Philoxenia 2015: TCB Announces ‘Conference Tourism’ Agenda

The Thessaloniki Convention Bureau (TCB) will participate for the second time in the Philoxenia International Tourism Exhibition to network and develop strategic partnerships to promote Greece’s northern city as a conference destination. TCB can be found in pavilion 15, stand 85.

On the sidelines of the first day of Philoxenia on Thursday, the TCB and the Region of Central Macedonia will sign a memorandum of mutual understanding and cooperation to promote Thessaloniki as a conference tourism destination.

The agreement, expected to identify the prospects and cooperation possibilities between the two bodies in their fields, will help create the necessary synergies to launch joint actions for the effective promotion and establishment of Thessaloniki as a conference destination and for strengthening the city’s infrastructure to support major international congresses and events.

The memorandum will be signed at the region’s stand (26) in pavilion 13 between Halkidiki’s vice governor, Ioannis Yiorgos and TCB’s president, Despina Amarantidou.

Also on Thursday the bureau will hold a networking event with the Barcelona Convention Bureau entitled “Challenges for the Meetings Incentives Conferences & Events industry in Greece“. The event will give professionals the opportunity to network and exchange opinions on the fresh challenges congress tourism is facing in Greece.

On Friday, November 13, TCB will take part in Philoxenia’s leading event “Destination Thessaloniki: 365 days of Meetings, Studies, Sports, Cruises & Health” on the panel “Meet in the Mediterranean”, which will feature Elena Altemir, the International Promotion Manager of the Barcelona Convention Bureau and Sharon Landes Fischer, Head of Tourist Services in Tel Aviv.

Throughout the days of Philoxenia, TCB representatives will attend scheduled meetings with international hosted buyers

Following Philoxenia, the TCB will participate in the leading exhibition for conference tourism IBTM World 2015 that will take place 17-19 November in Barcelona.

The TCB was launched in early 2014 by a team of local entrepreneurs directly involved in congress tourism aiming promote the Greek Northern city as a destination for MICE and congresses.

TCB’s latest achievements include securing the rights for Thessaloniki to host the 7th Uro-Oncology Congress in 2017, an international event that will bring some 450 professionals to the Greek northern city. The organizers are currently in the process of locating the ideal venue to host the congress.

TCB has also made a bid to host the 2019 medical congress of the European Society of Regional Anaesthesia and Pain Therapy​ (ESRA 2019). The congresses of ESRA attract between 1,500-1,700 members of the international medical community.

The Greek Travel Pages (GTP) is a communication sponsor for the 31st Philoxenia.