More than 500 exhibitors have already registered for the 24th ‘Detrop’ International Exhibition of Food,Beverages, Machinery, & Equipment  and the 5th  ‘Oenos’ International Wine Fair, organised by TIF-HELEXPO from February 26 to March 1, at Thessaloniki International Exhibition Centre. 

The two events are particularly dynamic this year and are expected to become, once again, a focal point of the food and beverages industry in Southeast Europe. A wide range of specialised exhibitors are hosted, from producers, industrial firms and wholesalers to importers and representatives of food, beverage and wine products from the entire Greece, deployed in seven pavilions. The Association of Overseas Greek Food & Drinks Importers (SELETROPE) with its member-companies are participating to this double exhibition event this year.  

In the context of the two events, TIF-HELEXPO implements its Hosted Buyers Programme: this year 250 international hosted trade visitors and buyers from food & beverage shop chains, super-markets, importing companies, distributors, wholesalers and wine cellars from 30+ countries are expected to arrive in Thessaloniki.     

Indicatively, trade visitors are arriving from Austria, Belarus, Britain, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Lebanon, Luxemburg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the USA, etc. In fact, TIF-HELEXPO is responsible for scheduling more than 3,000 business meeting appointments, which will give Greek exhibitors the opportunity to make their products known abroad, and to establish communication channels with major buyers from important international markets.   

Furthermore, there is a rich ‘menu’ of satellite events, including the 9th International Culinary Competition of South Europe, the 15th International Wine Competition of  Thessaloniki, the Pan-Hellenic Conference on meat and meat products titled ‘From Farm to Table’, as well as the day meeting on ‘Religious certification and exports of foodstuffs and food ingredients’.  

18/02/2015 – 11:04

Infacoma and EnergyTech, the only exhibition ‘duo’ for the sectors of construction and energy in Greece and the Balkans, shall be organised by TIF-Helexpo from 12 to 15 February 2015 at Thessaloniki International Exhibition Centre. The most important enterprises of both sectors will be present at both events, covering a total of five pavilions, as well as outdoor areas.

The national exhibition agency places great importance on these sectors and it is indicative of this importance that, through its partnership with Reed Exhibitions Messe Wien, it is bringing the Aqua-Therm exhibition to Thessaloniki, to be organised from 2016 onwards for Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, FYROM, Albania and Cyprus.

The 32nd ‘Infacoma’ International Exhibition for Construction Materials, Insulation, Door and Window Frames, Sanitary Ware, Pre-construction and Technology is the only exhibition in the sector of construction and building materials in Greece, with a dominant position in the domestic exhibition market and the market of Southeast Europe. Its steady progress is a pole of attraction for construction enterprises and, in this framework, the mass participation of the aluminium sector this year has been ensured, through the partnership with the Aluminium Association of Greece, one of the supporters of the event.

‘Infacoma’ is also supported by many other participating associations of professionals and constructors of the sector.

The timely and particularly important sector of energy and all its products and services for consumers and enterprises will be showcased at the 7th ‘EnergyTech’ International Exhibition for Renewable and Conventional Energy Sources, Energy Saving, Technology & the Environment. For this year’s ‘EnergyTech’, Thessaloniki Chamber of Commerce and Industry has given its members the possibility of having their participating subsidised, thus supporting the event in practice.

TIF-Helexpo has implemented a hosted buyers programme (international trade visitors) for both events. In this framework, hosted buyers from Russia, Romania, Cyprus and FYROM will meet with exhibitors.

05/02/2015 – 11:24

The market and enterprises are sending positive messages to the 9th ‘Zootechnia’ International Fair, which will be held, with major qualitative and quantitative upgrades, from 29 January to 1 February 2015 at Thessaloniki International Exhibition Centre.

With ‘Zootechnia’, TIF-Helexpo dynamically enters a new year that is filled with new exhibitions and great emphasis placed by the national exhibition agency on extroversion and international partnerships.

As underlined by the President of TIF-Helexpo, Mr Tassos Tzikas, the financial result for the national exhibition agency in 2014 will be very satisfactory, stressing that this is an important step towards operational profitability.

“Our great challenge henceforth is the internationalisation and extroversion of TIF-Helexpo through partnerships and new products”, stressed Mr Tzikas.

