stefanidis. 
• Balance Exercises: Planning and concretization. The inevitable indeterminacy or, the readjustment of origin, curated by Emmanuel Mavrommatis, Emeritus Professor of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. 
• International Contemporary Engraving, from the collection of Giorgos Kitis, curated by Sania Papa. 
• The exhibition-tribute to Stavros Ioannou (Giorgos Kostopoulos collection), curated by Manos Stefanidis. 
• In the context of the Greek – Chinese project, a joint painting exhibition by Demosthenes Davvetas from Greece and Liang Yi form China, on the dialogue between Hellenism and Buddhism, will take place at the Open Art Lab. 
• The participation of the Industrial Design Workshop of the School of Visual & Applied Arts of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, curated by Assistant Professor Giorgos Liamadis. 
• The tributes to Yiannis Fokas and Michalis Manoussakis, Professors at the School of Fine Arts. 
• The Virtual Reality Project.

The 2nd Art Thessaloniki International Contemporary Art Fair is held under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Interior (Macedonia-Thrace), the Region of Central Macedonia, the City of Thessaloniki and numerous city agencies.

16/11/2017 – 15:25

The Philoxenia-Hotelia tourism exhibition ‘duo’ once again won the sector’s vote of confidence, as it welcomed 20,000 visitors. In fact, this year’s dual event marked a change in the make-up of visitors, with a substantial increase in the number of both professionals from Greece and abroad.

The tourism industry trusted Philoxenia and Hotelia for its promotion and contacts, while the entirety of the Greek tourism sector, through the 13 Regions and numerous Municipalities from throughout the country, was dynamically present at the top Greek tourism fair.

There was great interest in the Philoxenia International Tourism Conference titled ‘Asian Tourism. Greece as a Destination and as a European Gate’, where top Greek and international speakers elaborated on the potential of Asian tourism flows for our country. The conference was attended by over 300 participants.

At the same time, the thematic exhibitions of Hotelia wowed the public, with visitors flocking to both DPOINT SPACES, where the SPA concept and the LOBBY concept were presented, and All About Café of Hotelia, where about 3,000 individuals attended specialised coffee seminars, as well as All About Gastronomy.

At the same time, the thematic exhibitions of Hotelia wowed the public, with visitors flocking to both DPOINT SPACES, where the SPA concept and the LOBBY concept were presented, and All About Café of Hotelia, where about 3,000 individuals attended specialised coffee seminars, as well as All About Gastronomy.

Visitors were also highly interested in Green Zero Hotel ‘Reloaded’, the first modular ecological bungalow.

There were 400 exhibitors (both direct and indirect) from 18 countries at Philoxenia, and 200 (direct and indirect) at Hotelia. There was intense international participation in Philoxenia and Hotelia, with direct participation from countries such as Turkey – İzmir and Şarköy attended independently for the first time – Cyprus, Egypt, Austria, Russia, Albania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Poland, Luxembourg, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Peru, the Philippines and Indonesia. Furthermore, approximately 180 international individual hosted buyers attended the tourism exhibition ‘duo’, while another 125 participated as a group delegation from Bulgaria, Albania and FYROM.

The Fairs were held under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Interior (Macedonia-Thrace), the Greek National Tourism Organisation (EOT) and major tourism agencies (SETE, HATTA, POX and XEE), and again “flew” with Qatar Airways, the official air carrier of the events.

The hosted buyers’ meals were sponsored by Grand Hotel Palace and Philoxenia Thessbrunch, in which the Hyatt and Porto Palace hotels participated, while the hosted buyers’ transport was sponsored by Zorpidis Travel Services. It is noted that Philoxenia Thessbrunch was held in cooperation with the Thessaloniki Hotels Association and Thessaloniki Food Festival.

TIF-Helexpo will focus on tourism once more at the Greek Travel Show, to be held in Athens from 4 to 6 May 2018, and will renew its ‘appointment’ with Philoxenia and Hotelia for November 2018.

