1500 exhibitors, sold out exhibition spaces, and the United Arab Emirates are the Honoured Country with a 400-person delegation

The 86th TIF (10-18 September) is turning out to be one of the best events of the past decade, with exhibitor numbers approaching 1500, sold out exhibition spaces, and the United Arab Emirates as the Honoured Country.

There will be 19 countries participating at the 86th TIF, including the UAE, the USA, Luxembourg, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Indonesia, Ukraine, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Armenia, Iran, Italy, Poland, Serbia, Cyprus, Georgia, Romania, India, Nepal, and Egypt.

Forty-six Chambers and 320 businesses will also be attending under the umbrella of the Union of Hellenic Chambers, while the TCCI, the PCT, and the ACCI will be participating individually.

The delegation of the Honoured Country consists of 400 people and 65 very important undertakings and entities from the private and public sector, spearheaded by the sectors of investment management, energy, food-beverages, defence, space technology, tourism, shipping, real estate, and others. The UAE delegation will be led by Minister of Economy Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, while there will also be a government delegation from the Ministries of Defence, Foreign Affairs, and Industry and Advanced Technology. The Honoured Country will cover an exhibition space exceeding 4500 sq.m. In fact, the UAE pavilion will host more than 600 meetings between Greek and Arab enterprises, which have been scheduled with the contribution of the Federation of Greek

Industries. There will also be a wealth of side events for the Honoured Country, including daily traditional dance performances, Emirate gastronomy and hospitality events, and folk art and painting exhibitions.

There will be nine thematic sections to the 86th TIF, from entrepreneurship, electromobility-vehicles, and new technologies, to gastronomy, education, and circular economy. In fact, this last section will cover an area of 3000 sq.m., indoors and outdoors, with more than 45 participations. TIF-Helexpo is adopting the FORWARD FOR GREEN slogan, and within the framework of that section is hosting interesting actions and initiatives on recycling in practice.

The 86th TIF will also have a very impressive backdrop, which is one of the largest exhibition constructions in the history of the Exhibition, the centenary tribute to the Asia Minor Catastrophe, which consists of two unique and continuous sections: The audiovisual tribute of TIF-Helexpo in partnership with KEDE (Central Union of Municipalities of Greece), ‘A century… in Ionia, Thrace, and Pontus’, which is the result of a collaboration with the Network of Cities and Communities of the descendants of Greeks from the near East, interactively promoting the historic narrative of the flow of Greek refugees from Asia Minor, Thrace, and Pontus. There will also be the Periodic exhibition of the Municipality of Thessaloniki titled ‘1922-2022: waves of refugees, amalgams of memory’, honouring the centenary since the dramatic events of the Asia Minor Catastrophe with a collection of heirlooms, and archive and photographic material, utilising new technologies.

Among the thematic features of this year’s Fair, Digital Greece stands out. It is an initiative of the Ministry of Digital Governance and TIF-Helexpo. At the same time, the Ministry of Development & Investments is hosting startup companies and development-investment entities at its pavilion. CERN will also be present at pavilion 15, where the audience will have the opportunity to learn about basic research in physics, as well as its applications in medicine.

The highlights of the 86th TIF will include the impressive displays at the pavilion of the Ministry of National Defence and the Armed Forces, with the first ever Rafale fighter aircraft simulator, the new acquisition of the Hellenic Air Force, as well as an F-35 simulator.

Recreation and entertainment will have a special place at the 86th TIF, with a wealth of popular Greek artists performing every day. On Sunday 11 September Paola will take to the stage with Anastasios Rammos, Christina Salti, and Biased Beast, on Monday 12 September the concerts continue with Vassilis Lekkas, on Tuesday 13 September Giorgos Mazonakis will take over, on Wednesday 14 September it’s the turn of the Tsarouchidis brothers, on Thursday 15 September the stage will belong to Giorgos Dalaras with Estudiantina and Aspasia Stratigou, on Friday 16 September it’s time to get the youth going with Dimos Anastasiadis, Demy, and the Kings, on Saturday 17 September Giorgos Sampanis will take over, and the final concert will take place on Sunday 18 September with Vassilis Karas and Katerina Lioliou.