Referring to ‘Zootechnia’, Mr Tzikas spoke of a very encouraging start to the new year, as most exhibitors participating in this event (537 out of a total of 849) come either directly or indirectly from abroad.

In turn, the CEO of TIF-Helexpo, Mr Kyriakos Pozrikidis, focused on the fact that ‘Zootechnia’, the only specialised livestock exhibition in Greece and the Balkans, attracts a large number of visitors from Southeast Europe.

“We already know that delegations of hosted buyers from neighbouring countries, where an extensive advertising campaign was held, will be visiting the Fair. At the same time, Zootechnia will welcome hosted buyers from Russia, Kazakhstan, Belgium, Cyprus, Lebanon and FYROM, who will exclusively meet with exhibitors”, underlined Mr Pozrikidis.

All major domestic livestock-poultry enterprises will also be present at ‘Zootechnia’ to present the latest developments in the sector, from important animal breeds to machinery, services and research. In total, 849 exhibitors will be participating in this year’s event, as compared to 578 at Zootechnia 2013, while this year’s exhibition area covers 9 pavilions (80% of Thessaloniki International Exhibition Centre) and 12,938 m2, as compared to 9,600 m2 at the last event. Foreign exhibition participants, both direct and indirect via representatives, hail from a total of 37 countries.

The deputy general director of TIF-Helexpo, Mr Alexis Tsaxirlis, noted that by early March, TIF-Helexpo will also organise the Energy Tech, Infacoma, Detrop-Oenos and Ellinon Kosmima exhibitions, which are very important for the company as a whole.

The project manager of ‘Zootechnia’ spoke about the upcoming event, noting that despite the harsh economic conditions and the poor state of the market, exhibitors trust this important event for the primary sector.

All the agencies that play a role in agricultural production and development will be present at the Fair, including the Ministry of Rural Development & Food, Product Control and Certification Organisations, the Hellenic Veterinary Association, the Pan-Hellenic Association of Young Farmers, the Greek Association of Manufacturers of Agricultural Machinery (EKAGEM), the Technological Education Institute (TEI) of Thessaloniki-Animal Production Sector, the University of Thessaly and the Laboratory of Animal Husbandry of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.

Zootechnia will also feature an extensive programme of parallel events, the most outstanding of which is the colloquium on rebooting goat breeding and commencing donkey breeding, as well as the presentation of a model vertically integrated unit focusing on this object.

The agencies organising these events are TIF-Helexpo, the Laboratory of Animal Husbandry of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, the Agricultural Livestock Co-operative of Volos-Skopelos goat breed and the companies WESTFALIA Technologies, EUROCO SA and SOSTAR.

At the same time, issues concerning aquatic production and aquaculture will be analysed at a colloquium co-organised by the University of Thessaly and TIF-Helexpo.

The parallel events also include the 5th Pet Festival, bringing the public closer to the world of domestic pets, and the impressive Horse Show.

The parallel events will also feature the 5th Pan-Hellenic Animal Production Technology Conference and a colloquium on Greek buffalo.

The opening hours of ‘Zootechnia’ are from 10.00 to 19.00 on weekdays and Sunday, 1 February, and from 10.00 to 20.00 on Saturday, 31 January.

‘Zootechnia’ is being held under the auspices of the Ministry of Macedonia-Thrace and the Greek Association of Manufacturers of Agricultural Machinery, the Hellenic Feed Industry Association and the Machinery Importers’ – Representatives’ Association.

The National Bank of Greece is the Official Bank, Egnatia Odos is a Supporter and Skyserv is the Sponsor.

28/01/2015 – 15:09

“Do you know your city? Think again!” – With this rationale in mind and wishing to contribute to the promotion of the history and wealth of Thessaloniki, the CEO of TIF-Helexpo, Mr Kyriakos Pozrikidis, created an educational and entertaining game about the city named CityGame Thessaloniki. This unique board game aims at revealing unknown aspects of the city to young and old through a pleasant, educational process. It features 1,800 cads with questions and answers that reveal the small secrets of Thessaloniki to players, taking them on a trip to its past and present – from the origin of well-known city streets and the history of monuments we pass by every day to renowned individuals who were born and prospered in the city, CityGame Thessaloniki has an answer for everything. 

