This is Athens – Convention & Visitors Bureau

The This is Athens – Convention & Visitors Bureau (ACVB) was established in April 2008 to represent Athens in the global MICE market. Today, it is part of the Athens Development and Destination Management Agency, a public company created by the City of Athens to compete for international tourism, investment, and talent. Its membership network represents more than 100 of the largest tourism enterprises in Athens. In 2018, ACVB earned recognition as Europe’s Leading City Tourist Board at the World Travel Awards.

This is Athens is the global brand promoting the city as a destination for leisure tourism, conferences, events, and education. We utilize B2B marketing channels and initiatives to develop local and international collaborations, and work to identify opportunities for new thematic tourism products such as yachting, religious tourism, and athletics. Our strategy is to invest in partnerships with the local conference and meetings industry and provide support for local and international tourism professionals.

Our mission is to extend the tourism season in Athens beyond the summer months by increasing the number of visitors, conferences, and events scheduled during the autumn and winter months. With the support of our network, we are adding hours and days to the average visitor stay in Athens while increasing the revenue earned from each trip.

We have supported major international conferences such as the IFLA World Library and Information Congress (2019), the MTJ Medical Travel Summit (2018), the American Society of Travel Agents Destination Expo (2018), and the TBEX Travel Bloggers Exchange (2014).

What we do:

• Bid for conferences and events on behalf of the City of Athens.
• Institutional support for conference and event organizers.
• Coordination of site inspections.
• Provide expertise and know-how about B2B activities in Athens.
• Marketing and communications for the City of Athens through B2B channels, FAM trips, and by maintaining relationships with local and international press.
• Roadshows and networking events serving international professionals.
• This is Athens Travel Trade – our signature annual B2B event for travel and meeting professionals.
• Partners Program – our network of over 100 major tourism companies.
• Ambassadors Program – our network of academics, professionals, and associations that assist with attracting conferences (40 +members).

Our Services:

• Provide meeting planners with information and advice concerning conference facilities.
• Offer to all interested parties advice, support, sight inspections and other services which are essential for the successful organization of a conference or a meeting.
• Provide official support to bid proposals.
• Provide information on facilities, venues, services in Athens, as well as web services dedicated to the meetings sector through a functional website.
• Provide promotional material on Athens.
• Work closely with all public and private institutions to ensure that business visitors are offered a memorable experience in our city.

Take your pick from our Athens venue finder. And don’t forget that our team is here to answer all your questions.

https://www.thisisathens.org/acvb/meeting-planner/serviceproviders

Venue finder
https://www.thisisathens.org/acvb/meeting-planner/venues

Why meet in Athens

Athens means business. We know how to have fun, too.

Everyone knows Athens. A city of myths and monuments, impulsive gods and ancient glory. But do you really know Athens? As our historic capital heralds a brand-new age, entrepreneurs, creatives, and visionaries are building the city they aspire to live in—a city that will surprise, delight and inspire you.

We could give you 100 reasons to choose Athens. But here's our easy ten.

Athens means a place where half the world connects

In Athens, you’re midway between Europe, Asia, and Africa. The award-winning Athens International Airport keeps adding new airlines and destinations year after year. Our international carrier, Aegean Airlines, services 80 destinations in 41 countries. Getting around town is also a breeze: you can be standing at the birthplace of democracy and drama after breakfast, and lunching on grilled octopus on a Greek island a couple of hours later.

Athens means sunshine, safety and value for money

Imagine a city where for most of the year a swim is just a short tram ride away. With an average 300 days of sunshine a year, Athens is warm and welcoming (and that includes the locals). It’s also one of the safest and most budget-friendly capitals in Europe. In fact, Athens proves that the best things in life – sun, sea, and good company – are free.

Athens means convention trips don't have to be conventional

When Athens hosted the 2004 Olympics, we proved that we know how to get things done. And we showed the world that hospitality is in our nature. Meeting planners and business travellers love Athens. It’s not a sprawling metropolis where the convention facilities are miles outside the city limits. Here, you’ll be immersed in the vibrant Athenian lifestyle, whether your venue is an historic museum, a converted gasworks, or a 5-star resort with distracting views of the Aegean.

