Athens Makes a Splash at IMEX Frankfurt 2023

The Greek Capital was in the spotlight at IMEX Frankfurt, the world-leading tradeshow of the meetings and events industry that took place from 23-25 May in Germany. 

The City of Athens was on hand to promote the city’s strengths through events and B2B meetings that reinforced the city’s connections with international meetings and events industry professionals. Athens was represented at IMEX by the This is Athens-Convention & Visitors Bureau as part of the City of Athens Development and Destination Management Agency (ADDMA). 

The participation of the City of Athens in international tourism and MICE tradeshows plays an important role in the city’s strategic plan for the development of Athens as a sustainable, accessible, inclusive, and quality destination for meetings and leisure tourism. 

Athens among the world’s top 10 meetings destinations 

Athens is ranked 8th in Europe and 8th worldwide according to the ICCA Annual Report 2022, the benchmark analysis of industry trends released by the International Congress and Convention Association and announced at IMEX on May 22. 

The Greek capital is among the top 10 destinations for association meetings after hosting 109 in-person international association meetings in 2022. 

Athens continues to prove the value of the city’s forward-thinking heritage and adaptability to new technologies and trends, even during the pandemic when most international meetings were virtual or hybrid. 

The continuous rise in the rankings has placed Athens among the leading players in the industry with world-class venues, a high level of professionalism, and outstanding visitor experiences. It is a testament to the efforts led by the City of Athens to support the industry in a highly-competitive market. 

Business meetings and social events

The City of Athens invested in the city’s presence at IMEX Frankfurt 2023 in order to promote the city’s strategic advantages to representatives from the international meetings and events industry. 

The team from the This is Athens-CVB conducted more than 50 appointments with professionals who are looking to open or expand their business in Athens.  

Athens also participated in a panel discussion titled “Trends and Opportunities for 2023” hosted by Destinations International. As a member of the “Destinations International Pathfinders” programme, representatives from Athens were invited to discuss the latest trends and share insights for the future of the tourism market. 

As an official Destination Partner of IAPCO, the International Association of Professional Congress Organizers, Athens co-hosted a business dinner for a select group of meetings professionals along with the City of Toronto. The goal of the dinner was to strengthen the connection between the two cities while building relationships with industry decision-makers.  

Athens made a splash on the busy IMEX floor when it co-hosted the “The Greek Mixology Event” that brought signature cocktails and Greek spirits to the booth of the Greek National Tourism Organization. The three partners of the Greek Meetings Alliance (including the City of Athens, the Hellenic Association of Professional Conference Organizers & Destination Event Specialists and the Thessaloniki Convention Bureau) hosted the networking event to support the coordinated promotion and presence of Greece at the show. 

The City of Athens invests in ADDMA and the This is Athens-CVB to promote the development of tourism infrastructure; to expand the city’s participation in international tourism tradeshows, conferences, and seminars; to form  partnerships with national and international stakeholders and organisations; to organize, host and support events; to develop promotional campaigns; and to produce content for visitors and tourism professionals.