Athens and China have taken the first step towards further developing their relations in tourism and culture through a Memorandum of Cooperation which was signed recently between ADDMA and the China Intercontinental Communication Center (CICC).

The Memorandum was signed on April 15, in Athens by ADDMA CEO Ioannis Georgizas and CICC Deputy Director Cui Binzhen. "The City of Athens warmly supports this initiative of cultural exchange between Greece and China. Our peoples have always shown their mutual appreciation and respect, which is why any cooperation between Greece and China has solid foundations to succeed", Georgizas stressed.

By signing the Memorandum, Athens and China have agreed to exchange knowhow in the fields of culture, tourism, the film and television industry as well as jointly participate in international film and TV festivals, and exhibitions around the world.

More than 175,000 Athenians and visitors took part in the 2nd Athens City Festival, the month-long event organized by the City of Athens at 104 locations across the city. Participation nearly quadrupled in comparison to 2022 when 50,000 visitors were recorded.

This year’s celebration of Athens took place from May 1 to 31 at more than 265 events including tours of the hills of Athens and the urban underground, concerts and parties in the city’s squares and markets, park picnics, exhibitions, bike rides, treasure hunts, and open-air film screenings.

Mayor of Athens Kostas Bakoyannis said: "Participation in the 2nd Athens City Festival this year exceeded all expectations. I would like to say a big thank you to everyone who embraced this year’s festival - and of course to the incredible team at ADDMA that took charge of the organization. Our goal is that every year this celebration of the City of Athens becomes bigger and more dynamic. See you next year!”

The program of the 2nd Athens City Festival was developed following an open call inviting groups and organizations to propose and promote events taking place during May. The website of the Athens City Festival – online at cityfestival.thisisathens.org – had more than 760,000 pageviews and 140,000 unique users throughout the month.

The festival was developed and planned by the City of Athens Development and Destination Management Agency (ADDMA).

Highlights of the Athens City Festival

The festival had something to offer for all musical tastes. The free concert by the Cinematic Orchestra on May 6 attracted more than 6,000 people to atmospheric Kotzia Square in from the Athens City Hall. Later in the month, the distinguished pop musician Kutiman performed at the Amphitheater of the French Institute. Athens welcomed the first accessible hip-hop festival organized by the Cool Crips at Technopolis, as well as Mammal Hands at the Acropolis Museum, PanPan at the Anglican Church of St. Paul, Savvina Giannatou and the Jasmine Quartet at the Stoa of Attalos, and Psarogiorgis showed his mastery of the lute at the Roman Agora. We also celebrated the combination of international and local vibes during the 22nd Athens Jazz Festival at Technopolis.

We saw the city spring back to life in every corner of the city. More than 15,000 people gathered for the Street Outdoors party on top of Mount Lycabettus. We celebrated big time at the party of the Yucatan team in the heart of Omonia square and at the parties in Santaroza and the Varvakeios Market. The Kypseli City Market opened its doors for the concert of Rena Morphi as well as an amazing ceramics festival with unique and locally-made art objects.

The Athens City Festival also included dozens of outdoor activities for children and a series of activities and guided tours in collaboration with major cultural institutions such as the National Archaeological Museum and the Benaki Museum. The festival opened with a family picnic at Plato's Academy on May Day and continued with bike rides in the neighborhoods of Athens, guided tours of the Athens Observatory, a visit to the fine sculptures in the First Cemetery of Athens, and open-air screenings of new Greek films in Eleftheria Park.

This year the action continues until June 3 on the open-air stage on Ermou Street where Release Athens has curated a free concerts series.

Catch all the video highlights with impressive scenes from the 2nd Athens City Festival here.

Photos: Thomas Gravanis, George Makkas, Orestis Seferoglou

Athens recently welcomed Juneyao Airlines’ first direct flight from Shanghai. The new service launched on April 2, and will be conducted three times a week.

ADDMA CEO Ioannis Georgizas traveled to Shanghai last week to participate in a press conference for the launch of the new direct air service and the promotion of Athens as a top tourism destination to the Chinese market. "We expect this direct connection to strengthen tourism ties between our cities, promote our shared values and enhance cultural exchange,” he said.

During the trip, the team of This is Athens-Convention & Visitors Bureau held a number of B2B meetings and presented Athens to selected travel agents from China.

A special event for the launch of the Athens - Shanghai direct route was also held in Athens on April 2, in the presence of Athens Mayor Haris Doukas, ADDMA President Giorgos Stamtsis and CEO Ioannis Georgizas. Organized by Juneyao Airlines, the Athens International Airport (AIA) and My Odyssey Travel, the event also included speeches by Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni, SETE President and AIA CEO Ioannis Paraschis and the Ambassador of China to Greece, Xiao Junzheng.

Over 160 representatives from the Greek and international tourism industry met in Athens for the 9th Travel Trade Athens, the signature annual B2B event of the City of Athens organized in collaboration with the European Tourism Association (ETOA). Operated by the Athens Development and Destination Management Agency (ADDMA), the event ran April 24-25 with the participation of hosted buyers, local suppliers, and international media.

Since the start of Travel Trade Athens in 2013, visitor arrivals to Athens have increased by more than 160% and the Athens meetings & events industry has been recognized as a rising leader in the European market that is creating local economic opportunities. This year, the event hosted more than 1,600 B2B meetings between Greek and international tourism professionals, including more than 60 hosted buyers and over 100 local suppliers. The hosted buyers represented the city’s target markets in Europe, the United Kingdom, USA and Canada.

At the Press Conference launching Travel Trade Athens 2023 and marking the start of the spring season, Mayor of Athens Kostas Bakoyannis was joined by Yiannis Paraschis, Chief Executive Officer of the Athens International Airport (AIA); Eftichios Vassilakis, President of AEGEAN; and Tim Fairhurst, Secretary General of ETOA. 

Kostas Bakoyannis, Mayor of Athens, underlined the importance of the event:

“The 9th Travel Trade Athens is here. It is an exceptional event that is opening more windows and doors for Athens as a destination. Certainly, we have many reasons to be happy about the development of Athens as a tourist destination, as in recent years we have been breaking one record after another. To these, one more is added: it’s the first time in history that Athens is welcoming so many investments.”

The Mayor of Athens thanked all the partners who are contributing to the development of the tourist market of Athens.

“I would like to extend a very big thank you to Mr. Tim Fairhurst, the Secretary General of the European Tourism Organization. His presence honors us and is a vote of trust and confidence in the Athens market. I would also like to thank Mr. Vassilakis and Mr. Parashis for the excellent collaboration we have developed through This is Athens. This public-private partnership is a great opportunity for all of us, because it enables us to join forces and achieve a much better result together.”

Tim Fairhurst said on behalf of ETOA:

“A precondition for tourism success is the positive collaboration between private and public sectors. Athens understands this and our collective progress towards best tourism for residents and tourists alike depends on it. We are delighted to be working with the city again, bringing quality buyers interested in developing new products.”

In addition to a full schedule of B2B meetings, the 9th Travel Trade Athens included a number of tours and experiences. It also hosted the Τhis is Athens Agora, a half-day cross-sectoral gathering for Greek tourism professionals. Through a series of educational workshops, panel discussions and speeches from world renowned industry professionals, the attending Greek professionals had the opportunity to gain valuable insights and develop expertise on the tourism industry’s global trends.

The speakers included Tim Fairhurst, Secretary General of ETOA; Maria Founta, Head of Marketing South East Europe at Google; Anna Vasila, Head of Sustainability and Industry Affairs at the Athens International Airport; Christos Koutsoukos, Executive Creative Director of Cream and Rascal; Elke Dens, Global Director of The Travel Foundation; Ioannis Pallas, Association Manager of the ESAE - European Society of Association Executives; Dr. Christina Gitsaki, Congress Coordinator of the International Association of Applied Linguistics; and Stylianos Filopoulos, Founder of Association by Design.

Special thanks to the Trave Trade Athens 2023 Partners AEGEAN and Athens International Airport as well as to the event’s Supporters St. George Lycabettus Lifestyle Hotel, Alternative Athens and Association of Licensed Tourist Guides. A great thank you to the Ministry of Culture for their ongoing support and cooperation.

Athens moving from strength to strength

The 9th Travel Trade Athens builded upon a strong year for the Athenian tourism industry.

Through the efforts of the City of Athens and ADDMA’s strategic planning, as well as of This is Athens and Τhis is Athens-Convention & Visitors Bureau, Athens won its first global distinction at the World Travel Awards 2022 as the World's Leading Cultural City Destination.

The award followed the city’s double win at the European World Travel Awards where Athens was named “Europe's Leading Cultural City Destination 2022” and This is Athens-Convention & Visitors Bureau received the “Europe's Leading City Tourist Board” title for 2022.

Athens has also been recording an upward course in the global meetings industry. Athens ranked 6th in Europe and 8th in the world for international association meeting according to the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) Annual Report 2021, having hosted over 130 international association meetings and events.

Since its launch in 2013, Travel Trade Athens has welcomed more than 700 buyers from 35 countries. With the completion of the 9th Travel Trade Athens, the event has supported more than 19,500 B2B meetings between Greek and international tourism professionals. The event is organized every year by the Athens Development and Destination Management Agency (ADDMA) of the City of Athens through the This is Athens-Convention and Visitors Bureau that operates under the umbrella of ADDMA, in collaboration with the European Tourism Association (ETOA).

Athens welcomes the 3rd This is Athens – City Festival, the great celebration of the City of Athens, which this year is expanding to every neighborhood.

Beginning with the annual picnic in the Park at Plato's Academy on May 1, the festival includes more than 250 events and activities until June 2.

The map of the 2024 This is Athens – City Festival embraces many of the most recognizable locations in Athens as well as some of the less-explored parks and squares of the city, delivering springtime vibes to all seven districts of the City of Athens.

The dynamic program was designed to encourage Athenians and visitors to explore Athens beyond the Acropolis, get to know public spaces and cultural events with their family and friends, and experience the beauty of the city before the start of summer.

The program includes concerts and street parties, guided walking tours, sporting events for all ages, experiences with food and wine, activities organized by museums and cultural venues, as well as events inspired by the Easter holiday.

The CEO of the Athens Development and Destination Management Agency of the City of Athens (ADDMA), Ioannis Georgizas, said: “This is Athens – City Festival 2024 is the result of ADDMA's close and innovative collaboration with official bodies, organizations, and some of the most significant cultural and creative groups of the city. Athens will be on the minds of residents and visitors, and we look forward to welcoming everyone to our fantastic urban spaces and high-quality events.”

Highlights from the 2024 This is Athens – City Festival

• May 1: Athens Urban Picnic in the Park at Plato’s Academy.

The start of the This is Athens - City Festival on the green grass with live music and DJ sets from the producers of HiT 88.9, En Lefko 87.7 and RED 96.3. Activities for all ages with educational workshops, a kite show, musical performances and screenings.

• May 12: Family & the City at the Kypseli Public Agora

In celebration of Mother's Day, an all-day celebration with creative activities and games for children and their parents.

• May 12: Street Outdoors Party at Koumoundourou Square

One of the most beautiful squares in Athens will be transformed into a unique outdoor club by the Street Outdoors team.

• May 16: Fairytales in Drakopoulou Square (Patisia)

Fairytales for children from 6 to... 106 years old. Georgia Haikali, Marina Dakanali and Ioanna Riga say goodbye to spring with stories from all over the world.

• May 17: Piano City Festival in Amerikis Square

With more than 100 piano concerts, this year’s festival features acclaimed artists, rising stars, and piano students at unique locations throughout the city.

• May 17: Spinning Sessions at the Kypseli Public Agora

The Agora is transformed into a spinning club with lights and DJs to motivate and inspire a day of intense exercise, well-being and positive energy.

• May 18: Flare the Square Skateboarding Contest at Kotzia Square

A high-level skateboarding tournament with professional and amateur athletes. The square opposite the Athens City Hall will be transformed into a skate park with concerts, DJs, street food, and fun for everyone.

• May 19: Fashions of the Dora Stratou Theater on the Runway in Plaka

The pedestrian street of Lysiou in Plaka, home to the traditional costumes in the unique collection of the Dora Stratou Theatre, finally becomes a fashion destination.

• May 19: The Panagyri of Athens in the Park at Plato’s Academy

The complete experience of a traditional Panagyri festival, with folk musicians and songs from every corner of Greece, as well as community dancing.

• May 20: Puppet show at the Open Municipal Theater of Kolonos

Puppet theater with snapshots from the daily life of a hospital ward. Patients come and go, their stories pass one by one, and the "on duty" sign stays switched on.

• May 23: Cantada in the streets of Plaka

The modern troubadours, the Karaviotis Brothers, bring a traditional Cantada from the Ionian Islands to Athens and the streets of Plaka, followed by a concert at the Museum of Greek Folk Musical Instruments.

• May 24: A walk with Agia Fanfara from Attica Square to Agios Panteleimon

With their vivid humor and enthusiasm, the multi-member orchestra of brass and percussion instruments bring a festive mood with traditional tunes and contemporary songs from Greece, the Balkans and the Eastern Mediterranean.

• May 28: Live concert of traditional songs in Mitropoleos Square

A live performance with Savina Giannatou, Fotis Siotas, Nefeli Fasouli and the Yasemi vocal quartet performing traditional songs from all over the world, as well as favorites from the modern Greek repertoire.

• May 29: Food & Wine with a tour of the National Gallery

An exclusive tour of the museum that ends with an excellent menu paired with incredible wine.

• May 31: Victoria Square Party

A street party by Reverb, the promoters of alternative culture who know how to deliver a great event.

• June 1: Attiko Alsos Sunset Street Party at Tourkovounia

A unique party from the group "11 Athens" on an unknown urban balcony near Galatsi that will make us dance along with the Attic sunset.

• June 2: Athens All Star Party on top of Mount Lycabettus

The biggest promoters of Athens join forces to create one of the top moments of the This is Athens – City Festival 2024, turning the most impressive urban balcony into an incredible dance floor.

See the festival’s program in English here.

The Athens City Festival returns to the Greek capital in May, with over 200 activities and events for Athenians and visitors of all ages.

Set to take place for a second consecutive year during May 1-31, the festival will feature events focusing on culture, entertainment, gastronomy and sports including concerts and parties at parks and squares, thematic routes for walking and cycling, picnics, guided tours to museum and gallery collections, outdoor activities, events for children and more.

"The Athens City Festival is the city in one celebration. A month of events throughout Athens, as we join forces with cultural organizations, creative groups, artists and communities to highlight and share the city's rich culture. But also to have fun!", Athens Mayor Kostas Bakoyannis said. Last year, the festival attracted over 50,000 Athenians and visitors.

The Athens City Festival is organized by ADDMA in collaboration with the city's creative bodies including public and private museums, galleries, cultural foundations, collective citizens' bodies, artists, educators and more.

See the festival's full program in English and in Greek 👉 https://cityfestival.thisisathens.org/.

Social Media

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thisisathenscityfestival

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisisathenscityfestival/

ADDMA encourages creative dialogue and cooperation for the City of Athens.

