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Home Associations The 2024 Institute of Travel & Tourism Conference in Halkidiki event

The 2024 Institute of Travel & Tourism Conference in Halkidiki event

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Smiling faces; what a welcome! on a l to r: Marketing manager of the HTO, Tania Akritidou; the Vice President of the Halkidiki Hotel Association, Yiannis Laspas; Halkidiki Deputy Regional Governor for Central Macedonia, Katerina Zografou; Director of the HTO, Giorgos Broutzas; President of the HTO, Grigoris Tassios; Head of the GNTO branch of the United Kingdom & Ireland, Eleni Skarveli; representative of the Region of Central Macedonia, Maria Plastara; Celine Spataro; SK Hospitality and the owner of Kassandra Palace, Nikos Athanasopoulos

The premier conference of the British travel industry, the Institute of Travel & Tourism (ITT), returned to Greece after 26 years, and for the first time, was successfully held in Halkidiki from June 3-5, 2024.

This initiative, led by the Greek National Tourism Organisation (GNTO) in the UK & Ireland, in collaboration with the Halkidiki Tourism Organisation, aimed to highlight the region as an exceptional destination for ideal vacations as well as conference tourism.

It is worth noting that just last year (2023), the British market opened widely for Halkidiki with the launch of Jet2 Holidays and EasyJet Holidays flights starting in April. The last time the annual ITT conference was held in Greece was in Athens in 1997.

GNTO Secretary General Dimitris Fragakis commented: “With yet another initiative, the GNTO brings an exceptionally significant event to Greece. The ITT conference is a major event with both substantive and symbolic importance, demonstrating that Greece is at the forefront and can shape developments in tourism. The UK remains one of the most important countries for our tourism, and the hosting of the conference among other things shows the market’s confidence in Greece. I want to congratulate the GNTO office in the UK, the Halkidiki Tourism Organisation, the Region of Central Macedonia, and all those who worked and contributed to the success of the conference.”

The Conference

The ITT conference is one of the premier events in the travel industry, designed for ITT members and attended by leading figures from the UK’s travel and tourism sector. Founded in 1956, the Institute is the only members-only organisation that brings together the crème de la crème of the travel industry in the UK. Its main objectives are lobbying, networking, and education (training). The ITT organises a series of events throughout the year in the UK, as well as its annual conference, held outside the UK in a different destination each year. This allows its members to experience firsthand the hidden beauties and charm of each region. The conference has been hosted in various locations, including Doha in 2023, Istanbul in 2022, Split in 2019, Sicily and Sorrento in 2017-2018, and Tel Aviv in 2016.

The Delegates

The ITT 2024 conference in Halkidiki saw the participation of 270 delegates, including tour operators (such as TUI, Thomas Cook, Dnata, G Adventures, Carisma Holidays, Newmarket Holidays, Travel Department), travel agents (such as Hays Travel, Travel Counsellors), market professionals from companies surrounding the British tourism industry (such as Avis, Amadeus, Deloitte, WTM, Eurostar, Newcastle International Airport, Qatar Airways), professional tourism associations (such as ABTA, Advantage Travel Partnership), cruise companies (such as MSC Cruises, Ambassador Cruise Line, Variety Cruises), MPs, representatives from the House of Commons and House of Lords, British media representatives & influencers (such as Evening Standard, TTG, Travel Gossip), distinguished speakers, and academics from universities like Imperial College Business School, Arden, Plymouth, and Wolverhampton.

Mrs. Katerina Zografou, at the podium

The primary aim of the event was to showcase Halkidiki to a targeted audience of professionals in the British tourism industry, as well as through the social media channels they manage.

The Deputy Regional Governor of Halkidiki for Central Macedonia, Mrs. Katerina Zografou, the President of the Halkidiki Tourism Organisation, Mr. Grigoris Tassios, and the Director of the GNTO UK & Ireland Office, Mrs. Eleni Skarveli, welcomed the delegates with a special reception at the Porto Carras Resort. Greek tourism professionals were also invited to engage in networking with the British tour operators.

The conference addressed various topics, including industry prospects and market trends, the utilization of artificial intelligence tools, climate change management, and strategic planning for attracting new talent to the tourism industry.

The conference activities were complemented by excursions and visits to Thessaloniki and Halkidiki, aiming to provide a deeper understanding of the local culture and gastronomy. Participants engaged in targeted thematic experiences such as wine tasting of local varieties, olive oil tasting, and tasting of the PDO Halkidiki olives.

Olive tasting!

Carbon Offset Initiative

In line with a practice frequently adopted by British companies to enhance sustainability, the ITT conference organisers implemented the “carbon offset” practice for the first time in the local community they visited. Through the financial contribution of each delegate, a corresponding amount was donated to the non-profit organisation “Ypsizonos,” a running and hiking association in Halkidiki founded in 2022. This NGO aims to create a volunteer community that promotes sustainable running experiences and participates in activities for the maintenance and cleaning of local trails in Halkidiki.

Overall, hosting the annual ITT conference in Greece provided an excellent opportunity for numerous key players in the British tourism market to get to know the destination firsthand. They explored the outstanding beauty of Halkidiki through guided tours and cultural experiences, allowing them to connect and discover the destination’s comparative advantages.

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