N E W S L E T T E R 2 012
Athens to host the 37th WACS Congress in 2016 > p. 2
Finalist for the ICCA Best Marketing Award 2012 > p. 1
Meeting Industry: Being extrovert feels good! > p. 1
ARTION in Barcelona for EIBTM and the ICCA Forum for Young Professionals > p. 3
Thessaloniki City Branding: Many stories, one heart! > p. 7
9TH km THESSALONIKI – THERMI, THOMAS BUILDING • P.O. BOX 60705, GR 570 01 THESSALONIKI, GREECE • T: +30 2310 272275 / 252330 • F: +30 2310 272276 • E: WELCOME@ARTION.COM.GR • WWW.ARTION.COM.GR Social Media: Member of:
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Finalist for the ICCA Best Marketing Award ARTION Conferences & Events received an honourable distinction placing the company among the top four competing for the international tourism marketing campaign award. The ICCA Best Marketing Award is awarded every year by the International Congress and Convention Association, at its Annual Conference. This is why ARTION travelled to San Juan, Puerto Rico, and explained how a PCO, in collaboration with the Hellenic Chef’s Federation, managed, amidst the financial crisis, to claim successfully the organisation of an international event in Greece: the 37th WACS World Congress in Athens in 2016. The benefits from ARTION’s experience and its promotion were as important as victory: Mrs Amarantidou, the Managing Director of the company, grabbed the opportunity to speak to more than 700 participants-ICCA members, prominent convention industry professionals, to present what strong will, systematic effort and creative power can do in the most adverse conditions.
© Icca 2012 | San Juan, Puerto Rico by ICCAWORLD
A w ar d s & Di s tinction s
Bidding within the crisis The bid for the 37th World Association of Chefs Societies Congress and the predominance of Athens over two powerful contestants, Istanbul and Johannesburg, was a long-lasting, challenging and, from our own perspective – as Professional Congress Organisers – a particularly persistent process, in order to arrive at the desirable result: the win. We managed to bring Greece to the international gastronomic community’s attention in the year 2012, in order to attract approximately 2000 chefs from around the world to Greece in 2016. Congress tourism is a source of untapped potential to date. It is time we took advantage of it. Bidding for an international congress
A R T I O N tra v e l s aro u n d t h e w or l d
Being extrovert in the Meetings Industry
At ARTION Conferences & Events we work with optimism and continue our public outreach activities. Expanding outside national borders positively affects our professional activity and contributes to our country’s promotion and conferences. We thus participate as speakers, hosted buyers, exhibitors or participants in a number of international exhibitions and conferences. On a yearly basis we follow, among others, EIBTM in Barcelona, IMEX in Frankfurt, ICCA congresses & chapter meetings and the International & European Association Congress.
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is above all an investment that can lead to economic and social prosperity: it contributes to the development of a local community, provides employment opportunities to professionals who are directly or indirectly involved in congress tourism, and constitutes the best advertising for a destination, effectively raising the socio-economic status of a whole country. This success is a result of the comprehensive effort, will, persistence and personal time of all the representatives from the Hellenic Chefs’ Federation, the in-kind support and economic aid from the Greek National Tourism Organisation, the Athens Convention Bureau, the Municipality of Athens and the private Greek companies that offered traditional delicacies to the 2000 delegates. The bid won with limited resources but a huge potential was a result of a finely-tuned, coordinated effort.
Despina & Valentini Amarantidou
ARTION at the International & European Associations Congress
Despina and Valentini Amarantidou travelled to Liverpool, Great Britain to participate as exhibitors in the International & European Associations Congress held from 15 to 17 July 2012. The Conference is one of the leading educational events in Europe for associations, societies, scientific companies and organisations that wish to improve their operation and increase their members and income. The Conference and exhibition accumulate over 400 association executives, offering a great networking platform. ARTION Conferences & Events was the only Greek participation. Despina Amarantidou, partner and Head of Communication at the company stressed “Our participation in international exhibitions such as this one is mandatory for international networking and promotion of our services and country to the world” and continued by saying that “we ought to be optimistic for our country, with every opportunity we are given; we need to make every effort at all levels to overturn the bad image that has tarnished Greece”.