We welcomed representatives from the Jordan Tourism Board and the Embassy of Jordan in Athens and exchanged ideas and business practices.

Athens was chosen by the International Association of Professional Conference Organizers (IAPCO) to hold its Annual Meeting and General Assembly in 2026. The announcement was made by IAPCO President Sarah Markey-Hamm during the 2024 annual meeting in Ljubljana.

The event has special significance for the growth of the meeting and events industry in Athens. When the event kicks off in February 2026, it is expected to bring more than 150 leading professionals to Athens who are among the most important players in the international conference market. The annual attendees regularly organize the largest and most important conferences in terms of duration and number of participants.

The successful bid was the result of a partnership between This is Athens and four Greek companies that are professional conference organizers and members of IAPCO: AFEA, Convin, ERA and Erasmus.

The bid file titled “The Odyssey Reinvented” impressed the IAPCO Board of Directors. The narrative explores how technology is transforming the way people meet and connect as the digital world becomes a virtual environment, as well as the enduring role of human wisdom and emotions that remain crucial to the meetings industry.

As the conference theme, “The Odyssey Reinvented” will create opportunities to celebrate the human journey and all the aspects that made Odysseus a timeless symbol of our capacity to overcome adversity: resourcefulness and cleverness, patience and perseverance, leadership and decision-making.

In his statement, the CEO of the Athens Development and Destination Management Agency of the City of Athens, Ioannis Georgizas, emphasized: "The successful bid for the IAPCO 2026 Annual Meeting showcases the values that are driving This is Athens: openness and strong partnerships. The position of Athens on the global conference map is strengthened through networking with important international bodies such as IAPCO, as well as cooperation with local companies to support these major events. The 2026 IAPCO Annual Conference in Athens will promote our city to a targeted audience that exerts a great influence worldwide in the promotion of conference destinations."

The This is Athens - Convention and Visitors Bureau of the City of Athens has the honorary title "Destination Partner" of IAPCO, designating a close partner of the association for the promotion, education, and development of the meeting and events industry worldwide.

The announcement by IAPCO coincides with another Greek success story in conference tourism: the election of Sissy Lignou, President of the Hellenic Association of Professional Conference Organizers (HAPCO & DES), as the President of IAPCO beginning in 2025.

ADDMA was honored with the Aviation Media Award 2022 at the Aviation-Event 2023, the international conference for the aviation industry that took place in Cluj, Romania, on March 24.

ADDMA received the award for its contribution in the venue selection process of the Aviation-Event 2022 which was hosted by the Athens International Airport in July. Among the event’s venues was the Acropolis Museum which hosted its official dinner.

Aviation-Event is a leading international media platform, organising some of Europe's most prestigious aviation conferences, hosted by airports.

* ADDMA participated in the Aviation-Event 2023 as part of the "Development and Promotion of the Tourism and Cultural Identity of Athens in the post-CoVid era" project of the "Attica 2014-2020” Operational Program/Sub-project 1.

photo © Nicu Cherciu

The 3-day Greek Tourism and Gastronomy Workshop kicked off this afternoon and Athens is there, reaching the United States market!

Representatives from ADDMA will join the virtual event, participate n B2B online meetings, and promote Athens as an all-round destination: https://gltgw-usa.liveon.tech/exhibitors/view/

* The event is implemented within the project "Development and Promotion of the Tourism and Cultural Identity of Athens in the post-CoVid era" / Sub-project 1.

Athens has earned one of the most important distinctions in tourism. The Greek capital was named Europe's Leading City Break Destination at the World Travel Awards 2024.

Athens was selected from a strong list of destinations: Amsterdam, Venice, Berlin, Geneva, Dublin, Copenhagen, Lisbon, London, Paris, Porto, and Rome.

The distinction emphasizes the long-term strategy and efforts of the City of Athens over the last decade to develop sustainable tourism through the management and promotion of the city as a competitive city break destination.

In 2023, Athens saw an increase in the number of international visitors arriving in every month and set a new annual record by welcoming more than 7 million visitors throughout the year. The statistics show the value of boosting Athens as a city break destination that can attract visitors during every season.

This is Athens, the city’s official visitors guide, plays an important role in these efforts by raising awareness of the city’s 129 neighbourhoods and quality of life during the fall, winter and spring months.

The World Travel Awards ceremony took place in Berlin where members of the This is Athens team are also participating in ITB Berlin, one of the leading tourism exhibitions in Europe, with a dedicated space in the Greece Pavilion.

This is the second time that Athens has been recognized as Europe’s Leading City Break Destination - the first win came in 2018. In addition to being recognized as the top city break destination in Europe, Athens was nominated in five other categories: Europe’s Leading Cultural City Destination, Meeting and Conference Destination, Leading Cruise Destination, Leading Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the Acropolis was nominated as the Leading Tourist Attraction.

The award was accepted on Wednesday, 6^th March by the CEO of the Athens Development and Destination Management Agency (ADDMA), Ioannis Georgizas.

“We are proud of this important distinction that places our city on the map of the best city break destinations in Europe. Athens is a lively and welcoming city that is always inventing new reasons for weekend getaways. We have a rich cultural heritage as well as sunny days. Athens is full of museums, contemporary culture, gastronomy, and neighbourhoods full of authentic experiences. Our work at ADDMA, the agency that operates This is Athens, is about improving the quality of tourism through our support for sustainable tourism, and ensuring that tourism is a boost to the quality of life of Athenians,” Georgizas said.

“Salade Grecque”, the French TV series which was filmed in Athens in 2022, will premiere on Amazon Prime Video France in April.

The eight-episode series is the sequel of a French movie trilogy directed by Cédric Klapisch that includes “L' Auberge Espagnole” (2002), “Les Poupées Russes” (2005) and “Casse-tête Chinois” (2013).

The series follows Tom, a young startup entrepreneur trained in New York, as he joins his sister Mia in Athens to manage their family estate.

The series was filmed in various neighborhoods across Athens with the support of the Athens Film Office.

“Salade Grecque” will be available on Amazon Prime from April 14. You can watch the official trailer here.

The IAPCO (International Association of Professional Congress Organisers) Council 2021 took place  in Athens from the 29th to the 31st of October.
 
The Council’s programme included exclusive tours and site inspections, giving the Board Members the chance to visit key event spaces and landmarks of the city and experience the authentic, contemporary Athens.

*The event was implemented within the project “Integrated programme for promoting Athens as a destination through B2B and B2C activities”.

The City of Athens will soon be able to provide Athens’ residents with valuable information and advice on how to efficiently confront energy issues through its new Office on Energy Poverty which will soon be staffed with Energy Consultants and Mentors.

The project’s final details were discussed during a meeting on March 5, between Deputy Mayor for Social Solidarity and Equality Maria Stratigaki and ADDMA CEO Ioannis Georgizas. Ms. Stratigaki said the City of Athens Community Center was ready to welcome the City’s innovative project. “We aim to further contribute to the support of vulnerable social groups at a time when energy poverty is evolving into a new social threat”, she added.

According to Mr. Georgizas, "the Office will provide support to Athens’ vulnerable households and inform the society on energy behavior issues".

On Friday, March 8, the City of Athens will hold an online seminar for Energy Consultants and Mentors, in collaboration with the “Sustainable City” network and the National Technical University of Athens. More information is available 👉https://bit.ly/3TkbUXe

Athens will, once again, become the film location of “Tehran”, the Israeli espionage thriller of Apple TV+. Directed by Daniel Syrkin, “Tehran’s” 3rd season will film in central locations as well as in neighborhoods across the Greek capital.

Seasons 1 and 2 were also shot in Athens, winning over critics and viewers: In 2021 “Tehran” was announced “Best Drama Series” at the International Emmy Awards.

The series’ third season is expected to further promote Athens as a film-friendly city as well as to attract new international movie productions.

The Greek capital has hosted more than 100 international and Greek audiovisual productions during the last three years, with the contribution of the Athens Film Office and ADDMA.

Until today, ADDMA joins the Region of Attica at the WTM London 2021 that takes place in a hybrid form. 
The ADDMA team participates in pre-arranged virtual meetings, promoting Athens as a destination to explore, work / invest / live in!

*The event was implemented within the project “Integrated programme for promoting Athens as a destination through B2B and B2C activities”.

A new collaboration between the Athens Development and Destination Management Agency (ADDMA) and the Technical Services of the City of Athens will support the development and completion of many important city projects.

The collaboration was made possible because ADDMA is transforming into a Local Government Development Organization that allows the city agency to establish an in-house technical service.

The first meeting between the Deputy Mayor of Infrastructure, Andreas Grammatikoyannis, and the CEO of ADDMA, Ioannis Georgizas, took place on February 29, at the offices of the Technical Services of the City of Athens. The two teams established a framework for cooperation, analyzed the needs, and planned the first projects for the short- and medium-term. The team from ADDMA also presented an assessment of the ongoing projects in the portfolio of the Technical Services.

The Athens Development and Destination Management Agency will become a key support pillar for the Technical Services of the City of Athens, assisting with the development of projects such as the upgrading of school buildings in Athens.

Priority will also be given to important projects such as the regeneration of the Varvakeios Fish & Meat Market on Athinas Street, which has already secured funding from the Public Investment Program and the new NSRF (National Strategic Reference Framework).

In his statement, Deputy Mayor Grammatikoyannis noted: "We welcome the new administration of ADDMA to the Technical Services of the City of Athens and we hope that this cooperation will prosper. Our goal is to proceed with a series of important projects that will give a new boost to all the neighborhoods of the city for the benefit of its residents and visitors."

The CEO of ADDMA, Ioannis Georgizas, pointed out: "We are very happy that while ADDMA is evolving into a Local Government Development Organization, we are beginning a new cooperation with the Technical Service of the City of Athens that will provide essential technical assistance. ADDMA is building a technical service, and it is gradually being staffed with the main purpose of contributing effectively to the development and implementation of projects within the boundaries of the City of Athens."

The basic financial tool for all the projects that will be carried out in the city are Integrated Spatial Investments. Pending relevant approvals from the Attica Regional Government, the first project submissions will also begin. In addition, the overall technical program will be updated in consultation with ADDMA, with the possibility of subscribing the projects to different funding sources (Recovery Fund, NSRF, Public Investment Program, etc.).

Athens’ tourism campaign video “You Belong in Athens” was recently broadcast on digital billboards in two of the world’s busiest locations: Times Square in New York and the London Tube.

Carried out through ADDMA, the campaign presented Athens as a vibrant, authentic year-round destination.

The 30’’ video showcased Athens’ center and neighborhoods through Times Square’s billboards on a 24-hour basis (every 5-10 minutes) for two months until the end of November. The video also broadcast at five stations of the London Tube (Bank, Farringdon, Whitechapel, Bond St and Tottenham Court Road) for at least 10 hours a day.

Furthermore, the video broadcast on YouTube in the tourism markets of the US, Mexico and Brazil, while it was promoted to selected audiences in France (Le Figaro), Poland and Canada.

“We invest in a city with modern infrastructure and services; an ideal destination for travelers throughout the year. With the valuable cooperation of our stakeholders, Athens’ tourism continues its upward trend and is now evolving into a point of reference for some of the world’s largest tourism markets,” Athens Mayor Kostas Bakoyannis said.

Watch the campaign’s video here.

See the video broadcast in New York and London here.

* The general tourism campaign for the promotion of Athens as a vibrant, authentic city (sub-project 4) was carried out as part of the "Integrated promotion program of Athens through B2B and B2C channels".

Last week, our team joined IMEX America, hosted in Las Vegas! 

IMEX is an international exhibition that innovates, inspires and presents new opportunities for the global meetings industry and we are very happy that -especially this year- we had the chance to represent and showcase what Athens has to offer, taking part in more than 40 meetings with professionals and key stakeholders of the field from 15 countries around the world. 

* The event was implemented in the framework of the "Development and Promotion of the Tourism and Cultural Identity of Athens in the post-CoVid era" / Subproject 1” program.

The Athens Development and Destination Management Agency of the City of Athens (ADDMA) is changing its legal form to become a Local Government Development Organization. The change in status will allow ADDMA to create a new technical service.

"This will be an important tool for the maturation of technical projects that will be carried out by the City of Athens throughout the neighborhoods of Athens. The new city administration is undertaking this initiative with the aim of implementing projects without delays while providing supervision at all steps of the process," said the CEO of ADDMA, Ioannis Georgizas.

The new technical service is already filling staff positions in close cooperation with the technical service of the City of Athens and the Deputy Mayor for Infrastructure, Andreas Grammatikoyannis. With the completion of the formal procedures in the coming weeks, the technical service will be ready to begin its work.

As part of its strategy to promote Athens globally as a year-round tourism destination, the City of Athens, through ADDMA, has signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Hellenic Association of Travel and Tourist Agencies (HATTA) and the Federation of Hellenic Associations of Travel & Tourist Agencies (FedHATTA).

The memorandum also foresees the development of common initiatives that will promote Athens as an accessible and sustainable destination.

The memorandum was signed during the general assembly of the World Travel Agents Associations Alliance (WTAAA), that took place in Athens, during November 28-29, with the participation of some of the industry’s largest tourist agencies and tour operators.

“Partnerships like the one starting today, are very important and support our efforts to confront the challenges ahead”, Athens Mayor Kostas Bakoyannis said during the event.

After signing the memorandum, ADDMA’s executives had the opportunity to meet with senior officials of international travel and tourist agents’ associations from India, South Africa, Korea, Colombia, New Zealand and the US.

* The event was carried out as part of the "Development and Promotion of the Tourism and Cultural Identity of Athens in the post-CoVid era" sub-project 1.

Athens is becoming accessible to all. On the occasion of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the City of Athens completed the first stage of a pilot project to map accessible routes for people with disabilities. The pioneering initiative aims for everyone to have the opportunity to discover Athens and its neighborhoods.

This is Athens, the Official Visitors’ Guide to the City of Athens, worked in collaboration with the non-profit organization Me Alla Matia (in translation: With Other Eyes) to design eight routes across the center of Athens. Four routes are designed for people with mobility impairments, and four similar routes are designed for people with visual impairments.

The accessible routes are included among the visitor itineraries featured at the online home of This is Athens that is presented in English, French and German: https://www.thisisathens.org.

The routes can also be directly accessed through a fully accessible portal in Greek and English: https://accessibleroutes.thisisathens.org

The accessible routes demarcate obstacles and provide descriptions through words and photos to assist pedestrians and supporters to move more freely through the city. The routes combine the most possible points of interest with the fewest obstacles along the way. The steps utilize simple and detailed descriptions, and they are ready to be used with audio equipment.

To design the routes, research teams and specialized professionals studied the streets and urban topography through their personal experience. Each route includes points of interest, a summary of the route and its accessibility, and a link to a Google Map that can be opened on a smartphone. The page also includes detailed information on public transportation available near the route.

This is Athens is a project of the Athens Development and Destination Management Agency (ADDMA), a public company owned by the City of Athens supporting the city’s mission for tourism, entrepreneurship, and innovation.