15/11/2017 – 11:11

Bolstered by the dynamism of Greek tourism, which is reflected in the scale of Philoxenia and Hotelia, the renowned tourism exhibition ‘duo’, which will host a total of 600 exhibitors, will begin on Friday, 10 November and last until 12 November. For three days, the two exhibitions, which will be held at Thessaloniki International Exhibition Centre, will welcome the entire tourism sector, all Greek tourism destinations and major tourism ‘players’ from abroad.

More specifically, the entire Greek tourism sector is being represented at the 33rd Philoxenia, a landmark for the field, as all 13 Regions of the country and numerous tourism-heavy Municipalities are participating this year. There will be 400 exhibitors (both direct and indirect) from 18 countries at Philoxenia, and 200 (direct and indirect) at Hotelia. There is intense international participation in Philoxenia and Hotelia, with direct participation from countries such as Turkey – İzmir and Şarköy are attending independently for the first time – Cyprus, Egypt, Austria, Russia, Albania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Poland, Luxembourg, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Peru, the Philippines and Indonesia.

Furthermore, approximately 180 international individual hosted buyers have been invited to attend the tourism exhibition ‘duo’, while another 125 will be participating as a group delegation from Bulgaria, Albania and FYROM. In this context, over 4,000 meetings between exhibitors and major tour operators from 36 target-countries for the Greek market have been scheduled. This Philoxenia will also mark the return of shipping companies and the participation of more airlines, tourism agencies and major hotel chains. An important event held during Philoxenia is the international Philoxenia conference, which is titled ‘Asian Tourism. Greece as a Destination and as a European Gate’ this year, highlighting the new prospects for domestic tourism with the help of top Greek and international speakers (a link to the complete schedule and speakers of the conference can be found at: http://apps.helexpo.gr/inst/Newsletters/2017/Asian_Tourism_Conferen ce/2nd_EL/news.htm). The conference, to be held on Friday, 10 November, at ‘I. Vellidis’ Congress Centre, will cover three thematic sessions and one round table discussion with the following content:  Growth and trends in outbound Asian tourism, connectivity & Travel Facilitation, and approaching the Asian Traveler. The round table will focus on: ‘Is Greek tourism Asian-ready? The road ahead’. The organising consultant of the Conference is the tourism generis company..

Hotelia, in turn, is presenting the very latest in the fields of hotel, restaurant and café equipment. A point of inspiration for architects, decorators and hoteliers, DPOINT SPACES at Hotelia (jointly organised with Interiors from Greece) is the most innovative event on hotel architecture and decoration, featuring two different works by renowned architectural firms, covering a total area of 400 sq.m. More specifically, SPA concept (created by the architectural firm ASPASIA TAKA architects creative lab) presents modern architectural trends in & wellness and incorporates a workshop area where sector experts will hold seminars, under the supervision of the development, management and business consulting firm EF-ZIN “the art of living well”. Additionally, LOBBY concept (created by the architectural firm NOMEN ARCHITECTS) showcases the lobby area, both as a philosophy – principles of good hospitality – and as a functional element, a common meeting place for owners and guests, friends, associates, etc. Lastly, the All About Café of Hotelia is an original and innovation section dedicated to the art of preparing coffee, and will focus this year on the development of coffee culture in the present and hosting specialised seminars (All About Café seminars) under the supervision of Valantis Lambrianidis. The grand sponsor of All About Café is the SPECIALISTAS brand of the MEVGAL company.

This year, the All About Gastronomy section of Hotelia is focusing on Greek Breakfast & Brunch+ and Gastronomic Hospitality, placing emphasis on how to include gastronomy in the services offered by hotels. The All About Gastronomy section is overseen by the Chef Stories company. Finally, the Green Zero Hotel “Reloaded”, the first modular ecological bungalow, designed by the Makridis Associates Architects firm, can be found at Hotelia, at the outdoor area of Pavilion 10. 10% increase in participation The CEO of TIF-Helexpo, Mr Kyriakos Pozrikidis, characterised Philoxenia as the largest tourism exhibition in the Balkans, noting that this year marks a 10% increase in participation and adding that Hotelia has successfully retained its audience throughout recent years. In turn, the President of the Thessaloniki Hotels Association, Mr Andreas Mandrinos, stressed that Philoxenia is the top tourism event in our country and its dynamic growth in recent years is astounding.