The question included in the game are classified into the following categories: history, sports, lifestyle, culture, economy, city, people. The game board features 48 steps and in order to win, a player must answer 48 questions correctly, as well as a final question of their own choice.

“In discussions with friends and acquaintances, and youths in particular, I discovered a knowledge gap regarding the history of our city. While we know a lot about our nation and country, many aspects of the rich history of Thessaloniki remain unknown and neglected”, noted Mr Kyriakos Pozrikidis.

“Thessaloniki is a much-loved city, full of knowledge and secrets that make it timelessly attractive. Mr Kyriakos Pozrikidis decided to turn all this into a game”, noted the President of TIF-Helexpo, Mr Tassos Tzikas, stating that CityGame Thessaloniki will enchant everyone who tries the game.

Mr Yiorgos Anastassiadis, professor emeritus at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, was responsible for the verification of questions and historical documentation, while IDEART was responsible for the graphic design of the game.

Mr Pozrikidis intends for CityGame to be extended to other Greek or international cities in upcoming editions. The game will presently become available in electronic form, allowing players to play online.

04/02/2015 – 14:24

‘Asterocosmos’, the fairytale Christmas land of TIF-HELEXPO, covering 27,000 m2 and illuminated by 5,700,000 Christmas lights, is opening its doors on Friday, 12 December, at 17.00, at Thessaloniki International Exhibition Centre, bringing festive cheer to the city until 7 January 2015. Its enormous Christmas tree will be lit on Saturday, 13 December, at 20.00, when the Christmas park will be officially inaugurated.

The Frozen Forest, Santa Claus’ Stone Village, the Toy Factory, Sugar Paste Village, the interactive, fairytale workshops, the largest amusement park, the two 600 m2 ice-skating rinks and the daily theatrical, acrobatic and musical events are just a few of the impressive sights at this year’s ‘Asterocosmos’. The Choco Factory and Museum is also dressing up for the holidays, hosting an impressive chocolate Christmas tree.

During today’s Press Conference presenting the event, the President of TIF-Helexpo, Mr Tassos Tzikas, described this year’s ‘Asterocosmos’ as an event with a Balkan dimension. “Thessaloniki will tie its wintery image to ‘Asterocosmos’, which is being established as a pole of attraction for the city during the Christmas season”, he stressed.

The CEO of the national exhibition agency, Mr Kyriakos Pozrikidis, noted that the messages regarding attendance are already encouraging, as group bookings from the Balkans and cities from all over Greece have already been made.

The Vice-President of the company, Mr Kostas Dimou, underlined the importance of events, organised by TIF-Helexpo, that invigorate the commercial and tourism activity of Thessaloniki. 

The deputy general director of TIF-Helexpo, Mr Alexis Tsaxirlis, noted that the national exhibition agency has become a producer of major events, such as ‘Asterocosmos’, and thanked the creative teams of associates who contributed to the implementation of the theme park.

More specifically, this year’s theme park features:-

• the largest Amusement Park and 2 ice-skating rinks, which young and old visitors can visit as often as they like,
• daily acrobatic shows, concerts, theatrical performance, interactive and fairytale workshops,
• the Frozen Forest, Santa Claus and the Toy Factory, the Magical Locations, the Christmas Choco Factory & Museum and the Christmas Book Fair-Bazaar.
• At the Interactive Workshops, Santa Claus will welcome young and old to a storybook city at Pavilion 13. Each workshop is based on a different scenario. The Book-lovers’ Workshop, the Christmas handicraft Workshop, the Clay Workshop, the Nutrition Workshop, as well as workshops focusing on the environment, music, cartoons and gift packaging, make up the super spectacle of interactive workshops. 
• The Fairytale Workshops (Choco Street) consists of City Game Thessaloniki, a board-game workshops, the Christmas Bakery and the School of Christmas Magic.
• For the first time in Greece, the real Star World of Santa Claus will come to life before the eyes of young and old visitors, who will be amazed by the beautiful construction and gift workshops, Santa’s beloved helpers, the Toy Master and his Seamstress, his large and imposing Office and, of course, his Post Office, where he receives letters from children.
• At the Frozen Forest of ‘Asterocosmos’, tree branches are covered by snow and a thin layer of ice, while the nativity scene is a glorious, spectacular work of art located next to Santa’s stone village; its creation was supported by the Holy Metropolis of Thessaloniki.
• The Magical Locations of Asterocosmos give young visitors the chance to be photographed and to see the Books of Magic, the City of Elves, the Music Box and the Frozen Fairy Castle.
• At the enormous Amusement Park, 18 different games await visitors, including ‘Trambolino’, the fairytale ‘Carousel’ and ‘Terminator’.
• The Publishers’ Association of Northern Greece is participating in ‘Asterocosmos’ and is organising the ‘Christmas Book Fair – Bazaar’.
• The daily schedule of ‘Asterocosmos’ also includes artistic events that will entertain visitors of all ages. Theatrical performances, acrobatic shows with acrobats from the greatest stages around the world, pantomime shows, Stand-up Comedy, as well as a Jazz Festival, the Paranaue percussion group, Flamenco nights, Bollywood, opera, chamber music and illusion shows, and many other events.

