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