ARTION and the Hellenic Chef’s Federation at the Culinary Olympics
The 37th World Association of Chefs Societies Congress to be held in Athens
Mission accomplished! Athens will be the host destination for the 37th World Association of Chefs Societies Congress in May, 2016. The decision was taken by the majority of the 75 countries who participated in the voting process, on Saturday 5 May, during the 35th WACS Congress held in the city of Daejeon, South Korea. The other two contestants bidding against Athens were Johannesburg and Istanbul. The bid was submitted by the Hellenic Chefs’ Federation on behalf of Greece and its successful outcome was framed by the support of the Athens Convention Bureau and the Greek National Tourism Organisation, as well as the financial contribution of the Municipality of Athens. ARTION Conferences & Events coordinated the bid since 2010. A few days earlier, over 600 kg of Greek delicacies, typical examples of the country’s gastronomy, were offered to the participating chefs during the five days of the congress; they were greatly praised and received with enthusiasm. The Greek pavilion evolved into the most popular meeting point of the 35th Congress in Daejeon, with foreign guests present on a permanent basis, who – 20 partners covering the came to ask about the Greek cuisine, and to discuss the current situation in the country. ☞ Visit Athens 2016 WACS Congress official website: www.wacs2016.org
World PCO Allia
Ireland
Sweden
Keynote PCO
Meetagain
Denmark ARTION, a proud member of the “World PCO Alliance” ICS - International Conference Services
On 5 October 2012, the Hellenic Chef’s Federation travelled with ARTION Conferences & Events to Erfurt, Germany, for 6 days, to participate in the Culinary Olympics IKA (Internationale Kochkunst Ausstellung) as an exhibitor, and represented Greece, thus promoting the organisation of the 37th WACS Congress in Athens in 2016. The Greek team pavilion, featuring the original Greek colours, reserved a warm welcome for the participant chefs and 24.000 exhibition visitors on the WACS “Street of Nations”, attracting potential participants to the WACS World Congress that will be held in Athens in 2016. The team of ARTION, along with members of the Hellenic Chef’s Federation, offered information material and pins to visitors provided by the Athens Convention Bureau for the Athens congress and an information document, specifically created by ARTION for this purpose, with recommendations on trips and entertainment activities in Athens. At the same time, traditional Greek dishes were offered to the participants, tempting everyone: bagels and rusks from Mytilene, cheese from Messinia, truffle derivatives from Komotini, as well as olives and olive oil from the region of Halkidiki. 2 ARTION: NEWSLET TER 2012
ARTION Conferences &Korea Events is a proud member of the People-X World France PCO Alliance, an International Colloquium Paris Network of Conference China assisting in organising Organisers Greece Spain China Star Ltd. ARTION high quality conferences and VIBO Congresos Japan events globally. India The World PCO Alliance was Congress Corpora Egypt KW Conferences Pioneer Events Taiwan created to provide leadership in K & A International meeting management through theU.A.E. delivery of streamlined and effective meetings throughout International the leading PCOs in all six continents, this theCongress globe.Solutions Representing cohesive group aims to Thailand capitalise on the efficiency of consolidating Creative Destination Management conference and event services within one network. Australia The Alliance’s strength is its ability to combine the virtuesEventcorp of South being globalAfrica and at the same timeMalaysia local, large and at the same Conference Company AOS Conventions & Events timeThe accessible. Its global reach allows for more efficient marketing of international congresses, as each country contributes to the marketing efforts of the congresses organised by any member of the Singapore Alliance. Furthermore, the permanent exchange of Ace:Daytons knowledge, Direct and (International) human and technical resources, as well as training and sharing of best practices, propels each PCO to greater levels of excellence in servicing its clients.
