Greek tourism is expected to have another very good year in 2016, as indicated by the already attained levels of bookings, Deputy Minister of Economy, Development and Tourism Elena Kountoura announced yesterday while inaugurating the 2015 Philoxenia-Hotelia exhibitions duet.
During her speech, Ms Kountoura estimated that the current year will conclude in Greece with band at least 14.5 billion euros in revenue and underlined that foreign markets, as recorded in the recent WTM exhibition in London, expressed their confidence in Greek tourism.
Main priorities
“This multiplies the responsibility for us,” she admitted and stressed that the government’s main priorities include the extension of the season, the specialization of the country’s tourism product, the upgrade of the level and quality of offered services and attracting investment.
The Minister asked for everybody’s contribution to the national cause of developing Tourism in order to maximize the benefits it can deliver to the economy and society.
Duet exhibition
Greece’s annual international tourism exhibition Philoxenia is taking place this year along with the Hotelia international hotel equipment expo.
The Philoxenia-Hotelia “duet exhibition” is aimed at presenting the country’s popular tourist destinations, new technologies and sector-related products and services. The Polis exhibition, which brings together local government representatives from all over the country, is also being organized in the Thessaloniki International Exhibitions Center.
Visitors increase
The exhibitions record a 30% visitors and trade volume increase compared to last year.
Philoxenia attracted 351 exhibitors compared to 232 last year (from Serbia, Turkey, Bulgaria, Tunisia, Egypt, Albania, Philippines, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Macedonia, Indonesia, Cyprus, Czech Republic and Slovakia) and the exhibition’s area is 25% larger.
Hotelia gathered 157 exhibitors compared to 141 last year, while the number of exhibitors at this year’s Polis reached 64 from 36 in the corresponding 2013. event.
In total, Philoxenia will welcome 107 foreign guests and trade visitors from 32 countries, with more than 3,000 “appointments” scheduled.
Tourism institutions
The exhibitions are held under the auspices of the Ministry of Interior and Administrative Reconstruction and the National Tourist Organization (EOT), as well as all major tourism institutions in the country, the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE), the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels, the Hellenic Association of Travel and Tourist Agencies (HATTA), the Panhellenic Hoteliers Federation (POX) and the Hellenic Association of Professional Congress Organizers (HAPCO) and will last until Sunday, November 15.
Polis is organized by the Ministry of Interior and Administrative Reconstruction, the Central Union of Greek Municipalities and the Union of Regions.