In fact, he noted that the Association has been participating in every event without fail, and is looking forward to upgraded features this year. The President of the Thessaloniki Convention Bureau, Mr Yiannis Aslanis, commented on the intense activity of the administration of TIF-Helexpo, bolstering the company’s fairs. He also referred to a major success for Thessaloniki, which was recently announced as the organiser of the 8th UNWTO International Meeting on Silk Road Tourism, to be held in the city in October 2018. The exhibition manager, Mrs Katerina Traptsioni, underlined the character of Philoxenia as a celebration, characterising it as one of the flagship – fairs of TIF-Helexpo. She stressed that an effort is made each year to improve the event in terms of both quality and quantity. In turn, the exhibition manager of Hotelia, Mrs Tonia Nikolaidou, noted that the two exhibitions are a powerful combination for the tourism sector and are helpful for visitors. The Fairs are being held under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Interior (Macedonia-Thrace), the Greek National Tourism Organisation (EOT) and major tourism agencies (SETE, HATTA, POX and XEE), and are once again “flying” with Qatar Airways, the official air carrier of the events.

The hosted buyers’ meals are sponsored by Grand Hotel Palace and Philoxenia Thessbrunch, in which the Hyatt and Porto Palace hotels are participating, while the hosted buyers’ transport is sponsored by Zorpidis Travel Services. It is noted that Philoxenia Thessbrunch is being held in cooperation with the Thessaloniki Hotels Association and Thessaloniki Food Festival.

10/11/2017 – 15:33

Philoxenia and Hotelia, once again serving as meeting points for the sector from 10 to 12 November at Thessaloniki International Exhibition Centre, constitute landmark fairs for Greek tourism.

The country’s most important tourism exhibition ‘duo’ has recorded an increase in exhibition participations and boasts an upgraded image in both qualitative and quantitative terms, while the international Philoxenia conference, an institution in its own right, this year focuses on “Asian Tourism. Greece as a Destination and as a European Gate”, and showcases the new prospects for the country’s tourism product through top Greek and international speakers.

The Fairs are being held under the auspices of the Greek National Tourism Organisation (EOT) and major tourism agencies (SETE, HATTA, POX and XEE), and are once again “flying” with Qatar Airways, the official air carrier of the events.

The further internationalisation of both the Fairs and Greek tourism is at the heart of this year’s Philoxenia-Hotelia, international Conference and numerous side events.

The entire Greek tourism sector is being represented at the 33rd Philoxenia, as all 13 Regions of the country and numerous tourism-heavy Municipalities are participating.

There is increased international participation in Philoxenia and Hotelia, with direct participation from countries such as Turkey – İzmir and Şarköy are attending independently for the first time – Cyprus, Egypt, Austria, Russia, Albania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Poland, Luxembourg, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Peru, the Philippines and Indonesia.

Hotelia, in turn, presents the latest trends in the areas of hotel, restaurant and café equipment. The Fair is addressed to hoteliers, architects, decorators, construction firms and professionals from the supply, café and tourism industry. The modern structure of Hotelia in terms of both organisation and

presentation aims to attract the interest of all the above professionals, serving as a link between them.

A point of inspiration for architects, decorators and hoteliers, DPOINT SPACES at Hotelia (jointly organised with Interiors from Greece) is the most innovative event on hotel architecture and decoration, featuring two different works by renowned architectural firms, covering a total area of 400 sq.m.

SPA concept (created by the architectural firm ASPASIA TAKA architects creative lab) presents modern architectural trends in & wellness and incorporates a workshop area where sector experts will hold seminars, under the supervision of the development, management and business consulting firm EF-ZIN ‘’the art of living well’’.