General admission to ‘Asterocosmos’ (single-person ticket) is 7 euros and includes visits to the entire theme park – except for the Choco Factory and Museum – and unlimited participation in all games, actions and shows, as well as free parking at TIF-Helexpo facilities (entry from Emporiou Gate). Children up to 1m tall do not pay admission. General admission that includes a visit to the Choco Factory and Museum is 9 euros.

‘Asterocosmos’ is being held under the auspices of the Ministry of Macedonia-Thrace, with National Bank of Greece as its the official bank, LEPOGA soft drink, ENERGIZER batteries and Skyserv Handling Services as sponsors, and with the support of Egnatia Odos.

10/12/2014 – 14:05

A vote of confidence has been given to TIF-HELEXPO, Thessaloniki and Greece by Reed Exhibitions, the largest exhibition group in the world, launching a significant partnership in our country.  

The Austrian subsidiary of the Group, namely Reed Exhibitions Messe Wien, brings to Thessaloniki its most important and highly recognised worldwide exhibition brand, Aqua-Therm. As of 2016, the Aqua-Therm event is to be exclusively organised by TIF-HELEXPO for Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, FYROM, Albania and Cyprus. It is an event held in 11 countries and includes the sectors of heating for home and industry use, air-conditioning-ventilation, water supply and sewerage as well as equipment for spas, saunas and swimming pools.   

“Thessaloniki is an excellent location and this period is ideal, now that the Greek economy is showing signs of recovery”, noted Matthias Limbeck, the CEO of Reed Exhibitions Messe Wien, at today’s Press Conference, explaining the reasons for cooperating with TIF-HELEXPO. Mr Limbeck stated that TIF-HELEXPO is a significant player in South East Europe’s exhibition sector, with an exhibition centre that fulfils international standards. “Our strategy is to enter markets with growth prospects”, Mr Limbeck added.   

The first step towards implementing this significant challenge of internationalisation for the national exhibition agency was completed with the agreement between the two organisations, in the words of Mr Tassos Tzikas, the President of TIF-HELEXPO. “Internationalisation was one of our priorities and it is now coming true”, he stressed. 

On his part, the CEO of TIF-HELEXPO, Mr Kyriakos Pozrikidis, noted that beyond Aqua-Therm, further discussion is in progress with Reed Exhibitions Messe Wien concerning other projects in the broader region, while he underlined the significance of the company’s inclusion into a global network that paves the way to attract international trade visitors and exhibitors.  “We are bringing an international exhibition product to our city, an event that is exceptionally recognisable in its sector and enjoys high prestige”. Mr Pozrikidis also noted that the first messages concerning participation in the Aqua-Therm event to be held in Thessaloniki are very encouraging.   

The parent company, Reed Exhibitions, is the largest exhibition organisation in the world: it is active in 43 countries, with 41 offices, 3,700 employees and more than 500 exhibition events in which about 7 million people participate. 

In Austria, Reed Exhibitions (Vienna and Salzburg) organises 30 exhibitions in 40 industrial sectors; in 2014, exhibitors numbered 6,964 and participants 594,167. 

