Philoxenia 2013 Opens With High Hopes For Greek Tourism

Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni

This year’s edition of the 29th International Tourism Exhibition Philoxenia was labeled a “tourism forum with an international radiance” by Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni.

The exhibition opened Thursday 21 November at the Thessaloniki International Exhibition Center with 235 exhibitors and over 100 hosted buyers who have over 1,000 scheduled meetings with Greek exhibitors.

Organizer TIF-Helexpo aims to develop the exhibition into a regional meeting point for the global tourism industry in Southeast Europe, attracting trade visitors from all over the world.

All eyes on Thessaloniki

“Philoxenia represents a great opportunity to promote Thessaloniki’s particular features to the international tourism market and it has all the requirements to become a major city break destination,” Mrs. Kefalogianni told an audience filled with tourism professionals and representatives of local government during the inauguration ceremony of the 29th Philoxenia exhibition.

The tourism minister said specific actions based on a targeted social media and online campaign are in the works for the promotion of Thessaloniki and Northern Greece in general.

Strategic move in Turkish market

She also announced that the Tourism Ministry will launch Greek tourism offices in Istanbul that will boost the tourism traffic from Turkey to Northern Greece.

Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni at Turkey’s stand.

Tourism in 2013 shows an upward trend

In regards to this year’s tourism progress, the tourism minister said 2013 will close with a positive sign. “Tourism has proved to be a dynamic industry that can offer huge benefits to the economy, she said.

However, Mrs. Kefalogianni underlined that a collective effort is essential for the Greek tourism sector to see even better results in 2014.

“A common line, a common strategy is the essential condition for each region to develop properly, for all of Greece to develop properly,” she said.

Greek Minister of Macedonia-Thrace, Theodoros Karaoglou.

9th POLIS expo

The 9th International Exhibition for Local Government, Public and Social Sector & Private Enterprises (Polis) also opened at the Thessaloniki International Exhibition Center along with Philoxenia.

During the inauguration ceremony, Greek Minister of Macedonia-Thrace Theodoros Karaoglou underlined that in order to strengthen Greece’s competitiveness in these difficult times, the local government must be free from bureaucratic entanglements.