The Municipality of Athens welcomed more than 200 leading professionals of the tourism industry on 7 and 8 April, at the iconic Zappeion. Through the This is Athens – Convention & Visitors Bureau of the Athens Development Corporation, they met at This is Athens – Agora, the largest B2B tourism event in the city. The priority is to strengthen the position of the Greek capital as a leading destination for leisure travel, congress tourism and business meetings.

The Mayor of Athens, Charis Doukas, among others, stressed: “Athens is at the centre of global tourist interest. Athens is not only a city with a great history, but also a destination with a present and future on the world tourist map. This is Athens – Agora confirms the dynamism of the capital, bringing together the most important players in the global tourism market over these two days. As a municipal authority, we have set as a priority the development of the destination, according to the terms of sustainability and ensuring the quality of life of Athenians. Having carried out the Tourism Capacity Study, before the city was faced with signs of over-tourism, we used its data and established the Sustainable Tourism Observatory in order to develop our sustainable strategy for the city. We want to showcase Athens as a modern and welcoming destination, offering authentic year-round experiences to its visitors and a pleasant and functional daily life to all those who live in the city.”

For his part, the President of the Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises (SETE) and CEO of Athens International Airport (AIA), Ioannis Paraschis, in his speech, among others, noted: “Athens has been experiencing an extremely dynamic period of tourism growth in recent years, having now occupied one of the top positions among European urban destinations. As we are called upon to face a wide range of challenges, with an emphasis on managing and enhancing the sustainable footprint of our city, the use of partnerships is a crucial and decisive factor. The important initiative of the Municipality of Athens, This is Athens – Agora embodies the concept of dialogue and cooperation, specifically between local government and the private sector, with the aim of a coordinated approach to tourism development issues. It is the duty of all those involved in the vital sectors of tourism and travel to preserve and strengthen what we have achieved, having now an important opportunity to continue investing in quality, sustainability and extroversion for the next important chapter of the development and upgrading of our city as a top tourist destination“.

The Managing Director of Athens Development Company S.A., Ioannis Georgizas, stressed: “This year’s event reflects the city’s new vision: a sustainable, modern and inclusive metropolis. In this context, This is Athens – Agora incorporates ‘green’ practices and promotes the authentic experience of Athens as a destination that is evolving and dynamically repositioning itself on the global tourism map. Through targeted B2B meetings, educational activities and networking events, we are redefining the role of Athens as a metropolis that innovates and pioneers in the tourism sector.”

Athens, a destination with a modern vision

This year, the 10th anniversary edition of This is Athens – Agora (formerly Travel Trade Athens), hosts over 120 Greek representatives of tourism businesses and 100 tourism representatives from 25 countries around the world, including, for the first time, representatives from the major markets of China and India. With more than 2,500 B2B meetings scheduled, the event offers the opportunity to establish new partnerships, aiming to strengthen the city’s economy and at the same time Athens’ presence on the international tourism map.

During the weekend, distinguished speakers will participate in “Agora Insights”, a series of discussions focusing on culture, innovation and sustainability.

At the same time, for the first time, This is Athens-Agora places special emphasis on conference and business tourism, with equal participation of companies from the conference and events sector. This strategic choice reflects the importance of further developing the sector for Athens.

Through the event, the aim is to highlight the potential of Athens as a leading, sustainable urban destination, as well as the development and promotion of the capital, which is implemented by the Development Company of the Municipality of Athens through its actions and programmes, This is Athens-Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Athens Film Office and the Athens Municipality Festival, the largest festival in the city, which this May is organising more than 200 cultural and entertainment events throughout the city.