ARTION in Barcelona attending EIBTM and the ICCA Forum for Young Professionals
ARTION Conferences & Events traveled to Barcelona to take part in the EIBTM exhibition, one of the most important global events for the conferences and events industry. The EIBTM exhibition focuses on the promotion of a dynamic business environment, on professional training and the development of professional networks within the sector. For three days, the exhibitors, hosted buyers, but also commercial visitors have the opportunity to participate both in the
exhibition and in various other significant events, such as seminars, workshops and conferences. An additional event of the EIBTM exhibition is the ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association) Forum for Young Professionals. For the third consecutive year, a member of ARTION was selected to participate in the Forum among many candidates from all over the world. Important personalities of the sector participated in lectures and workshops, while Forum discussions focused mostly on the latest developments and innovations in the conferences industry, the new conditions and challenges that businesses in the sector face due to the global financial crisis, the development of a strategic planning for the promotion of conference tourism, the new trends in technology and social media, as well as the creation of strong networks and customer relations.
E ntre p rene u r s h i p
Distinguished entrepreneurs from around the world at BAC SEE Conference
Distinguished entrepreneurs from around the world and executives of international development organisations attended the International Business Conference with the title “Leadership Against Crisis: Public-Private Cooperation for Growth”. Held in Thessaloniki on 31 May and 1 June, on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the Business Advisory Council for Southeastern Europe – BAC SEE network’s operation in the region, the conference was officially hosted by the Municipality of Thessaloniki and organised by the BAC SEE in cooperation with the Vienna Economic Forum and with the support of SEV (Hellenic Federation of Enterprises), FING (Federation of Industries of Northern Greece), SEVE (Greek International Business Association), TCCI (Thessaloniki Chamber of Commerce and Industry), the Greek-Turkish Chamber of Northern Greece, TUSIAD (Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association), DEIK (Foreign Economic Relations Board of Turkey) and MUSIAD (Independent Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association of Turkey). Among others, key note speakers were the Chairman and CEO of the The Coca Cola Company group, Mr Muhtar Kent, and the former Minister of Finance, Mr Alekos Papadopoulos. During his speech, Mr Kent presented four conditions for an exit from the crisis, while the former Minister of Finance, proposed three institutional interventions and eight measures as an answer to the crisis. The issues discussed at the Conference, inter alia, included the challenges facing the development model of Europe, the answers that could be given by the private sector, the dynamic growth of the countries of S.E. Europe and of the countries in transition which are included in the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy, the potential for improving Greek-Turkish business relations and the expectations and prospects of the Greek economy to overcome the crisis, and the role that the business community can play in this process. ☞ More info available on the website: www.bacseevents.com
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Promotion of Greek entrepreneurship via NANOTEXNOLOGY 2012
The exceptional financial and scientific perspectives of Nanotechnology and the specific role that Thessaloniki and the broader Central Macedonian region are invited to play in this field were the focus in NANOTEXNOLOGY 2012, the unique European scientific multi-event, which combines innovative products at an international level, conferences and a summer school. Over 700 innovators from all over the world took part in this year’s organisation, which was organised at the I. Vellidis Congress Centre, at HELEXPO in Thessaloniki, to discuss key issues concerning Nanotechnology, the fields of Organic Electronics and Nanomedicine. Nanotechnology and specifically the rapidly emerging field of Organic Electronics have diverse applications in energy, lighting and all types of screens. Biomedicine also offers a comparative advantage that will make Greek enterprises more innovative and competitive. This was emphasised in the Press Conference given in light of NANOTEXNOLOGY 2012. In his speech, Prof. Stergios Logothetidis, Chairman of the Conference Organising Committee and Director of the Nanotechnology Laboratory – LTFN of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH), pointed out that 124 youths from 30 countries throughout the world, from Korea to India, from Portugal and Brazil to Finland and Iran took part in the Conference. “By the end of 2020, it is estimated that the total turnover in Nanotechnology products will reach 1.5–2 trillion Euros. The Central Macedonia Region has already been integrated in Europe’s design for technological development in the context of the financial framework of the innovative European region for 2014–2020. This is a financing programme for specific European regions in which Thessaloniki and Central Macedonia, must play a leading role” explained Prof. Logothetidis.