LOBBY concept (created by the architectural firm NOMEN ARCHITECTS) showcases the lobby area, both as a philosophy – principles of good hospitality – and as a functional element, a common meeting place for owners and guests, friends, associates, etc.

The All About Café of Hotelia is an original and innovation section dedicated to the art of preparing coffee, focusing on the development of coffee culture in the present and hosting specialised seminars under the supervision of Valantis Lambrianidis. The grand sponsor of All About Café is the SPECIALISTAS brand of the MEVGAL company.

This year, the All About Gastronomy section of Hotelia is focusing on Greek Breakfast & Brunch+ and Gastronomic Hospitality, placing emphasis on how to include gastronomy in the services offered by hotels. The All About Gastronomy section is overseen by the Chef Stories company.

Asian Tourism. Greece as a Destination and as a European Gate

The future of Greek tourism will be presented at the international Philoxenia conference titled ‘Asian Tourism. Greece as a Destination and as a European Gate’, a particularly timely event, given the strengthening of bonds between Greece and China and the latter’s recent sizeable participation in the 82nd TIF.

The choice of topic is not accidental, as Greece has all the prospects to win a substantial market share, given its popularity among Asian tourists, who love culture and history.

The Conference will consist of three thematic sessions and one round table discussion with the following content:

– Growth and trends in outbound Asian tourism

– Connectivity & Travel Facilitation

– Approaching the Asian Traveler

The round table will focus on: ‘Is Greek tourism Asian-ready? The road ahead’

Speakers at the Conference will be representatives of: World Tourism Organisation, Greek Ministry of Tourism, Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Athens International Airport, Global Tourism Economy Forum-Macau, IVY Alliance, Fraport Greece, European Travel Commission, Piraeus Port Authority – COSCO, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and Greek tourism agencies.

The organising consultant of the Conference is the tourism generis company.

02/11/2017 – 20:23

The first business forum ‘EAEU–Greece: A New Bridge for Cooperation and Development’, which was held as part of the TIF-Helexpo 2017 exhibition, has concluded in Thessaloniki (Greece).

“The current mutual trade volume of USD 4.6 billion between EAEU countries and Greece is clearly not consistent with the scale of our close economic ties over many years. It can and should be more”, Greek Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs Georgios Katrougalos said opening the forum’s plenary session.

More than 200 people took part in the event: representatives of major business associations, leading companies from EAEU countries as well as delegations from the governments of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia. The participants shared ideas for cooperation in such sectors of the economy as transport, agriculture, and trade.

“I think this is a very timely forum, when both Greece and the economies of our five countries are entering a phase of economic growth. We are confident that a meeting between the representatives of business and business associations from not just two but six countries can give a boost to integration and the creation of standards for business processes and economic cooperation between them”, Chairman of the Eurasian Economic Commission Collegium Tigran Sargsyan said.

Turnover between EAEU member states and Greece amounted to roughly USD 4.6 billion in 2016. However, growth has already been seen in mutual trade in the first half of 2017 (46.6% compared with the same period last year). The participants spoke confidently about how there is currently enormous potential for increasing trade and building trade and economic ties between the EAEU and Greece.

Developing cooperation and building intercountry cooperative chains with the subsequent implementation of joint cooperative projects is a key strategic area for realizing this potential today.

Member of the Collegium (Minister) for Industry and the Agro-Industrial Complex of the Eurasian Economic Commission Sergei Sidorsky said: “There are already some 200 companies with Greek capital working on the territory of the Eurasian

Economic Union. Of course, such numbers could be increased several times over thanks to the efforts and existing potential for developing cooperation. We view high-tech sectors of industry and agribusiness among the most promising areas for the development of cooperation with Greece above all else, he said. We invite Greek companies to take part in joint projects in the engineering, shipbuilding, light, food, and other industries”, he said.