The TIF will also act as the framework of the Thessaloniki Helexpo Forum for the third consecutive year, with thematic panels touching on major economic and developmental issues, to be held in partnership with the joint chambers of Greece.

The Official Supporter of the 86th TIF is Papastratos, the Official Air Travel Sponsor is Aegean, the Official Telecommunications Provider is WIND, the Official Bank is the National Bank of Greece, the Official Energy Provider is PPC, the Official IT Partner is Singular Logic, and the Beer of the 86th TIF is ‘NYMFI THESSALONIKIS’.

The Music Event Hospitality Sponsor is Capsis Hotel, the VIP Transportation Sponsor is Limousines VIP Services Greece, the Transportation Sponsor is Drive, and the Catering Sponsor is Samiotakis.

The gold sponsor of the TIF-Helexpo tribute ‘A century… in Ionia, Thrace, and Pontus’, organised in partnership with KEDE, is

IPIROTIKI FACILITY SERVICES and it is supported by HAITOGLOU BROS SA.

The TIF is organised under the auspices of the Ministry of the Interior (Macedonia – Thrace).

The Press conference

“The TIF is back, the city is celebrating once again”, noted the president of TIF-Helexpo, Mr Tasos Tzikas, during the Press Conference in view of the opening of the 86th TIF, while he stressed that the exhibition spaces are sold out and that this will be one of the best events of the decade. He made specific reference to the participation of the United Arab Emirates as the Honoured Country, noting that this is an opportunity to improve bilateral relationships, which will enter into a period of significant growth after this September.

On his side, the Deputy Minister of the Interior (Macedonia-Thrace), Mr Stavros Kalafatis, stressed that the 86th TIF is throwing open its doors in a completely new environment, and that the participation of the United Arab Emirates in this year’s event sends the message that we are broadening and enhancing our relationships with the countries in our extended neighbourhood.

The director of the Department of Trade Promotion of the Ministry of Economy of the UAE, Mr Rashed Al Teneigy, addressed an invitation to the people of Thessaloniki and to the business community to visit pavilion 13 of the UAE, stressing that there is a lot of room for growth in the relationships between the two countries, both on an entrepreneurial and on an investment level. In fact, he pointed out that even outside Fair open hours, the UAE delegation will welcome business contacts. He also thanked the TIF and all Greek partners.

The deputy governor of Thessaloniki Voula Patoulidou wished the 86th TIF every success, stressing that after last year’s general rehearsal, the time has come for us to taste the fruit of our labours.

The mayor of Thessaloniki, Mr Konstantinos Zervas, characterised the TIF the city’s window to the world, stressing that it is an institution, and during periods of crisis institutions are pillars of stability and growth. In reference to this year’s Honoured Country, he noted that this is an opportunity to strengthen the ties of friendship between the two countries, and for Thessaloniki and Macedonia to pop up on the “investment radar” of the United Arab Emirates.

“It will be an exhibition like the ones we used to have, but better, perhaps the best of the past ten years”, stated the CEO of TIF-Helexpo, Mr Kyriakos Pozrikidis, noting that it is the first time an Arab country is participating as the Honoured Country at the TIF. He also stressed that the exhibition centre will operate at full capacity this year, while companies are all choosing the TIF. As regards the United Arab Emirates, he noted that the public will have the opportunity to see a spectacular pavilion, where, besides the entrepreneurial side of things, there will be daily cultural events.

Papastratos is supporting the TIF for the fifth consecutive year as Official Supporter of this year’s event, as mentioned by Mr Iakovos Kargarotos, Vice Chairman of the company. He also stressed that during periods of crisis we should speak with actions, not with words, and that that is part of Papastratos’ DNA. Papastratos and the TIF are joining forces and gradually transforming the I. Vellidis Congress Centre into an events centre with the smallest possible environmental footprint.

Athenian Brewery’s head of sponsorships and events in Northern Greece, Mr Lazaros Vogiatzoglou characterised this year’s event as very strong and successful, while underlining the presence at the TIF of Nymfi Thessalonikis Beer, which is produced in the city.

The TIF is the largest event in the Balkans, based on its duration and number of visitors, as mentioned by the general director of TIF-Helexpo, Mr Alexis Tsaxirlis.

