Three awards for Athens in the World Travel Awards Europe 2018

The City of Athens Convention and Visitors Bureau is honoured to be named Europe’s Leading City Tourist Board 2018 in the World Travel Awards Europe Gala that this year took place in Zappeion Megaron Hall in Athens, Greece.

Τhe Mayor of Athens, Mr Georgios Kaminis, received the award, referring to all the initiatives launched by the City of Athens, in order to attract visitors and professionals who look for an authentic, year-round experience.

During the Gala, the City of Athens received two more prominent awards: Europe’s Leading City Break Destination 2018, while Acropolis was named Europe’s Leading Tourist Attraction for 2018.

The World Travel Awards Europe selected Athens as the city to host the official award ceremony this year, underlying furthermore the city’s popularity as a distinctive meetings and events destination. The MICE sector has also been contributing substantially to the local economy and the revitalisation of Athens. According to the ICCA report 2017, Athens hosted 76 meetings in 2017 which brought the destination amongst the top 30 convention tourism destinations in the world and the top 20 convention tourism destinations in Europe.

All of the above are the long awaited result of the City’s persisting and targeted work during the last years, in promoting Athens as an ideal destination for business tourism. At the same time the foundation of the Athens Tourism Partnership by Aegean Airlines, the Athens International Airport and the City of Athens has positioned the city as an ideal, contemporary year long city-break destination.

“We are already seeing results”, said the Mayor Mr. Kaminis, “2017 was a record year for arrivals in Athens, boosting the city’s local economy and attracting major hotel groups investing in our city, set to offer attractive accommodation for today's contemporary business and leisure travelers. At the same time, Athens is being recognized as one of the top conference destinations in Europe, confirming what we have accomplished these past few years in the area of business tourism. It is no exaggeration to say that Athens is experiencing a “tourism spring”.”

For professionals who would like to discover firsthand the reasons behind this success, the City of Athens signature annual event Travel Trade Athens 2018 is the perfect opportunity. Now in its 6^th year, TTA 2018 will be taking place on 8-9 October 2018, hosting 100 selected international buyers focusing on Athens and Greece.

Travel Trade Athens offers travel professionals as well as MICE buyers, the chance to meet and network with some of Greece’s best tourism professionals and become an Athens insider through tailored tours and special events.

Organized by the City of Athens Convention & Visitors Bureau (ACVB) in cooperation with the European Association of Tour Operators (ETOA), the event offers a fully complimentary hosted buyers program that includes a two-day workshop with pre-arranged B2B appointments, FAM trips and a social program that lets you discover and experience tourism products and experiences that Athens & Greece have to offer.

Hosted Buyer applications are now open on www.traveltradeathens.gr