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Tourism professionals return-Increased number of commercial visitors
The Philoxenia-Hotelia tourism trade fair duo succeeded in attracting all tourism professionals to Thessaloniki from 12 to 14 November, achieving, under unfavourable conditions, its goal of once again becoming the sector’s meeting point and a medium for the promotion of destinations from all over Greece. In fact, the number of commercial visitors was significantly increased. Specifically, at Philoxenia 45% of visitors were commercial visitors, conributing to the organising of targeted meetings. The exhibitors were completely satisfied with the qualitative characteristics of the meetings with the hosted buyers from 27 countries and with the commercial visitors from Greece and 19 other countries.
The fair, which displayed its continuity and reliability to the exhibitors, represented all the destinations in Greece, while all major tourism institutional bodies were present. In fact, the podium of the fair was used for the presentation of major projects, such as Modiano Market and Olympos Naoussa Hotel in Thessaloniki, and Alexandrou Chora in Ofrynio, Kavala. The presence of the Municipality of Epidaurus as the Honoured Municipality of Philoxenia during events and activities made an impression.
A lot of interest was garnered by Philoxenia’s congress on ‘Experience Tourism: Seeking Authenticity’, which highlighted new tourism trends around the world in this field, with presentations on how Greece could utilise the increasing trend of experience tourism. Furthermore, there was major participation in the side events organised on the open stage of pavilion 13.
At the same time, the Hotelia International Hotel Equipment Exhibition was especially dynamic, focusing, this year, on five sectors: hotel equipment in pavilion 8 (indoor and outdoor furniture, mattresses and linen, fabrics, curtains, carpets, and lighting), kitchen equipment and cleaning machinery in pavilion 9, construction and renovation (building materials, floors, doors, door & window frames, sanitary ware, pools, cooling, and heating), and digital technology and security systems in pavilion 10, and, lastly, the coffee & drinks section in pavilion 12.
An important element at this year’s Hotelia was that the commercial visitor meetings were targeted and effective, achieving partnerships and agreements.
At the same time, Hotelia’s thematic units All About Gastronomy and All About Café filled the exhibition centre with flavours and aromas, with significant participation in the events and seminars. Greek breakfast laid the table at All About Gastronomy in pavilion 9, with the presentation of all the trends and new applications in the sector of gastronomy that were reinforced and established during the pandemic, while the Latte Art ThrowDown Competition was held at All About Café, where distinguished baristas and roasters impressed the audience with their technique and skill in coffee production, while sharing their secrets with them.
There were a total of 235 exhibitors at Philoxenia and Hotelia representing 12 countries, more specifically, Greece, Poland, Cyprus, Armenia, Portugal, Vietnam, India, Azerbaijan, Luxembourg, Jordan, Iraq, and the United Kingdom. The exhibitors included the Ministry of Tourism, EOT (which had both exhibitions under its auspices), tourism startups via the ‘Capsule T’
Accelerator of the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels, hotels, construction, technology, furniture, equipment, and renovation enterprises addressed to the tourism sector, the most important institutional bodies of the sector — XEE, SETE, HATTA, POX (which had placed the fair under their auspices) — and Greek tourism destinations (Municipalities and Regions).
More than 2500 programmed meetings of hosted buyers from 27 countries were held with exhibitors, while the two fairs also welcomed visits from commercial visitor group delegations.
The Hospitality Sponsor of the Congress, which was held under the auspices of the Region of Central Macedonia, was Fraport (also the hospitality sponsor of Philoxenia), Coffee Break was sponsored by Thessaloniki Tourism Organisation, Taxi Way was the Transport sponsor, while POX, Souroti, and Greek Instagramers Events were supporters, while the Grand Communication Sponsor was ANA/MPA.
The meals of the hosted buyers programme were sponsored by Mediterranean Palace, while the walking tours will were organised with the contribution of the Tourism Organisation of Thessaloniki,
The Mechanical Equipment Sponsor of All About Café in pavilion 12 was Eurogat.