Athens means to blow your mind. We’ve been doing so for thousands of years.

History and culture are as ingrained in the fabric of Athens as marble and mortar. You can walk in the open-air school where Aristotle taught philosophy or watch an ancient Greek drama in a Roman amphitheatre. Alongside the World Heritage monuments and magnificent museums is a twenty-first-century cultural powerhouse, featuring arts festivals, outdoor cinemas, and an ever-changing canvas of street art. So it’s hardly surprising that Athens was crowned UNESCO World Book Capital in 2018.

Athens means even ancient cities can be forward-thinking

Athens has always been ahead of the curve. Democracy, geometry, astronomy, philosophy, and just about every other –ology or –osophy you can think of was invented here. Now a fresh wave of talented creatives is drawing international attention to Greek fashion and design brands. International artists and curators are settling in Athens, eager to tap into the city’s new creative edge.

Athens means great potential for growth and innovation

Athens has always had an entrepreneurial spirit. The digital economy, and a more flexible business landscape, have created a thriving startup scene. Venture capitalists have been quick to invest in the city’s highly skilled software engineers, programmers, and designers, many of them graduates from Athens world-class universities. A European Investment Fund, boosted by private capital, will pump around 400 million euros into Greek startups and small businesses in the next five years. No wonder Athens was named European Capital of Innovation for 2018.

Athens means nobody sleeps early, skips dinner, or misses the party

Sure, extended family meals and taverna culture are time-honoured rituals as unshakeable as the Parthenon. But young Greek chefs have introduced global influences to the local dining scene, and mixologists are using native ingredients to shake up Athens’ legendary cocktail culture. Sip your Aegean Tonic on a roof terrace overlooking the Acropolis. Pull up a chair and chat with locals on a cobblestone square. Or dance deep into the small hours at a seaside club. If New York is the city that never sleeps, Athens is the city that never stops…

Athens means 18 Blue Flag beaches, just a pebble’s throw away

Athens is the only European capital with a coastline adorned with Blue Flag beaches. Less than an hour from the Acropolis are translucent beaches where you can swim, sail, surf, or water-ski almost year-round. From jet-set marinas to pine-fringed peninsulas, pristine sands to pumping beach clubs, a day trip to the Athens Riviera is like dipping your toes into the Greek island lifestyle. For a real holiday vibe, set sail on luxury cruise around the Temple of Poseidon, where the mythical sunsets inspired George Seferis and Lord Byron to wax lyrical.

Athens means business and pleasure are closer than you think

So, you just dropped into Athens for a short business trip. Too bad you won't get to any islands, right? Wrong. Some of the loveliest Greek islands are just a short ferry ride away. In an hour or two, you could be gazing up at the ancient temple of Aphaia on Aegina, diving off the rocky coastline of car-free Hydra, eating lobster spaghetti with the yachting set on Kea, or cycling past bougainvillaea-draped mansions on Spetses. Athens is connected to the fabled Greek islands through the ports of Piraeus, Rafina, and Lavrio, all easily accessible by car or public transport.

Athens means you’ll never be lonely

Athens is a delightful paradox: a buzzing metropolis with a laid-back lifestyle. The streets are filled with cafes and bars, and these cafes and bars are filled with people having a good time. If you’re one of the 5.5 million people who will visit Athens this year, you'll fit right into this sociable scene. Most locals speak English fluently, and many of us are confident speaking other languages too. So, you’ll have no trouble making new friends in Athens. In our lively conversations, we may get some words wrong, but we sure know how to live right.

https://www.thisisathens.org/acvb/why-choose-athens-convention-trips

ACVB - Service to Meeting Planners

Athens is a city of a thousand faces and spaces. Classical or coastal? Traditional or modern? Whatever you have in mind, Athens has the perfect stage for your event. Our service providers can cater to all your needs, from transport to translation, guided tours to insider experiences. And we have no shortage of places to entertain your guests after office hours — from waterfront restaurants to rooftops with Parthenon views.