Athens, the original Olympic City, is gearing up to become one of the congress industry’s ultimate meeting places of 2006. The 2nd General Assembly and Annual Congress of the European Federation of the Associations of PCOs…
Athens, the original Olympic City, is gearing up to become one of the congress industry’s ultimate meeting places of 2006. The 2nd General Assembly and Annual Congress of the European Federation of the Associations of PCOs takes place in the city’s Helexpo Congress and Exhibition Centre from December 8 to 10.
Over 30 speakers and contributors from all over Europe have already been confirmed to take part in a hyperactive two-day programme featuring some 15 business sessions.
The event will involve a wide range of European, national and professional organisations including the European Parliament, UNWTO, the European Commission and specialist exhibitions like IMEX and EIBTM, international associations including ICCA and IAPCO, plus the private sector including hotels and airlines.
Burning issues set to be tackled include the European Commission’s approach to business tourism, how PCOs can improve their relationships with Convention Bureaus, the explosive future of e-learning and how e-technology can be harnessed by the meetings industry.
Session moderators include IMEX Chairman Ray Bloom; Paul Kennedy Group Exhibition Director Meetings & Incentive Events, Reed Travel Exhibitions; Katarzyna Sobierajska Director of the Polish Convention Bureau; and Andre Vietor, President IAPCO, from Barcelona.
Speakers range from Jean Bergevin, European Commission Internal Market & Services DG on the Commission’s approach to business tourism to Andrea Libova from the Prague Convention Bureau on market opportunities in new member countries of the EU.
The line-up also includes Jose Zamarriego, Director of the Deontological Supervision Unit of Farmaindustria, Dr Paris Tsartas, Professor in Tourism Development at the University of the Aegean, and Mrs. Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou, Member of the European Parliamentary Committee on Transport & Tourism, Greece.
The Assembly’s programme committee Chairman, and Secretary General of EFAPCO, Zacharias Kaplanidis, said “The Federation has made tremendous strides in the last three years. We will probably have ten national associations in membership by the time we gather in Athens, and many of our 60-plus associate members will also be taking part.
“The programme committee (which includes former Greek Minister of Tourism, Nikolaos Skoulas, EFAPCO President Julio Abreu and IMEX’s Ray Bloom) has devised a schedule which will tackle many of the crucial challenges faced by the MICE industry, worldwide, and by the EU’s member states. It will also serve to underline Europe’s position as the world’s foremost conventions destination. Sessions will also discuss the development of an updated code of ethics for PCOs, the future of air transportation, the furthering of relationships with hotel chains and congress centres, and the evolution of core PCOs,” he added.
The programme includes visits to the EXPORAMA show, the Mediterranean Special Event for Exhibitions, Conferences and Below-the-Line activities, which is taking place at the same time in the Helexpo Palace, plus an Athens city tour, a reception and dinner at the Lavrio Congress Centre, one of the world’s most historic venues (5,000 years old), and a closing banquet at Athens Music Hall & Congress Centre.
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