Improved Market Conditions through Quality Standardization
Placing Quality and the need for Product Certification in the frontline, the Greek International Business Association (SEVE) in cooperation with the Hellenic Organisation for Standardization (ELOT), the Chamber of Professionals & Handicrafts of Rodopi (ΕΒΕΡ) and the Haskovo Chamber of Commerce and Industry (HCCI) realised the Project with acronym “Market Control”. The Project aims at a more effective market control, the reinforcement of cross-border cooperation with the establishment of a unified control body and the improvement of the market control level in the movement of goods in the cross-border region of Greece-Bulgaria. In the context of this project, co-funded by the European Union (ERDF) and National Funds of Greece and Bulgaria in the framework of the European Territorial Cooperation Programme “Greece – Bulgaria 2007-2013”, a series of awareness, information and educational programmes for the public and cross-border professional community were scheduled. In this respect, Orestiada, Northern Greece hosted on 26 June 2012 an information Event titled “Standardising Quality: towards an Enhanced Market Experience”. During the event, issues were discussed and analysed in terms of quality assurance, the importance of quality during imports and exports; successful case studies were presented. ☞ For more information relating to the Project and its activities one can visit the official website: www.marketcontrol.eu
Maritime transports between Greece and Italy at the heart of the agenda
ADRIAMOS Meeting by the Igoumenitsa Port Authority was organised on 10 December 2012 in Igoumenitsa in order to enhance the viable, regular and reliable sea-based transport service between the port of Venice in Italy and the port of Igoumenitsa in Greece. The Meeting was part of the ADRIAMOS (Adriatic Motorways of the Sea) Project, co-financed by the Trans-European Transport Networks (TEN-T) and national resources. It is one of the various actions aiming at providing services integrated in the logistic service chain along the Adriatic-Ionian transport corridor between the port of Venice and the Ionian Sea/ West Greece port cluster (Igoumenitsa and Patras). The implementation of this Project will strengthen the efficiency of transport services between the two areas and further foster modal shift from road to maritime transport. It is also expected to contribute to the reduction of economic, social and environmental costs related to port and logistics activities. 4 ARTION: NEWSLET TER 2012
Impressive PHILOXENIA uplift
The 28th PHILOXENIA, organised on 22–25 November 2012 by HELEXPO, in collaboration with ARTION Conferences & Events, regained market confidence by focusing on targeted business meetings, and promoting various destinations throughout Greece and Southeastern Europe. The number of commercial visitors exceeded all expectations, with a rise of 43%, compared to the previous year, confirming that the exhibition remains a point of reference for the regional tourism industry. 100 hosted buyers from the big tourism markets of Russia, China and India were invited to attend B2B meetings during the 28th PHILOXENIA. The number of non-commercial visitors was also significantly higher (23% increase, compared to last year), contributing to a rise of 18% in the total number of exhibition visitors. In total, about 1,800 pre-scheduled business meetings took place and a lot more on-site meetings between the 100 commercial visitors hosted and the exhibitors from Greece and abroad.
Sopexa Conference at HORECA 2012. Gastronomy & Tourism: a powerful synergy!
More promising than ever before, particularly during this vital period for Greek economy, the synergy between gastronomy and tourism was promoted through the Conference “Local food tradition and regional tourism development”, organised by the SOPEXA GROUPE with the support of ARTION Conferences & Events, on 6 February 2012, as part of the International Trade Show for the Hospitality & Foodservice Industry HORECA 2012. The Conference, contracted by the French Ministry of Agriculture, aimed to become a major point of reference for advertising, disseminating and promoting local food traditions, in direct relation and conjunction with tourism development at a regional level. The speakers were from the Ministries of Agriculture of Greece and France, the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Tourism, as well as from organisations and companies from the Agricultural Development and Tourism sectors. The SOPEXA GROUPE has a dynamic presence of 50 years in the Marketing of Food, Beverage and Lifestyle and is active globally in 50 countries.
