ATHENS MEETING PLANNER’S GUIDE The official guide to Athens meeting, incentive, conference and events facilities 2019 - 2020 Athens: the City to Share Your Ideas Some of humanity’s most exciting ideas were born in Athens, and from here they were shared with the world. This could be due to the fine weather; Or the inspiring scenery; Or, if you prefer, the Athenian attitude towards life. Whatever the reason, great ideas seem to have always reached the most distant places when coming from this unique place of Europe. Enhanced by its state-of-the-art venues and facilities, Athens today can meet the demands of any event and always deliver an impeccable result. Bring your event to Athens. Get inspired. Share your ideas. ATHENS PRESIDENT DEVELOPMENT Maria Logotheti AND MANAGING DIRECTOR ADDMA/ CITY OF ATHENS CONVENTION DESTINATION & VISITOR’S BUREAU (ACVB) MANAGEMENT Alexis Galinos AGENCY ACVB Eliza Tsolakou, General Manager. Anna-Maria Chatzidaki Marketing Manager Nikos Alikaris International Account Manager Vyron Myrgiotis International Account Manager MEDIA & PUBLIC RELATIONS Matina Magkou Anna Zarifi CONTACT 7 Filellinon Str, 105 57 Athens, Greece © ATHENS MEETING PLANNER’S GUIDE. All rights reserved. Neither this publication nor T. +302103312002 any part of it may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form F. +30 210 32 16 653 or by any means, electronic, mechanical, E. [email protected] photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the Athens Development www.athenscvb.gr and Destination Management Agency. Where opinion is expressed it is that of the www.developathens.gr authors and does not necessarily coincide with the editorial views of the publisher of the ACB mag. All information in this magazine is verified to the best of the authors’ and the publisher’s ability. However, the ACB mag does not accept responsibility for any loss arising from reliance on it. ATHENS MEETING PLANNER’S GUIDE 2 A few words by the Mayor I would like to take this opportunity to invite you to Athens, a lively, cosmopolitan metropolis, harmoniously reconciling the past and the present. Athens is a city with three UNESCO heritage sites, the longest pedestrian archeological walk in Europe, the birthplace of Plato’s symposium and with an innate capacity for organizing social gatherings. A city endowed with year-round sunshine, the European capital city with the most blue flag beaches, a booming gastronomic scene where Mediterranean fusions open up new gourmet flavors, and warm, hospitable people. In addition to world class cultural heritage attractions, in Athens you will find new high-end convention facilities, newly built or recently renovated hotels, a vibrant entertainment scene and a state-of-the-art transportation network to accommodate the needs of the most demanding of events. Athens is a destination with unique dynamic and great potential. Conferences, company meetings, exhibitions and incentive travel constitute the core of the local tourism industry and a strategic priority for the City of Athens. In this direction, the Athens Convention & Visitors Bureau is committed, through its team of highly experienced and motivated professionals, to providing you assistance and sophisticated, tailor-made solutions to guarantee the success of your event. With these thoughts, I invite you to bring your event to Athens. To a city that has the infrastructure and the know- how to successfully organize events. To a city that knows how to guarantee new thrills and that longs to leave its mark in the hearts of all its visitors. I look forward to welcoming you to Athens! Georgios Kaminis Mayor of Athens 3 ATHENS MEETING PLANNER’S GUIDE WELCOME TO ATHENS the historical capital of Europe, with a long, rich history and modern vibrations. What is it that makes more and more travelers annually choose Athens as their destination- for business or pleasure, in winter or summer? Could it be its long list of things to see and do, and its lovely- most of the time- weather conditions? Or is it perhaps because Athens is ranked amongst the safest European capitals? Not to forget, it is a city where functionality, culture and indulgence meet: from the efficient, user-friendly transportation You will find the Greek capital emerging between stun- network and some of the world’s most ning coast and mountain lines of natural beauty and important museums and archaeological breathtaking landscapes. Located at the crossroads of monuments, to the awarded, high-quality three continents and multiple civilizations throughout restaurants that cater to every taste. history, its close-to-four million population constitutes a hub of many cultures. Most importantly, its welcom- ing and hospitable culture and people make every vis- itor feel at home. The Athenian metropolis is steadily turning into a high- ly connected city, one direct flight at a time. This is due to an increasing number of international carriers flying into Athens’ new and award-winning