Athens is preparing to become one of the most sought-after destinations for professional travel, conference and exhibition tourism (MICE) and to boost bleisure (business and leisure), as its competitive advantage is that it is the only seaside capital in Europe.
It will be able to host the largest events (from shipping to music) recording a rapid increase in foreign visitor arrivals, creating a new hub of commerce, entrepreneurship and culture.
Tae Kwon Do stadium: Athens’ new global stage that will bring thousands of travelers and boost conference tourism
These developments emerge from the concession – two days ago – by ETAD to the Attica Region of the Closed Olympic Stadium of Faliro (Tae Kwon Do) and the wider coastal zone for redevelopment, satisfying a long-standing request from the Hellenic Association of Professional Congress Organizers and Event Planners (HAPCO & DES) and the Athens-Attica-Argosaronic Hotels Association (EXA).
“The concession of the Closed Tae Kwon Do Stadium from ETAD to the Attica Region opens the way for the utilization of the space after decades. At the same time, the creation of a modern conference – concert – exhibition center that the wider Athens area and the whole country so much needs is becoming visible”, Dimitris Fragkakis commented to parapolitika.gr, president of New Metropolitan Attica S.A., which is a local government development organization of the Attica Region.
Both he and the Attica Regional Governor, Nikos Hardalias, believe that this move can place Athens very high on the international map of professional tourism (MICE) thanks to the dynamics of this specific space, its strategic location, and its historical value.
Substantial boost to conference tourism and MICE expected through the new Tae Kwon Do venue
“Such a project will operate complementarily to the already implemented investments in the area, such as the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, The Ellinikon and the new high-specification hotel complexes,” commented EXA president, Evgenios Vasilikos, emphasizing that the creation of a modern, multifunctional Metropolitan Conference, Exhibition and Concert Center in the heart of the coastal front comes to fill a chronic gap and substantially strengthen Athens’ international competitiveness in the conference tourism sector. “We believe that this specific investment will contribute decisively to the turn towards a more qualitative tourism, with significantly increased revenues for the local community and the city’s economy”, he added, hoping that the necessary actions will begin immediately.
Greater visibility, rising arrivals, increased revenues
Excellent prospects in conference activity are also expected by Antonia Alexandrou, president of HAPCO & DES, which is the official body of professional conference and event organizers in Greece. In fact, she committed to substantially contribute to the dynamic utilization of the space and to make Athens a hot spot for professional and exhibition tourism.
We remind that MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) yields more than 2.5 billion euros annually to our country with the possibility of even doubling in the coming years. It contributes to the extension of the tourist season, while the conference visitor invests 4 to 7 times more than the leisure visitor.
In 2023, Athens was included among the top MICE destinations as in the annual ranking of conference cities and countries (ICCA Annual Report) it had conquered the 11th position in Europe and the 15th position globally.
According to INSETE studies, the overwhelming majority of MICE travelers come from the higher income classes of each country with a percentage above 92%, often equalizing with sports tourism and wellness.