The 86th TIF will operate on the weekends from 10:00 to 22:00 and on weekdays from 16:00 to 22:00.

09/09/2022 – 18:31

The thematic exhibition of the 86th TIF on Circular Economy will be more timely than ever, as it will present the latest technological developments, solutions, and products in the fields of energy and environmental protection, from 10 to 18 September at the Thessaloniki International Exhibition Centre.

Focused on heating-cooling products, energy providers, bioclimatic building design, environmental technologies, and waste management and recycling systems, the Circular Economy thematic exhibition will cover, just before the winter period starts, the needs of TIF visitors in exploring their options in the field of energy.

The thematic exhibition on Circular Economy will be hosted in pavilions 9 and 10, as well as in outdoor areas, while, among others, it has attracted exhibitors with recycling/cleaning systems, environmentally friendly food packaging, natural gas installations, water treatment companies, renewable and alternative energy sources, biological treatment, sector agencies, etc.

Visitors can learn how to prevent waste production, how to plan in an environmentally friendly way, and how to reuse materials to reduce their environmental impact, aiming at saving consumers money and improving their quality of life.

Innovative technological applications for the best exploitation of solar energy and products for modern construction will be presented at the Circular Economy thematic exhibition.

08/08/2022 – 15:37

180 exhibitors from 12 countries, 250 international trade visitors from 35 countries and 2000 scheduled business meetings

FRESKON, the only Fresh Fruit and Vegetable International Trade Event in Greece, is returning after a two-year absence, with 180 exhibitors from 12 countries and 250 international trade visitors from 35 countries (hosted buyers, group visits, entrepreneurial delegations, and individuals).

From 12 to 14 May in pavilions 13, 14, and 15 of the Thessaloniki International Exhibition Centre, fresh fruits and vegetables will be in the spotlight, recording market developments, bringing exhibitors in contact with representatives of major international supermarket chains, commercial enterprises, and logistics enterprises-networks, while the latest in fresh fruits, vegetables, logistics, machinery, and packaging materials will be presented. Exhibitors will come from Greece, France, Hungary, the Netherlands, Italy, Bulgaria, Albania, Poland, Cyprus, Egypt, Spain, and Denmark.

In the framework of the 6th FRESKON, which will gather producers, international retail groups, and domestic and international fresh fruit and vegetable transporters, more than 2000 business meetings have been scheduled between Greek enterprise representatives and producers, and international trade visitors.

FRESKON will also receive an entrepreneurial delegation from Iraqi Kurdistan, which will be composed by entrepreneurs in the agri-food and construction material sectors, as well as members from the Chamber of Commerce of the region of Sulaymaniyah. Furthermore, great emphasis has been placed on attracting Hosted Buyers from Arab states.

On an institutional level, participants in FRESKON include the Ministry of Rural Development & Food, the Regions of Central Macedonia, Western Greece, and Crete, the Central Market of Athens, and the Central Thessaloniki Market.

FRESKON’s opening will be held tomorrow, 12 May, at 19:00, at pavilion 13, by the Minister of Rural Development and Food, Mr Giorgos Georgantas.

The International Apple Congress and side events

The International Apple Congress, on 12 May, stands out at this year’s exhibition, with the participation of established speakers from Greece and abroad. Furthermore, FreshCon Market will focus on the connection of production with retail sales, mainly aiming at bringing large supermarket chains into direct contact with professionals of the agricultural sector, creating ideal conditions for direct agreements. Buyers from 17 supermarkets in Greece, Cyprus, Albania, Bulgaria, Serbia, N. Macedonia, Poland, and Ukraine will be participating in FreshCon Market.

During FRESKON a number of other side events will be held, presenting and analysing specialised issues regarding the primary sector, the connection of agricultural production with commerce, standardisation-packaging, openness, etc.

The Press conference

The emphasis TIF-Helexpo places on the primary sector was underlined by the company’s CEO, Mr Kyriakos Pozrikidis, during the Press Conference held today in view of FRESKON, as he drew on the current event to mention all relevant trade fairs, such as AGROTICA, AGROTHESSALY, DETROP, ARTOZYMA, and ZOOTECHNIA. He also stressed that — besides the exhibition aspect — through FRESKON the Fair aims to highlight innovation, distribution networks, and their role in the transportation of fresh fruit and vegetables.

