the Thessaloniki International Exhibition Centre for Philoxenia.. and Real Estate Expo

Ηosted Buyers’ Program

Philoxenia’s well-organized and targeted b2b hosted buyers’ program is hosting over 100 renowned tourism professionals in its annual event. Through the scheduled meetings, the exhibitors on the first two days of the event, can display and promote their services and products in foreign target markets.

The hosted buyers’ program is a result of the international connections and collaborations of HELEXPO, which is under the supervision of the Institute of Exhibition Research as well as under the auspices of the HELLENIC TOURISM ORGANIZATION.

High-quality upgrade for the leading expo duo

It was a dynamic and productive three-day expo weekend for Thessaloniki from 10 to 12 November 2023 , with the hosting of Philoxenia, Hotelia, and the new kid on the block, Real Estate Expo North. In total, of 24,153 people visited the Thessaloniki International Exhibition Centre to learn about the most recent developments in tourism, hotel equipment, catering and coffee-catering, as well as real estate.

Thessaloniki’s classic expo duo attracted the interest of the tourism sector, while it sent out a message of optimism regarding Greek tourism, with a number of institutional agencies, tourism enterprises, enchanting destinations, and local authority representatives in attendance. Present at the two expos were 350 exhibitors from 18 countries, 115 hosted buyers from 35 countries, and a 158-member business delegation from Iraqi Kurdistan, coordinated by the Chamber of Commerce of Erbil.

Exhibitors and visitors were in agreement with regard to the high-quality upgrade of the exhibition result and in the opportunities for making trade contacts. In fact, more than 3500 meeting between exhibitors and hosted buyers from 32 countries were held during the expos. The wealth of side events organised by important tourism agencies and exhibitors filled all the halls of the exhibition centre, imbuing the two events with a particularly lively atmosphere, while also highlighting their educational character.

Exhibitor response to Philoxenia was very positive, and they were very satisfied from their contacts with the hosted buyers and other trade visitors of the major exhibition event. There was also increased traffic in all visitor categories, Greek and foreign, while this year’s Philoxenia lived up to its name as an “International” event, with direct exhibitors from 17 countries and several state participations.

Philoxenia’s Honoured Country was Armenia and the Honoured Region was the municipality of Heraklion, Crete, while other participants included the Deputy Ministry of Tourism of Cyprus, the Tourism Organisation of Armenia, the Ministry of Tourism of Bulgaria, and the Tourism Organisation of Serbia. There was also a dynamic presence by the Ministry of Tourism, EOT (which has both trade fairs under its auspices), and the most important institutional bodies of the sector — XEE (Hellenic Chamber of Hotels), SETE (Greek Tourism Confederation), HATTA (Hellenic Association of Travel & Tourist Agencies), POX (Hellenic Hoteliers Federation), and SETKE (Greek Confederation of Tourist Accommodation Enterprises) — which have placed the expo under their auspices. Philoxenia was sponsored by EPSILON HOSPITALITY.

Philoxenia’s well-established conference was also a glowing success. This year it focused on sports tourism and its growth prospects, opportunities for Greece from organising major sports events, and the creation of the right infrastructure. The proceedings were attended by large numbers of people, while distinguished speakers shared their knowledge with the public. Fraport Greece was the Hospitality Sponsor of the conference.

The Hotelia hotel equipment exhibition attracted many visitors and garnered significant interest. In fact, the All About Gastronomy and All About Café thematic units were sold out.

More specifically, All About Gastronomy’s gastronomy events, organised by Chef Stories, were dedicated to the dynamism of Greek products, which incorporate the values of tradition, authenticity, quality, and flavour, and provide added value to Greek hospitality. This year’s theme, ‘My Local Greek Choice’, was presented at 8 events, with 400 visitors, and through 16 dishes prepared by Chef Giorgos Psyllos and his team, using exceptional products from 11 award-winning producers, all served in a unique dining area. Furthermore, global gastronomy trends that were reinforced during the pandemic were also presented, such as the interest in foods with a high nutritional value and a local identity. At one of the presentations there was a special tribute to Cretan gastronomy, given that the municipality of Heraklion was Philoxenia’s Honoured Region. In fact, students from the Culinary and Hotel Departments of Thessaloniki’s IEK DELTA 360⁰ schools gave the events a youthful character.

Barista’s Gold by Nounou was the Grand Sponsor at All About Café and Eurogat was the Equipment Sponsor.

Lastly, Real Estate Expo North, organised by RM International in partnership with TIF-Helexpo, attracted enterprises from the realty and construction sector, setting the bar high as regards visitor numbers from its very first event in Thessaloniki. In fact, it was visited by, among others, 30 international investors from Dubai, Hong Kong, Germany, the Netherlands, Iraq, Lebanon, and Israel, as part of a business delegation formed by the organising company. Also, an event was held in the framework of Real Estate Expo North to celebrate the centenary of operation of the Realtors Association of Thessaloniki.

Description

Philoxenia is the annual tourism exhibition that since 1985 till today, outlines the profile of the tourism business in the country maintaining its strong brand name through the years.

t is organized every November at the International Exhibition & Conference Center of Thessaloniki and constitutes a very strong meeting point of the tourism in Greece.

The three-day tourism event is attended by companies and organizations from all over the tourism spectrum (Greek and international tourist destinations, hotels, travel agencies, travel agents, specialized press, and media), as well as by selected invited buyers – hosted buyers – from target countries for the industry.

Enriched with interesting thematic presentations, workshops, and conference events, Philoxenia is a dynamic “tool” that contributes to the development of tourism.

Make your event an experience!

With the most experience in organizing and supporting conference events in the country, HELEXPO offers various halls for a wide range of events, which are located in its Exhibition Center in the heart of Thessaloniki, ensuring the success of any event.

With the aim of providing comprehensive services, the company supports domestic and international events with all necessary specifications supporting from the smallest conference/event, to the largest forum/congress.

HONORED ARMENIA: A country located in the crossroads of Asia and Europe

This year’s Philoxenia has the pleasure to host as Honored Country the Republic of Armenia in the Pavilion 15/ Stand No 1A. It is a Eurasian country with a population of about 3,000,000, located between the Caspian and Black Seas in the Caucasus region. Armenia is a beautiful piece of living history combining old heritage and traditions with contemporary art and modernism.

The strong cultural elements of the place, the churches that dominate in colorful landscapes, the special flavors of Armenian cuisine and the friendliness of the residents attract a lot of tourists from all over the world.

Exhibition Center Ground Plan

Date
10-12/11/2023
Friday 11:00 – 20:00
Saturday 10:00 – 20:00
Sunday 10:00 – 18:00

Location
Thessaloniki International Exhibition & Congress Center

Entrance
Free entry for trade visitors, with registration.
Ticket for the general public: 5€

To register, please contact
On the phone 01559570570
Or at [email protected]
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