A strategic partnership that creates added value and strengthens the outward orientation of two key sectors of the Greek economy is brought by this year’s joint organization of Philoxenia–Hotelia and FOOD & DRINKS by Detrop, which are joining forces and, from November 14 to 16, will set the tone for tourism and gastronomy at the Thessaloniki International Exhibition Center.
The two exhibitions, featuring more than 550 exhibitors from Greece and abroad and over 4,350 scheduled business meetings (B2B), will be inaugurated on Friday, November 14, at 19:30, by the Minister of Tourism, Ms. Olga Kefalogianni, together with the Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, Mr. Apostolos Tzitzikostas.
This year, Philoxenia, the flagship of Greek tourism, celebrates its 40th anniversary, marking the beginning of a new era. In this edition, Philoxenia–Hotelia hosts 300 exhibitors from Greece and 21 foreign countries, including Armenia, Egypt, Bosnia, Georgia, Serbia, Indonesia, and Portugal.
Of particular significance is the participation from Serbia, with regions such as Belgrade and Vojvodina, as well as from other Southeast European countries. At its core lies a dual, expanded B2B program: Corporate Meetings, during which exhibitors will present their services to corporate clients on Friday, and the Hosted Buyers Program, featuring 110 invited tourism professionals from 36 countries.
With the Regional Union of Municipalities of the Peloponnese as the Gastronomy Sponsor, visitors will enjoy local products, while the Thessaloniki Tourism Organization sponsors the city tour, and the International Hellenic University (IHU) supports the event with volunteers. Through these programs, more than 3,700 B2B meetings are expected to take place. Additionally, the exhibition will host two business delegations with around 100 participants from North Macedonia and Bulgaria, as well as a large delegation from the Panhellenic Federation of Hotel Managers.
To celebrate Philoxenia’s 40 years, and together with its strategic partner TIF–HELEXPO and the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO), special activities have been designed: a tourism poster exhibition featuring material from 1985 to today, and, in collaboration with the Greek Instagramers Events community, a photo contest titled “40 Years of Philoxenia”, with the winning entries displayed in Pavilion 13. The Organization for the Management and Development of Cultural Resources (ODAP) is also participating again this year, highlighting the close relationship between tourism and culture.
Parallel Events of Philoxenia–Hotelia
As part of the exhibition’s parallel events, on Saturday, November 15, TIF–HELEXPO will organize the conference “Philoxenia in a Digital Era: Beyond 4.0 – Innovation, Hospitality, Destinations in the Digital Age”, focusing on the digital transformation of tourism. The conference is co-organized by the Region of Central Macedonia, specifically the Deputy Regional Governance for Digital Administration and Tourism, under the auspices of the GNTO, SEPE, and SETP, with Fraport Greece as the hospitality sponsor.
In addition, the Thessaloniki #JobFestival 2025, organized by skywalker.gr, will take place at the “I. Vellidis” Conference Center, linking tourism with the labor market.
In perfect synergy with tourism and hospitality, the gastronomy sector finds its ideal expression in FOOD & DRINKS by Detrop, which gathers 250 exhibitors. From Greece, the Regions of Central and Western Macedonia, Western Greece, the Peloponnese, Thessaly, and the North Aegean will participate, while internationally, brands from Ethiopia, Australia, Bulgaria, Germany, Italy, China, and South Africa will be represented.
The exhibition is structured around targeted thematic sections: Drinks & Wine by Oenos, Golden Olive, Dairy, Herbs & Honey, Global & Local, and All About Caf?, which this year breaks all records with over 60 major brands participating.
Dynamic participation has been secured from large international supermarket chains, major importers from Europe, the Middle East, South America, and the Balkans, and invited buyers and trade visitors from the Balkans, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Germany, Poland, Luxembourg, Cyprus, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, and Brazil, along with Greek buyers from major domestic supermarket chains and the catering sector. More than 650 B2B meetings are scheduled, organized in collaboration with the Federation of Industries of Greece (SBE), a member of the Enterprise Europe Network – Hellas (EEN). These meetings target procurement executives from supermarket chains, catering businesses, and F&B managers from hotels.
Today’s Press Conference
During today’s press conference ahead of the opening of the two events, the President of TIF–HELEXPO, Mr. Tasos Tzikas, emphasized the strong representation of the tourism and gastronomy sectors at Philoxenia–Hotelia and FOOD & DRINKS by Detrop. He made special reference to Philoxenia’s 40 years and to this year’s conference focusing on the digital era of tourism.
The Deputy Regional Governor for Tourism of Central Macedonia, Ms. Vicky Hatzivasileiou, highlighted the 40 years of continuous presence and contribution of Philoxenia to Greek tourism, noting that Philoxenia–Hotelia has consistently been a leading institution in the tourism and hospitality fields. She added that the Region’s participation is a strategic choice.
The CEO of TIF–HELEXPO, Mr. Kyriakos Pozrikidis, presented in detail the quantitative and qualitative features of the two exhibitions and their rich program of parallel events. He pointed out that although Philoxenia celebrates 40 years, FOOD & DRINKS also marks 47 years, as it is the successor of Detrop.
The Deputy Mayor of Culture, Tourism Development, and Inter-Municipal Cooperation of Thessaloniki, Mr. Vassilis Gakis, described the two exhibitions as important institutions and meeting points for entrepreneurs in the tourism and catering industries. He stressed their significance for the city, aligning with its administration’s strategy to strengthen both tourism and gastronomy, and announced that Thessaloniki’s traditional sweets will be presented at the city’s pavilion.
The Region of Central Macedonia participates in FOOD & DRINKS by Detrop with more than 50 agrifood businesses, as stated by the Deputy Regional Governor for Extroversion, Mr. Bane Prelevic, who invited the public to the food stage at Pavilion 10, where chefs will cook Macedonian Cuisine recipes.
A National Tourism Meeting
The General Director of TIF–HELEXPO, Mr. Alexis Tsaxirlis, underlined the symbolic importance of Philoxenia, noting that there is no other tourism exhibition like it in Greece, calling it the “national tourism meeting”, something, as he said, “no one can dispute.” He also referred to the successful rebranding of FOOD & DRINKS, evident in the full coverage of exhibition spaces, and added, “The combination of tourism and gastronomy will continue to grow in the coming years.”
Finally, Ms. Eleftheria Gkantitzikidou, representative of Eurogat, spoke of the “frenzy” this year at the Coffee Village of FOOD & DRINKS by Detrop, noting that the company could not miss such an event.
Operating hours of the two exhibitions:
Friday & Saturday: 10:00 – 20:00
Sunday: 10:00 – 18:00