The Forum in Thessaloniki is the first step towards realizing the provisions of the Joint Declaration on Cooperation between the Eurasian Economic Commission and the Government of the Hellenic Republic dated 24 June 2017 with the aim of developing a dialogue between EAEU countries and Greece in the economic sector. The participants believe these events will help take the dialogue between Greece and the EAEU to a fundamentally new, higher level and to achieve results in expanding economic cooperation and trade relations.

“I am very pleased that the discussion on issues concerning European and Eurasian integration that began on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg was continued during the Business Forum ‘EAEU–Greece: A New Bridge for Cooperation and Development’ in Thessaloniki. The agreement between the Roscongress Foundation and the Greek company TIF-Helexpo signed at SPIEF 2017 contributed to the high level of today’s event. We hope that our Greek partners will take advantage of the Foundation’s invitation and that we will be able to welcome officials and representatives from the Greek business community again at SPIEF 2018”, Roscongress Foundation Director Alexander Stuglev said.

Following the event, Adviser to the Russian President Anton Kobyakov and Adviser to the Greek Prime Minister Dimitrios Velanis discussed prospects for developing bilateral cooperation and further developing the dialogue between the EU and the EAEU. They also outlined plans for Greek business representatives to participate in the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on 24–26 May 2018.

The Forum in Thessaloniki was organized by the Eurasian Economic Commission, the Roscongress Foundation, the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, Enterprise Greece, and Helexpo. The event was held with the support of the Greek Ministry of Economy and Development.

The Roscongress Foundation is a major organizer of convention and exhibition events.

The Roscongress Foundation was founded in 2007 to develop Russia’s economic potential and strengthen the country’s image by organizing congresses and exhibitions with an economic and social focus. The Foundation develops the substantive content for these events, and provides companies with advice, information, and expert guidance, as well as offering comprehensive evaluation, analysis, and coverage of the Russian and global economic agenda.

Today, its annual programme includes events held from Montevideo to Vladivostok, offering an opportunity to bring together global business leaders, experts, the media, and government officials in one place, creating favourable conditions for dialogue and the promotion of new ideas and projects, and assisting in the creation of social enterprise and charity projects.

www.roscongress.org

29/09/2017 – 12:53

Over 260,000 visitors graced the 82nd TIF, which ended yesterday, renewing its appointment for September 2018.

The 82nd TIF ended in the most impressive way, as the concert given by Sakis Rouvas, dedicated to the ‘ORAMA ELPIDAS’ Association and the Volunteer Bone Marrow Donors, brought together thousands of people of all ages, achieving a record attendance number.

More specifically, 263,724 individuals (as compared to 210,081 last year) went through the gates of the Fair from 9 to 17 September and visited the largest TIF of the last decade.

The enormous number of visitors were met by 1,500 exhibitors and the highly successful participation of China, which set the bar high for the institution of the Honoured Country with 167 exhibition participations and over 400 individuals as part of the official delegation.

An intensely business-oriented character and increased internationalisation were the dominant elements of the ‘personality’ of the 82nd TIF.

The individual sections of the Fair covered a broad range of interests, from education, vehicles and energy to beauty, gastronomy and e-gaming, with numerous actions and events.

This year, the 82nd TIF demonstrably supported the ‘ORAMA ELPIDAS’ Association, boosting its work so that no person and no child is at risk, unable to find a compatible transplant.

The Honoured Country at the 83rd TIF of 2018 will be the USA, with the requirements for a highly successful participation already set.

The administration and employees of TIF-Helexpo extend their warmest thanks to the people for their love for the Fair, which is improving every year and laying a solid foundation for the growth of the national exhibition agency.

A host of sponsors and associates supported the 82nd TIF:

QATAR, the Official Air Carrier of the 82nd TIF, the Public Power Corporation (DEI), the National Bank of Greece, Gianniris S.A., with Peugeot being the Official Car of the 82nd TIF, Nestle Hellas, Malamatina, the concert sponsor, the ‘Limousines-Greece VIP Service’ company, the concert Transport Sponsor, the ‘Mediterranean’ & ‘Grand Hotel Palace’ hotels of the Luxury Hotels Group, the Official Hotels of the concerts, the Samiotakis company, the catering sponsor of the concerts, Singular Logic, MLS and Icap and the Communication Sponsors.

