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Economy - overview:
Greece has a capitalist economy with the public sector accounting for about 40% of GDP and with per capita GDP about two-thirds that of the leading euro-zone economies. Tourism provides 15% of GDP. Immigrants make up nearly one-fifth of the work force, mainly in agricultural and unskilled jobs. Greece is a major beneficiary of EU aid, equal to about 3.3% of annual GDP. The Greek economy grew by nearly 4.0% per year between 2003 and 2007, due partly to infrastructural spending related to the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, and in part to an increased availability of credit, which has sustained record levels of consumer spending. But the economy went into recession in 2009 as a result of the world financial crisis, tightening credit conditions, and Athens' failure to address a growing budget deficit, which was triggered by falling state revenues, and increased government expenditures. The economy contracted by 2% in 2009, and 4.8% in 2010. Greece violated the EU's Growth and Stability Pact budget deficit criterion of no more than 3% of GDP from 2001 to 2006, but finally met that criterion in 2007-08, before exceeding it again in 2009, with the deficit reaching 15.4% of GDP. Austerity measures reduced the deficit to 10.5% of GDP in 2010. Public debt, inflation, and unemployment are above the euro-zone average while per capita income is below; unemployment rose to 12% in 2010. Eroding public finances, a credibility gap stemming from inaccurate and misreported statistics, and consistent underperformance on following through with reforms prompted major credit rating agencies in late 2009 to downgrade Greece's international debt rating, and has led the country into a financial crisis. Under intense pressure by the EU and international market participants, the government has adopted a medium-term austerity program that includes cutting government spending, reducing the size of the public sector, decreasing tax evasion, reforming the health care and pension systems, and improving competitiveness through structural reforms to the labor and product markets. Athens, however, faces long-term challenges to push through unpopular reforms in the face of often vocal opposition from the country's powerful labor unions and the general public. Greek labor unions are striking over new austerity measures, but the strikes so far have had a limited impact on the government's will to adopt reforms. An uptick in widespread unrest, however, could challenge the government's ability to implement reforms and meet budget targets, and could also lead to rioting or violence. In April 2010 a leading credit agency assigned Greek debt its lowest possible credit rating; in May, the International Monetary Fund and Eurozone governments provided Greece emergency short- and medium-term loans worth $147 billion so that the country could make debt repayments to creditors. In exchange for the largest bailout ever assembled, the government announced combined spending cuts and tax increases totaling $40 billion over three years, on top of the tough austerity measures already taken. Greece, however, struggled to boost revenues and cut spending to meet 2010 targets set by the EU and the IMF, especially after Eurostat - the EU's statistical office - revised upward Greece's deficit and debt numbers for 2009 and 2010. Greece's lenders are calling on Athens to step up efforts in 2011 to increase tax collection, shore up public enterprises, and rein in health spending, and are planning to give Greece more time to repay its EU-IMF loan. Greece responded by introducing major structural reforms, but investors still question whether Greece can sustain fiscal efforts in the face of a bleak economic outlook and public discontent. |
Greece Trade Fair Grounds |
Expo Athens
Since the year 2003 the city of Athens has a new exhibition CENTRE. A modern exhibition CENTRE with an impressive architectural style that offers all the conveniences and services that modern exhibitions require.
Right from the beginning, EXPO ATHENS was designed in every detail exclusively for exhibition purposes. It is located at a central junction, more specifically on Attiki Odos Ave. which is the main Athens ring road. The spacious parking lot of 50,000 square meters and the easy access make it the ideal destination for all the visitors of exhibitions and events held there.
EXPO ATHENS is the first, large and modern exhibition CENTRE of Athens. The exhibition facilities occupy 32,500 square meters in two different levels that have been separated into five functional and modern halls. The communication between the two levels and among the halls is achieved easily and comfortably by lifts, escalators and stairs.
Helexpo S.A.