airport every year. Athens is an ideal congress destination, combining state-of-the-art infrastructure, excellent conference fa- cilities and easy access from all over the world, with world-class cultural attractions, modern amenities, di- verse entertainment and natural beauty. Even more, the Athenian accommodation product is wrapped in a well-polished package due to an extensive renovation for the upcoming, at that time, 2004 Olympic Games. Thus, the city offers a superior experience for contem- porary visitors with comfortable and stylish accommo- dation, and thoughtful and outstanding services. ATHENS MEETING PLANNER’S GUIDE 4 GENERAL INFORMATION LANGUAGE The native language of the population is Modern Greek. English is widely spoken as a second language by the majority of Greeks, while French and German are also spoken to a good extent. TIME Greece is two hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time, seven hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time and an hour ahead of Central European Time. HEALTH Emergency treatment is free to all visitors in public hospitals. CURRENCY Greece has been a full member of the European Union since 1981, and its currency is the Euro (€). All major credit cards are widely accepted in Greece. VISA INFORMATION Greece follows the Schengen Agreement provision and the subsequent acquis concerning short term visa is- sues stays of up to three (3) months in the Schengen area. Holders of regular passports from the rest of the world need a visa to be able to visit Greece (and the rest of the Schengen area). 5 ATHENS MEETING PLANNER’S GUIDE WHY ATHENS Athens offers a diverse product, combining the qualities of a contemporary metropolis with those of a remarkable archaeological heritage- evident in every part of the city. It is this very quality that turns each convention into a big success. From Plato’s “Symposium”, to today’s international, European and national meetings, the “innate Athenian capacity for social gatherings” brings out the best in yourself, turning your convention into a rare experience. ACCESSIBILITY Since its opening in 2001, the multi-awarded Athens So, before you decide on your conference’s International Airport (AIA) “Eleftherios Venizelos”, is next host city, here are the top 10 features one of the fastest-growing airports globally. Every year, of the Greek capital that make it the “place the airport enriches its network with new carriers and to meet”: destinations. As a result, today AIA is connected to all major cities around the world at competitive prices. MEETING FACILITIES A fully diverse collection of meeting venues ensures you will find the perfect space tailored to your needs and preferences, from modern creations to classic jewels. There are currently 40 Conference – Exhibition Centers and 89 Hotels with meeting facilities, offering the latest technology and exceptional services. ACCOMMODATION Athens, as well as the greater Athens region, offer a total of 29.050 rooms in 493 hotels spanning across various categories. A defining occasion was the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, which led to large renovation projects for the majority of the accommodation in- frastructure. This upgrade is still ongoing for the con- stant improvement of services and facilities provided. A study commissioned by the Athens Development & Destination Management Agency on Athens’ Tourist Sector in the Pre and the Post Olympic Games eras, shows that the average length of a foreign tourist’s stay in a hotel in Athens is at 2,3 days, setting the Greek cap- ital ahead of other major European capital cities. ATHENS MEETING PLANNER’S GUIDE 6 PROFESSIONALISM In recent years, Athens has been firmly established as the top meeting destination in Greece and has climbed to the top 25 most popular meeting destinations world- wide. The rise can, to a great extent, be attributed to the city’s highly qualified professionals in various fields of the tourism industry and in particular, the meetings industry. TRANSPORTATION CULTURAL LIFE & ENTERTAINMENT The state of the art transportation network, including Athens is the city of ideas. Some of humanity’s most Metro, Bus, Tram, Train, Trolleybus and expansive high- exciting ideas were born here. In terms of culture, Ath- ways, allows for an easy and quick transportation at a ens is a unique case across the globe. It is probably the very low cost. only place in the world where you can discover a city of more than 2.500 years old within a contemporary me- ACTIVITIES tropolis. Its exceptional past is coupled with a dynamic Boasting a history of 2.500 years, the city of Athens contemporary culture, full of highly acclaimed events is a unique occasion where significant monuments live all year round. To make things even better, Athens of- within a modern city. Coupled with world-class muse- fers a lively nightlife with a wide variety of bars, clubs ums and a vibrant contemporary cultural life, Athens and restaurants.