Aqua-Therm, which is an exclusively b2b exhibition event, has been held (including Thessaloniki) in 13 cities and 11 countries since 2004 and is a meeting point of top manufacturers and suppliers in the sector of heating, ventilation and air-conditioning. In Thessaloniki it is going to be held annually, starting in 2016; The first event is scheduled for 11-14 February 2016, in parallel with the Infacoma Energytech events. 

05/12/2014 – 12:51

The Philoxenia and Hotelia exhibitions welcomed a highly increased number of visitors, as a total 14,281 individuals entered Thessaloniki International Exhibition Centre from 13 to 16 November in order to visit the two events organised by TIF-Helexpo.

More specifically, the 30th Philoxenia welcomed 12,074 visitors, i.e. there was a 54% increase in the number of visitors compares to last year’s event, which also included the Polis exhibition. Hotelia, in turn, which was not a separate exhibition last year but was part of Philoxenia, attracted the interest of 2,207 visitors this year.

Philoxenia also enjoyed high attendance by hosted buyers, who numbered 4,718, as compared to 2,665 last year (+77%).

Hotelia welcomed 495 hosted buyers, coming from 23 countries to visit both events, a fact that proves that dynamism and penetration of Philoxenia and Hotelia in international markets.

The great interest of the tourism sector in the exhibition and the prospect of becoming a reference point for tourism in South-East Europe is proven by the international hosted buyers (invited trade visitors) who visited Philoxenia and attended important meetings with Greek enterprises.

The conferences and numerous events organised by Municipalities from all over Greece within the framework of the two exhibitions were also by large crowds. ‘Destination Thessaloniki’, an international conference co-organised by TIF-Helexpo, the Thessaloniki Convention Bureau (TCB) and the Greek National Tourism Organisation, highlighted the efforts and plans of agencies of Thessaloniki and Northern Greece to valiantly place the city on the international tourism ‘map’. The experiences of other cities in the broader region of SE Europe and their prospects of cooperation with Thessaloniki were also presented during the conference.

Tourism growth prospects were recorded at the conference organised by the Region of Central Macedonia titled ‘Tourism in the Region of Central Macedonia – Raising Tourism Awareness’, at the 3rd Conference of the Macedonia-Thrace Hotel Managers’ Association titled ‘The Road of Greek Tourism to Success’ and at the open meeting of the Council of Presidents of Hotel Associations.

Finally, the innovation of this year’s Hotelia was DPOINT HOTEL VILLAGE, an innovative village where hotel furniture, decoration products and equipment were presented at an event titled ‘The Future of Hotel & Restaurant Design’.

18/11/2014 – 11:18

TIF-Helexpo is taking the first step towards establishing the ‘twin’ exhibitions Philoxenia and Hotelia as the most important event of the tourism industry in South-East Europe by holding this year’s events from 13 to 16 November.

As stressed during today’s Press Conference at Thessaloniki International Exhibition Centre, the national exhibition agency aspires for the regional international tourism market to be represented at this pair of exhibitions, so that foreign hosted buyers can ‘buy’ into Greece, faced with the entirety of the domestic tourism product, on the one hand, and to be able to discover the tourism panorama of the Balkans, on the other.

The President of TIF-Helexpo, Mr Tassos Tzikas, stressed the representation of nearly all of Greece at the 30th Philoxenia, referring to the return of the Regions of Attica and Crete to the event after numerous years. The CEO of the company, Mr Kyriakos Pozrikidis, characterised Philoxenia as the oldest tourism exhibition in the country and the only of its kind, which is currently experiencing a rejuvenation.

In turn, the deputy general director of the national exhibition agency, Mr Alexis Tsaxirlis, stressed the successful effort to completely overhaul Philoxenia and underlined the tremendous prospects of Hotelia, focusing on the sector of hotel equipment.

The authorised consultant on tourism and international relations of the municipality, Mr Spyros Pengas, formulated the proposal of the Municipality of Thessaloniki for the organisation of a tourism investment forum by TIF-Helexpo and spoke of a leap in quality at Philoxenia. 

The 30th Philoxenia has attracted select hosted buyers from Bulgaria, Canada, Costa Rica, France, Germany, India, Italy, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Slovenia, Turkey, the Netherlands, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, South Africa and the United States.