HELEXPO S.A. is the national exhibition agency of Greece. It is the largest organizer of exhibitions, conferences and cultural events in South-Eastern Europe and it is seated in Thessaloniki. As an S.A. company entitled “HELEXPO S.A. HELLENIC ORGANISATION OF INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITIONS, CONFERENCES, CULTURAL EVENTS”, it has operated since 1999, following a separation from the formerly unified company entitled 'HELEXPO-TIF'.
HELEXPO S.A. has the exclusive right to use Thessaloniki International Exhibition Centre, which covers an area of 180,000 m2, “I. Vellidis” and “N. Germanos” Congress Centres, located in the city centre, and “HELEXPO Palace” Attica Exhibition and Congress Centre, which is located in the heart of Athens and is the best equipped centre in the exhibition sector in Greece; the Centre was ceded to the Organising Committee of 'ATHENS 2004', in order to be used for the needs of the 2004 Olympic Games.
HELEXPO also has the exclusive right to use the trademarks of all sector exhibitions. Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF), a General Fair of global prestige organised by HELEXPO S.A. every September, is one of the most successful and long-running exhibition institutions.
Mediterranian Exibition Center (M.E.C)
M.E.C started to operate as an exibition center in 1989,covering an area of 12,000 square meters, hosting 7 exibitions throughout it's area for the first year.
Since 1989 to this day, 300 exibitions mainly of commercial character and of the whole Greek nation range have taken place.
Metropolitan Expo
Metropolitan Expo is the largest, most modern and functional venue for exhibitions, conferences and events in Greece.
It is located in a privileged location, next to the Athens International Airport "Eleftherios Venizelos" with quick access and spacious parking.
Designed to the highest standards, ensuring thus functionality, flexibility and aesthetic integrity of facilities.
It already hosts major exhibitions and conferences, as well as numerous events and happenings of either Greek or Mutinational Companies, located in Greece.
Every year, more than 35 exhibitions and great events take place in its premises, and at least 500.000 visitors visit the Centre.
Our objective is to promote the constant and dynamic development of hosted events through high - class infrastructrure, facilities and services of the Metropolitan Expo.
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Greece Trade Fairs (Trade Shows, Exhibitions, Conferences) |
Linea Hellenica Ltd
Linea Exhibitions was established in 1991 by Mrs. Α. Stathopoulou and it forms the continuity of the commercial activity of the company “Linea International Ltd” (Skalotheou D. – Stathopoulou Α., 1980 - 1991). Since 2000 the company's registered office is in Metamorphosi of Attica directed by Mr. Constantinos Stathopoulos and has 15 employees.
The basic company activity consists in the organization of commercial exhibitions. In parallel, it is occupied with the publication of branch magazines, the representation of exhibition centres in the South-eastern Europe and the Balkan Peninsula, as well as in the organization of Greek businesses participation in exhibitions in foreign countries.
ROTA SA
We are ROTA SA, the largest exhibition organization company in Greece. We organize trade shows, exhibitions open to the public, conferences and events, catering to the specific needs of numerous market sectors, with an array of products ranging from home furnishing items to construction purpose aluminum systems.
We manage the largest exhibition centres in Athens, EXPO ATHENS and METROPOLITAN EXPO, the ultra modern exhibitions grounds of which confidently host prestigious international exhibitions and a variety of highly demanding events.
Thessaloniki International Trade Fair (TIF)
The Thessaloniki International Trade Fair is an annual commercial exhibition event of much importance in Greece and Southeastern Europe taking place at the 180,000m² Thessaloniki International Exhibition Center in Thessaloniki, Greece. The fair was first held in 1926 and today it is organised by HELEXPO.
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Greece Trade Associations |
Association of Greek Exhibition & Conference Organisers (AGECO)
AGECO was founded in the ‘80s following an initiative by the established private sector exhibition and conference organisers in Greece.
Its primary aim is to promote best practices for the industry, to coordinate efforts to improve operating conditions, to establish an effective framework and to assist the development of the exhibition and conference industry by being the link between its members and the appropriate government departments. |
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