06/05/2026
Thessaloniki Convention Bureau was proud to be part of the 15th Annual Meeting of HAPCO & DES in Athens — a key meeting point for the conferences and events industry.
Our Managing Director, Dimitris Gnts, actively participated in the panel discussion “Synching Voices | Shaping Perceptions”| Aligning Destination Narratives with Stakeholder Expectations”, contributing to meaningful dialogue around the future of destination positioning and stakeholder alignment.
The panel also featured Paola Padovani (Business Development Director of BU Congress & Association Management), Evgenios Vassilicos (President of the Athens–Attica & Argosaronic Hoteliers Association), Vangelis Marinakis (President of Development Athens), Nikos Diamantopoulos (General Manager of Marketing Greece), and Alexia Panagiotopoulou (Sustainable Tourism Development & Destination Management Consultant).
The panel was moderated by Sissi Lygnou, President of IAPCO, President & CEO of AFEA Congress, and Board Member of Hellenic Association of Professional Congress Organizers-HAPCO.
The President of Thessaloniki Convention Bureau and Marketing Director of the Μέγαρο Μουσικής Θεσσαλονίκης / Thessaloniki Concert Hall, Prodromos Monastiridis, participated in the panel ‘Exhibition & Conference Venues 2030 | Transforming Exhibition and Conference Spaces Into Immersive Experiences’, contributing to the discussion on the future of exhibitions and conferences and the evolution of venues into fully immersive environments.”
The panel also included Zenia Kerasidou –Director of Sales & Confernece Services of Megaron Athens Concert Hall, Alexios Lagoudakis- Managing Director of ROTA Exhibitions, Andreas Mavrommatis - CEO Δ.Ε.Θ Διεθνης Εκθεση Θεσσαλονικης , and Athanasios Panagoulias - Chairman / CEO Εκθέσεις Εκδόσεις FORUM SA
The panel was moderated by Matina Harkoftaki-Journalist, Kathimerini
With the central message “SYNC • SHIFT • SHAPE”, the event highlighted the evolving landscape of the industry, focusing on collaboration, innovation, and sustainable growth.