The routes in detail:

Historic Heart to Urban Soul of Athens

Syntagma Square - Ermou Street - Kapnikarea Church - Monastiraki Square - Thiseio - Gazi - Technopolis of the City of Athens – Kerameikos Station

Ancient Athens Uncovered

Dionysiou Areopagitou - Acropolis Museum - Odeon of Herodes Atticus - Holy Rock of the Acropolis

Origins of Modern Athens

Academy of Athens - National Kapodistrian University of Athens - National Library - Rex Theatre – Polytechnic University – National Archaeological Museum – Omonia Square

National Garden of Athens and Nearby Highlights

National Garden - Zappeion – Temple of Olympion Zeus - Panathenaic Stadium – The Greek Parliament - Monument to the Unknown Soldier

---

Performances to be presented by the City of Athens

Two performances will be presented by the City of Athens to celebrate the International Day of Persons with Disabilities at the Ison Theater (33 Melenikou).

Friday 3 December at 9:30pm, the inclusive dance show titled “Echo” will be performed by the professional dance group Exis.

Saturday 4 December at 9:30pm, the fully accessible show titled “Antigone - Praxis I” will be performed by the professional inclusive theatrical group Theama (Theater for People with Disabilities).

Athens is gaining momentum in India thanks to the efforts of the City of Athens and the This is Athens - Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The long-term strategy is designed to grow visitor traffic from the Indian tourism market by positioning the city as a destination for leisure and business travellers, MICE, weddings, and film productions through the Athens Film Office.

Members of the team at This is Athens - CVB travelled to Mumbai to meet with representatives from the Indian tourism market during the Outbound Travel Market (OTM) held from February 8 to 10.

OTM is one of Asia's leading travel trade exhibitions and a gateway to the Indian tourism market. Every year it gathers more than 35,000 visitors from 60 countries, including 1,600 exhibitors and more than 1,000 tourism professionals.

The City of Athens had a double presence during its first appearance at OTM. Team members from This is Athens - CVB were stationed at the booth of the Greek National Tourism Organization and the booth of the European Tourism Association (ETOA).

ETOA was recognized by OTM for its presence at the exhibition and received the award together with representatives from Athens.

The This is Athens-CVB team held more than 200 meetings to showcase the competitive advantages that have made Athens a top destination for tourism, conferences, and cultural experiences. The meetings with leading Indian tourism agencies and businesses were targeted with support from Nijhawan Group.

The trip to OTM in Mumbai comes two months after a historic FAM trip that brought 15 travel agents, journalists, and influencers from India to Athens. The trip was organized by the This is Athens – CVB in collaboration with the Athens International Airport.

The This is Athens -CVB is implementing a marketing and promotional strategy to attract travellers from India during all seasons of the year, as well as creating a direct air connection.

Following its launch in Athens earlier this year, the Greek Meetings Alliance (GMA) was presented to tourism professionals in Thessaloniki, at the 37th International Tourism Philoxenia Exhibition that took place from November 18-20.

GMA is the alliance of This is Athens-Convention & Visitors Bureau (This is Athens-CVB), the Hellenic Association of Professional Congress Organizers & Destination Event Specialists (HAPCO & DES) and the Thessaloniki Convention Bureau (TCB), and aims to build a national strategy for the promotion of MICE tourism in Greece.

“We believe that meaningful partnerships are the most effective way to promote Greece globally as a top destination for conferences and meetings,” said ΑDDMA CEO Epameinondas Mousios during his speech.

As part of the Greek Meetings Alliance initiative, This is Athens-CVB, HAPCO & DES and TCB have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation aiming to support the country’s conference, meetings and events industry as well as to generate new jobs.

Dr. Giorgos Stamtsis has been appointed as the new President of the Athens Development and Destination Management Agency (ADDMA).

He holds a Diploma in Electrical Engineering from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and a Doctorate of Engineering (Dr.-Ing.) from the University of Duisburg-Essen in Germany.

He has extensive experience as an executive in the energy sector. Since 2014, he is the General Manager of the Hellenic Association of Independent Power Producers (HAIPP) where he was previously the Deputy General Manager from 2012-2014.

From 2010 - 2012, Dr. Stamtsis served the Government of Greece as Senior Advisor to the Secretary General of Energy and Climate Change.

From 2007-2010, he was Commercial and Trading Manager at Endesa Hellas, and from 2005-2007 he worked in Energy Supplies & Trading at Mytilineos SA.

Dr. Stamtsis is a member of the Technical Chamber of Greece, the Climate & Clean Air Coalition, and VDE. He has presented work at numerous conferences and published articles in international peer-review journals as well as news media. He was born in Germany and speaks Greek, English and German.

Athens has received the title of the World's Leading Cultural City Destination at the World Travel Awards 2022.

It is Athens’ first international distinction in this significant competition among other landmark cities that competed in the same category, namely New York, London, Paris, Rome, Beijing and Rio de Janeiro.

The award was received by ADDMA CEO Epameinondas Mousios during the World Travel Awards Grand Final Gala Ceremony 2022 that took place in Muscat, Oman, on November 12.

“We are proud of Athens’ first global distinction at the World Travel Awards, which proves that the City of Athens’ long-term strategy for the city’s sustainable development - carried out through ADDMA - bears fruit”, he said.

The award follows Athens’ double win at the World Travel Awards Europe earlier in October. The city was named “Europe's Leading Cultural City Destination 2022” while This is Athens-Convention & Visitors Bureau received the “Europe's Leading City Tourist Board” title for 2022.

* Athens’ presence at the World Travel Awards Grand Final Gala Ceremony 2022 was part of the “Implementation of a general tourist campaign to promote Athens as a vibrant, authentic city" Sub-project 4 (Action 5034507).

The Sustainable Tourism Industry, the Supply Chain and the Carbon Footprint were the main topics of the second webinar of the seminar series "Capacity Building of Destination Stakeholders" organized by ADDMA in collaboration with Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). 

*The City of Athens and the Athens Development and Destination Management Agency (ADDMA) have partnered with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) to conduct an assessment of Athens as a sustainable tourism destination. In the context of the assessment, which concludes on November 30, ADDMA in collaboration with GSTC designed a series of free webinars for professionals and organisations in tourism industry under the title "Capacity Building of Destination Stakeholders". 

Ioannis Georgizas is the new CEO of the Athens Development and Destination Management Agency (ADDMA).

Mr Georgizas graduated from the department of Physics of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. He holds a Master’s degree in Information Technology and in Business Administration (MBA). He has worked as a project manager for several public and private IT projects as well as for projects related to sustainable development, energy conservation and circular economy and has gained valuable experience as a project manager of European programs. For more than 15 years, he served as an executive of the Management Organization Unit of the Ministry of Development.

Mr Georgizas has also served as a consultant to the Secretary General of the Central Union of Municipalities of Greece. He is the General Director of “Sustainable City”, a network of cities in Greece and Cyprus.

This is Athens-Convention & Visitors Bureau (This is Athens-CVB), the Hellenic Association of Professional Congress Organizers & Destination Event Specialists (HAPCO & DES) and the Thessaloniki Convention Bureau (TCB) have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation focusing on the promotion of Greece’s MICE tourism sector.

The Memorandum was signed by TCB President Yiannis Aslanis, HAPCO & DES President Sissi Lygnou and ADDMA CEO Epaminondas Mousios during a special event that was held at the Athens Concert Hall on October 25.

The three organizations joined forces two years ago - amid the Covid-19 pandemic – with the launch of the Greek Meetings Alliance, an initiative aiming to support the country’s conference, meetings and events industry.

“Through this dynamic partnership we aspire to further enhance Athens’ position in the global MICE tourism market,” Athens Mayor Kostas Bakoyannis said during the event.

The event also included a panel discussion on the future of MICE tourism between IMEX Group Chairman Ray Bloom, International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) CEO Senthil Gopinath and GTP (Greek Travel Pages) CEO Maria Theofanopoulou.

Deputy Tourism Minister Sofia Zacharaki and Deputy Governor οf Tourism, Region of Central Macedonia, Alexandros Thanos also spoke at the event.

* The Greek Meetings Alliance was presented as part of the "Development and Promotion of the Tourism and Cultural Identity of Athens in the post-CoVid era" program/ Sub-project 1.

"Tehran" won the best drama series award, putting Athens in the spotlight of the International Emmy Awards 2021!  The impressive production of Apple TV was shot almost entirely in our city, with Athens Film Office's full support. 

* Based in the world’s cradle of democracy, theater and story telling, Athens Film Office provides an array of free services that will facilitate your production needs. 

As an ADDMA division, AFO provides the following free services with the basic aim of transforming Athens into a Film Friendly City.

• Location scouting services in close cooperation with local location managers
• Assistance with permit issuance
• Connection with hospitality service providers through the city’s extensive network
• Consultancy regarding different financial aid government programs
• Close cooperation with the Hellenic Film Commission for different shooting locations in the rest of the country
• Coordination among different city services for shootings with special requirements (road blocking etc)

Athens received a major vote of confidence from the KENES Group when the world’s largest Professional Congress Organizer chose the Greek capital to host its annual executive meeting from January 22 to 24.

The group's global team is returning to Athens with the support of the This is Athens Convention and Visitors Bureau of the City of Athens.

The Mayor of Athens, Haris Doukas, met with the President of KENES Group to express his support: “It is our great honor to welcome to Athens the top meeting of the global leadership of KENES. This vote of confidence certainly strengthens the place of Athens as a top destination for professional tourism, hosting a range of international scientific and commercial conferences, incentive trips, exhibitions, seminars and meetings. Athens has world-class facilities including hotels, state-of-the-art conference halls and exhibition spaces, as well as high-end travel services that support our commitment to the development of sustainable tourism. Athens will continue to invest in the business tourism sector, attracting major international conferences that strengthen the city's economy and intellectual capital.”

For his part, KENES Group President, Ori Lahav said: "We are very grateful for the strong partnership that we have with This is Athens-CVB. We want to thank their team for hosting our yearly KENES Summit with company leaders joining from several locations, and to Mayor Haris Doukas for addressing the importance and impact of business events on the city and how to develop infrastructure that can support larger events."

Athens Rising in the Global MICE Industry

Ranked 8th globally, Athens is among the world’s most attractive destinations for events and meetings as determined by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA).

In 2022, the city hosted a total of 109 international conferences in which 40,000 visitors participated, leaving the city with revenues of 87 million euros.

According to a relevant report by ICCA, each delegate spends 2,162 euros during a stay in the city, an amount four times greater than a leisure visitor.

KENES Group

Founded in Tel Aviv in 1965 and based in Geneva, KENES Group is the world’s largest Professional Congress Organizers-PCO. The group has hosted more than 3,800 conferences in over 100 cities, serving more than 220,000 attendees each year.

The City of Athens has won two prestigious titles at the World Travel Awards Europe 2022.

Athens has been named “Europe's Leading Cultural City Destination 2022” while This is Athens and This is Athens-Convention & Visitors Bureau have received the “Europe's Leading City Tourist Board” title for 2022.

The awards were received by ADDMA CEO Epaminondas Mousios during the WTA Europe Gala Ceremony 2022, that was held in Mallorca, Spain, on October 1, in the presence of senior executives of tourism enterprises and organizations from all over Europe.

Hailed as “the Oscars of the travel industry”, the World Travel Awards, acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the tourism industry.

* Athens' participation in the World Travel Awards Europe Gala Ceremony 2022 was part of the "Development and Promotion of the Tourism and Cultural Identity of Athens in the post-CoVid era" program/ Sub-project 1.

This week, ADDMA travels to Spain participating in some of the most significant tourism events of the year!
 
The first stop is Madrid, where Mr. Vagelis Vlachos presents Athens' strategy towards sustainability, in the context of the "Annual Meeting of CEOs of Capital & Major Cities" organised by European Cities Marketing.
 
*The event was implemented in the framework of the "Development and Promotion of the Tourism and Cultural Identity of Athens in the post-CoVid era" / Subproject 1” program.

The long-term strategy to promote Athens to new markets is continuing with a focus on strengthening connections to the growing tourist market in India.

In December 2023, fifteen influential travel agents and journalists representing the Indian tourism market were in Athens to join a FAM trip organized by the This is Athens-Convention & Visitors Bureau of the City of Athens in collaboration with the Athens International Airport Eleftherios Venizelos and with the support of Gulf Air.

The participants had a first-hand experience of the festive vibes in Athens and toured some of the most important historic and modern cultural landmarks of the city. They had the opportunity to learn about the rich tourism product and infrastructure, enjoyed Greek gastronomy and hospitality, and explored the many leisure options that the city offers during the winter months.

The visit took place in the context of the cooperation between the This is Athens-Convention & Visitors Bureau of the City of Athens and the Athens International Airport, with the aim of building momentum in the fast-growing tourism market of India and with the strategy to create a direct flight to Athens.

The FAM trip is just one of many actions developed by the This is Athens-CVB and Athens International Airport to build momentum in the Indian market, including the participation by the This is Athens team at India's largest tourism exhibitions such as OTM India.

The CEO of the Athens Development and Destination Management Agency (ADDMA), Epameinondas Mousios, noted: "The initiative from This is Athens and Athens International Airport is part of the city's efforts to build momentum in new markets. This FAM trip was a fantastic opportunity to show Athens to Indian professionals who saw firsthand the city's significant potential in the field of conference tourism, leisure travel, weddings and film productions."

The Director of Communications & Marketing of Athens International Airport, Ioanna Papadopoulou, said: "Just before the end of 2023 - a record year in terms of traffic for the airport and Athens - we were very pleased to collaborate with This is Athens-CVB to host representatives of the Indian market, which is a strategic priority for the Athens airport. With shared goals and a spirit of collaboration for the future of our destination, we are building dynamic actions for the Indian market to know and enjoy the Athenian experience."

* The action was implemented within the framework of the Action "Development and Promotion of the Tourist and Cultural Identity of Athens in the post-Covid era", which has been included in the Operational Program "Attica 2014-2020", OPS 5104609/Subproject 1.

The Green Destinations foundation, with the support of the Athens Development and Destination Management Agency (ADDMA) and Google Greece, has launched the Athens Sustainability Stories Competition, an initiative aiming to promote stories of responsible tourism and sustainable practices implemented by tourism enterprises in the City of Athens.

The foundation is calling on businesses located within the geographical boundaries of the City of Athens, to share their good practices and innovations through images and videos.

All entries must be submitted in one or more of the following categories:

-         Energy & Water

-         Waste Management & Circular Economy

-         Supply Chain & Green Procurement

-         People & Culture

The competition is organized as part of the Green Destinations 2022 - Future of Tourism Summit that will take place in Athens, from September 26 – October 1.

All finalists will be promoted on social media and through The Good Travel Guide while they will have the opportunity to obtain a Good Travel Seal certification.  

Interested parties can submit their sustainability stories here 👉 https://greendestinations.org/athens-sustainability-stories-competition/

"Athens is changing and becoming more sustainable and friendlier for residents and visitors. The City of Athens is actively participating in the dialogue about the new tourism circumstances of the post-pandemic era. Following the evaluation of our city by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) with an excellent score (86%), we continue our efforts to certify Athens as a sustainable tourism destination,” ADDMA CEO Vagelis Vlachos said.