O r g ani s in g C on g re s s e s
EUROGARD VI: Over 200 Botanists in May in Chios
On 26 May 2012, Chios welcomed the European Botanic Gardens Consortium, and two days later, on 28 May 2012, the Homerion Cultural Centre of Chios Municipality opened its doors to the 6th European Botanic Gardens Congress. The European Consortium held its first Annual Meeting for 2012 at the premises of the “Maria Tsakou” foundation, while the Congress took place from 28 May to 2 June 2012. Over 200 Botanists from over 30 countries worked on the promotion of effective actions for the conservation of flora and the networking of botanic gardens with research and academic institutions, environmental networks and all other stakeholders. Among others, the purpose was to enhance the presence of botanic gardens as centres of sustainable development, prosperity, environmental education and awareness. ARTION Conferences & Events serviced as the official PCO. ☞M ore info available at the website: www.eurogardvi.gr
2012 AIACE Congress: travelling to Malta
AIACE
2012
A S S I S ES C O NG R ESS
Distinguished Neurosurgeons in Thessaloniki in May
Distinguished scientists from Greece and abroad honoured the 26th Annual Hellenic Congress of Neurosurgery that took place in Thessaloniki, from 31 May to 2 June 2012. The conference included oral and poster presentations, as well as papers presented by Greek speakers and international guest speakers. With regard to young doctors and interns, practical-interactive classes were elaborated for a limited number of participants, based on “How I do it” or “Solve a case” scenarios. Presentations on nonscientific topics were also given, such as practicing neurosurgery in the public and private sector, training and internships, European and international neurosurgical activities. On 1 June 2012, the 6th Scientific Meeting of Neurosurgery Nurses was held once again in the context of the Congress, and under the auspices of the Hellenic Neurosurgical Society. The Congress and the Meeting were under the auspices of the Ministry of Health and Social Solidarity and the Hellenic Nurses’ Association. ARTION Conferences & Events was for another consecutive year the official PCO of the Congress and the Meeting.
30 MAI – 4 JUIN 2012 30 MAY – 4 JUNE 2012
Malta, the island of Knights and the “old sun”, hosted this year’s Congress of AIACE (International Association of Former Officials of the European Union) on 30 May – 4 June 2012. The Congress took place around the Annual General Assembly of AIACE. More than 250 former officials of the EU Institutions joined its working sessions, exchanged ideas and tackled together a wide array of issues of the Association’s concern. Malta was chosen to allow participants to discover another new Member State of the Union, after meeting in Riga, the capital of Latvia, last year. “The European Union began, back in the 1950s and 1960s, to prevent another war in Europe. Now Malta, which knew only too well what war could do, is a member of the Union. Today our problems are different. But for those who wanted to understand Europe today, it was an excellent place to visit” pointed out Mr. Richard Hay, President of AIACE International. The President of the Organising Committee, Mr. Didier Hespel, commented “The programme we prepared attracted some of our members from as far as the other end of Europe.” Responsible for the General Assembly, the rich cultural and social programme of the Congress were the Organising Committee of AIACE and ARTION Conferences & Events. The General Assembly held once a year during the Congress is attended by members of the Association coming from the 15 national sections. The first Congress took place in Luxemburg in 1970 and the previous in 2011 in Riga, Latvia.
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Leading Catalysis experts from 25 countries at CAT4BIO in Thessaloniki
Over 130 scientists and leaders in the industrial field from over 25 countries met in Thessaloniki, Greece on 8–11 July 2012 for CAT4BIO, an international conference on “Advances in Catalysis for Biomass Valorization”. Invited speakers from leading research and educational institutions in Europe, America, and Asia, but also over 120 scientists from the Sector of Catalysis conducted an in depth discussion on all the latest advances in the sector, the new technologies as well as the recent trends. The Conference was organised by the Greek Catalysis Society, under the auspices of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH) and the Centre for Research and Technology Hellas (CERTH). The event was realised with the support of the Faculty of Engineering of AUTH, the Chemical Engineering Department of AUTH as well as the School of Engineering of the University of Patras. During the 4-day Conference, other than the Scientific Programme, participants had the opportunity to enjoy the city in the summer by taking part in an extended Social Programme. ☞ More information can be found on the website: www.cat4bio2012.gr
Enthusiastic comments on the organisation of the 40th SEFI Annual Conference
