More commercial transactions at this year’s exhibition

Favourable climate for a further increase in the number of exhibitors at the 2024 event

There were more than 2000 commercial visitors — an increase from last year’s event — at the 37th KOSMIMA International Exhibition for Jewellery, Clocks and Watches, Precious Stones, Machinery and Equipment, held from 21 to 23 October at the Thessaloniki International Exhibition Centre.

In fact, this year’s KOSMIMA made an excellent impression on exhibitors, as more commercial transactions took place thanks to increased attendance. In this context, most of the exhibitors expressed their intention of participating in the next event, while the positive atmosphere has created the best conditions for a further increase of exhibitors in 2024.

Commercial visitors at the 37th KOSMIMA came from Greece (Thessaloniki, Athens, Halkidiki, Skydra, Serres, Rethymno, Ptolemaida, Preveza, Pella, Larissa, Orestiada, Xanthi, Naousa, Volos, Corinth, Kozani, Katerini, Ioannina, Veria, Drama, Alexandroupoli, Giannitsa, Edessa, Kavala, and Florina) and from abroad (Italy, Germany, Cyprus, Australia, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Canada, Serbia, Montenegro, and Turkey).

The number of exhibitors at the 37th KOSMIMA was 10% higher, while the exhibition space 30% larger than in the previous event. More specifically, this year’s exhibition hosted 50 direct exhibitors from Greece and abroad (specifically Turkey, Bulgaria, and Switzerland), while companies from Italy, Belgium, Ireland, UAE, and Estonia were also represented in a 1121 m2 exhibition space.

During KOSMIMA, awards and commendations were given to the winners of the 34th Panhellenic Jewellery Design Competition, organised by the Panhellenic Federation of Silver- and Goldsmiths, Jewellers and Watchmakers (POVAKO) in partnership with TIF-Helexpo, on the subject of ‘Versatility-multiple uses for jewellery’. At the same time, two more events were held, ‘Synthetic diamonds: Similarities and differences between synthetic and mined diamonds on a laboratory and commercial level’, and ‘The secrets of Emeralds’.

The next “date” for the jewellery sector has been made for 23-26 February 2024 at the Athens International Jewellery Show.

31/10/2023 – 12:19

The 37th KOSMIMA International Exhibition for Jewellery, Clocks and Watches, Precious Stones, Machinery and Equipment will open at the Thessaloniki International Exhibition Centre on Saturday 21 October, with a 10% increase in the number of visitors and a 30% increase in exhibition spaces in comparison to 2022. The exhibition will run until 23 October. At the same time, three more exhibitions — Thessaloniki Boat and Fishing Show 2023, Sea and Tourism Expo 2023, and PHARMA point — will add their dynamism to the Thessaloniki International Exhibition Centre over the next few days.

This year’s KOSMIMA will host 50 direct exhibitors from Greece and abroad (specifically Turkey, Bulgaria, and Switzerland), while also represented will be companies from Italy, Belgium, Ireland, UAE, and Estonia. At the same time, it will also present the award winning designs of the 34th Panhellenic Jewellery Design Competition, being organised by the Panhellenic Federation of Silver- and Goldsmiths, Jewellers and Watchmakers (POVAKO) in partnership with TIF-Helexpo.

On Sunday 22 October the following side events will be organised in the context of KOSMIMA: awards and distinctions will be presented to the contestants of the 34th Panhellenic Jewellery Design Competition, the event on ‘Synthetic diamonds: Similarities and differences between synthetic and mined diamonds on a laboratory and commercial level’, and the event on ‘The secrets of Emeralds’.

The Thessaloniki Boat and Fishing Show 2023 and the Sea and Tourism Expo 2023 are being held from 20 to 22 October in pavilions 13 and 15, with exhibitors from all maritime activity sectors, while PHARMA point, the largest pharmaceuticals event in northern Greece, will be held over the weekend of 21-22 October at the ‘Ioannis Vellidis’ Congress Centre.

Today’s Press conference

KOSMIMA is being upgraded after the systematic efforts of the past few years, according to the statements of TIF-HELEXPO President, Mr Tassos Tzikas, at today’s press conference. In reference to the Thessaloniki Boat and Fishing Show, Sea and Tourism Expo, and PHARMA Point, which are being held at the same time, he noted that they prove that the Thessaloniki International Exhibition Centre is the main economic driver of the city.