“Sustainable tourism has never been more important - both for customers and the planet. Especially for small and medium sized companies, making that transition can be tricky. That's why we are honored to be a supporter of Green Destinations through our educational program 'Grow Greece with Google' which aims to help businesses further evolve their sustainability strategy and to effectively communicate their environmental practices online,” said Maria Founta, Country Marketing Manager Google for Greece, Cyprus and Malta.

More information is available here.

With the festive season approaching, dozens of cultural events are scheduled for the capital in coming weeks, in addition to ongoing events continuing in December, all of which promises to immerse audiences into the spirit of Christmas.

Christmas Factory, Technopolis, Athens

Elves, equipped with Christmas lights and colourful decorations, delicious sweets, candies and, of course, magic antiseptics, have fully prepared Santa’s headquarters in Athens at the municipality’s Technopolis space in the Gazi district for the festive season.

Visitors may look for gifts at the city’s biggest open-air Christmas market whose range includes toys, candies, memorabilia and good luck charms. The Christmas Factory market features 15 eateries serving sweets, hot dogs, souvlaki and pizza, as well as 30 shops stocked with all kinds of festive-season proposals meeting all needs.

The Christmas Factory will also feature a magical carousel, dodgem cars, the city’s brightest Ferris wheel, most impressive Christmas tree and lots of games for all visitors. Concerts and plays are scheduled for every weekend throughout the Christmas Factory’s duration.

Technopolis, Gazi

24/12-6/1

Mon-Sun: 10:00-22:00, except for New Year’s Eve (10:00-19:00)

Admission: €6 (two for the price of one on weekdays until 23/12).

https://thechristmasfactory.gr/

‘Treasures of Philhellenic Painting’ – Benaki Museum of Greek Culture: Significant events from the Greek Revolution and Ottoman period

The Benaki Museum and the Anthony E. Comninos Foundation present an exhibition entitled “Treasures of Philhellenic Painting”, featuring works from the foundation’s prominent collection, exhibited for the first time.

The Anthony E. Comninos Foundation’s philhellenic collection includes paintings by leading exponents of the European philhellenic artistic movement of the 19^th century.

On show are paintings by Italian artists Ludovico Lipparini, Filippo Agricola, Francesco Podesti and Cesare Dell Acqua, German artists Peter H.L. von Hess, Johann G.C. Perlberg and Carl A.J. Rottmann, French artists Alexandre-Marie Colin, Antoine-Alphonse Montfort and Pierre Bonirote, British artists Denis Dighton, Charles Eastlake, Edward Lear, Hugh W. Williams and George P. Reinagle, as well as Greek artists who transformed European philhellenic standards.

Benaki Museum of Greek Culture

To January 9, 2022

1 Koubari & Vas. Sofias, Athens

Admission: €6-8

http://www.benaki.gr

‘Theophilos - The Evzone of Painting’ at the B & M Theocharakis Foundation for the Fine Arts

A total of 96 precious works by Theophilos, representing the tradition of a country and its people, are showcased in a major exhibition dedicated to the artist’s work, launched on November 10 at the Theocharakis Foundation.

The exhibition, titled “Theophilos – The Evzone of Painting”, includes 42 paintings from the Theophilos Museum in Lesvos, donated by renowned Mytilenian publisher of art books Stratis Eleftheriades (Teriade).

Leading works by the artist such as “Ares, god of the ancient Greeks, god of war”, “Dance of Zalongo”, “Death of Markos Botsaris” and “Portrait of Eleftherios Venizelos” highlight the many dimensions of Theophilos’ work, carrying a sense of responsibility as well as hope for the future.

B & M Theocharakis Foundation for the Fine Arts

To February 3, 2022

9 Vas. Sofias & 1 Merlin, Athens

tel. +30 302103611206

Free entrance

http://www.thf.gr/

‘The Cornelian Secret: Love poems by Lord Byron’ at the Greek National Opera (GNO) Alternative Stage

Music was the catalyst for seventeen-year-old (not-yet-Lord) Byron’s passionate love for the young chorister John Edleston, a fellow student at Trinity College, Cambridge: “His voice first attracted my attention, his countenance fixed it, and his manners attached me to him forever”, the poet later wrote.

Some years later, deeply shaken by the unexpected death of his college lover at the age of twenty-one from tuberculosis, Byron, a leading figure of the Romantic movement, would compose a series of affecting elegies in which the biblical, female pseudonym “Thyrza” is used to mislead the public opinion of puritanical early 19^th century England.

The Greek National Opera Alternative Stage’s concert “The Cornelian Secret: Love poems by Lord Byron”, part of the wider tribute to the 2021 bicentennial of the Greek Revolution, during which philhellene Lord Byron died after leading a campaign, includes new work by Giannis Aggelakas, Aspasia Nasopoulou and Orestis Papaioannou. The material is based on love poems by Lord Byron. The concert is available for viewing on GNO TV as part of the cycle “Odes to Byron”. The cycle is curated by composer Alexandros Mouzas.

“The Cornelian Secret: Love poems by Lord Byron” concert may be watched for free at nationalopera.gr/GNOTV until December 31, with Greek and English subtitles.

Museum of Cycladic Art: 300 emblematic antiquities from Greece and abroad feature in ‘Kallos. The Ultimate Beauty” exhibition’  

The Museum of Cycladic Art, as part of its series of pioneering archaeological exhibitions focused on mankind, presents, in association with the Ministry of Culture and Sports, an exhibition titled “Kallos - The Ultimate Beauty”, co-curated by Professor Nicholas Chr. Stampolidis, Director of the Acropolis Museum and former Director of the Museum of Cycladic Art, as well as the museum’s Curator of Antiquities Dr. Ioannis D. Fappas.

The various dimensions of the concept Kallos, ultimate beauty, in daily life and philosophical thought of ancient Greece are presented through 300 emblematic antiquities from museums and collections in Greece and abroad. This major exhibition, large in scale, is spread throughout all of the museum’s exhibition spaces. 

 Museum of Cycladic Art

To January 16, 2022

4 Neofytou Douka, Athens

Tel: +30 210 7228321

Admission: €10-15

http://www.cycladic.gr/

Αbba Mania – Christmas Theater

Leading production ABBAmania, faithfully reviving the power and beauty of legendary Swedish pop group Abba’s music, as well as the act’s thrilling stage presence, has been continuously touring the world since 1999. The show returns to Athens for yet another performance at the Christmas Theatre having so far generated ticket sales of more than 3 million in over 30 countries, drawing both young and older audiences, as was also the case with this universally appealing act in the 70s, when it ruled the pop music world.

The sensational success of the musical “Mamma Mia” in the late 90s, originally staged in London, then taken around the world, sparked a new wave of interest in Abba’s music. Stage producer Stuart Littlewood created “ABBAmania”, a show whose representation of Abba is as close as can be to the real thing. Superb performers and top-class production – sound, lights, effects and continual costume changes – results in a performance paying tribute to the phenomenal Swedish act at a deservedly high level.

ABBAmania went on to become one of the biggest hits at London’s West End for years.

Christmas Theater

December 8

Tel. +30 211-7701700

Admission

VIP: €54; A zone: €44; B zone: €36; C zone: €26; D zone: €18 (€9 for children, students, multi - member families, unemployed); E zone: €10 (€5 for children, students, multi - member families, unemployed).

www.ct.gr 

 Johann Strauss Ensemble Viennese Waltz for Christmas in Athens at the Megaron Athens Concert Hall

The Johann Strauss Ensemble’s annual festive season concerts once again open the season’s proceedings at the Megaron Athens Concert Hall. Charismatic conductor Russell McGregor and the Johann Strauss Ensemble’s gifted musicians, performing the Strauss family’s waltzes and polkas with authenticity and dexterity, can be expected to once again delight audiences in Athens. The flower-decorated Megaron stage will fill with classic Viennese melodies and surprises.

Megaron Athens Concert Hall

December 11-12

Christos Lambrakis Hall

Address: Vasilissis Sofias & Kokkali

Admission: €10 (students, children, persons with disabilities, multi-member families, 65+), €18, €28, €38, €48

https://www.megaron.gr/

Goran Bregovic: Christmas in the Balkans at the Christmas Theatre

Renowned composer Goran Bregovic returns to Athens for a Balkan Christmas performance filled with Balkan sounds and songs highlighting the ability of music to unite. The show will feature selections from Bregovic’s hit soundtracks “Time of the Gypsies” and “Underground”, for the Emir Kusturica films, as well as tunes that ended up being given Greek lyrics to become Greek hits. 

Christmas Theatre

December 15

Tel. +30 211-7701700

www.ct.gr 

Admission: VIP: €60; A zone: €52: B zone: €44; C zone: €34; D zone: €26; E zone: €18 (€13 for children, students, multi-member families, unemployed).

Persons with disabilities: €13 (escorts: €18). Telephone reservations only: +30 211-7701700 or at the theatre box office.

Bolshoi Ballet: The Nutcracker live broadcast at the Megaron Athens Concert Hall

A classic ballet for the entire family, “The Nutcracker”, a production by Bolshoi Ballet legend Yury Grigorovich, featuring the Bolshoi’s principle dancers and special effects, is presented as a live video recording broadcast at the Athens Concert Hall for the festive season.

The appeal of “The Nutcracker” is timeless. On Christmas Eve, Marie and her family are celebrating, gathered around the Christmas tree. The magical gift that Drosselmeyer, her uncle, brings her for Christmas, will transform her evening. The nutcracker doll comes to life, taking Marie through amazing adventures.

Megaron Athens Concert Hall

December 19

Nikos Skalkottas Hall

Vasilissis Sofias & Kokkali

Tel. +30 210 7282000

Admission: €8-15

€8 for students, children and young adults aged up to 25, unemployed, persons with disabilities, 65+, multi-member families.

€15 general entrance

https://www.megaron.gr/ 

Tectonics Athens ’21 - Onassis Foundation’s Stegi

The Tectonics Festival, which debuted in Reykjavik in 2012, has since been staged a total of 27 times in various cities.

The event’s head curator, renowned conductor Ilan Volkov, who started the festival with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, focuses his interest on new music, from symphonies to solo improvisational performances and electronic music, as well as new instruments and musical installations.

Besides developing a broad international network of artists and helping them delve deeper into their work, the festival also focuses on local scenes, offering unanticipated opportunities to artists and audiences alike to meet and establish ties.

This latest edition of Tectonics is co-curated by Ilan Volkov, Anne Hilde Neset and Mihalis Moschoutis. 

December 3-5

Stegi (Main Stage, Small Stage, Exhibition Space -1, Back of House)

Galaxy Studio (2 Galaxia, behind the Stegi building)

Small Athens Exchange (1 Pesmazoglou, Athens)

Romantso (3 Anaxagora, Athens)

National Library old building, Vallianeio Mansion (32 Panepistimiou, Athens)

Admission: free entrance, €5-12

https://www.onassis.org/el/whats-on/tectonics-athens-21

Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center in festive-season mode

The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center celebrates the approaching festive season with a unique pairing that brings together social inclusion support group El Sistema Greece’s young orchestra and choir, resulting from its educational music programme, with dynamic local pop rock group Onirama, featuring charismatic frontman Thodoris Marantinis. The merged acts will present favourite Christmas songs, carrols, as well as their own renditions of international hits. The special festive-season night will be hosted by actor Dimitris Kouroubalis.

December 1

Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center

364 Syggrou, Kallithea

Admission: free entrance

https://www.snfcc.org/events?page=2

The Philip Glass Ensemble - Music in Eight Parts & Other Works - Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center

The Philip Glass Ensemble, an experimental group formed by Philip Glass in 1968 for exclusive interpretations of his work, visits the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center for one Athens concert to take audiences through the major artist’s special musical world.

Born in 1937, in Baltimore, USA, Philip Glass is regarded as one of the most important composers of the 20th century. In the early 60s, he spent two years in Paris studying with esteemed composer and conductor Nadia Boulanger.

Glass gradually began experimenting with various styles of music and broadened his repertoire to compose material for orchestras, opera, dance, theatre and film. By 1974, a large body of work had accumulated for the Philip Glass Ensemble.

During its early days, the ensemble played at small galleries as well as studios in New York’s restless artistic community of Soho, performing Glass’ experimental work.

Over the fifty or so years that have ensued, the orchestra has taken the composer’s bold spirit to some of the world’s most celebrated stages.

A key part of the Athens performance, “Music in Eight Parts”, a masterpiece composed in 1970, was recently rediscovered, reconstructed and recorded after the composer had sold the autographed original score in the early days while trying to make ends meet.

December 20

Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center

364 Syggrou, Kallithea

Admission

Zone A: €25; Zone B: €15; Zone C: €10 (discount categories €5)

https://www.snfcc.org/events?page=2

Ice rink - Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center

The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center’s Ice Rink contributes to the Christmas spirit by offering visitors, including aspiring skaters, the opportunity to enjoy its ice rink, installed at the beginning of the centre’s canal, by the foundation’s visitors centre, while enjoying the dancing water fountains and the canal’s festive-season lights.

December, 2021-February, 2022

Daily: 10:00-22:00

Free entrance with online registration

Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center

364 Syggrou, Kallithea

https://www.snfcc.org/Icerink2021

New Year’s Eve at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center

The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center celebrates New Year’s Eve with ice skating at its rink, until late, spectacular fireworks, a DJ Party, as well as the foundation’s now-established road race, SNF RUN: 2022 FIRST RUN, co-organised by AMKE, Regeneration & Progress, a nonprofit organisation supported exclusively by the SNF, as well as Sports Excellence, the Orthopedic Clinic of the University of Athens’ Medical School.

December 31

Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center

364 Syggrou, Kallithea

Free entrance

https://www.snfcc.org/events?page=1

The City of Athens Film Office recently held a meeting in the Greek capital for audiovisual industry professionals from Greece, Italy, France and Cyprus to discuss and promote the signing of the "Declaration of Filmmakers" (Declaration des Cineastes) for the protection of their rights and work.

Launched by French creators at the Cannes Film Festival in May, the Declaration aims to protect the intellectual property rights of filmmakers, ensure the fair distribution of revenues and address the impact of artificial intelligence on the audiovisual sector. The Declaration was also presented and signed in September and October at meetings in Venice and San Sebastian, which coincided with the strike of Hollywood screenwriters, directors, and actors.

The Athens meeting, which was held with the support of the EKOME - National Centre of Audiovisual Media and Communication and the Greek Film Centre (GFC) gathered representatives of European and national associations of directors, filmmakers, writers and film centers who agreed to further support and promote the signing of the Filmmakers’ Declaration.

Participants also included Culture Deputy Minister Christos Dimas, EKOME President and CEO Leonidas Christopoulos, Athens Film Officer Stathis Kalogeropoulos, Greek Film Center (GFC) President Marcos Holevas and GFC Managing Director Athina Kartalou.

The Athens Development and Destination Management Agency (ADDMA) and the Athens Film Office are organizing “The Owl”, an annual script development workshop for Greek and foreign scriptwriters.

The workshop will be conducted in English and aims to promote Athens globally as a film-friendly city.

Τhe Athens Film Office is calling on script writers that have developed at least one film or TV script to submit their application and a draft script for a movie or TV series at https://theowl.afo.events.

