According to the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), Athens has climbed eight spots from 2019 and is now ranked 8th in the world for conference tourism in 2022. This means that the Greek capital is now among the top ten most attractive destinations for events and meetings. The announcement was made at the IMEX International Conference Tourism Fair in Frankfurt.
According to the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), Athens hosted 109 international conferences in 2022, which attracted 40,000 visitors and generated 87 million euros in revenue for the City. This achievement has been attributed to the hard work of the Athens Development & Destination Management Agency (ADDMA), which has promoted the City effectively in international markets as a highly competitive destination, leading it to a successful year in the conference tourism sector. Athens Mayor, Kostas Bakoyannis, expressed pride in the City’s recognition as the 8th best destination for conference tourism worldwide.
High revenues from conference tourism
Organizing conferences and meetings year-round is advantageous for any destination’s growth and sustainability. It’s worth noting that each participant typically spends an estimated 2,162 euros during their stay, four times more than the average tourist expenditure.
Athens was meticulously promoted at the IMEX International Conference Tourism Fair 2023 in Frankfurt. The GNTO Pavilion was the official promotion point for Athens, where specialized executives met with industry representatives to showcase Athens as an ideal destination for conferences, meetings, and events. Over 50 business meetings were held between Athens’ representatives and delegates from the conference market.
In the framework of the Greek Meetings Alliance (GMA), the promoter of Greece as a conference destination created by This is Athens – Convention & Visitors Bureau , the Hellenic Association of Professional Congress Organizers and Destinations Event Specialists (HAPCO & DES) and the Thessaloniki Convention Bureau (TCB), a networking event was organized at its pavilion, hosted by the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO).
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ADDMA participated in IMEX Frankfurt 2023 as part of the “Development and Promotion of the Tourism and Cultural Identity of Athens in the post-Covid era” initiative. This initiative is part of the Operational Program “Attica 2014-2020”, MIS 5104609/Subproject 1.