Develop Athens: Strategic Alliance with Leading Chinese Group to Promote Tourism

Develop Athens has entered into a strategic partnership in the tourism sector with Shanghai Jiushi Travel (Group) Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of one of China’s most prominent state-owned conglomerates specializing in tourism and transport services.

During a formal event held at Athens City Hall, the CEO of Develop Athens, Ioannis Georgizas, and the Chairman of Shanghai Jiushi Group, Guo Jianfei, signed a three-year Memorandum of Cooperation. The ceremony took place in the presence of Athens Deputy Mayor for Financial Planning George Giannaros, Deputy Chairman of  Develop Athens Alexis Galinos, Director of the Mayor's Office Maro Bandeka, and senior officials from both organizations.

The agreement aims to strengthen ties between Athens and Shanghai, focusing on close collaboration in the fields of cultural tourism, knowledge exchange, and the joint promotion of innovative tourism products and initiatives.

Welcoming the Chinese delegation to Athens, Mr. Georgizas emphasized the role of  the City's development agency as the primary operational arm and spoke warmly about the deepening relationship between the two cities, which has notably expanded over the past year.

“Our partnership with Shanghai Jiushi Travel marks a significant step in Athens’ international outreach and enhances its cultural and tourism presence globally. Through strategic alliances like this, we are reinforcing Athens as a city-break destination and a model city for conference tourism. Shanghai is a model city for us in how it integrates transportation, tourism, and culture into a unified, sustainable approach. This Memorandum lays the foundation for a productive collaboration that will benefit both cities.”

Mr. Guo Jianfei thanked the City of Athens for its hospitality and, together with his team, presented the Group’s activities, emphasizing the strategic importance of the partnership for further developing tourism between the two cities.

Deputy Mayor Giannaros added:

“We strongly believe in fostering closer ties between our two nations—especially between our two cities. Over the past year and a half, we’ve already carried out multiple exchanges and formalized the twinning of Athens and Shanghai. Today’s meeting marks another step forward and encourages us to pursue even deeper cooperation.”

Ms. Bandeka, welcoming the Chinese representatives to the historic Athens City Hall—which this year celebrates its 150th anniversary—highlighted:

“One of our administration’s top priorities is addressing climate change and preparing Athens to meet its challenges. Given Shanghai’s dynamic initiatives in this field, this opens up another promising area for collaboration between our cities.”

Key Areas of Cooperation

The partnership between the City of Athens Development Agency and Shanghai Jiushi Travel will focus on:

• Promoting cultural tourism and strengthening the tourism identity of both Athens and Shanghai by co-developing cultural routes and experiences.

• Integrating urban and tourism services, leveraging Jiushi Travel’s extensive experience in developing comprehensive transport, hospitality, and leisure solutions.

• Exchanging best practices and expertise in project design and implementation aimed at improving visitor experience and urban quality of life. 

About Shanghai Jiushi Group

Founded in 1987, Shanghai Jiushi Group is a dynamic, state-led enterprise engaged in key development projects across five sectors: urban transport, sports industry, real estate, asset management, and cultural tourism. As of June 2024, the Group’s consolidated assets total 720 billion yuan (approximately €89.4 billion).

The Group manages 13 subsidiaries, including Jiushi Travel, and two professional sports clubs, employing a workforce of approximately 50,000 people.

Shanghai Jiushi Travel specializes in tourism, with core activities including marine tourism and transport, as well as hospitality and destination services. Capitalizing on Shanghai’s status as a world-renowned tourism hub, the company focuses on investing in and developing tourism destinations, and creating tailored cultural tourism products and specialized travel services.