82nd TIF: The largest event in the last decade 1,500 exhibitors, 18 international country participants, China is the Honoured Country

From left to right, the Scientific Director of the ‘Orama Elpidos’ Association, Mr Stelios Grafakos, the Deputy Minister for the Interior (Macedonia-Thrace), Ms Maria Kollia-Tsaroucha , the President of TIF – HELEXPO, Mr Tasos Tzikas, the political counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Greece, Mr. Gao Wenqi, the CEO of TIF- HELEXPO, Mr Kyriakos Pozrikidis and  the Deputy General Director of TIF-HELEXPO, Mr Alexis Tsaxirlis.

Intensely business-oriented and fully international, with China as the Honoured Country, and 1,500 exhibitors as opposed to 1,015 at last year’s event, with its exhibition premises filled to capacity and with a festive atmosphere, the 82nd TIF event opens on 9 September 2017 and will last until the 17th of the same month. This year’s event is to be the largest in the last decade, with its qualitative and quantitative scale significantly enhanced.

There are a total of 18 international country participants, namely: China, Cyprus, Slovakia, Poland, Luxembourg, South Africa, Armena, Indonesia, FYR of Macedonia, Bulgaria, India, Ukraine, Serbia, Rusia, Turkey, Italy, Egypt and Iran.

There are 167 participating businesses from China, of which seven are globally active, namely: China Cosco Shipping Corporation, China Development Bank, Shehua Group Corporation Limited, Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd, Zhongxing Tele-communication Equipment Corporation, State Grid Corporation of China and Air China. Among Chinese participants, ZTE stands out in the Telecommunication sector, as well as 23 high tech companies from the region of Shanghai. In the context of the Chinese participation, special events are to be hosted, such as the Greek-Chinese Cooperation Forum, titled: “Investment Opportunities in South-eastern Europe: Trends and Challenges in the Energy Sector”, co-organised by PPC SA Hellas (Public Power Corporation – DEI) and ΙΕΝΕ (The Institute of Energy for South-East Europe) and the day-meeting organised by the Greek-Chinese Cooperation Forum titled: “New Silk Road”, jointly organised by the Athenian-Macedonian Press Agency (APE-MPE), under the auspices of the President of the Republic, Mr Prokopis Pavlopoulos. Another forum titled: “A New Bridge for Cooperation & Development” is co-organised by the ‘Enterprise Greece’

From left to right , the President of TIF – HELEXPO, Mr Tasos Tzikas , the Messenger of the ‘Elpida’ Association of Friends of Children with Cancer and the ‘Orama Elpidas’ Association, Mr Sakis Rouvas the CEO of TIF- HELEXPO, Mr Kyriakos Pozrikidis

Organisation, the Eurasian Economic Commission and the Roscongress Foundation.

Beyond international participants, the 82nd TIF will be dynamically attended by 43 Chambers from around Greece, with 360 enterprises. Special participants at this year’s TIF are going to be the Professional Chambers of Thessaloniki, of Serres and – for the first time – the Chamber of Kozani. Special sections of the 82nd TIF event cover a wide range of interests, from education and automobiles to energy and beauty, gastronomy, innovation, e-gaming, etc., with numerous actions and events.

A multi-faceted event that combines recreational, cultural and political aspects is how TIF was characterised at today’s Press Conference by the President of TIF-HELEXPO, Mr Tassos Tzikas, who underlined that the 82nd event will be the best of the last ten years, with exhibitors’ numbers increased by 50%, exhibition premises full to capacity and China as the Honoured Country. “China might be the Honoured Country, but the honour is ours”, Mr Tzikas said, expressing the vision of the exhibition agency that wants Thessaloniki to become an exhibition hub for Chinese products in Europe. “The 82nd TIF will be a landmark, signifying the beginning of a new era, which will make the September Fair what it used to be in the past,” as the president underlined.

A message of help for Greece is sent by the significant participation of China in the 82nd TIF event, according to the Deputy Minister for the Interior (Macedonia-Thrace), Ms Maria Kollia-Tsaroucha. She also stressed that his year’s event marks the starting point towards prosperity and growth.

Chinese-Greek relations are entering a new phase, according to the Political Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Greece, Mr. Gao Wenqi, who also expressed his satisfaction for the reception to be extended to the Chinese by TIF-HELEXPO, with the city being decorated with thousands of Chinese lanterns around its streets. According to Mr Wenqi, the exhibition is going to be a major meeting with entrepreneurial, economic and cultural activities and will provide the ultimate promotion to the mutually beneficial cooperation of the two countries.

