Athens as a Major Congress Destination and the Role of Professional Congress Organizers (PCOs)

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the factors that contribute to the attraction of major congress events in Athens, Greece and the role of professional congress organizers (PCOs) in this process.  To meet this aim we used a questionnaire distributed through Google Forms to 30 PCO executives in the major Athens area. The questionnaire used qualitative and quantitative methods and contained both open and closed answer questions. Results showed that most PCOs organize local events with medical congresses being the main activity (96.7%). The vast majority of PCO’s use the social media or digital marketing to approach clients (with Facebook being the principal tool, 89.7%), as only 33.3% of the Greek PCOs can afford to participate as exponents to major congress tourism exhibitions worldwide because of their small size and limited resources. This means that the role of PCOs in the attraction of major congress events in Athens is limited. Additionally, PCOs revealed that most congresses organized in Athens last only 1-2 days (74%), with a mean number of participants on average about 300 people. Respondents also think that Athens can become a major congress tourism destination as it has certain advantages (good congress infrastructure, excellent weather, priceless archaeological sites, a unique sea front, night life, good shopping places and opportunities for short excursions) that need to be exploited, as well as the Athens Visitor & Conventions Bureau of which they share a positive view. The current study shows that conjoint efforts of the state, the private sector and certain congress tourism stakeholders are needed (adopting advanced development strategies and using intensive marketing tools, including ambassador programs and adequate bidding processes) in order for Athens to attract international congress events and be established as a major congress tourism destination.