The publisher-director of FROUTONEA magazine — International Apple Congress and FreshCon Market partner — Mr Panagiotis Orfanos noted that FRESKON has left its mark during the events held in previous years, and that it is trying to promote the qualitative characteristics of Greek fruits and vegetables. In fact, Mr Orfanos raised two critical issues the sector is facing, which this year’s event will deal with as part of its side events: the increased cost of cultivation, which, as he said, must be dealt with or it will lead to a shrinking of production in coming years, and the lack of land workers, which is threatening harvest. In fact, he noted that many summer fruits will remain unharvested and something has to be done immediately, so that the summer season is not lost.

The event’s project manager, Ms Tonia Nikolaidou, referred to the great effort made to maintain this year’s FRESKON at the levels of 2019. She also stressed that FRESKON’s aims are exports and their growth prospects, while the event helps Greek enterprises find new markets. She also referred to the International Apple Congress, noting that the number and mix of participants indicates the great interest surrounding it.

Lastly, the General Director of TIF-Helexpo, Mr Alexis Tsaxirlis, stressed that FRESKON is the only exhibition in Greece on fresh fruits and vegetables, and it is a model of event organising — beyond the exhibition part — as it is based on three pillars: B2B meetings, the congress, and the FreshCon Market. He also referred to all the other exhibition activities that are hosted during this period at the Thessaloniki International Exhibition Centre, stressing that “we are getting back on track”.

13/05/2022 – 12:47

The freshest event in the fruit and vegetable sector, the 6th FRESKON, is being held from 12 to 14 May 2022 at the Thessaloniki International Exhibition Centre by TIF-Helexpo.

One of the most important fruit and vegetable fairs in the Balkans and Southeastern Europe, FRESKON, is making the difference by hosting the largest enterprises of the fresh produce sector from Greece and abroad (as exhibitors and guests), which will promote their latest innovations, products, and services.

This year’s event will have its finger on the pulse of primary production at Pavilions 13, 14, and 15, with more than 250 commercial visitors (hosted buyers, group visits, and entrepreneurial delegations) from 33 countries.

FRESKON will receive an entrepreneurial delegation from Iraqi Kurdistan, which will be composed by entrepreneurs in the agri-food and construction material sectors, as well as members from the Chamber of Commerce of the region of Sulaymaniyah, which, among other things, aims to attract investment to their country.

One of the many side events of the Exhibition that stands out is the International Apple Congress with internationally distinguished speakers. The focal point of FRESKON is the FreshCon Market, where production connects to retail, as FRESKON exhibitors have the exclusive opportunity to meet representatives from some of the largest domestic and international supermarket chains in Greece and Europe.

10/05/2022 – 14:34

One of the largest agricultural sector exhibition events in S.E. Europe, the ‘Agrotica’ International Fair for Agricultural Machinery, Equipment & Supplies, will be held from 20-23 October 2022 October at the Thessaloniki International Exhibition Centre.

Agrotica has recorded increased interest from exhibitors and hosted buyers, while almost all available exhibition facilities have already been booked.

It is a crucial juncture for the development and modernisation of agricultural holdings, as the new Improvement Plan calls are expected to commence in September.

The most important enterprises and entities of the sector from the entire scope of agricultural entrepreneurship will participate in the Exhibition.

Agrotica hosts tens of thousands of farmers from all over Greece and the broader geographic region, acting as a hub for agricultural technology and innovation.

Agrotica is being held with the support of the Machinery Importers’ – Representatives’ Association (SEAM), the Association of Manufacturers of Agricultural Machinery (EKAGEM), and the Associatiation of Fertiliser Producers and Traders (SPEL).

The Fair will be completely safe and held in harmonisation with the epidemiological and health data in effect when it is being held.

08/04/2022 – 11:17

Internationally renowned and high-quality foods of the Mediterranean diet, gastronomy, and the dynamism of the bakery and confectionery sectors will be highlighted at the 10th International ARTOZYMA Exhibition and the 30th International DETROP BOUTIQUE Exhibition, which will be held from 2-4 April at the International Exhibition & Conference Centre of Thessaloniki.