With a focus on Engineering Education and relevant growth, the 40th Annual Conference of the European Society for Engineering Education – SEFI took place, for the first time in Greece from 23 until 26 September 2012 in Thessaloniki, under the auspices of the Faculty of Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, and in cooperation with the Board of European Students of Technology – BEST. The conference which was held at the Conference and Cultural Centre of the Thessaloniki Concert Hall, was honoured by the presence of seven distinguished speakers and more than 200 internationally renowned scientists working for the education of engineers. The Conference was attended by 300 participants from 32 countries and focused on the training of future engineers and the promotion of innovative actions in the field of their education. Within the framework of the conference, the Leonardo da Vinci Medal was awarded to Professor Joseph Sifakis (VERIMAG Laboratory – CNRS and Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) for his contribution in the field of engineering education. ☞M ore info: www.sefi2012.com
The European Federation of National Maintenance Societies at the 8th Maintenance Forum
The 8th Maintenance Forum was organised from 11–13 October 2012 in Athens with the active support of the European Federation of National Maintenance Societies – EFNMS. The most recognised scientific meeting in the maintenance industry was completed successfully with the participation of top professionals and representatives of leading industrial and manufacturing companies. The subject of the Forum, organised for the eighth year by the Hellenic Maintenance Society and Atlantis Engineering was “Maintaining Your Future”, while apart from the Forum, EFNMS held its 20th General Meeting. On the first day of the Forum, the training workshops on the thematic units “Pilar: Autonomous Maintenance – AM” and “Maintenance KPIs and Benchmarking” took place. The following two days’ programme included discussions on the latest industry issues, such as Asset Management, Green Maintenance, Facilities Maintenance, Maintenance Strategy and Condition Based Maintenance. ARTION Conferences & Events was responsible for the coordination of the Forum. ☞ For more information about the forum and the parallel activities, please visit the website: www.maintenance-forum.eu
The Midwife in everyday practice
12
TH HELLENIC NATIONAL
CONGRESS
OF MIDWIVES & OBSTETRICIANS
With more than 600 participants, professional midwives, obstetricians and students, the 12th Hellenic National Congress of Midwives & Obstetricians was completed successfully. The congress took place from 17 to 20 October 2012 in Crete, and was organised by the Chania Scientific Association of Midwives & Obstetricians (Crete). The above mentioned congress, titled “The Midwife in everyday practice”, hosted distinguished speakers from Greece and abroad and it included more than 115 oral and 40 poster announcements. Eight clinical and special workshops focusing on critical issues of particular interest to professional midwives and obstetricians were also offered as part of the congress. During the 24 parallel thematic sessions and round table discussions, a series of modern topics was examined in detail, while the active participation of all delegates led to very creative discussions and important conclusions with regards to the dynamics, challenges and perspectives of the midwifery profession. ARTION Conferences & Events was responsible for the coordination and organisation of the conference, the business exhibition and all parallel activities. ☞ For more information about the Conference visit: www.maies2012.gr 6 ARTION: NEWSLET TER 2012
The latest medical developments regarding the Spine
The 6th Hellenic Spine Congress, organised by the Hellenic Spine Society, took place in Ioannina, between 25 & 28 October 2012 and involved distinguished neurosurgeons and orthopedic surgeons from Greece and abroad. About 400 specialists th Hellenic and trainees, neurosurgeons and Spine orthopedic surgeons, physiatrists and Congress physiotherapists, radiologists and doctors of other specialties took part in the congress. This year, the Congress was of special scientific interest, as it brought together Greek and international speakers members of the French and European Spine Societies to discuss the latest medical developments regarding the Spine and how these developments help deal with critical situations during surgery. “The use of the WHO Safe Surgery Checklist published in 2008 is an effective way of detecting errors, preventing complications and assessing the health care services provided to patients undergoing spinal surgery” pointed out Mr. Ioannis Magras, President of the Hellenic Spine Society, assistant Professor at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and neurosurgeon, in his interview to the AMNA (Athens-Macedonian News Agency). ARTION Conferences & Events was responsible for the organisation of the Congress.
