20 MILESTONES FOR 2017

Welcome to our 20 Milestones from 2017, a wrap-up of what you may have missed from TOPOSOPHY during this past year. This was the year that simmering tensions in some cities about the impact of tourism reached boiling point, while the collaborative economy continued to grow and evolve, exerting its influence in new ways on life in cities. As a strategy and research agency it's our job to monitor complex situations and propose smart solutions, which were pleased to be doing for a growing portfolio of clients.

There have been plenty of lighter, mouth-watering moments too, as we've grown our business in food and events management, and have travelled to a growing list of countries to share our insights, meet new clients and learn something new.

Our very warmest season's greetings and best wishes from all of the Toposophy team!

1

OVER 1.000 MENUS SOLD DAILY
AT DINEATHENS II

Our integrated PR and marketing campaign, booking engine and dedicated website attracted diners back to the table to sample the second edition of DineAthens. Once again Alpha Bank and Diner’s Club put their faith in us for this February event, and were rewarded with a 287% increase in Diner’s Club sales and 12,500 menus sold.

2

WE SIGNED A LANDMARK
AGREEMENT FOR
TASTE OF ATHENS

We’re sure you’ve heard of the famous Taste of London and Taste of Paris events. Well in 2018, thanks to a major agreement we’ve signed as official local partner for Taste Festivals, you’ll be able to discover Taste of Athens for a festival that will attract thousands of foodies. Join us at the SNFCC in September 2018.

3

WE SPARKED FRESH
THINKING ON SCOTLAND'S
COLLABORATIVE ECONOMY

Keen to explore the opportunities and help smart decision making on the collaborative economy, Scottish Enterprise, the Scottish Government and the Scottish Tourism Alliance appointed us to carry out a major study titled The Collaborative Economy and Scottish Tourism. Look out for it in January!

4

WE SET OUT A NEW VISION
FOR CITY MARKETING AND
MANAGEMENT IN EUROPE

Times are changing rapidly for DMOs and they urgently need a new strategic vision. In June we put it all into words for the members of European Cities Marketing with the Manifest on the Future of DMOs. Take it today, and use it to discuss the future with your colleagues, industry partners and political decision makers.

5

WE BROUGHT VALUABLE INSIGHTS
TO THE ATHENS TOURISM
PARTNERSHIP

In November we presented the results of our comprehensive study into Athens city visitors to ATP, a new initiative founded by the Athens Destination Development, Marketing and Management Agency (ADDMA), Athens International Airport and Aegean Airlines. Backed by our insights, these organisations are working in close cooperation to build their understanding of existing visitor patterns in the city, and exchange knowledge and ideas about market development.

6

WE TOOK A DEEP-DIVE ON
OVERTOURISM WITH EUROPEAN
CITIES MARKETING CEOs

In many destinations tourism is hitting the headlines for the wrong reasons, however it’s often more complex than we usually see in the media. In December we joined over 30 CEOs of capital and major cities with European Cities Marketing for a full-day workshop to map overtourism challenges and help them plan the way forward.

7

WE TOOK OUR COLLABORATIVE ECONOMY
INSIGHTS TO THE IVY LEAGUE

In September we took our pan-European insights on the collaborative economy across the pond to Cornell University in the United States. Our Managing Director and collaborative economy expert Manolis Psarros spoke in Cornell Hospitality Research Summit 2017, in a keynote speech which explored the influence of the sharing economy in the hospitality sector.

8

WE GOT WINE AND VISITORS
FLOWING IN THE NORTHERN GREECE

Thanks to our comprehensive Marketing Plan and training manual, visitors are starting to discover an exciting new selection of wine destinations along the Wine Roads of Northern Greece. As per our Toposophy tradition, the marketing plan is fully integrated, bringing together consumer insights, site audit, experience design, advice on product development, trade marketing and a comprehensive action plan for the future.

9

WE HELPED ATTRACT THE WORLD'S
MARINA INDUSTRY TO ATHENS

This year we started working with the Greek Marinas Association (GMA) to help them promote Greece as a safe, year-round, experiential yachting destination. Our joint work with the GMA and the City of Athens has already paid off, as the world-renowned ICOMIA conference has chosen to come to Athens in October 2018.