19/09/2017 – 11:26

Intensely business-oriented and fully international, with China as the Honoured Country, and 1,500 exhibitors as opposed to 1,015 at last year’s event, with its exhibition premises filled to capacity and with a festive atmosphere, the 82nd TIF event opens on 9 September 2017 and will last until the 17th of the same month. This year’s event is to be the largest in the last decade, with its qualitative and quantitative scale significantly enhanced.

There are a total of 18 international country participants, namely: China, Cyprus, Slovakia, Poland, Luxembourg, South Africa, Armena, Indonesia, FYR of Macedonia, Bulgaria, India, Ukraine, Serbia, Rusia, Turkey, Italy, Egypt and Iran.

There are 167 participating businesses from China, of which seven are globally active, namely: China Cosco Shipping Corporation, China Development Bank, Shehua Group Corporation Limited, Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd, Zhongxing Tele-communication Equipment Corporation, State Grid Corporation of China and Air China. Among Chinese participants, ZTE stands out in the Telecommunication sector, as well as 23 high tech companies from the region of Shanghai. In the context of the Chinese participation, special events are to be hosted, such as the Greek-Chinese Cooperation Forum, titled: “Investment Opportunities in South-eastern Europe: Trends and Challenges in the Energy Sector”, co-organised by PPC SA Hellas (Public Power Corporation – DEI) and ΙΕΝΕ (The Institute of Energy for South-East Europe) and the day-meeting organised by the Greek-Chinese Cooperation Forum titled: “New Silk Road”, jointly organised by the Athenian-Macedonian Press Agency (APE-MPE), under the auspices of the President of the Republic, Mr Prokopis Pavlopoulos. Another forum titled: “A New Bridge for Cooperation & Development” is co-organised by the ‘Enterprise Greece’

Organisation, the Eurasian Economic Commission and the Roscongress Foundation.

Beyond international participants, the 82nd TIF will be dynamically attended by 43 Chambers from around Greece, with 360 enterprises. Special participants at this year’s TIF are going to be the Professional Chambers of Thessaloniki, of Serres and – for the first time – the Chamber of Kozani. Special sections of the 82nd TIF event cover a wide range of interests, from education and automobiles to energy and beauty, gastronomy, innovation, e-gaming, etc., with numerous actions and events.

A multi-faceted event that combines recreational, cultural and political aspects is how TIF was characterised at today’s Press Conference by the President of TIF-HELEXPO, Mr Tassos Tzikas, who underlined that the 82nd event will be the best of the last ten years, with exhibitors’ numbers increased by 50%, exhibition premises full to capacity and China as the Honoured Country. “China might be the Honoured Country, but the honour is ours”, Mr Tzikas said, expressing the vision of the exhibition agency that wants Thessaloniki to become an exhibition hub for Chinese products in Europe. “The 82nd TIF will be a landmark, signifying the beginning of a new era, which will make the September Fair what it used to be in the past,” as the president underlined.

A message of help for Greece is sent by the significant participation of China in the 82nd TIF event, according to the Deputy Minister for the Interior (Macedonia-Thrace), Ms Maria Kollia-Tsaroucha. She also stressed that his year’s event marks the starting point towards prosperity and growth.

Chinese-Greek relations are entering a new phase, according to the Political Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Greece, Mr. Gao Wenqi, who also expressed his satisfaction for the reception to be extended to the Chinese by TIF-HELEXPO, with the city being decorated with thousands of Chinese lanterns around its streets. According to Mr Wenqi, the exhibition is going to be a major meeting with entrepreneurial, economic and cultural activities and will provide the ultimate promotion to the mutually beneficial cooperation of the two countries.