A committee of international experts will select the top five TV scripts and top five movie scripts whose writers will be invited to participate in the workshop.

“The Owl” is organized in collaboration with the Greek Film Center, with the support of Marché du Film - Festival de Cannes and the US Embassy in Athens.
For more information check here: https://theowl.afo.events/.

Athens’ cultural agenda is blossoming this autumn season, events including art exhibitions, plays, as well as concerts, including by touring international acts.

38th Athens Marathon. The Authentic 

The 38^th Athens Classic Marathon, The Authentic, is scheduled for November 13 and 14. Following last year’s cancellation, the leading sports event returns with some 30,000 registered runners from various parts of the world, to participate with public health protocols intact. Proceedings with begin with a 10km road race to be held as two sections at separate times on Day One. Day Two’s agenda features a 5km road race, also as two sections at separate times, and the Marathon, covering the classic 42 km route from Marathon to Athens. All participants need to be fully vaccinated or have Covid-19 recovery certificates.

Registration fee: €26-100

Tel: +30 2111877725

Website: athensauthenticmarathon.gr

7^th Athens Biennale

The 7^th Athens Biennale, dubbed AB7: ECLIPSE, one of the biggest international modern art events being staged in Greece, is continuing through November 28. It includes work by artists from North and South America, the Caribbean, Europe and Africa, exploring issues of identity and multicultural complexity. They are on show at landmark locations in Athens’ historic centre, such as the FOKAS former shopping centre, the former Santarosa court building, and the Schliemann-Melas Estate.

Admission: €5-25 

Dates: Until 28/11

Venues: FOKAS former shopping centre, 41 Stadiou; former Santarosa court building, 48 Stadiou; Dikaiosinis (Justice) Square, Arsaki & Panepistimiou Sts; Schliemann-Melas Estate, 46 Panepistimiou.

Tel: +30 2105232222

Website: eclipse.athensbiennale.org

Kallos. The Ultimate Beauty

A total of 300 emblematic antiquities from museums and collections in Greece, Italy and the Vatican are presented as one major exhibition titled “Kallos – The Ultimate Beauty” at the Museum of Cycladic Ar. The show is co-curated by Professor Nicholas Chr. Stampolidis, Director of the Acropolis Museum and former Director of the Museum of Cycladic Art, as well as the museum’s Curator of Antiquities Dr. Ioannis D. Fappas. The exhibition is divided in two main parts, Kallopismos, exploring beautification in Ancient Greece, and Kallos, highlighting the concept of ultimate beauty.

Admission: €10-15

Dates: 29/09-16/01/2022

Time: Mon, Wed, Fri. Sat – 10:00-17:00; Thu – 10:00-20:00, Sun: 11:00-17:00. Closed on Tuesdays.

Address: 4 Neofytou Douka, 106 74, Athens

Tel: +30 210 7228321-3

Website: cycladic.gr

‘We Apologise’ by visual artist Adrian Paci at Victoria Square

An installation by artist Adrian Paci titled “We Apologise” is currently being hosted at Victoria Square in Athens, until November 12. The artist, who was invited to take on the project by two groups, Counterpoints Arts and Victoria Square Project, spent many months researching and also collaborating with residents of the Victoria Square district, an Athenian hotspot for refugees and asylum seekers, before delivering an installation whose aim is to prompt reevaluation and inspire co-existence.

Admission: Free

Dates: Until 12/11

Address: Victoria Square

Frank Sinatra and Friends

An acclaimed musical paying tribute to the life of legendary entertainer Frank Sinatra is headed for the Greek capital’s Christmas Theatre. Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr., sang, improvised and played pranks together when performing as the Rat Pack at renowned Las Vegas clubs in the 1960s before taking their history-making shows to big concert venues around the world. A decade ago, a trio of impersonators gathered to create a show reviving the magical chemistry of Sinatra, Martin and Davis Jr. Their resulting Frank Sinatra and Friends tribute show premiered in 2015, Sinatra’s 100th birth anniversary.

Entrance: €10-44

Date: 24/11

Time: 21:00

Address: 137 Veikou, Galatsi, 111 46

Tel: +30 211 770 1700

Website: ct.gr

‘Bibilolo’ at the Greek National Opera’s Alternative Stage

Bibilolo, a co-production of the Greek National Opera’s Alternative Stage with C15D, Printemps des Arts de Monte-Carlo (Monaco), GRAME-Centre national de création musicale (France) and Cerise Music, is an unconventional work taking audiences to an imaginary landscape without frontiers that is, at once, light, entertaining and tragic. This performance could be described as an opera without singers, a ballet without dancers, an unclassifiable, dreamlike spectacle set in a huge child’s bedroom and expedient to free-associative transformations – exhilarating as well as nightmarish.

Admission €15-20

Dates: November 5-7

Time: Fri, Sat – 20:30, Sun – 11:00 and 19:30

Venue: Greek National Opera – Alternative Stage, Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, 364 Syggrou Ave, Kallithea

Tel: +30 216 809 1000

Website: nationalopera.gr

Takis – Cosmos in Motion: 46 sculptures by internationally acclaimed artist Takis at the SNFCC

The exhibition “Takis – Cosmos in Motion”, made possible by a grant from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), presents 46 definitive sculptures by prominent visual artist Takis (Panayiotis Vassilakis, 1925-2019) at the public spaces of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC). Until November 7.

Admission: Free entrance

Dates: Until November 7

Address: Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, 364 Syggrou Ave, Kallithea, 176 74

Tel: +30 216 809 1000

Website: www.snfcc.org

‘The galaxy of Mikis Theodorakis’ at the Athens Concert Hall

Original documents from late master composer Mikis Theodorakis’ archive, sided by rare audiovisual material, are presented for the first time at the Athens Concert Hall, covering his adventurous 96-year lifetime. The exhibition sheds lights on the diverse aspects of his music and political legacy.

Entrance: Free admission with passes obtained through online reservations on the venue’s website, specifying the date and time of visits.

Dates: Until 3/12

Time: Tue-Sat, 11:00-19:00

Address: Vas. Sofias & Kokkali, 115 21

Tel: +30 210 728 2000

Website: megaron.gr

‘1821 Before and After’ exhibition at the Benaki Museum

A major anniversary exhibition at the Benaki Museum marking the bicentenary of the Greek Revolution continues until November 7. A total of 1,200 objects on show unfold a period of history covering over 100 years at a 2,500 square metre space. Paintings, personal items belonging to key revolutionaries, historic documents and heirlooms are presented in three sections: The path towards a national revolution (Section I: 1770-1821); the events of the War of Independence (Section II: 1821-1831); as well as the creation of the modern Greek state and its development over the first few decades (Section III: 1831-1870).

Admission: €12-15

Dates: Until 7/11

Time: Tue-Thu, 10:00-18:00; Fri-Sat, 10:00-22:00; Sun, 10:00-18:00, closed Mondays.

Address: 138 Pireos & Andronikou, 118 54, Athens

Tel: +30 21 0367 1000

Website: benaki.org

Giuseppe Penone sculptures in Athens

An exhibition of work by esteemed sculptor Guiseppe Penone, at the Gagosian gallery in the Kolonaki district, includes early and recent work by the Italian sculptor. His art expresses the interaction between the human body and nature, time, life and degeneration. The Athens exhibition, titled “Impronte di corpi nell’aria” (Bodies imprinted in the air), takes its title from a series of new bronze and marble sculptures by Penone that reference the growth of plants, growing through marble, as if emerging from the earth.

Admission: Free entrance

Dates: Until 13/11

Time: Tue-Sat, 11:00-19:00, Thu, 11:00-20:00

Address: 22 Anapiron Polemou, Athens, 115 21

Tel: +30 210 364 0215

Website: gagosian.com

‘Portals’, with 59 artists from 27 countries, envisions a new world

The former Public Tobacco Factory, transformed into a modern cultural space, hosts “Portals”, a contemporary art exhibition of international scale, featuring 59 artists from 27 countries. They include 18 Greek artists presenting new work or work revised for this show’s context. The exhibition aims to develop messages, ideas and concerns regarding modern artistic creativity by approaching the new reality being shaped by change.

Admission: Free entrance

Dates: Until 31/12

Time: Mon-Fri, 09:00-15:00; Sat, 09:00-14:00

Address: Former Public Tobacco Factory – Hellenic Parliament Library and Printing House

218-220 Lenorman, Athens, 104 43

Tel: 210 510 2606

Website: neon.org.gr

Tennessee Williams’ ‘The Glass Menagerie’ at the Onassis Foundation’s Stegi

Commenting on Tennessee Williams’ “The Glass Menagerie”, set in the 1930s and the rise of fascism in Europe, Ivo van Howe, director of the play’s production for Stegi, notes: “Tennessee Williams is aware of this historical phenomenon in his writings. He knows that the world is being gradually brutalized. After all, it resembles our world. We don’t care at all about other people’s opinion anymore, we express ours immediately, we react instantly, instinctively, impulsively. This is dangerous. Such a world, where violence is so common, where nobody really understands the other, is dangerously close to war.” In French with Greek and English surtitles.

Admission: €5-45

Dates: 13-14/11

Venue: Onassis Foundation’s Stegi, Main Stage, 107 Syggrou Ave, Athens, 117 45

Tel: +30 30210 9005800

Website: www.onassis.org

Art Athina

Art Athina, an annual contemporary art fair in Athens, makes a double return in November with a digital platform, Art Athina Virtual 2021, and an exhibition titled Art Athina Pop Up. The digital platform will remain uploaded from November 1 to 30, and the in-person show, staged at the ground level of the King George Hotel at Syntagma Square, will run from November 12 to 21. Over 45 art galleries from Greece and abroad are participating.

Admission: –

Dates: 1-30/11

Venue: Online and King George Hotel, 3 Vasileos Georgiou A, Syntagma Square, Athens, 105 64 

Athens was recognized as the World’s Leading Cultural City Destination at the World Travel Awards (WTA) 2023 for the 2nd consecutive year.

The news was announced during the WTA Grand Final that took place in Dubai earlier in December. Athens was competing with 12 other trendsetting destinations including London, New York, Paris, Rome, Beijing, Rio de Janeiro, Venice, Kyoto, Barranquilla, Hoi An, Quito, and Santiago de Cali.

Earlier this year, Athens was named Europe’s Leading Cultural City Destination at the World Travel Awards Europe 2023.

Recognition from the WTA celebrates the rich cultural heritage and history of Athens, as well as the unique experiences that are enjoyed by millions of visitors throughout the year. Athens is enhancing and promoting its cultural heritage through the creation of new cultural spaces and a year-long calendar of festivals and events.

In 2023, the City of Athens welcomed the much-anticipated Maria Callas Museum and re-opened the landmark Lycabettus Theater. In addition, the 2nd Athens City Festival organized by the City of Athens brought hundreds of new and classic events to the neighborhoods of Athens with the participation of more than 175,000 residents and visitors.

Athens has laid out a strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 61% until 2030.

An updated climate action plan was approved recently by the Athens City Council that lays the foundation for a crucial goal: in order to limit global warming to 1.5°C as required by the Paris Agreement, Athens must achieve climate neutrality by 2050.

The 161-page plan prepared by the Strategic Planning and Resilience Office of the City of Athens marks the first time a Greek city has systematically and scientifically described the impact of climate change and defined specific solutions.

The cultural venues of Athens offer plenty in October, highlights including concerts, art exhibitions and plays featuring gifted artists. The pandemic may continue to require restrictive measures and social distancing but art is bridging the gap for unity.  

7th Athens Biennale 

AB7: ECLIPSE, the 7th Athens Biennale, scheduled for September 24 to November 28, under the co-curation of the Omsk Social Club and Larry Ossei-Mensah, and the artistic direction of Poka-Yio, includes projects by artists based in North and South America, the Caribbean, Africa and Europe. 

The AB7: ECLIPSE events will be hosted by three neighbouring buildings standing as landmarks in the capital’s historic centre, the FOKAS former shopping centre, the former Santarosa court building, and the Schliemann-Melas Estate, as well as Dikaiosinis (Justice) Square on Panepistimiou St, and the Onassis Foundation’s Stegi. The 7th Athens Biennale examines matters concerning identity, history and multicultural complexity, while also exploring ideas, questions and concepts often overlooked at biennales.  

Admission: €5 to €25. See details here: https://eclipse.athensbiennale.org/en

Dates: 24/9-28/11

Venues: FOKAS former shopping centre, 41 Stadiou former Santarosa court building, 48 Stadiou; Dikaiosinis (Justice) Square, Arsaki & Panepistimiou Sts; Schliemann-Melas Estate, 46 Panepistimiou; Onassis Foundation’s Stegi, 107 Syggrou (24/9-24/10). 

Tel: +30 2105232222

Website: eclipse.athensbiennale.org

“Return to Poetry”, concert dedicated to the memory of Mikis Theodorakis at the Athens Concert Hall (Megaron)

Vocalist Maria Farantouri, one of master composer Mikis Theodorakis’ key collaborators and actor Dimitris Kataleifos present a performance featuring poetry set to music by Theodorakis. The performance, dedicated to the memory of Theodorakis, who passed recently, also features more recent act Vassilis Gisdakis.  

Admission: €10 (students, young adults up to 25 years old, disabled persons, elderly aged 65 and over/€15/€20

Dates: 1-2/10

Time: 20:30

Venue: Vas. Sofias & Kokkali, 115 21, Athens

Tel: +30 210 7282333

Website: www.megaron.gr

Chronotopia at Pireos 260 

Chronotopia, a two-day electronic and experimental music festival, scheduled for October 1 and 2, will feature five original electronic music compositions and an audiovisual installation created by artists who took part in an electronic music composition workshop, Chronotopia Echoes, with Akis Sinos and Anke Eckardt. The material was created following research into the archives of the Contemporary Music Research Centre (KSYME) in Athens. The event will also include electronic music performances by acts from Greece and abroad. 

Admission: Premium - €25 Zone A - €20 Zone B - €15

Dates: 1-2/10

Time: 20:00

Venue: Pireos 260, Tavros

Tel: +30 2103272000

Website: http://aefestival.gr/festival_events/chronotopia/

‘The Bacchae’ at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus 

“The Bacchae”, directed by Nikaiti Kontouri, completes its tour of Greek theatres, including a well-received performance at the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus, with two performances in Athens at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus on October 2 and 3. Passion, conflict and ritualism are the work’s dominant elements. The performance is a co-production of Ars Aeterna and the Municipal and Regional Theatre of Ioannina.

 Admission: €60, €50, €40, €30, €20, €15

Dates: 2-3/10

Time: 20:30

Venue: Odeon of Herodes Atticus, Dionysiou Areopagitou, Athens, 105 55

Tel: +30 2103241807

Website: –

Torture: First solo exhibition in Athens by Andres Serano 

The infliction of intense physical or psychological pain is as old as human existence. “Torture”, Andres Serano’s first solo exhibition in Athens, deals with the history of torture, depicting its wider impact on society. The exhibition is organised by a/political (Galerie Nathalie Obadia Paris/Brussels). 