10

WE GUIDED POLICYMAKERS AT THE
EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Through our ongoing work with HOTREC, the umbrella association for Europe's hotels and restaurants industry, our insights on the collaborative economy have helped shape the debate in the European Commission’s Collaborative Economy Think Tank on policy areas and regulatory issues.

11

¿Hablas español?
¡Nosotros sí!

This year we've given keynote presentations on overtourism and the evolving trends in city travel in San Sebastián and Valencia. Spain’s biggest cities have been at the front line in the overtourism debate and hearing first-hand on their approach to tackling it provided us with valuable insights.

12

WE TOOK OUR COLLABORATIVE ECONOMY
MASTERCLASS TO THE WORLD'S BIGGEST
TRAVEL TRADE SHOW

In March we were invited to present at the prestigious ITB Convention, where we shared a sample of our Collaborative Economy Masterclass. We've now presented nearly 30 presentations and masterclasses on this topic, helping audiences in 15 countries to understand and map this complex issue. Find out more about how we can help you!

13

WE SHARED A BEER WITH
THE REST OF THE WORLD

Our London partners Steve Lowy and Harry Fielder have become an online sensation with their Friday afternoon beers, banter and general ‘infotainment’. In June Manolis joined in the fun, and in November Steve and Kash Bhattacharya, our influencer marketing expert came to Athens to work hard and play hard.

14

WE MOVED TOURISM
UP THE AGENDA
FOR CITY GOVERNANCE

It's high time that city and urban planners took more notice of the effects that tourism can have on urban spaces, and how their plans can influence tourism flows. We discussed just this in our August interview with the online journal Citiscope. The previous month we were featured in Place Brand Observer, where we discussed the shifting priorities of DMOs.

15

WE WELCOMED A NEW REPORT
WITH PRIDE

Our Head of Insights Peter Jordan is a recognised authority on LGBT tourism, and in May we were proud to see him launch a groundbreaking report on the subject, in collaboration with the UNWTO and IGLTA. He explains more here, and you can download the report free of charge here.

16

WE GAVE OUR TAKE
ON BREXIT AND UK TOURISM

Anyone with a stake in the UK’s tourism industry will be wondering what Brexit means for the future of inbound and outbound tourism to the country. In July our hotel and restaurant marketing expert Steve Lowy gave his take on Brexit, and the various outcomes that could emerge for the industry in the months ahead.

17

WE OPENED AN OFFICE
IN THE HEART OF
AMSTERDAM's
STARTUP SCENE

When you run a youthful, outward looking company like ours, it's essential to be in the right environment. That's why we're delighted to have a base at B.Amsterdam, Europe's biggest startup hub, located in between Amsterdam city centre and Schiphol. Visiting Amsterdam soon? Then get in touch and we'll show it to you!

18

WE CELEBRATED SUCCESS
FOR OUR GLOBETROTTING
BUDGET TRAVEL EXPERT

Kash Bhattacharya, otherwise known as the ‘Budget Traveller’ is our specialist on influencer marketing. This year we celebrated the publication of his brilliant new book The Guide to Luxury Hostels in Europe. Congratulations Kash!

19

WE RAISED THE
BAR ON THE MARKET
INSIGHTS FOR LUXURY
RESORTS

Thanks to a comprehensive market study, in September we gave the Greek luxury SANI resort the best platform to launch their new campaign ‘Feel SANI’. Our work included a detailed audience profiling distinctive for each brand, including demographics, available income, key drivers and motives, as well as travel behaviors. It resulted in a great campaign and a happy customer.

20

WE GUIDED DESTINATIONS
ON HOW TO HELP TRAVELLERS
'EAT LIKE A LOCAL'

Food is now one of the most important ways to help travellers connect in a meaningful way with their destination. In a major new report by the World Tourism Organisation launched in May, we explained how to combine tech, food and smart product development to help destinations get the most from this major new trend.

Want to know more about what we’ve been up to? Don’t forget to stay up to date by following us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter or ask us a question anytime at info@toposophy.com!
Finally, to everyone who has followed and supported our work, please accept our warmest wishes and season’s greetings.
Join us, as we continue onwards and upwards for 2018!