On his part, the Chief Executive Officer of TIF-HELEXPO, Mr Kyriakos Pozrikidis, stated that the official state participant from

China comprises more than 400 persons, representing 167 businesses, organisations, regions and agencies that represent significant sectors of the Chinese economy. Indeed, Mr Pozrikidis expressed the wish that the Chinese lanterns already decorating the central streets of the city, which, according to Chinese tradition symbolise good luck and prosperity, may bring good luck to the 82nd TIF.

Thessalonians are invited to become informed and register as volunteer bone marrow donors by the Scientific Director of the ‘Orama Elpidos’ Association, Mr Stelios Grafakos, who estimated that volunteers will be far exceed the 900 who registered at last year’s event. Mr Grafakos thanked TIF-HELEXPO for the support it extends to the Association’s aims.

Peugeot cars are the official cars of the 82nd TIF event, as underlined by the CEO of the auto dealer Gianniris SA, Mr Michalis Gianniris, who stressed that it is not a coincidence that Jeep chose to present the new Jeep Compass model for the first time in Greece at this year’s TIF event.

In turn, Nestle Hellas Corporate Affairs Head, Ms Angeliki Papadopoulou, underlined that TIF unites people, businesses, and cultures and referred to the “Frappé Museum powered by Nestle”, which is celebrating the 60th anniversary of the invention of frappé coffee on TIF premises.

“The city is celebrating and this is the message”, according to the Deputy General Director of TIF-HELEXPO, Mr Alexis Tsaxirlis, who confirmed that everything will be ready in time and the exhibition result will reflect the efforts made by the company.

Finally, the Messenger of the ‘Elpida’ Association of Friends of Children with Cancer and the ‘Orama Elpidas’ Association, Mr Sakis Rouvas, said in his statement that he is moved to be at a TIF event 26 years after he first met its audience at the Song Festival, stressing that this time, the link connecting him with the Fair and Thessaloniki is the mission of the ‘Orama Elpidas’ Association. “I am asking you to send an invitation, all together, a strong message of hope, to become, all of us, messengers of life”, he said, thanking TIF-HELEXPO for supporting the aims of the association. “Let us break one more record at this TIF event”, Mr Rouvas added.

A major celebration

As far as recreation and entertainment is concerned, the 82nd TIF event will be hosting daily concerts by top singers of Greek music and cultural happenings, while it will also host the thematic park titled ‘The Secret Worlds of Evgenios Trivizas’, the ‘Frappé Museum’, in cooperation with Nestle, Cheapart and the reconstruction of the major city fire of 1917. In the context of this year’s event, the Automobile Club of Thessaloniki is organising an anniversary event, namely the 50th TIF Rally.

This year, TIF-HELEXPO joins forces witht the Bone Marrow Bank of ‘Orama Elpidas’ Volunteer Donors of Bone Marrow, sending a social solidarity message. Indeed, the Messenger of the ‘Elpida’ Association of Friends of Children with Cancer and the ‘Orama Elpidas’ Association, Mr. Sakis Rouvas, will be performing at the culminating music event of 17 September, a concert dedicated to volunteer donors of bone marrow.

General Admission tickets to the Fair will be 5 Euros, tickets for families with many children and the Disabled will be 3 Euros (children under 3 years of age will be admitted free of charge), a 4-member family ticket will cost 15 Euros, while people with motor disabilities will be admitted free of charge. The Opening Hours of the 82nd TIF are as follows: Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 to 22:00 and weekdays from 16:00 to 22:00.

The 82nd TIF event is supported by numerous sponsors and associates:

The ‘Orama Elpidas’ Association; QATAR Airlines, the official air transporter for the 82nd TIF event; PPC (DEI), the National Bank,Gianniris SA; Peugeot, its cars being the official cars of the 82nd TIF event; Nestle Hellas; Malamatina, the concert sponsor; the "Limo Greece Vips" Company, Sponsor for concert transportation; Μediterranean Hotel & Grand Hotel Palace of the Luxury Hotels Group, Official Hotels of the concerts; Samiotakis Company, sponsor of concert catering; Singular Logic, MLS and Icap, Μοngo Chinese restaurant, Mr Li Feng Ping, the President of the Association of Chinese in Greece and the Communications Sponsors.