Once again, the global conferences-and-congratulations industry has turned its collective gaze toward Greece, confirming — with great solemnity — that the country still exists on the international meetings map.
From February 25 to 28, 2026, Athens will host the IAPCO Annual Meeting & General Assembly, bringing together the world’s top professional conference organizers at the Megaron Mousikis (Megaron, the Athens Concert Hall). For three full days, leading figures of the global meetings industry will gather in one room to discuss, reflect, inspire one another, and presumably agree that conferences remain very important.
Because no international event is complete without geographical symbolism, the program thoughtfully begins earlier in Thessaloniki, where the IAPCO Council Meeting will take place from February 21 to 24, hosted at the Grand Hotel Palace. A Stakeholder Meeting will follow at the Thessaloniki Concert Hall, ensuring that no city feels left out of the strategic narrative.
A Triumphant Return, Again
IAPCO’s return to Athens — following its successful appearance in 2010 — is described as “particularly significant,” a phrase that appears mandatory in all conference announcements worldwide. The event is framed as a turning point for dialogue, strategy, and collective action, positioning Greece as a mature, reliable, and competitive destination — adjectives that have clearly survived every economic cycle unscathed.
This, readers are assured, is the premier international gathering of conference professionals, dedicated to best practices, emerging trends, and experiences of “high value,” a term that remains impressively flexible.
The Odyssey, But Make It Corporate
The conference theme, “The Odyssey Reinvented,” draws inspiration from Homer’s epic — because nothing says global meetings industry like Odysseus navigating digital transformation.
According to the narrative, the Odyssey is no longer about wandering, monsters, or survival, but about:
- technology reshaping human connection;
- the balance between digital and human wisdom;
- leadership, adaptability, and perseverance.
Odysseus, it turns out, was an early adopter of innovation.
In this retelling, the hero’s journey becomes a metaphor for conference professionals navigating virtual platforms, stakeholder alignment, and the existential question of whether meetings could have been emails.
Stakeholders Assemble
Special emphasis is placed on activating local stakeholders, culminating on the final day with invited representatives from Thessaloniki, thereby strengthening the symbolic bond between Greece’s two largest cities and reinforcing the national strategy of being very good at hosting conferences everywhere, all at once.
It is worth noting that this is a closed conference, open exclusively to IAPCO members and strategic partners — because reinvention, like excellence, works best behind closed doors.
Everyone Thanks Everyone
The event is hosted by IAPCO Team Greece, composed of leading Greek conference organizers — AFEA Congress, CONVIN SA, ERA Congresses & Events, and ERASMUS Conferences & Events — alongside This is Athens – Convention & Visitors Bureau. All are certified, accredited, affiliated, and thoroughly committed to quality, integrity, and the careful use of impressive acronyms.
Statements from organizational leaders underline that:
- Athens is a global hub
- Greece is flexible, professional, and visionary
- history, democracy, and the first symposium were definitely invented here
Meanwhile, IAPCO helpfully reminds us that it represents the gold standard of excellence, with:
- 97 member companies
- over 10,000 professionals
- 21,322 events in 2024
- and an economic impact of €17.8 billion
All rigorously evaluated, continuously committed, and strategically aligned across Community Engagement, Education, and Advocacy — because four pillars always sound more stable than two.
In Summary
Athens will host a major international conference about conferences.
It will be very important.
It will involve many stakeholders.
The Odyssey will survive another metaphor.
And the global meetings industry will, once again, congratulate itself — this time with excellent acoustics.