Over 100 international hosted buyers will attend this year’s event as representatives of major tour operators and tourism agencies and will participated in over 1,000 scheduled appointments with exhibitors. Major international markets will also be participating in this year’s event, such as Russia, Turkey, Bulgaria, FYROM, Egypt, Austria, Moldova, Tunisia and Indonesia.

In total, the exhibitors at this year’s Philoxenia and Hotelia number 200, as compared to 152 last year. The majority of the domestic tourism ‘map’ is being represented at this year’s ‘twin’ tourism exhibitions of TIF-Helexpo, as evidenced by the 4,600 square meters of exhibition area covered this year, compared to 3,100 last year.

As regards Hotelia, this year’s creative innovation will be DPOINT HOTEL VILLAGE at Pavilion 12, which is a model village where furniture and decoration products as well as hotel equipment will be on exhibit.

The ‘square’ of this village will host the Hotel Design Project, where Andreas Varotsos (industrial designer), Sotiris Lazou (industrial designer), Aspassia Taka (architect), Manolis Metridis (architectural engineer), Yiorgis Pittarokilis (mechanical engineer, industrial designer) and Yiannis Yeorgaras (industrial designer) will present their proposals for model hotel rooms.

This year, there will be a rich schedule of parallel events, the most prestigious of which is ‘Destination Thessaloniki’, a conference aiming at highlighting the infrastructure and prospects of the city of Thessaloniki as a destination for international congresses, exhibitions and events of a scientific and cultural nature.

The two events will be inaugurated by the Minister of Tourism, Ms Olga Kefaloyianni, on Thursday, 13 November, at 20.00 in ‘Emilios Riadis’ Hall. Philoxeia and Hotelia are being held under the auspices of the Greek National Tourism Organisation, the Ministry of Macedonia-Thrace and all the major tourism agencies of the country, such as the Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises (SETE), the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels (XEE), the Hellenic Association of Travel and Tourist Agencies (HATTA), the Hellenic Federation of Hoteliers (POX) and the Macedonia-Thrace Travel Agents’ Association.

Artion Conferences & Events is the associate in the field of hosted buyers, Skyserv is the sponsor and the National Bank of Greece is the official bank.

The working hours of the two exhibitions is as follows: Thursday and Friday from 11.00 to 20.00 and only for commercial visitors, on Saturday from 11.00 to 20.00 for commercial visitors and the public, and on Sunday from 11.00 to 18.00 also for commercial visitors and the public.

12/11/2014 – 17:18

‘One more step towards cultural diversity and an open, cosmopolitan outlook, as dictated by the history and geographical location of Thessaloniki’; this is how Deputy Minister of Culture, Ms. Angela Gerekou, characterised Art Thessaloniki International Contemporary Art Fair to be held from October 29 to November 1, 2015. The event is to be co-organised by TIF-HELEXPO and Tsatsis Projects/Artforum. Ms. Gerekou added that this venture will encourage the dialogue between artists and the art-loving public, while it will comprise a meeting point for a wide range of artistic trends and creations.  

The Deputy Minister stressed that culture can be combined with an extroverted attitude and growth and, therefore, with the economy of the country. She went on to explain exactly how these three parameters, namely, ‘culture, extroversion, and economic growth’ run through the entire philosophy of the Ministry of Culture. Ms. Gerekou also expressed her hopes that the new event will become a platform for the exchange of ideas in the culture sector.    

On his part, Mr. Tasos Tzikas, the President of TIF-HELEXPO, underlined that Art Thessaloniki is, inter alia, an attempt for the national exhibition agency to rediscover its charming relationship with culture, since it has often been the ‘birthplace’ of various significant culture events, such as the Film Festival and the Greek Song Festival of Thessaloniki. 

In his turn, Mr. Kyriakos Pozrikidis, the CEO of TIF-HELEXPO, remarked that such initiatives aim at branding Thessaloniki as an art-lovers’ destination in SE Europe, while he also announced that  a major campaign is to be launched abroad to promote the new exhibition event.   

«We aspire that Art Thessaloniki will be an open-horizon art-fair that will pave new ways and reveal untapped aspects of the city’s dynamism. The event will embrace Balkan, Black Sea, and Mediterranean countries, Russia, Turkey, Israel and the whole world», underlined the Artistic Director of Art Thessaloniki, Mr. Pantelis Tsatsis.  