On his part, the Chief Executive Officer of TIF-HELEXPO, Mr Kyriakos Pozrikidis, stated that the official state participant from

China comprises more than 400 persons, representing 167 businesses, organisations, regions and agencies that represent significant sectors of the Chinese economy. Indeed, Mr Pozrikidis expressed the wish that the Chinese lanterns already decorating the central streets of the city, which, according to Chinese tradition symbolise good luck and prosperity, may bring good luck to the 82nd TIF.

Thessalonians are invited to become informed and register as volunteer bone marrow donors by the Scientific Director of the ‘Orama Elpidos’ Association, Mr Stelios Grafakos, who estimated that volunteers will be far exceed the 900 who registered at last year’s event. Mr Grafakos thanked TIF-HELEXPO for the support it extends to the Association’s aims.

Peugeot cars are the official cars of the 82nd TIF event, as underlined by the CEO of the auto dealer Gianniris SA, Mr Michalis Gianniris, who stressed that it is not a coincidence that Jeep chose to present the new Jeep Compass model for the first time in Greece at this year’s TIF event.

In turn, Nestle Hellas Corporate Affairs Head, Ms Angeliki Papadopoulou, underlined that TIF unites people, businesses, and cultures and referred to the “Frappé Museum powered by Nestle”, which is celebrating the 60th anniversary of the invention of frappé coffee on TIF premises.

“The city is celebrating and this is the message”, according to the Deputy General Director of TIF-HELEXPO, Mr Alexis Tsaxirlis, who confirmed that everything will be ready in time and the exhibition result will reflect the efforts made by the company.

Finally, the Messenger of the ‘Elpida’ Association of Friends of Children with Cancer and the ‘Orama Elpidas’ Association, Mr Sakis Rouvas, said in his statement that he is moved to be at a TIF event 26 years after he first met its audience at the Song Festival, stressing that this time, the link connecting him with the Fair and Thessaloniki is the mission of the ‘Orama Elpidas’ Association. “I am asking you to send an invitation, all together, a strong message of hope, to become, all of us, messengers of life”, he said, thanking TIF-HELEXPO for supporting the aims of the association. “Let us break one more record at this TIF event”, Mr Rouvas added.

A major celebration

As far as recreation and entertainment is concerned, the 82nd TIF event will be hosting daily concerts by top singers of Greek music and cultural happenings, while it will also host the thematic park titled ‘The Secret Worlds of Evgenios Trivizas’, the ‘Frappé Museum’, in cooperation with Nestle, Cheapart and the reconstruction of the major city fire of 1917. In the context of this year’s event, the Automobile Club of Thessaloniki is organising an anniversary event, namely the 50th TIF Rally.

This year, TIF-HELEXPO joins forces witht the Bone Marrow Bank of ‘Orama Elpidas’ Volunteer Donors of Bone Marrow, sending a social solidarity message. Indeed, the Messenger of the ‘Elpida’ Association of Friends of Children with Cancer and the ‘Orama Elpidas’ Association, Mr. Sakis Rouvas, will be performing at the culminating music event of 17 September, a concert dedicated to volunteer donors of bone marrow.

General Admission tickets to the Fair will be 5 Euros, tickets for families with many children and the Disabled will be 3 Euros (children under 3 years of age will be admitted free of charge), a 4-member family ticket will cost 15 Euros, while people with motor disabilities will be admitted free of charge. The Opening Hours of the 82nd TIF are as follows: Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 to 22:00 and weekdays from 16:00 to 22:00.

The 82nd TIF event is supported by numerous sponsors and associates:

The ‘Orama Elpidas’ Association; QATAR Airlines, the official air transporter for the 82nd TIF event; PPC (DEI), the National Bank,Gianniris SA; Peugeot, its cars being the official cars of the 82nd TIF event; Nestle Hellas; Malamatina, the concert sponsor; the “Limo Greece Vips” Company, Sponsor for concert transportation; Μediterranean Hotel & Grand Hotel Palace of the Luxury Hotels Group, Official Hotels of the concerts; Samiotakis Company, sponsor of concert catering; Singular Logic, MLS and Icap, Μοngo Chinese restaurant, Mr Li Feng Ping, the President of the Association of Chinese in Greece and the Communications Sponsors.