Admission: Free entrance

Dates: Until 3/10

Time: 12:00-19:00

Venue: Petrini Apothiki, Piraeus Port – Gate E2 

Tel: +30 2104550100 

Website: www.olp.gr

Black Swan Gala Ballet Bolshoi Mariinsky 

The foremost production in the history of classical ballet, “Swan Lake” serves as the basis for “Black Swan”, one of the world’s most impressive ballet galas, to be performed in Athens by leading dancers from Russia’s most prominent ballet companies, the Bolshoi and Mariinsky, over two nights, at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus (sold out) and the Christmas Theatre. 

Admission: €38-€68

Dates: 6-7/10

Time: 21:00

Venues: Odeon of Herodes Atticus, Dionysiou Areopagitou, Athens, 105 55. +30 2103241807

Christmas Theatre, 137 Veikou, Galatsi, 111 46, +30 211 770 1700

27th Athens International Film Festival 

Back for a 27th edition, Athens’ celebration of film will offer a platform for emerging artists, Greek short films, highly anticipated premieres as well as the year’s best films. The festival’s screenings and related events will take place at the Athens Concert Hall (Megaron), the Inteal, Danaos and Trianon cinemas, the Municipal Theatre of Piraeus, for the first time, as well as the open-air cinemas Lais – Greek Film Archive, Riviera, Flery and Stella. 

Admission: Screenings at cinemas and venues €6, online screenings €3. Also, festival passes covering 5, 10 or 20 screenings, priced at €25, €45 and €70, respectively, have been made available but are limited.  

Dates: Until 3/10

Time: -

Venues: At selected cinemas and cultural venues (see above). 

Website: aiff.gr  

War of Independence critique, self-critique 

Through a music theatre production entitled “Kolokotronis Contemplates the Future. Women are Preparing for the Revolution. And I’ll be thinking of something”, directors/performers Michail Marmarinos and Akillas Karazisis sets out to approach the Greek War of Independence as a subject of constant critique and self-critique. The production was made possible through a grant from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) for the creation of a Greek National Opera programme marking the 200th anniversary of the Greek Revolution of 1821. 

Admission: €15, €20/Students €10 

Dates: 9, 10, 14, 15, 16/10 

Time: 20:30 (Sunday 19:00)

Venue: Greek National Opera Alternative Stage, Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre, 364 Syggrou Ave, 176 74, Kallithea

Tel: +30 216 8091000 

Website: www.snfcc.org

George Seferis poetry set to music 

Poems by Nobel Prize winner George Seferis set to music by Mikis Theodorakis, Yiannis Markopoulos, Ilias Andriopoulos, Demos Moutsis, Miltos Paschalidis, Haris and Panos Katsimihas, as well as younger composers, will be interpreted by a cast of leading Greek singers - Yiannis Kotsiras, Yiota Nega, Pavlina Voulgaraki, Dimitra Selemidou and Pantelis Kyramargios - on October 8 at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus. Yannis Stankoglou will offer narration to songs that include excerpts of Seferis’ poetry as spoken passages, the purpose being to interconnect the repertoire and shed light on the poet’s personality. Esteemed maestro Anastassios Symeonidis will be at the podium. 

Admission: Lower zone: Premium seats - €60 A Zone – €50 B Zone – €40 C Zone – €35. Upper Zone: Zone D – €28, Zone E – €25, Zone F – €20, Zone G – €15 (restricted viewing). Disabled persons - €15. Telephone bookings: +30 210 3221897)

Date: 8/10

Time: 21:00

Venue: Odeon of Herodes Atticus, Dionysiou Areopagitou, Athens, 105 55

Tel: +30 2103241807

Website: -

Chernobyl Live with Chris Watson and Sam Slater at Pireos 260 

Icelandic musician and composer Hildur Guðnadóttir, an Academy Award winner for her “Joker” film soundtrack, performs at Pireos 260. She will present her Grammy award-winning music written for the successful HBO TV mini-series “Chernobyl”. The recording for this project was carried out at an abandoned nuclear station in Lithuania. 

Admission: Premium - €40, Zone A – €30, Zone B – €20  

Dates: 9, 10/10

Time: 23:00

Venue: Pireos 260, Tavros

Tel: +30 2103272000

Website:http://aefestival.gr/festival_events/chernobyl-live/?lang=en

Steve McQueen at the Onassis Foundation’s Stegi with ‘End Credits’, 2012 - ongoing

Distinguished British filmmaker and video artist Steve McQueen presents a video installation entitled “End Credits”, 2012 – ongoing, at the Onassis Foundation’s Stegi exhibition space, between September 24 and October 24 as part of the 7th Athens Biennale, ECLIPSE. The installation is dedicated to singer, actor, social activist and American college football star Paul Robeson, who was blacklisted by the FBI in the 1950s for his fight against racism. 

Admission: Free entrance

Dates: Until 24/10

Time: 16:00-22:00

Venue: Onassis Foundation’s Stegi, 107 Syggrou Ave, Athens, 117 45 

Tel: +30 30210 9005800

Website: www.onassis.org

‘Takis - Energy Spaces’ at MOMus-Museum Alex Mylona

A marvellous world of inspiration and creativity, the exhibition “Takis – Energy Spaces” presents landmark work from key periods in the artistic course of internationally renowned Greek visual artist Takis (Panayiotis Vassilakis, 1925-2019), presented at the MOMus Museum Alex Mylona in collaboration with the MOMus-Museum of Contemporary Art- Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art and the State Museum of Contemporary Art Collections. 

Admission: €4, reduced entrance fee €2, free entrance for visual artists, architects, elderly persons over 65, free entrance for all every first Sunday of the month. 

Dates: To 31/10

Time: Tue-Wed, Fri-Sun, 11:00-19:00, Thu, 11:00-22:00 (closed Mondays) 

Address: 5 Agion Asomaton, Thissio, 105 54, Athens 

Tel: +30 210 3215717

Website: www.momus.gr

Anti-Structure at the DESTE foundation 

The exhibition “Anti-Structure” explores the fine line between order and chaos, stillness and movement, structure and anarchy. It includes work by Urs Fischer, Diohanti, Andreas Embirikos, Takis Zenetos, George Lappas, Tony Moussoulides, Pantelis Xagoraris, Marina Xenofontos, Sotirios Kotoulas, Dora Economou, Aliki Panagiotopoulou, Rallou Panagiotou, Chistodoulos Panayiotou, Nafsika Pastra, Georgia Sagri, Lucas Samaras, Christiana Soulou, Takis, Thanassis Totsikas, Iris Touliatou, Giorgos Tourkovasilis and Yannoulis Halepas. 

Admission: Free entrance

Dates: To 27/10

Time: Wed-Thu, 12:00-20:00

Address: DESTE Foundation, 11 Filellinon & Emm. Pappa, 142 34, Neo Ionia, Athens

Tel: +30 210-2758490

Website: https://deste.gr/exhibition/anti-structure/

‘Glorious Victories. Between Myth and History‘at the National Archaeological Museum 

The exhibition, part of the agenda celebrating the 2,500th anniversary of the Battle of Thermopylae and the Naval Battle of Salamis, includes 105 ancient works and a model of the Athenian trireme of the 5th century BC. The works are related to and bring to the fore aspects of the victorious struggle of the Greeks against the Persians. They were assembled both from the National Archaeological Museum and other museums of Greece, such as the Archaeological Museums of Astros, Thebes, Olympia, as well as the Konstantinos Kotsanas Museum of Ancient Greek Technology. The exhibition is enhanced by digital projections that contribute to the creation of a scenic ambience, helping immerse visitors into the dramatic atmosphere of the events. The exhibition is accompanied by a scholarly 512-page catalogue, published by the Archaeological Resources Fund. 

Admission: €12

Dates: To 31/10

Time: Mon, Wed-Sun, 8:00-20:00, Tue, 13:00-20:00

Address: 44 28th Oktovriou (Patision), 106 82, Athens

Tel: +30 213 214 4889

Website: www.namuseum.gr 

‘Stand Free’, interactive installation by Maria Fragoudaki at Athens International Airport

The interactive installation “Stand Free”, created by artist Maria Fragoudaki to mark the 200th anniversary of the Greek Revolution, invites visitors to reflect upon the concept of freedom and connect with Greek history. “The fustanella (traditional pleated skirt-like garment), through the mirror, becomes attire so that the visitors, ‘wearing’ the garment of our ancestors, can stand Free. The fustanella is the bridge to the past, a breath of pride,” Fragoudaki noted.  

Dates: To 31/10

Address: Athens International Airport

Tel: +30 2103530000

Website: www.aia.gr

Burger Fest 2021: The biggest Greek food festival - dedicated to burgers 

In October, The Agora in OAKA Stadium, Athens, turns into a meeting point for all burger lovers. Burger Fest is coming back in-person from 1-3 and 8-10 October. In a new and safe space, visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy amazing flavours by the best burger houses in Athens. The festival features two long weekends full of concerts, dj sets, comedy shows and of course scrumptious burgers that will leave no one unmoved.

Tickets:

General admission with beer from 6€-8€ depending on the time slot you choose

Unemployed, students & large families: 5€ with beer (this price applies until 30/9 & requires the presentation of a relevant certificate)

Children from 6 to 12 years old: 5€ with refreshment

Children from 6 years old and under: Free entrance

Dates: 1-3/10 & 8-10/10

Venue: 37, Kifissias Avenue, Athens

Website: https://burgerfest.gr/

Millions of American citizens and visitors had the opportunity to admire Athens as a modern, vibrant city through the video campaign “Athens. The city is the museum” which was broadcast for 2 weeks in November, through the impressive giant billboards of Times Square in New York.

The video, which was created by the City of Athens, the Greek Tourism Ministry and Google Greece, calls on the Greek capital’s visitors and residents to walk around and discover the city’s art, music and gastronomy experiences as well as the rich history and cultural heritage that make Athens an open-air museum.

Athens’ video was broadcast in the “heart” of New York during the busiest time of the year for Americans that includes the Thanksgiving Day celebrations and annual parade, as well as the Black Friday and Cyber Monday - two landmark sales events for the US retail market.

* The “Athens: The city is the museum” video was broadcast in New Yorks’ Time Square as part of the "Development and Promotion of the Tourism and Cultural Identity of Athens in the post-CoVid era" project of the "Attica 2014-2020” Operational Program/Sub-project 1.

ADDMA participated in the meeting of the “Re-ally tourism - the Hellenic and European travel agents’ initiative” that took place in Athens on May 11.

Organized by the Hellenic Association of Travel & Tourist Agencies (HATTA), the event focused on the new trends in post-Covid tourism: from sustainable and responsible tourism practices to strategies for travel agents in the new era of tourism.

“We have traveled a great distance over the last two years - during the pandemic -and we are all very excited for the start of a new tourism season. We have not arrived at this point because the pandemic has ended. We are here because we have learned how to re-create the visitor experience of the past while also ensuring that tourism will be safe, responsible, and more sustainable than in the past. We should all be very proud of this achievement, because it has demanded an enormous amount of hard work,” ADDMA CEO Vagelis Vlachos said in his opening speech.

The event was also attended by state officials and senior executives of Greek and international travel and tourism associations including the European Travel Agents’ and Tour Operators’ Association (ECTAA) and the World Travel Agents Associations Alliance (WTAAA).

Mayor Kostas Bakoyannis: “The tourism product of Athens is adapting and evolving.”

Athens is back on the map of the global tourism market and promoting itself as an international tourism destination during the 7th Travel Trade Athens, the signature annual B2B marketing event of the City of Athens. More than 150 representatives of leading companies from the Greek and international tourism and MICE industry participated in the virtual event on 19 and 20 April 2021. The program was developed and managed by the Athens Development and Destination Management Agency (ADDMA) in cooperation with the European Tour Operators Association (ETOA).

The two-day event promoted discussions between 81 businesses from Greece and 66 representatives from international markets. They completed more than 1,200 online meetings that will lead to
agreements for future cooperation. thens targets the tourism markets in Europe, America, and Asia. Representatives from 22 countries attended, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Holland, Germany, and France. Local media attended a virtual press conference discussing Travel Trade Athens and the recovery of the tourism sector during the second day of the event. Participants included the Mayor of Athens, Kostas Bakoyannis; President of Aegean Airlines, Eftychios Vassilakis; CEO of the Athens International Airport, Yiannis Paraschis; Policy Director for the European Tour Operators Association, Tim Fairhurst; and the President of ADDMA, Melina Daskalaki.

In his remarks, Mayor Bakoyannis emphasized the importance of Travel Trade Athens as part of the strategy for the City of Athens leading to the recovery of the tourism sector. He referred to the continued development of the city’s infrastructure that has proceeded during the pandemic and noted that the municipality is developing a holistic view of Athens as a tourism destination: “For the City of Athens, the daily life of the city is inextricably linked to tourism. No communication trick or campaign can create new or even stable tourism if the infrastructure and everyday life of the city do not satisfy the residents of Athens. So, we are not investing in tourism to be able to change the city, but the opposite. We have begun making the changes that Athens needed for decades to create the conditions that will attract tourism.”Eftychios Vassilakis, President of Aegean Airlines, said: “We continue to believe and invest in the potential and attractiveness of Athens. It is a unique place for anyone to visit that is also proving to be a great place to live and work. The years 2020 and 2021 are extremely difficult for all urban centers, as much as for Athens. That is why it is crucial to reaffirm our commitment to joint, coordinated actions that promote the city and the development of its product, thereby building our common future.”

Yiannis Paraschis, CEO of the Athens International Airport, noted: “In this extremely difficult period, we continue to intensify our strategic cooperation for the coordinated and safe restart of
aviation and tourism in our city. The strategic pillars in this collective effort are environmental sustainability, a ‘smart’ digital transformation, and innovation that will help Athens to compete
and grow in the post-COVID era.” Tim Fairhurst, Policy Director for the European Tour Operators Association, added: “The travel and tourism sector is part of the risk management system, not a threat to it. A well-managed return to international mobility is within reach. The integrated strategic approach taken by Athens, and the importance Greece in general attaches to tourism, provide a good framework for a responsible re-start across the economy, and a sustainable recovery.”

Melina Daskalaki spoke on behalf of ADDMA: “Athens is preparing to host large international conferences based on sustainable practices. The Athens Convention and Visitors Bureau has been working throughout the pandemic lockdowns to attract new conferences to Athens by investing in the organization of ‘green meetings’ designed to keep the environmental burden to
a minimum. Athens has what it takes to be a model for ‘green experiences’ among European cities.”
Travel conditions did not permit participants of Travel Trade Athens to meet in person. Familiarization trips that were scheduled to take place during the event have been delayed until May and June. These trips allow visiting professionals to become better acquainted with major trends and points of interest, while introducing them to the infrastructure available for the organization of conferences and business meetings. Instead, participants were offered the opportunity to attend virtual familiarization trips that utilized online tours of the most important historical sites in Athens, giving a small taste of what Athens has to offer until conditions allow for meeting in-person.

Travel Trade Athens also included training workshops for Greek tourism professionals. The program was designed in collaboration with major international tourism organizations and welcomed participation by more than 100 executives from the Greek tourism industry.

The 8th Travel Trade Athens will be held in 2022.