The support of the state for this ambitious effort was expressed by Art Philosophy Professor and Culture Advisor to the Prime Minister, Mr. Demosthenes Davvetas. According to Prof. Davvetas, art products should be competitive and the choices made for Art Thessaloniki, as well as its participants, should be of top calibre.

His satisfaction by this effort undertaken in Thessaloniki was also expressed by Art Historian and AUTh Professor, Mr. Charis Savvopoulos. He stressed that such an opening provides the opportunity to numerous young people to get acquainted with works not readily accessible to them.   

Art Thessaloniki is an event investing in the strategic geographical location of Thessaloniki, in the city’s multicultural identity and long and rich history. The event identity will be shaped by art galleries from Greece and abroad as well as a programme of satellite events to be held throughout the city, with the participation of young artists, cultural agencies, foundations, institutes and art publishers.    

10/11/2014 – 15:13

The ‘Choco Factory and Museum’, which will operate for six months at Thessaloniki Exhibition Centre, starting on 6 September, the inauguration date of the 79th TIF, is expected to welcome over 500,000 visitors.

There is already tremendous interest both in Greece and in neighbouring countries in visiting this impressive theme park being built by TIF-HELEXPO on its premises.

Within this framework, travel agencies from the Balkans are preparing to present tourism packages for visiting Thessaloniki and the ‘Choco Factory and Museum’, while schools from Northern Greece are expressing their interest in visiting the city and touring this theme park.

As the President of TIF-HELEXPO, Mr Tassos Tzikas, noted during a Press Conference today, the most important element in the progress of the national exhibition agency is the fact that the Fair is once again becoming established as a point of reference in the minds of the people of Thessaloniki, Northern Greece and, by extension, the entire country.

Furthermore, he stressed that the ‘Choco Factory and Museum’ is a complete theme park with educational and recreational content, being constructed according to the latest safety specifications and can stand shoulder to shoulder with similar international constructions.

On his side, the Managing Director of TIF-HELEXPO, Mr Kyriakos Pozrikidis, noted that the operation of the theme park during the six months it will be welcoming visitors will be enriched by a rich schedule of parallel events, depending on the time period (Christmas, Valentine’s Day, etc.).

At the same time, he noted that it is being considered to extend its six months of operation and to examine the potential of transporting the ‘Choco Factory and Museum’ project, which is exclusively owned and produced by TIF-HELEXPO, to other cities, since there is interest in both Greece and the Balkans, in general.

The Vice-President of TIF-HELEXPO, Mr Kostas Dimou, stated that the creation of this theme park is fully in line with the company’s plans for the development of new activities.

Mr Michalis Filippidis, the group brand manager of the ION chocolate industry, the Grand Sponsor of the theme park, stated that this is the first time the company decided on such a major sponsorship in such a brief period of time and that, by way of indication, ION initially supplied the theme park with, among other things, 5 tonnes of chocolate (mainly couverture).

The theme park is also sponsored by the PAPADOPOULOU biscuit and bakery industry, whose contribution to the success of the ‘Choco Factory and Museum’ by providing quality products at the biscuit workshop was underlined by the CEO of TIF-HELEXPO, Mr Kyriakos Pozrikidis.

Ms Anastassia Nazidou, the Director of the Central & Eastern Macedonia and Thrace branches of the National Bank of Greece noted that the Bank and TIF-HELEXPO share common fields of interest, such as the promotion of entrepreneurship and innovation. 

Ms Ioanna Tziriti, the marketing supervisor of the ISOMAT AVEE construction materials industry, expressed her enthusiasm about the fact that the company she represents is sponsoring the ‘Choco Factory and Museum’ project, whose quality specifications are consistent with the philosophy of ISOMAT.

Mr Dimitris Hatziyiannis, the marketing director of the KRI-KRI dairy industry, stressed that his company found that the level of quality of this theme park and the effort needed for its construction was worthy of sponsorship, especially since the overall endeavour is taking place in Northern Greece.

Mr Yannis Stergis, the CEO of the British agency The Ariston Project Ltd, stated that the agency he represents will undertake the certification and supervision of the educational programmes taking place at the ‘Choco Factory and Museum’, an initiative that is a European first for a theme park within European territory.

