As part of City of Athens Mayor Nikitas Kaklamanis’ strategy for developing conference tourism in Athens and the implementation of activities that promote the variety of tourism services and choices available to visitors to the city, the Athens Convention Bureau staged a workshop on the topic:
Destination Athens… revisited
Presenting more choices for things to do or see while in Athens.
The ACB workshop took place at the Megaron Athens International Conference Centre as part of the International Meetings and Incentives Conference 2010 with the participation of distinguished speakers and a huge response from individuals in the tourism sector, representatives of the foreign media and diplomatic missions, tourism enterprise executives and others.
During the workshop, unknown aspects of tourist Athens were presented, along with a variety of alternative activities that visitors to the city could choose from, regardless of whether they are in Athens for professional reasons – conferences, company meetings, etc. – or taking part in an incentive travel programme.
The main conclusion drawn from the workshop was the fact that Athens is a destination that uniquely combines the basic characteristics of a business travel destination (access, infrastructure, quality hotels, security, etc.) with a multitude of options of an ideal destination for city and pleasure tourism (culture, entertainment, tours-excursions, outdoor activities and water sports, etc.). As it was noted, the ACBuses these advantages in every one of its promotion and marketing activities abroad, strengthening the image of Athens in the “pre/post congress” activities sector.
City of Athens Council Member and President of the Athens Tourism and Economic Development Company, Dr Katerina Katsabe, in opening the workshop, referred to the tourism policy framework that is being implemented on the initiative of Mayor Kaklamanis and presented ATEDCo’s activities.
“The City of Athens and the Athens Tourism and Economic Development Company, in rising to the challenges and overcoming difficulties they have faced as a destination, invest in activities that reinforce existing tourism infrastructure and develop new ones, communicate a unified and competitive identity for Athens and promote the city beyond the country’s borders with professionalism, creativity and expertise,” she said.
The workshop included presentations and interventions by Giorgos Angelis, Director of the ACB; Artemis Skoubourdi, tour guide and writer on Athens; Diana Kohyla, journalist-author and expert on traditional cuisine and nutrition; Dimitris Efremoglou, CEO of the Foundation of the Hellenic World; Christos Anagnostou, winemaker and President of the Association of Wine-producers of Ampelonas Attikis (ENOAA); Penny Doska, Senior Project Manager for Kipling Events; and Giorgos Pittas, hotelier and author.