C on g re s s T o u ri s m – C o m m u nication Po l ic y
Thessaloniki City Branding: Many stories, one heart! Thessaloniki is getting mature, develops and acquires its new logo – brand, with which it will welcome its visitors and promote its identity through exhibitions and communication campaigns. Let us welcome the new identity of the city with our wishes for a wonderful and creative new beginning! The project was undertaken, following a competition run by the Organisation for Tourism Promotion and Marketing of Thessaloniki Prefecture, by the “Thessaloniki City Branding” consortium, consisted of Colibri Branding & Design and Brandexcel. “Which city? Thessaloniki. One city – one mosaic. Its tiles are races, cultures, music, histories, people. They are buildings, walls, streets, piers. They are events, transactions, politics, art. They are seafaring vessels, yachts, rowing boats, fishing boats. They are foods, coffees, wines, spirits. All of them tiles. Multi-coloured, irregular, insignificant shards of history and fortune, moving and reconstructing on the sandbox of Thessaloniki, each time creating a new image in the visitors’ eyes”.
HMA Forum “Marketing Thessaloniki: Tourism – Culture”
The Hellenic Institute of Marketing (HMA, Macedonia Branch) Forum “Marketing Thessaloniki: Tourism – Culture”, was carried out with great success within the framework of Philoxenia 2012. The Forum focused on the city of Thessaloniki as an attraction point and an export, tourism, cultural and business product. The participants had the opportunity to discover the different aspects of the city through the presentations of distinguished professionals from Greece and abroad. Successful examples of good practice were discussed, as well as topics related to city branding, culture, tourism infrastructures and entrepreneurship. Mrs Despina Amarantidou, Chairman of the Forum Organising Committee, noted that “What we need is not limited to museums, good infrastructure and urban transport. We also need a collaborative spirit, synergy of bodies, political will. We need a strategic development of Thessaloniki as a tourist destination. That’s why it is really important to have a business plan engaging all related partiesprofessionals along with a communication plan, but also to make best use of our city’s logo “Many Stories, One Heart”. In her closing speech, Mrs Amarantidou pointed that “The conclusions we reached in this Forum bring us face-to-face with the greatest challenge: How are we going to make it? How are we going to take full advantage of our potential and promote Thessaloniki so that we can create the city that we wish to live in and that deserves to find its place in the global tourism map?”. 7 ARTION: NEWSLET TER 2012
V. Amarantidou: Marketing Thessaloniki for Congresses At the Hellenic Institute of Marketing (HMA, Macedonia Branch) Forum, “Marketing Thessaloniki: Tourism – Culture” held during Philoxenia 2012, the Managing Director of ARTION Conferences & Events Mrs Valentini Amarantidou talked about the branding of Thessaloniki as a congress destination. Mrs Amarantidou listed the advantages and disadvantages of the city that affect the attraction of congresses, the available opportunities, but also the difficulties faced by professionals in their effort to organise a congress in the city. Moreover, she focused on the dynamics and financial benefits a congress may offer to a city, presenting the recent example of a congress that took place in September and had a direct financial output of EUR 262,000 for the city, including all directly or indirectly involved professionals.
D. Amarantidou: Strategic development of a tourist destination Following an initiative led by the Hotel Managers Association of Macedonia-Thrace, the 1st Annual Tourism Conference was organised as part of the Philoxenia 2012. The subject of the Conference was: “Trends and perspectives in the tourism industry”. During the Conference, very interesting topics with regards to the tourism sector were developed. The strategic development of a tourist destination was presented, inter alia, by Mrs Despina Amarantidou, in her capacity as a Vice-President of the Hellenic Association of Travel & Tourist Agencies (HATTA). Mrs Amarantidou stressed the importance of strategic marketing and the development of a targeted communication plan, highlighting the dynamics of a good brand in the promotion and marketing of a tourist destination (destination/place branding). She also encouraged the use of social media and suggested that tourism professionals adopt an internationalised business policy. “The worldwide tourist destinations and their representatives operate with a passionate, competitive spirit, constantly creating new needs for new products and inventing more and more innovative solutions, not only to promote their businesses and services, but also to make it easier for tourists to access their services”, pointed out Mrs Amarantidou. Another important contribution to the Conference was the participation of the Italian government with top tourism representatives sharing their successful business stories and presenting their propositions for the development of the industry under the current difficult conditions.