Photo credits : @ This is Athens | Thomas Gravanis

the sunny , Mediterranean appeal of the summer .

Vlachos believes : “ The meetings industry is crucial to this strategy because it is a market leader helping to build an all-year visitor economy for Athens .”

By attracting international events throughout the year , Athens can ensure that a more prolonged and sustained period of visitors is fuelling the regional economy .

Expertise cluster Athens is looking to leverage both its ancient historical identity and modern academic and research qualities , to create a unique MICE proposition for event organisers .

While understanding the value of Athens ’ ancient history in attracting visitors , MICE stakeholders in the Greek capital know that it must equally project its image as a modern , thriving city that offers organisers expertise and knowledge

infrastructure for their events .

“ It is a mix of classical and cutting edge ,” says Vlachos . “ Four millennia of recorded history forms the backdrop of Athens ’ vibrant contemporary life .”

Athens is a hub of academics , researchers and businesses that provide organisers and delegates ample value to improving event experiences . Specific expertise in the following fields make Athens particularly attractive for event organisers in these sectors :

1 . Mobility , logistics and shipping 2 . Agri-food and nutrition 3 . Blue economy and circular economy 4 . Health , health tourism and pharma 5 . Culture and heritage .

Infrastructure Alongside a clear vision to attract MICE to Athens , the city also has a solid foundation of event spaces and visitor infrastructure to facilitate international events .

Far left : The Acropolis Below : Travel Trade Athens meetings

During the Travel Trade Athens event , CMW visited numerous event venues throughout the city . The Athens Concert Hall and International Convention Centre ( 2,000sqm of exhibition space , three conference rooms , and 2,450 seats venue-wide ), Panathenaic Stadium ( 60,000-seater historic open-air venue that hosted the first modern day Olympics ), and the Zappeion Megaron ( 4,000sqm flexible meetings space ). They are all in walking distance of each other , located centrally around the ancient ruins of the Acropolis .

Of particular interest is the LAMDA development project , Ellinikon , a new suburb of Athens that will cover 2,000,000sqm , constructed at the site of the old international airport . This project is expected to contribute 2.4 % to the country ’ s GDP until the development ’ s completion date , providing many exciting opportunities for the city ’ s MICE industry .

“ It will create an ultra-modern network of offices , homes , visitor spaces , and an urban park larger than all of Monaco ,” comments Vlachos . “ It will attract an estimated 1m new visitors to the region and add to our roster of world-class meetings facilities that are only a short distance from the Acropolis .”

Additionally , this new project will be at the heart of the city ’ s sustainability plan , being the largest of the region ’ s urban lungs . The suburb aims to be ‘ one of the largest coastal parks in the world – and an ambitious rival to the great urban parks of New York and London .’

Athens is a city with a clear strategy and a developing infrastructure for international events . The MICE Athenian myth is starting to unravel , it ’ s time for event organisers to take note .