The CEO of the international exhibition agency, Mr Kyriakos Pozrikidis, focused on the hopeful element of putting forward new designers through the Panhellenic Jewellery Design Competition being organised by POVAKO in partnership with TIF-HELEXPO in the context of KOSMIMA.

The encouraging messages from POVAKO’s regional associations on the numbers of visitors to this year’s event were conveyed by the president of the Panhellenic Federation, Mr Petros Kalpakidis, who also noted that KOSMIMA was the first trade fair of the sector and that after many fluctuations it is at last recording dynamic progress.

The Thessaloniki Boat and Fishing Show and Sea and Tourism Expo double exhibition will cover twice as much space in its second year, gathering great interest from Greek and international exhibitors, according to Mr Antonis Ionas of Pelagic Expo, organiser of the exhibition duo. In fact, he noted that at this year’s event we will also see shipyards from Bulgaria and Turkey present, as well as other companies from Cyprus.

Another spokesperson of Pelagic Expo, Mr Giorgos Polychroniou, also stressed that the two expos are hosting 197 exhibitors in total, including many Greek shipyards that are active in exports.

While the four aforementioned exhibitions are being held at pavilions 10,9,8, and 7, 30 furniture enterprises are organising an exhibition on the sector over the weekend, while pavilion 2 will be open for registrations for the Night Half Marathon, according to General Director of TIF-Helexpo, Mr Alexis Tsaxirlis.

23/10/2023 – 11:06

The Chief Executive Officer of TIF-HELEXPO, Mr. Kyriakos Pozrikidis, was elected for the fifth successive year as a member of the top administrative body, i.e., the Board of Directors, of the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI). He is the only Greek representatives who has achieved this victory for a fifth consecutive time, becoming one of the 11 elected members of Europe in the UFI Board of Directors.

The re-election of the TIF-HELEXPO CEO is a vote of confidence reflecting Mr. Pozrikidis’ long service in the world exhibition industry, that also recognizes the position of the national Greek exhibition agency in the global exhibition scene.

It should also be noted that Mr. Pozrikidis is also a member of the Board of the Central European Fairs Alliance (CEFA), to which he was elected twice -in 2015 and 2016- as well as its chairman.

TIF-HELEXPO CEO is starting his new three-year term in office following the annual General Assembly of UFI, to be held on 1st November.

Recognizing the necessity of international networking in a globalized environment, TIF-HELEXPO has invested in its international profile by actively participating in the institutions of the international exhibition community. Indeed, TIF has been a member of UFI since 1927

19/10/2023 – 15:14

The general meeting of the Central European Fair Alliance (CEFA), scheduled for June 2024, will be held at the Thessaloniki International Exhibition Centre. The unanimous decision was reached a few days ago at Novi Sad, in the context of this year’s general meeting of the Alliance, in which the CEO of TIF-HELEXPO, Mr Kyriakos Pozrikidis, participated as a member of the BoD of CEFA.

It should be noted that Mr Pozrikidis has been elected president of CEFA twice — in 2015 and 2016 — and that he was the first Greek to lead the Alliance of European Fairs.

Also present at the meeting of the Alliance was the Minister of the Economy of Serbia, Mr Slobodan Cvetković, who had an extensive talk with Mr Pozrikidis regarding the possibility of the Balkan country’s participation in TIF-HELEXPO exhibitions. Also in attendance at CEFA’s general meeting was the Regional Manager for Europe of the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI), Mr Nick Dugdale-Moore.

The general meeting of CEFA has been held at the Thessaloniki International Exhibition Centre once before, over two days in June 2016, with the participation of the presidents and CEOs of 21 European exhibition organisations.

CEFA, which TIF- HELEXPO has been a member of since 2013, is an important network of fair organisers from Central and Southeastern Europe. It was founded in 1995 to promote the region into a powerful gateway for exhibitions of international significance, that would exceed the physical borders of its members. CEFA’s mission is to help its members provide enterprises with high-quality access to the developing markets of Central and Southeastern Europe.

10/10/2023 – 11:24