550 exhibitors and 4,350 business meetings at the two exhibitions
Philoxenia celebrated its 40th anniversary
FOOD & DRINKS by Detrop thematic showcases stole the spotlight
Philoxenia-Hotelia and FOOD & DRINKS by Detrop inaugurated their entry into a new era, bringing tourism and gastronomy closer than ever this year. From 14 to 16 November, they welcomed more than 20,000 visitors from 47 countries to the Thessaloniki International Exhibition & Congress Center, leaving the best impressions on participants. The two exhibitions, which hosted 550 exhibitors from Greece and abroad, facilitated over 4,350 scheduled business meetings that laid the foundation for future collaborations. Over the course of three days, destinations within and beyond Greece, hospitality enterprises, coffee and catering businesses, and the gastronomic treasures of the country were presented. By joining forces, the two exhibitions demonstrated their ability to combine tradition, innovation, and business opportunities.
This year’s double event was marked by the 40th anniversary of Philoxenia, which showcased a panorama of destinations and tourism enterprises, welcoming 300 exhibitors from Greece and 21 foreign countries, including Armenia, Egypt, Bosnia, Georgia, Jordan, Indonesia, Turkey, and Portugal. Serbia held a place of honour, with participants from various regions, and TIF-HELEXPO signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Regional Secretariat of Economy and Tourism of Vojvodina and the Novi Sad Fair Organization, while another memorandum was signed with Izmir Fair Services, Culture & Art Affairs Trade Inc. (IZFAS).
At the heart of the 40th Philoxenia was an enhanced B2B business program with two key pillars:
B2B Corporate Networking, a new addition where 25 companies had the opportunity to meet exhibitors, hotels, and travel agencies presenting their tourism services.
Hosted Buyers Program, with 110 invited tourism professionals from 36 countries. With the Regional Association of Municipalities of the Peloponnese as Gastronomy Sponsor, participants tasted local products, while the Thessaloniki Tourism Organization sponsored the city tour and the Department of Organization Management, Marketing and Tourism of the IHU supported with volunteers. Through these programs, more than 3,700 B2B meetings were held. The exhibition also welcomed two business delegations with about 100 participants from North Macedonia and Bulgaria, as well as a large delegation from the Panhellenic Federation of Hotel Managers.
As part of the 40th-anniversary celebrations of Philoxenia, a tourism poster exhibition was organized by TIF-HELEXPO and the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO), showcasing material from 1985 to the present. In collaboration with the Greek Instagramers Events community, the “40 Years of Philoxenia” photography competition was also held, with the winning works displayed at Pavilion 13. The inauguration of Philoxenia was accompanied by a GNTO reception celebrating four decades of the exhibition’s presence in the tourism sector. The 40th Philoxenia-Hotelia had the GNTO as Strategic Partner and ODAP as Official Partner and was held under the auspices of Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE), Hellenic Association of Tourists & Travel Agencies (HATTA), Hellenic Federation of Hoteliers (HHF), Hellenic Chamber of Hotels (HCH), and Hellenic Association of Professional Congress Organizers (HAPCO).
Among the rich parallel events, the conference “Philoxenia in a Digital Era: Beyond 4.0” – Innovation, Hospitality, Destinations in the Digital Age stood out, shedding light on developments in this new tourism chapter and emphasizing that digital transformation is a one-way path in an era of rapid change where the travel experience has been radically transformed. The conference was co-organized by TIF-HELEXPO and the Region of Central Macedonia, specifically by the Vice-Governorates for Digital Governance and Tourism. It was held under the auspices of the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO), Federation of Hellenic ICT Enterprises (SEPE), and Hellenic Association of Technology and Information Technology Enterprises (SETPE), with Fraport Greece as Hospitality Sponsor.
Additionally, highlighting the exhibition’s role as a platform linking professionals with the job market, the Job Festival by Skywalker was hosted at the “I. Vellidis” Conference Centre.
The FOOD & DRINKS by Detrop exhibition was also a key attraction for professionals, bringing together 250 exhibitors, with dynamic participation from the Regions of Central and Western Macedonia, Western Greece, the Peloponnese, Thessaly, and the North Aegean, as well as brands from countries such as Ethiopia, Australia, Bulgaria, Germany, Italy, China, and South Africa.
All About Café, which broke every record this year with the participation of over 60 major brands in the sector, took centre stage. The Coffee Village, sponsored by Eurogat, impressed visitors with innovative events, seminars, and workshops. Equally noteworthy were the thematic zones Drinks & Wine by Oenos, Golden Olive, Dairy, Herbs & Honey, Global & Local, which highlighted local flavours and products. Among the highlights was the Food Stage of Macedonian Cuisine, where the Chefs’ Association of Greece prepared live cooking sessions, the Olive Oil Bar of Western Greece, and the Pairing Bar, where exhibitors’ products were creatively combined.
Meanwhile, major foreign supermarket chains, key importers from European countries, the Middle East, South America, and the Balkans, as well as hosted buyers and trade visitors from the Balkans, United Kingdom, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Czech Republic, Hungary, Germany, Poland, Luxembourg, Cyprus, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, and Brazil, along with Greek buyers from leading domestic supermarket chains and the foodservice sector, attended FOOD & DRINKS by Detrop and participated in more than 650 B2B meetings, organized in collaboration with the Federation of Industries of Greece (SBE), member of the Enterprise Europe Network – Hellas (EEN).
Within the framework of the exhibition, the Food Experts’ Awards (FEA) 2025 ceremony was held for the third consecutive year, organized by Cibum.gr. Dedicated to innovation, responsibility, and excellence, the event was a landmark for the food and beverage industry, bringing together companies, scientists, professionals, and institutions from across the country.
