Our History

...we've done it before

It has already been said that the National Exhibition Agency has been etched in our minds as a truly popular and successful national  institution, but it is its 88-year long history  (1926–2014) that makes this fact self-explanatory.

28 April 1925. 
In a time when the 'Exhibition Concept' dominated Europe, MP Nikolaos Germanos submitted his innovative proposal for an international fair, the first in Greece to the then Ministry of National Economy. He asked for permission to materialize his inspiration, received it and was immediately dubbed the spiritual father of the TIF. 

3 October 1926.  
The celebratory opening of the first Thessaloniki International Fair attracted the attention of the greatest Greek and foreign businessmen of the times, and, naturally, charmed their high society wives. An important chapter in the history of the area had just begun.

1940
Having taken place throughout the city, TIF HELEXPO was finally moved and established in its present-day location. WWII interrupted its operations, but did not disrupt its future. 

1951
The Marshall Plan included the pillaged facilities of the TIF, which used the funding provided in an intelligent manner.

1966
With a record number of 1,600,000 visitors, this was a landmark year during the 50s and 60s, which is when the Fair reach the pinnacle of its success, with an average of 400 Greek exhibitors and 1,500 foreign exhibitors at each event! Its high society and artistic life began to take off.

1970
TIF HELEXPO built its largest pavilions. Its facilities continued to host the largest international events of the day. In a tumultuous political climate, TIF-HELEXPO continued to innovate. It organized the first trade fairs, the International Fur Exhibition, the International Marble Exhibition and, by the late 1990s, it covered the entirety of Greek production with more than 25 trade fairs. During the same period, old and new cultural events – the Greek Film Festival and the Song Festival – took on an international orientation and became points of reference.

1999
The international exhibition body is split into two companies, the TIF and HELEXPO.

2013
TIF-HELEXPO are rejoined into a single company and its successful history is ready to be repeated.