The great growth of the trade fair industry makes it necessary to expand the exhibition centers in Athens and Thessaloniki. Metropolitan Expo has drawn up the relevant plan, while Helexpo-TIF is preparing the redevelopment plan.
During yesterday’s 14th annual conference of HAPCO & DES, the CEO of ROTA S.A., Alexis Lagoudakis, and the company that manages Metropolitan Expo, and the CEO of TIF – Helexpo S.A., Kyriakos Pozrikidis, presented their companies’ plans for the expansion of the exhibition centers they manage.
Metropolitan Expo expansion on paper
When the Metropolitan Expo opened in 2009 in the Athens airport area, the 50,000 sq m exhibition space seemed too large for the market. Sixteen years later, although it remains the largest exhibition center in Attica, Metropolitan Expo is no longer large enough for the needs of Athens or for the competitive market, as Mr. Lagoudakis said. It is also characteristic that in some of the events it hosts, the parking lots of approximately 100,000 sq m are filled, and adjacent parking lots outside the exhibition area are occupied. Furthermore, the center’s infrastructure is not sufficient to host exhibitions that have grown considerably and attract international interest.
For these reasons, Rota S.A. has drawn up a plan to expand the Metropolitan Expo by 40,000 sq m. This includes three additional halls with their receptions as well as a permanent conference center. However, as Mr. Lagoudakis said, Rota is not the owner of the area, and although it has drawn up the plans, the final decisions lie with other bodies, and therefore, there is no specific timetable for the project. However, discussions are underway with the airport and the relevant ministries.
In addition, the management company is assisting in the efforts to create new hotel units in the area and has also requested the extension of the metro to the Exhibition Center.
The renovation of the TIF will begin at the end of 2026
In the meantime, the procedures for the major renovation of the Thessaloniki Exhibition and Conference Center are progressing, albeit with delays. About two weeks ago, the project manager of the project was selected (a partnership of companies “HILL – SAMARAS & ASSOCIATES S.A. CONSULTING ENGINEERS – TrB S.A. – ELEFTHERIOS VLACHOGIANNIS AND ASSOCIATES LAW FIRM – Lamda S.A.”). The architectural competition had preceded it, in which 116 architectural firms from all over the world took part, and the design proposal of the team of Sauerbruch Hutton (Germany), Gustafson Porter + Bowman (Great Britain), and Elena Stavropoulou (Greece) was selected.
As Mr. Pozrikidis explained, within the next few months the competition issues will be released and by the end of 2026 the project will enter the construction period. It should be noted here that the listed property developer, DIMAND, has expressed interest in participating in the upcoming tender, although the details of the terms are pending.
The new exhibition center, which will be renamed Confex Park, will include the creation of a 100-acre metropolitan park, exhibition and conference facilities with a capacity of at least 3,500 delegates, a business center, a 152-room hotel, and underground parking. “It will be the most bioclimatic exhibition and conference center in Europe, as it is expected to reduce electricity consumption by 50% and water consumption by 60%,” said Mr. Pozrikidis.
The project will be implemented and delivered in phases, so as not to interrupt the operation of the Thessaloniki International Exhibition and Convention Center, with the majority of the work taking place between Agrotica (February) and TIF (September). It is estimated that all work will be completed by 2031.
Finally, Mr. Pozrikidis also referred to Helexpo Maroussi, which will start operating again in the coming period as an exhibition center as it was previously a vaccination center for Covid. Given its location, in an area with a strong concentration of businesses but with a lack of parking spaces, Helexpo Maroussi will focus on small exhibitions and corporate events.
RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations, Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