08/09/2017 – 12:06

The preparation of the 8th ARTOZYMA International Exhibition for Bakery, Confectionery, Machinery, Equipment & Ready-made Products has begun, with registration having been open for the last few days. Following its successful revival in 2016 – together with Detrop Boutique, the event attracted over 31,000 sector professionals – interest is even higher in the next event, to be held from 24 to 26 February 2018 at Thessaloniki International Exhibition Centre, with the support of the Hellenic Federation of Bakers.

The market had missed the exhibition and, taking account of the positive results of its return, it will be even richer when it is next held. ARTOZYMA will also feature the 3rd Pan-Hellenic Bread Championship, held in cooperation with ‘Profitis Ilias’ Bakers’ Union of Thessaloniki, as well as the top confectionery event of the country, the 24th Pan-Hellenic Confectionery Conference, held with the support and dynamic participation of the Thessaloniki Guild of Shop Owners and Confectioners. Side events will include actions and colloquiums held in cooperation with the Hellenic Federation of Bakers, the Hellas Pastry Chef Club and the Hellenic Association of Food Technologists, while new confectionery techniques will also be presented.

The 8th ARTOZYMA will also feature the Healthy Food Area ‘Free From…’, a special area for the promotion of exhibitors’ products intended for a healthy or a special diet (gluten-free, sugar-free, etc.), with the possibility of presentations on their use in bakery or confectionery.

Additionally, all the latest trends and issues facing the sector will be presented at the next event, which will once again serve as the meeting place of the professionals of the bakery and confectionery sectors. For the first time, the 8th ARTOZYMA will have a duration of three days, aiming at providing better and more targeted services to exhibitors.

07/07/2017 – 16:36

TIF-Helexpo has signed a cooperation agreement with the Roscongress Foundation, one of the largest congress and financial & social event organisers in Russia. In fact, the agreement was signed by the President of TIF-Helexpo, Mr Tassos Tzikas, and the CEO of the Roscongress Foundation, Mr Alexander Stuglev, during the St Petersburg International Economic Forum, which is organised by the Russian organisation and was held this year from 1 to 3 June. TIF-Helexpo was the guest of honour at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum, which is held under the auspices of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

On the occasion of the signing of the agreement, the two sides discussed the possibility of TIF-Helexpo organising a national participation at the 2018 St Petersburg International Economic Forum, with the participation of Greek businesses interested in the Russian market. They also explored the possibility of holding a joint economic forum in Thessaloniki on Eurasian cooperation, while they also discussed how the Roscongress Foundation could act as a ‘bridge’ for the participation of Russian businesses in TIF-Helexpo trade exhibitions.

Through this agreement, both sides aim at developing a mutually beneficial long term cooperation, which will bring the two countries’ business communities closer, contribute to the dialogue on investment, commerce, tourism and culture issues, and promote the events organised by TIF-Helexpo and Roscongress. Cooperation between the two sides will take the following forms:

Mutual exchange of information, consultation and support on issues relating to their economic and social agendas, organisation of joint congresses and events, including fora, round-tables, business meetings, exhibitions, presentations with financial and social content, and mutual promotion of joint actions in Russia, Greece and at the international level.

The agreement was signed in the presence of the Consul General of Greece to St Petersburg, Mr Panagiotis Beglitis, and the Chairman of the Hellenic Russian Chamber of Commerce, Mr Dimitris Bakolas.

The Roscongress Foundation was created in 2007 in order to contribute to the development of Russia’s economic prospects and to empower its profile by organising congresses and exhibitions with economic and social aims. Every year it organises the St Petersburg International Economic Forum, an event with international appeal. Its annual ‘portfolio’ includes over 400 events held in Russia and internationally. In fact, beyond Russia, the Foundation it is active in China, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, Uruguay and other countries.

12/06/2017 – 13:42