Ten Greek and foreign professional film and television screenwriters gathered in Athens earlier in November to participate in the first phase of The Owl Screenwriting Workshop, which is organized by the City of Athens Film Office.

Held from November 7-10, The Owl offered participants the opportunity to discuss their projects as well as to participate in masterclasses, panel discussions and one-to-one script meetings with 11 top experts from the international film and TV industry. The Owl’s screenwriters also toured some of Athens’ landmark sites and searched for locations to film their projects.

Organized for a second year, The Owl offers valuable know-how and networking opportunities to screenwriters who have already achieved early-career success and have begun storytelling that can be adapted to be filmed in Athens and Greece. The workshop also aims to promote Athens as an ideal destination for film and TV productions.

Τhe second phase of the workshop, where participants will receive additional mentorship, will be held remotely in February 2024. The third leg of the workshop in Autumn 2024, will circle back to Athens where screenwriters will have a final session with their mentors on how to  pitch their projects.

The Athens Development and Destination Management Agency (ADDMA) and the Athens Film Office supported the Iris Awards 2022.

Organized by the Hellenic Film Academy, the awards took place at the Alsos Theater in Athens, on June 8. Titled “We are love”, the event this year celebrated love and pledged to stay eternally teen, excitable and hopelessly romantic.

"The City of Athens supports Greek productions in every way possible by creating the conditions for Athens to become a film-friendly city but also by providing training opportunities and creating new jobs," said ADDMA CEO Vagelis Vlachos, who gave the "Minority Co-production" award to the films "Dog" and "Feathers".

The awards ceremony was also broadcast live via onassis.org.

Kostas Bakoyannis: "Our goal is to keep the city's businesses alive"

The end of this unprecedented crisis must find cultural businesses, alive and able to sustain job positions and, consequently, to support all those people who are facing the consequences of this challenging era. 

Nowadays, more than ever, we need to reinforce the cultural industry and do everything possible to close the wounds of this health, economic and social crisis. This is the reason why the City of Athens, from the very beginning, targeted, designed, and adapted its strategy with a set of supporting actions for all those who, throughout the years, empower the local economy, but also contribute to a rich social and cultural life of the city. 

With an umbrella program of 40 million euros, which was activated last November in record time, the Municipality of Athens strengthens entrepreneurship, work, tourism, and the digital future of the city. In this context, 7.7 million euros are allocated for companies operating in the culture of Athens, to support their liquidity and healthy reopening the next day.

On Thursday, January 28, the Municipality of Athens through the Development and Tourism Promotion Company (EATA) will issue the official invitation to business owners, inviting them to apply for funding. The aid will be given in the form of a non-repayable grant (working capital), provided that the conditions stated in the call are met.

In order for the interested parties to be informed about the required procedures to prepare them in time, a pre-publication of the invitation has been posted on the websites of EATA (www.athensib.gr), the Municipality of Athens (www.cityofathens.gr) and ELANET (www.elanet .gr).

The financing will cover working capital equal to 50% of the company's expenses in 2019, with a minimum grant amount of € 5,000 and a maximum of € 200,000. Companies that record expenses of € 10,000 and over will be able to apply. It is noted that the paid-up working capital should be spent within 2021 and the subsidized companies should remain active throughout the financial year 2021.

"It is not only our moral obligation to support the people of culture for all that they offer us. It is the goal to keep the city's businesses alive. Let us stand by them in practice so that they can stand up and do everything together as much as we can for Athens to find its rhythms again. Because Athens needs its businesses and businesses need Athens. And this crisis, we will not be able to face it if we are not close to each other and all together, in the effort to recover all that the pandemic has taken away from us. With effort and perseverance "said the Mayor of Athens, Kostas Bakoyannis.

The action entitled: "Support to companies operating in the field of culture within the boundaries of the intervention area of ​​the OHE of the Municipality of Athens" is funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), under the Operational Program "ATTICA" 2014-2020 - NSRF 2014-2020.

For more information, you can contact:

At the Information Office of EFEPAE / ELANET, El. Venizelou (University) 39, T.K. 10564, Athens, (Pesmatzoglou Gallery, 7th floor), tel. 213 0166100, fax: 213 0166105, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The members of the Greek Meetings Alliance (GMA) announced the creation of a new strategic partnership with the International Federation of Exhibition and Event Services (IFES) that will bring new business connections, major events, and more training opportunities to Greece.

The partnership between GMA and IFES was announced on 10 November at the Open Stage of Philoxenia 2023 during a panel on the benefits of fostering partnerships in the MICE industry that is focused on meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions.

The panel featured the Executive Director of IFES, Uta Goretzky, alongside representatives from major stakeholders of the Greek MICE industry: Kyriakos Pozrikidis (Managing Director of TIF-Helexpo), Prodromos Monastiridis (President of the Thessaloniki Convention Bureau) and Sissi Lygnou (President of HAPCO & DES). The event was moderated by Tina Toribaba of the This is Athens-Convention & Visitors Bureau.

The agreement calls for IFES and GMA to co-host a major annual event, the IFES Masterclasses Europe, in Athens during Autumn 2024. The event will promote synergies within the MICE industry and give international players an opportunity to connect with leading Greek industries such as the film and television sector that has experienced tremendous growth in capacity and demand during recent years.

The organizations also agreed to share a platform at other leading events such as the IFES World Summit 2024 and the GMA Annual Meetings, and they will co-organize educational workshops at global events such as IMEX Frankfurt 2024.

The partnership will enrich educational content, skills training, and professionalization for the meetings and events industry in Greece and abroad. They will collaborate to produce new knowledge for the industry through research projects, the exchange of white papers, and other related initiatives. 

The International Federation of Exhibition and Event Services is a network of national associations and individual companies active in the design, conception, production, and services for temporary structures used at exhibitions and trade shows. It is the only organization dedicated to the specific needs of exhibit designers and providers of tradeshow services.

The Greek Meetings Alliance is a national coalition of MICE industry professionals that is developing a unified strategy and international platform for the Greek meetings and events industry. The Greek Meetings Alliance was formed by three leading stakeholders from Greece: The City of Athens & This is Athens Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Hellenic Association of Professional Conference Organizers (HAPCO & DES) and the Thessaloniki Convention Bureau. 

The organizations decided to join forces to develop strategic actions around the promotion and development of the national MICE Industry, sending a resounding message about the power of collaboration as well as also the potential of Greece to be a leading conference destination.

The GMA has opened new networking opportunities for the Greek MICE industry and serves as a catalyst for the international prestige of local brands. Recently, the GMA signed the Net Zero Carbon Events Pledge that establishes their commitment to support the goal of net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050 and to actively promote and advocate for the adaptation of the industry locally and internationally.

The Executive Director of the International Federation of Exhibition and Event Services, Uta Goretsky, remarked during the panel: “IFES as well as me, we are very happy to sign this MOU with GMA. Together we will raise awareness of the exhibition and events industry through an additional, powerful voice! We believe in the strength of collaboration and sharing knowledge and are looking forward to what this partnership will bring and how it will help us to create a bigger impact. From advancing sustainability and attracting our next-generation workforce to making pan-European commerce and travel more seamless, the challenges facing the business events industry are global in nature and will require global solutions.”

Speaking on behalf of the Hellenic Association of Professional Congress Organizers & Destination Event Specialists (HAPCO & DES), Sissi Lygnou added: “We are proud to participate as HAPCO & DES, and as an active member of the Greek Meetings Alliance, in the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with IFES. This strategic partnership represents a significant step forward for the MICE industry as a whole and highlights one of the core goals of our synergy: building international connections. IFES is internationally recognized for its dedication to excellence, innovation and sustainability in the support of events, conferences, and especially exhibitions. Their expertise and commitment to industry best practices make them an ideal partner as we work towards a shared vision that promotes and elevates the MICE industry worldwide. We look forward to the multiple opportunities this partnership will bring, including the ability to create a single voice for our industry, promote sustainability, enhance education, and share best practices that benefit all our members and partners.”

On behalf of the This is Athens-Convention and Visitors Bureau, the CEO of the City of Athens Development and Destination Management Agency, Epameinondas Mousios remarked: “The on-going success and growth of the Greek meetings and events industry relies on collaboration between like-minded organizations and different stakeholders more than ever before. As one of the founding members of the Greek Meetings Alliance, the City of Athens is helping to set the agenda for an industry that has experienced tremendous growth, achieved a very high level of international visibility, and is building the capacity to lead the tourism industry toward sustainability, accessibility, and inclusivity. We are tremendously proud of this success and we are excited to be taking the next steps.”

The President of the Thessaloniki Convention Bureau, Prodromos Monastiridis, added: “The signing of the first Memorandum of Understanding between the Greek Meetings Alliance and an internationally recognized organization in Thessaloniki - a city that is home to the largest exhibition centre in the country - is also of great importance for the partnership between the Thessaloniki Convention Bureau, This is Athens-Conventions & Visitors Bureau, and HAPCO & DES. The expansion of our cooperation demonstrates the strong dynamics within the sector, creates a broader scope for joint actions, and enables us to closely monitor the international practices and contemporary trends that characterize the meetings Industry today. With this initiative, we see positive development opportunities for the members of the Thessaloniki Convention Bureau and for Thessaloniki as a destination.”

Over 50,000 Athenians and visitors took part in more than 100 events of the This is Athens City Festival, which was organized by the City of Athens during May 1-31.

After two challenging years, the City of Athens organized its first spring festival for residents and visitors alike.

The festival included over 100 events such as concerts, screenings, parties, exhibitions, lectures and guided tours that were held in parks, streets, museums and open spaces in Athens.

“The aim of the This is Athens City Festival, which was originally scheduled to take place in March 2021 but was postponed twice due to the coronavirus pandemic, was to promote Athens as a destination through a large cultural festival that could attract visitors. The pandemic changed, not only the festival’s dates, but also our way of thinking. It is not only visitors that wish to discover Athens. After two years of Covid-19, we've realized that the city’s residents desire to re-discover their city, and this is also confirmed by the large number of people that participated in the events, exceeding our expectations,” Athens Development and Destination Management Agency (ADDMA) CEO Vagelis Vlachos said.

“We are really happy that the This is Athens City Festival was ‘embraced’ by Athenians and visitors. The most important thing of all is that we’ve managed to organize a celebration open to all, in every neighborhood of Athens. We are confident that the festival will return even better in 2023,” he added.

The goal is to attract film producers in Athens

Aiming at the promotion of Athens as a film destination and attracting audiovisual producers, the Athens Film Office (AFO) of the Municipality of Athens and the Greek Film Centre (GFC) are laying the foundations for a strategic partnership that will strengthen the city's position in the international Buy.

In the memorandum of cooperation signed last week, between the Athens Development and Destination Management Agency (ADDMA), as the implementing body of Athens Film Office) and the Hellenic Film Center (through the Hellenic Film Commission), the two sides agreed , inter alia, in the following joint actions:

- In the design and organization of training programs in collaboration with other private and public bodies of the Cinema.

- To expand a possible joint presence in international exhibitions and festivals.

- In promotional actions in international and domestic Media.

- In the planning of new actions aimed at expanding the film market and cultivating cinematic interest, especially in the new audience.

- In their cooperation for the simplification of the process of issuing filming licenses in areas under the jurisdiction of the Municipality of Athens.

The Athens Film Office, created by the Municipality of Athens in March 2020, is the Office for the Service and Attraction of Film Producers and its main responsibilities include facilitating audiovisual producers, as well as collaborating with other film institutions to promote it. city ​​abroad, through participation in film festivals and exhibitions.

"The cooperation of the Athens Film Office with the Hellenic Cinema Center, brings us closer to achieving our strategic goals: To strengthen the local economy and competitiveness, to upgrade the tourism product and to effectively promote Athens abroad. The memorandum of cooperation between ADDMA and GFC will be a valuable basis for the city to become a film destination abroad and will strengthen the modern and growing domestic industry of audiovisual producers ", emphasizes Melina Daskalaki, President of the athens Development and Destination Management Agency (ADDMA). 

The Hellenic Film Center, as the main body for the exercise of film policy, which aims at the protection and development of film production and Art in Greece, has been supporting the attraction and service of foreign producers in Greece for more than ten years through the Hellenic Film Commission.

In a statement, the Chairman of the Board of GFC Markos Holevas, points out: "Athens has proven to be a popular destination for foreign productions and the Municipality has responded with the creation of the respective Film Office. We consider it the obligation of GFC to cooperate with the Athens Film Office in order to coordinate the actions and actions that will highlight the potential of the city of Athens as a destination for film and audiovisual producers in general. At the same time, for the joint action, we will seek the training of artistic and technical staff of the audiovisual sector and the improvement, where possible, of the infrastructure. "It is a common expectation that Athens will acquire an overall picture of its urban landscape through the power of the moving image."

As part of the cooperation between the two organizations, a series of familiarization trips (FAM trips) will be launched within the next year with the aim of effectively promoting the city as a cinematic destination to the representatives of international audiovisual producers.

Athens has been named Europe’s Leading Cultural City Destination 2023 at the World Travel Awards!

The news was announced during the WTA Europe Gala Ceremony 2023 that was held in Batumi, Georgia, on September 29, in the presence of senior tourism executives from all over Europe.

Hailed as the “Oscars of the travel industry” the World Travel Awards acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the tourism industry.

Athens’ recognition as Europe’s Leading Cultural City Destination coincides with the completion of significant cultural projects in the Greek capital including the revamp and reopening of the iconic Lycabettus Municipal Theater. In addition, the award highlights the city’s efforts to promote its cultural heritage through festivals, cultural activities and events such as the month-long 2nd Athens City Festival that took place in the center and the city’s neighborhoods in May.

* Athens participated in the WTA Europe Gala Ceremony 2023 as part of the "Development and Promotion of the Tourism and Cultural Identity of Athens in the post-CoVid era" project of the "Attica 2014-2020” Operational Program/Sub-project 1.

Athens re-established its leading presence in the global tourism market during the 8th Travel Trade Athens 2022.

The event is a catalyst for the dynamic and sustainable return of visitors to Athens, with more than 160 representatives of Greek and international companies holding meetings during May 9-10.

More than 60 representatives of foreign companies in the tourism and events industry came to Athens for the two-day event, connecting Athens to key markets in Europe, the UK, the United States, and the Middle East. They had more than 1,500 meetings with representatives from 90 Greek companies with the goal of completing business agreements that will strengthen the economy of Athens.

Ten journalists from major international media were hosted alongside the buyers and suppliers and participated in parallel events that included a series of authentic urban experiences, events and seminars for the participants.

A press briefing opened the event with the participation of Athens Mayor Kostas Bakoyannis, President of Aegean Eftychios Vasilakis, Director of Communication and Marketing at Athens International Airport Ioanna Papadopoulou, and CEO of the Athens Development and Destination Management Agency (ADDMA) Vagelis Vlachos. Each of the speakers affirmed their commitment to strengthening the promotion and profile of Athens.

