At the 8th Panhellenic Conference of the Hellenic Association of Professional Congress Organizers (HAPCO) held recently in Athens, industry insiders spotlighted the unmet potential of MICE Tourism.
Experts and insiders suggested that Greece can become one of the top-ten world destinations for meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) travel. Citing the need for a more coherent plan as the biggest stumbling block, stakeholders now feel the need to take a more MICE-friendly approach to achieve world-class status in the segment.
According to the news, Greece decision-makers must adopt better practices while at the same time breaking down barriers to expanding on the potential. Greece has done a good job in recent years for elevating its world ranking at ICCA for conference destinations, but a lot more needs to be done.
Currently, Greece ranks 15th in the European category. The HAPCO event now magnifies the need for further enhancing the synergies between the Greek state, local governments, and the private sector to cooperate. According to the expert, new incentives for conferences must be created. In addition, the infrastructure must also be addressed.
Where medical conferences are concerned, more momentum can be generated if national and European constraints are eased. More harmonious procedures will go a long way to fast-forwarding the growth process.
During the previous Greece administration, the Board of Directors of the Hellenic Association of Professional Conference Organizers (HAPCO) has met to initiative significant initiatives to enhance the prospects of MICE tourism in Greece, as well as the nation’s capital, Athens.
More recently, during the present administration, a July health ministry regulation covering the approval procedure for the organization of medical and scientific conferences and medical training was scrapped after HAPCO advised against it.
Meanwhile, HAPCO President Eirini Toli and board members met with Tourism Minister Haris Theoharis and Deputy Tourism Minister Manos Konsolas to discuss the trade body’s problems in the MICE tourism market.