ARTOZYMA is hosting the largest enterprises in confectionery and bakery raw ingredients, packaging, and equipment, which will review the latest developments in the sector through thematic features.

DETROP BOUTIQUE is presenting all the latest dietary trends and the best delicatessen foods-beverages from a quality and production method perspective.

With the Municipality of Pyrgos, Elis as the Honoured Municipality, DETROP BOUTIQUE this year has the ‘Greek Bites Area’ and ‘Cheese & Wine’ side events in gastronomy and tasting.

The leading quality of Greek olives and olive oil will be the focus of the ‘OLIVE OIL TROPHY’ International Quality Contest for exceptional olive oils and the ‘TABLE OLIVES TROPHY’ International Quality Contest for Table Olives.

These two new institutions are the result of the partnership between TIF-Helexpo and the ‘FILAIOS’, the Friends of Olive Oil & Olives association.

The 5th Pan-Hellenic Bread Championship stands out from the side events, which aims at promoting the sector’s new generation.

The Bakery Labs by the National Baking Team and the Pastry Labs of the Hellas Pastry Chef Club with master classes by distinguished pastry chefs, will highlight all the modern trends in confectionery and baking.

The subject of the colloquium held by the Thessaloniki Guild of Shop Owners and Confectioners is ‘Patisseries in the Digital Age’. It will present the contribution of new technologies and modern means to the enhancement of the image and the commercial popularity of patisseries.

A scientific colloquium on ‘Small industry baking-confectionery, approaching modern challenges’ is also being held in the context of ARTOZYMA. It is being organised by the Hellenic Association of Food Technologists, and aims to present recent developments to baking goods producers, so that they can enrich their knowledge.

At the same time, the Greek Coeliac Association is also holding a colloquium on gluten-free product certification.

The two Exhibition, DETROP BOUTIQUE and ARTOZYMA, are framed by many more side events of other enterprises and entities.

01/04/2022 – 15:54

Promoting and highlighting Greek jewellery is at the core of the 34th Athens International Jewellery Show, which is being held from 25-28 February 2022 at Metropolitan Expo exhibition centre.

With innovations such as the new Design Section and with 200 direct exhibitors from Greece, Italy, Turkey, Cyprus, Germany, and Belgium, as well as 112 indirect exhibitors (international houses), Athens International Jewellery Show, organised by TIF-Helexpo, is the largest international exhibition of the sector in Greece, highlighting the new trends in gold, silver, and timepieces.

The Design Section was created to promote and highlight Greek jewellery design, which has repeatedly received distinctions abroad for its originality and excellent quality.

Participants at Athens International Jewellery Show include manufacturers, workshops, designers, importers, and representatives of jewellery and timepieces.

The safety of visitors and exhibitors to the exhibition is paramount, and all the necessary health protocols provided for will be observed upon visitor entry and for the duration of their visit. More specifically, entry to the exhibition is only permitted to those who have a vaccination or recovery certificate, and mask use is mandatory throughout the duration of their stay within the exhibition centre.

25/02/2022 – 11:59

First place in the top ten most influential people in the TOP HOTELIERS (Hotels and Venues) category of New Europe for 2021 was taken by TIF-Helexpo CEO, Mr Kyriakos Pozrikidis, in the framework of the vote carried out by Kongres Magazine on meeting, event, and congress industry influencers. In fact, Mr Kyriakos Pozrikidis scored 4.81 out of 5, standing out among professionals in both the hotel, and the exhibition and congress sectors. The list of influencers was seen by 6832 people, while 1711 voted on the final ranking.

The selection of the most influential people of New Europe by Kongres Magazine has garnered exceptional recognition in the international meeting, event, and congress industry, with the list including people who have left their mark on the sector.

Each candidate was scored in four categories: Credibility, creativity, results, and legacy. The final score was calculated as the average in these categories, on a grading scale of 1 to 5.

The awards for the most influential people of the industry in New Europe will be presented to the winners in person at an award ceremony to be held on 22 February 2022, in the framework of the Conventa trade fair in Ljubljana. The public can watch the ceremony online.

09/02/2022 – 12:15