MICE Organizers Seek One-of-a-Kind Experience in Greece

Athens. Photo © Shutterstock

Simone Kohl, Groups and MICE supervisor for Pacific World.

Meetings and incentives planners are expressing more and more interest in organizing events in Athens, Thessaloniki and now on the island of Paros, combining events with destination-inspired themes and ensuring a one-of-a-kind experience, according to Simone Kohl, Groups and MICE supervisor for international event agency Pacific World.

Greece has become one of the most requested destinations for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Events (MICE) in the last 12 months, according to Kohl.

“Athens is still the most demanded destination but there is a growing interest for second-tier destinations. More and more clients are requesting Thessaloniki for their conferences or their incentive programs. For the Cyclades islands requests for the lovely small island of Paros have increased,” Kohl says.

Thessaloniki.

Skopelos.

According to Kohl, clients are interested in combining their meeting or incentive with a destination-related theme such as “Mamma Mia” which was filmed on the Greek island of Skopelos, or with the company brand and vision of strategic goals.

”All the elements are chosen according the theme or vision. The events should have a meaning not just for the organizers but to each attendee,’’ Kohl says.

Kohl adds that organizers are leaving the standard team-building concept behind, opting instead for unique experiences and interaction with locals and genuine products. “Besides this, high-end experiences are having great success in Greece,” she adds.

What makes a MICE event top notch? Kohl’s advice is deluxe transportation, because it “adds a VIP touch to every meeting or incentive. Soon we will operate a very special program. We will organize transfers from the airport to the resort with helicopters and daily activities in private yachts visiting the small neighboring islands.”

Part of TUI Travel PLC, Pacific World releases the Pacific World Destination Index which provides corporate, association and agency planners with an indicator of destination popularity for MICE activities. The index assesses over 5,000 international enquiries, meeting and event results and feedback from attending delegates from around the globe.