Effective B2B Destination Marketing-Travel Trade Workshops

We are very proud to announce that the first Travel Trade Athens Workshop has been branded a success and established as an annual signature trade event for the City of Athens. Within the framework of the City of Athens’ development and tourism promotion action plan aiming to highlight Athens in the international tourism market, the Athens Development & Destination Management Agency (ADDMA) reached a cooperation agreement of strategic importance with the European Tour Operators Association (ETOA). The agreement sees to the establishment of a series of annual B2B workshops under the name “Travel Trade Athens”. The first Travel Trade Athens, was held on the 22nd and 23rd of April 2013, at the New Acropolis Museum. The 3-day trade event comprised pre-scheduled appointments with local suppliers, thematic visits around Athens and social events for at least 80 hosted buyers including tour operators, conference and meeting organizers and distinguished journalists from Europe and the USA. More than 100 businesses and suppliers from all sectors of the local tourism industry participated in a round of 32 pre-set b2b appointments in order to present their services and products and to discuss ways of cooperation with the hosted buyers. The agreement signed with ETOA, has a dual purpose for the tourism product of Metropolitan Athens and the destination's efforts to strengthen the international image of Athens in the global tourism community. Firstly, this is the first intervention of such scale and importance after many years and with partner one of the most dynamic institutions in the European market, who trusts the city and its formal structures, such as the ADDMA. Secondly, it makes evident that Athens, as a city break and business destination, continues to be a very interesting and attractive option with promising growth prospects. The structure of the event included:

• Three-day stay in Athens during which buyers participated in fam-trips and site visits in order to get acquainted with the full portfolio of tourism products, the competitive advantages and the Unique Selling Points of metropolitan Athens as a tourist destination.
• Organization of pre-scheduled appointments between local suppliers and the hosted buyers.
• Industry intelligence & international trends seminar for the local suppliers who participated at Travel Trade Athens by leading representatives of international organizations such as ETOA, WYSE Travel Confederation and IGLTA.

The hospitality programme aimed at showcasing and promoting the tourism product of Metropolitan Athens and at creating the appropriate channels of cooperation between the local tourism industry and hosted buyers targeting the Athens market, in order to acquaint hosted buyers with the city’s tourism infrastructure and major points of interest.

1,400 face to face meetings took place between Greek professionals and hosted buyers from abroad, which is a “very important step.”

Through the trade event, local Greek businessmen had the chance to showcase their services and products and discuss cooperation possibilities with the hosted buyers.

Mayor Kaminis announced that Travel Trade Athens will be conducted on an annual basis as such actions are necessary to promote the tourism product of Athens.

On his part, Tom Jenkins, Executive Director of the European Tour Operators Association (ETOA),  applauded the trade event’s concept and underlined the importance of promoting a destination to professionals. In relation  to ABOUTOURISM's contribution to the organization of this Travel Trade Workshop and the cooperation facilitation at a destination level, Tom Jenkins stated: “Travel Trade Athens was the first time we have worked with ABOUTOURISM. Much of the success of this event was down to the quality of their project management and leadership in developing the concept of a workshop in situ. We very much look forward to working with them again.” Travel Trade Athens 2013 is organized by the Athens Development and Destination Management Agency with the cooperation of ETOA, under the project management and coordination of ABOUTOURISM Destination Consultants. More info: www.traveltradeathens.gr