ACB EVENTS: New institution from the Athens Convention Bureau

ACB EVENTS: New institution from the Athens Convention Bureau

The ACB successfully staged the first event in the newly established "ACB Events" programme at the Byzantine and Christian Museum on the topic "Athens: Becoming a Top Conference Destination". The featured speaker was Roger Carter, Managing Director of TEAM Tourism Consulting, who drew the attention of organisations, tourism stakeholders and entrepreneurs.

Mr Carter gave a detailed presentation on the international conference and meetings market environment within which Athens is active as a destination and analysed the major trends which are expected to impact the market conditions in the coming years.

Among other things, the British expert stressed the up and coming dominance of electronic methods of marketing (e-marketing); the exceptionally demanding Customer Relationship Management applications; the continually increasing contribution of social media; as well as the anticipated impact of ultramodern technological applications, such as virtual meetings. Particular emphasis was placed on the challenges that Athens is being called upon to face in its effort to secure a position among the more popular conference destinations in the world. At the same time, emphasis was also placed on developments related to competition, particularly with regard to investments in new infrastructure and facilities, as well as on the ongoing effort to improve available services and various domestic issues, such as the image created by labour protests and the negative publicity that has emerged recently.

As part of City of Athens strategy for further development and promotion of the conference product of Athens, as well as the establishment of new methods of cooperation with the city's tourism market, the Athens Convention Bureau, through the "ACB Events" programme, aims to achieve a stronger association with ACB Members. The programme will feature regular events and include presentations and analyses of issues related to the broader sector of conferences and company meetings. "ACB Events" also hope to help Members and ACB associates become more thoroughly informed on various issues that concern the market through an approach that will aim at the high level of professionalism and specialised expertise that such issues require. The events will be planned on the basis of current developments in the international market, of trends emerging worldwide, particularly with regard to the staging and promotion of conference destinations, and of the demands for better organisation of the domestic conference market.