“Despite all the difficulties given to us, the pandemic also gave us an opportunity to design and put into action a comprehensive development plan for the City of Athens. It was a chance to reposition and develop Athens as an attractive, accessible, and sustainable city. To implement this strategy, we focused on two pillars: to emphasize conferences and meetings in order to strengthen our position as a top choice for business, and to promote and empower local businesses with initiatives that promote entrepreneurship and innovation. The 8th Travel Trade Athens covers both of these axes – that’s the invaluable partnership between the This is Athens-Convention and Visitors Bureau and the European Tourism Association (ETOA). Now, we are ready for Athens to meet the world,” said Vagelis Vlachos, CEO of ADDMA.

During Travel Trade Athens 2022, the hosted buyers and press enjoyed a complete Hosted Buyer Program including air travel to and from Athens, accommodation in a 5-star hotel, transfers, thematic FAM trips, meals and social events, B2B meetings and networking opportunities.

For attending suppliers, Travel Trade Athens offered a half day of educational workshops created in collaboration with major international organizations. The workshops were introduced in 2021 to promote the upskilling of the local tourism and meetings industry.

Since 2013, Travel Trade Athens has hosted more than 600 buyers from 35 countries and facilitated more than 17,000 B2B meetings. The event is organized every year by the Athens Development and Destination Management Agency through the This is Athens-Convention and Visitors Bureau and in cooperation with the European Tourism Association (ETOA).

The 9th edition of the Travel Trade Athens will take place in April 2023.

With a wide spectrum of initiatives amounting to 40 million euros - which derive, mainly, from European resources - the City of Athens will support the city economy within the next four months. The goal is to keep the local businesses open and sustain the jobs-at-risk due to the prolonged  health crisis. 

In collaboration with the city's stakeholders, a dynamic program has been drawn up so as to support trade, business, culture and tourism, with the aim of keeping the city's economy alive both during the pandemic and during the next day. The action plan of the Municipality of Athens focuses on four sectors of Athens' economy: Entrepreneurship - Employment and social cohesion - Culture - Tourism and Digital Future - Innovation.

These four sectors include almost all of the economy and employment, especially in the historic center of Athens. It is a multifaceted program that was co-shaped with local social and productive actors. The Mayor of Athens Costas Bakogiannis discussed this program with the President of the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Konstantinos Michalos, the President of the Association of Greek Tourist Enterprises Giannis Retsos, the President of the Professional Chamber of Commerce Yanos Association of Athens Stavros Kafouni.

The four main axes of the project, which will be unfolded in the next period are:

Entrepreneurship

- Upgrading of digital tools for the provision of services of institutional and productive bodies to their members (Budget: € 1,000,000)

- Financing of companies in the Historic Center of Athens to improve their image (Budget: 5,000,000 €)

- Creation of an investment identity of the city (Invest in Athens) and establishment and operation of the Athens Film Office to attract large film producers in the city (Budget: 1,000,000 €)

- Cooperation with EVEA to support innovation, competitiveness and extroversion of the local economy (Business Angels Network Greece)

- Support for commercial enterprises through:

1. a) The online platform for the free promotion of offers (Athens is Back) and free parking in municipal parking lots for consumers
2. b) The creation of a map and Athens Shopping guide in collaboration with the Athens Chamber of Commerce
3. c) The design of a model open shopping center on Patision Street (Open Mall Patision)
4. d) The creation of a Quality Pact for the city's stores (Budget: € 3,000,000)

- Organization of the 1st Innovation Summit to strengthen the innovation ecosystem of the city (Budget: 300,000 €)

- Coordination of the creation of thematic Clusters in collaboration with the local entrepreneurs (Budget: 600,000 €)

- Support of the initiative of the Athens Chamber of Commerce "Agora Athens" (identity redesign, architectural competition) - Budget: 300,000 €

Employment - Social Cohesion

- Skills on demand program - Budget € 2,400,000

- Creation of a strong solidarity network (Open Social Net) for the interconnection of the social structures of the Municipality with the groups of the civil society (Budget: € 1,800,000)

- Strengthening the social and solidarity economy (Budget: € 2,500,000)

Culture - Tourism

- Support for companies active in cultural creation and expression (Budget: € 7,700,000)

- Integrated Tourist Promotion and Destination Management Plan in B2B & B2C channels (Budget: € 9,500,000)

- Creation of a Sustainable Tourism Observatory (Budget: 600,000 €)

- Enhancing the cooperation of the Municipality of Athens through the Development and Tourism Promotion Company (EATA) with SETE and private entities (This is Athens & Partners).

- Strategic partnerships with the World Tourism Organization, the World Organization of Conferences and Exhibitions (ICCA), the World Meetings Professionals International and the Global Sustainable Tourism Council.

Digital Future-Innovation

- Enhancing young entrepreneurship through the Athens Digital Lab (Budget: € 120,000)

- Digital upgrade of companies to enhance their extroversion (Budget: 1,000,000 €)

- Creation of an electronic "City Card" (Budget: € 1,200,000)

The Mayor of Athens, Kostas Bakoyannis, immediately after his meeting with the representatives of the key stakeholders of Athens, stated the following: "Much has been said about the harm caused and continues to be caused by the pandemic crisis. Now, it is time for action”.

The organization leading the International Emmy Awards selected Athens to host a Semi-Final Judging event, a crucial step leading to the globally recognized television awards.

The Athens Film Office of the City of Athens and NOVA coordinated the events that were overseen by members of the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

In a series of closed screenings, the two Greek juries voted in the categories of Best Actor and Best Actress in a television series. In accordance with the regulations of the Academy, each jury was composed of professionals from the fields of television and film, artistic production, and the creative industry, and chosen according to the strict criteria of the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

A glamorous gala for the International Emmy Awards was held after the juries completed their work. The event gathered some of the brightest names in Greek entertainment, the arts, and representatives of the international film and television industry.

The judges selected one of the nominees in each category, but their choice will be kept secret until the official ceremony of the International Emmy Awards to be held on November 20 in New York City.

Every summer, from June to September, the International Emmy Awards travels to over 25 judging sites for Semi-Final Judging events. Semi-Final rounds determine the International Emmy Award Nominees for the year.

They are not only a crucial step in the judging process, they are also a great networking opportunity for the Host and the Jurors invited to participate in the competition.

In recent years, thanks to the creation of the Athens Film Office of the City of Athens in April 2020, Athens has been consolidating its position at the heart of film production. More than 100 audiovisual productions have chosen Athens for their filming, creating multiple benefits for the local economy and the city's businesses.

The Mayor of Athens, Kostas Bakoyannis, said in a statement: "Thanks to the successful course of the Athens Film Office, founded by the City of Athens in April 2020, Athens has developed a huge potential for hosting major film and television productions. The decision by the International Academy to hold the semi-final of the International Emmy Awards in our city is proof of our strengthened position on the world cinema map. I am very happy that in collaboration with NOVA we hosted this great event, which will certainly not be the last!"

Photos: Thomas Gravanis

Τhe city cleanliness and recycling rates improvement are the main goals of the Municipality of Athens in the context of everyday urban culture. Towards this direction, an -already- successful and original project is evolving in the city. 

In quite central and popular spots of the city, 20 new large  urban ashtrays-ballot boxes were placed, in collaboration with the environmental program "Gopa project", with the support of the Athens Destination and Development Management  Agency (ADDMA). 

It is a project that, in addition to cleanliness, aims to contribute to the protection of the environment, as it is estimated that through its activity more than 250,000 cigarette butts will be recycled per year.

The new "yellow boxes" added to the five existing ones (they were placed through a pilot application in Syntagma, Gazi, Ermou and Monastiraki) aim to reduce cigarette waste in the public space through the participation of smokers in an alternative "voting" system. 

The questions posed in each “ballot box”  revolve around the city itself, sports, music, literature, cinema, television. They also have social or environmental content, and often they are inspired by current news. 

"Did you know that cigarette butts thrown in the city end up in the sea? No VS Now you know!",

Best "Ronaldo": Cristiano  VS Phenomenon, are some of the questions that passengers are asked to answer with their vote. 

The goal of the project is to motivate passers-by  to stop and use the yellow boxes, throwing in their cigarette butts. Through the pilot project, a total of 30,000 cigarette butts have been collected so far, while more than 5,000 have already been sent out for recycling. The 25 urban ashtrays will be available to Athens’ citizens and visitors in the areas of: Syntagma, Gazi, Metaxourgio, Monastiraki, Plaka, Thissio, Psyrri, Omonia, Petralona, ​​Koukaki, Ermou, Varvakeio, Kolonaki, Zappeio, Kolokotroni, Dionysiou Areopagitou, Panepistimion. 

The Athens Film Office of the City of Athens and Nova have been invited to host the Semi-Final selection process for two categories of the International Emmy Awards.

The City of Athens and Nova will partner to form juries that will meet in Athens next September when they choose the nominees for two categories of the International Emmys. The event will include press conferences, visits to cultural monuments of Athens, and a glamorous gala.

The International Academy travels every summer, from June to September, to over 25 judging sites for Semi-Final Judging events. Semi-Final rounds determine the International Emmy Award Nominees for the year. They are not only a crucial step in the judging process, but also a great networking opportunity for the Host and the Jurors invited to participate in the competition.

The Greek and international members of the two juries will include professionals from the television and film industry, cultural producers, and the creative industries. As stipulated by the regulations of the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, the membership of the two committees will be known only after the completion of the evaluation process that determines the nominees for the International Emmy Awards.

This year, the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences chose Athens to host the meeting of top professionals of the entertainment industry. Nova joined forces with the City of Athens to support the selection procedures and the gala that traditionally completes the work of the judges.

The partnership supports the continued success of Athens as a film destination. The city has recently become a setting for many large-scale film and television productions with world-renowned stars, while Greece continues to build a position at the heart of film and television production in part by showcasing the value of partnerships between international players and public organizations.

Mayor of Athens, Kostas Bakoyannis, said: "The evolution of the film industry is a strategic goal for all of Athens. The success of the Athens Film Office, established in April 2020, has put Athens on the international map by servicing dozens of foreign productions, creating new jobs, and providing benefits for the city's businesses. We are continuing these initiatives to further promote Athens and we are very happy that the City of Athens will host the International Emmys Semi-final Judging event this September."

The CEO of Nova Media, Kiki Silvestriadou, said: “We are proud that United Group has supported the undertaking of this premier event by Nova. Our participation in the nomination process for the International Emmy Awards is an important recognition of our contribution to the promotion of high-level artistic creation, as well as our experience in the production of quality television content with high standards. Nova is evolving beyond the boundaries of Telecommunications and Technology and connecting Greece with the international artistic community, inviting talented artists and producers to Athens. We look forward to hosting top professionals in film and television production and we are happy to have the City of Athens as a valuable partner in the success of this unique event."

Congratulations to the CEO of ADDMA, Vagelis Vlachos, after being elected as a Board Member of City Destinations Alliance - formerly known as European Cities Marketing - during the recent international conference in Hamburg! 

The election highlights the rising position that Athens enjoys among European cities and will give ADDMA the opportunity to play a defining role in shaping new policies and collaborations.

City Destinations Alliance is the association for Tourist Boards, Convention Bureaux and City Marketing Organisations in Europe. More info here👉 https://citydestinationsalliance.eu/

The City of Athens and the Athens Development and Destination Management Agency have just launched the #BetterinAthens campaign, starring Athens' digital nomads.

In this new era where remote-working is king, Athens has become one of the hottest tickets in Europe to ride out the epidemic and hit reset on your life. It seems that everyone knows someone who’s recently relocated to Athens in search of a more fulfilling existence and a fresh start!

Learn more: https://www.thisisathens.org/arts-entertainment/urban-culture/lockdown-better-athens

Aiming to promote Athens as a film-friendly destination, the City of Athens, ADDMA and the Athens Film Office are, once again, organizing “The Owl”, the annual script development workshop for Greek and foreign scriptwriters.

“The Owl” was held for the first time in 2022, offering participants the opportunity to complete their scripts and present them to international filmmakers. The winners were announced during a special ceremony that was held during at the Cannes Film Festival in May.

This year, “The Owl” will select 10 scriptwriting professionals to participate in the mentoring and networking workshop which will take place in Athens during November 7-10, with the contribution of international film and TV mentors. The workshop will be followed by an online session in February and a group session in Athens, in September 2024.

Applicants must submit an unpublished draft of a feature film or TV pilot that could be adapted for filming in Athens and Greece. Applications are open until August 20 -> https://theowl.afo.events and via coverfly -> https://lnkd.in/dExv-phN. All entries will be reviewed by a Selection Committee of experienced film and TV professionals.

The workshop will be conducted in English.

ADDMA CEO Vagelis Vlachos and Head of Strategy Alexia Panagiotopoulos attended MIPIMWorld, Europe's top real estate event in Cannes, in order to promote and encourage investment to the City of Athens.  This year's ΜIPIM event attracted more than 15.000 visitors from the real estate industry and 4000 investors.

ADDMA participated as part of the national Greek mission organized by Enterprise Greece SA. More than 300 visitors visited this year's Greek stand.

A very Merry Christmas from Athens and the Athens Development and Destination Management Agency!

*The city is preparing for the return of tourism and Athens will soon be ready to welcome its visitors again!

Athens ranks 8th in the world as a conference, meetings, and events destination according to the “Country – and City – Rankings for 2022”, that was released by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) in May. The Greek capital gained eight places in 2022 compared to 2019, as it hosted 109 in-person conferences with 40,000 participants that generated a total of 87 milliion euros in revenues.

This comes as a recognition of the City of Athens' long-term tourism strategy through the Athens Development and Destination Management Agency which promotes Athens as a MICE destination, claiming conferences and events and strengthening the local economy.

According to the ICCA report, each delegate spends 2,162 euros, which is four times higher than the average spending of leisure travelers in Athens.

ICCA released its annual report during IMEX 2023 the world-leading tradeshow of the meetings and events industry that took place in Frankfurt, Germany, between May 23-25. During IMEX, ADDMA held over 50 B2B meetings, participated in educational programs and organized networking events as a member of the Greek Meetings Alliance.

 Following ΙMEX Frankfurt 2023, ADDMA organized a fam trip to Athens for MICE professionals from the North American market.

 ------

ADDMA’s participation in IMEX Frankfurt 2023 was part of the "Development and Promotion of the Tourism and Cultural Identity of Athens in the post-CoVid era" project of the "Attica 2014-2020” Operational Program/Sub-project 1.

Athens is changing! The city’s evaluation as a sustainable destination by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) has finished with excellent results.
 
The City of Athens began Athens’ evaluation process through the Athens Development and Destination Management Agency in January 2021. The GSTC met with all stakeholders and made more than 111 visits in all areas of interest from neighbourhoods and parks, institutions and city services, to Museums and archeological sites.
 
The evaluation was presented at Athens City Hall in the presence of Mayor Kostas Bakoyannis. Athens scored an 86% excellent while ADDMA was praised for its role in managing and promoting the destination. In addition a number of ADDMA’s projects were singled out as particularly successful such as the destination’s tourism promotion before and during the pandemic, the Athens Film Office, and a series of public space interventions such as pocket parks.
 
The evaluation is only the beginning as ADDMA will immediately proceed to the next step - to the city's official certification as a sustainable destination.