The most important sections of the ‘Choco Factory and Museum’ are the following:

Reception 

Visitors are welcomed at the Factory reception and receive their first information, including the printed material needed by everyone about to go on an amazing journey through time. The waiting area contains an exhibition detailing the long history of Pavilion 1 of TIF, with rich photographic and informational material.

The Chocolate Library 

We have created a unique library in a useful, functional space for our visitors to rest and wait. The printed material of the library (books, stories, recipes, magazines, newspapers, etc.) will exclusively revolve around the theme of chocolate, sweets, nutrition and confectionery in general.

It will be open to young and old visitors to the Park and Exhibition Centre, who won’t require a Choco Factory admission ticket to visit the Library.

Choco Museum 

The most delicious museum! The ‘journey of chocolate’ is exceptionally interesting, coming alive before the eyes of visitors. The first stop is in front of the enormous cocoa tree, the first museum depiction of the global history of chocolate and its evolution in Greece. At the same time, through various exhibits and super-sized books and display cases, visitors will discover the main stages of processing and producing chocolate, from the tree and the bean, the pots and moulds, dark and white chocolate leaves, to the final form that reaches consumers. The visit will continue in a unique setting with impressive jungle depictions and Inca temple ruins. 

Amazonian Hut – Projection Hall

The setting with the stilted Amazonian hut introduces visitors to the traditional way of cocoa processing. The special projection hall creates a unique atmosphere through presentation of the history of chocolate.

Gallery – Exhibition space 

The main feature of this area is an enormous, three-dimensional relief map of our country, made completely out of chocolate. The main historical monuments, also made of chocolate, decorate the map and inspire visitors to discover our “sweet Greece” in the most unique way. The area also exhibits sculptures made of chocolate!

Chocolate Workshops

Visitors can touch their dream here! Participation in the 2 workshops begins with an impressive experiment. Children then put on toques, gloves and aprons before coming into contact with sweet temptation: standing before large benches and beside the large chocolate fountain, they will create and package their chocolate constructs. Visitor participation in the workshops will be verified with a seal.

Biscuit Workshop

With the scent of biscuits wafting throughout the area, one of the most delicious areas of the park comes to life every day with the spontaneous smiles of visitors and the happy cries of children.

Children of all ages will be able to take part in biscuit-y activities, watch their favourite cookies being made and have the chance to make their own creative commemorative gifts!

Chocolate Chemistry Lab

The quality control of products take place at the colourful, impressive chemistry lab. Children learn about the basic information they must examine when selecting food (expiration date, texture, shape, etc.) and also discover the ‘magic’ recipe of chocolate!

Chocolate Face-painting 

Young and old visitors are transformed with the most delicious colours. Specially trained artists paint smiling faces using brushes dipped in actual chocolate.

Maze – Pirate Ship 

A real Maze of the ‘Journey of Chocolate’, this is the point of adventure and experiences. Young and old visitors enter the ‘Pirate Ship’ and, with a little luck, the exit to the big surprise is nearby!

Chocolate Waterfall 

The most impressive feature of the park can be seen by every visitor! The free flow of melted chocolate is always a delight… the only Chocolate Waterfall in Europe and one of the largest in the world can be found at the Choco Factory and Museum of TIF-HELEXPO.

Green Box Room

Group and personal photographs in a delicious setting for all visitors. The GreenBox room will make the journey of chocolate even more fun and will provide visitors with best souvenirs of their visit.

Educational Area 

This is a specially modified educational area with intense, colourful cartoon elements, designed exactly as the interior of a child’s mouth. Information on the flavour areas and taste buds of the tongue and on teeth and oral hygiene is provided in a unique, fun and pleasant way. Other educational issues will also be analysed at this area, such as a healthy diet, childhood obesity and the therapeutic properties of chocolate. The educational topic shall change over time during the operation of the park.

SPONSORS 

The ‘Choco Factory and Museum’ is being exclusively sponsored by Greek companies that dominate their fields. 

The Grand Sponsor, the ION chocolate industry, covers the needs for the overall operation of the ‘Choco Factory and Museum’ and supports its construction, decoration and upgraded aesthetics.

The PAPADOPOULOU biscuit and bakery industry makes contributions to cover the needs of the theme park, with special emphasis placed on the biscuit workshop.

24/07/2014 – 00:00