Summary of the Israel-Greece Chamber of Commerce Delegation Visit to XENIA Exhibition

The following is a report on the visit of the Israel-Greece Chamber of Commerce delegation to XENIA, the leading regional exhibition in the hospitality industry in Greece, by invitation of the organizing company, FORUM SA. November 25-27, 2023. (https://www.xenia.gr/en/)

The visit and business meetings primarily focused on the hospitality industry: hotels, restaurants, glamping, management, equipment, design, and innovation, emphasizing meetings with exhibitors and exploring business collaborations.

During this challenging period, while maintaining an outward composure despite internal distress, we decided to proceed with the trip and utilize our presence for public relations activities as well. This was the third exhibition we visited during November 2023, and for each of these exhibitions, we organized a delegation in the relevant field of interest.

It is essential to note the empathy and efforts of the organizers to provide us with the necessary security, attend to all our needs, and emphasize our presence. The management team of the Israel-Greece Chamber of Commerce worked diligently to coordinate and prepare meetings in close collaboration with the visit coordinator from FORUM SA.

Several members of the Israel-Greece Chamber of Commerce joined the visit, along with additional delegation members who are expected to become chamber members. Participants included Asher Aaron (chamber member and board member), Dana Shavit (chamber member and manager of the Real Estate Forum and entrepreneur in the hospitality industry), Moriah Rockman (chamber member and entrepreneur in the hospitality industry - property rental and sales platform), Yair Friedman (member of Moriah Rockman's team), Yossi Navi, CEO of Carlton Tel Aviv LUX Hotel, Guy Tohar Cohen (real estate and hospitality entrepreneur), Dimitris Ziagkas (Operational Manager of the Israel-Greece Chamber of Commerce), and your humble servant.

I would like to thank Dimitris Ziagkas for his assistance in organization and coordination, and everyone who contributed their time to the success of the visit.
We must mention the support and understanding of our position as Israelis in light of the disinformation regarding the war, as Jews, and as business people. We were also pleased to note that we did not encounter a hostile atmosphere during the three days of the exhibition and our visit to Athens.

As part of the MATCHMAKING meetings, we met with numerous exhibitors (approximately 86) and had spontaneous meetings with visitors who requested to meet us as chamber representatives (about 10). We also met two exhibitors with an Israeli connection, one in the hotel textile field (Arad Towels as part of the parent company STANDARD TEXTILE) and another based in Crete, NINJA POOLS, which designs and builds NINJA facilities for children.
Additionally, we invited contacts from Greece working in construction, real estate, and property management to come and meet us.

We held a working meeting with the management team of FORUM SA and discussed future cooperation and preparations for the upcoming FOODEXPO in Athens, March 2024.
The visit was funded by the organizers, FORUM SA, who provided flight tickets, 2-3 nights at the PRESIDENT Hotel in Athens, organized transportation from the airport, refreshments and meals during the exhibition days, a dedicated room for luggage storage, and a designated meeting area. Delegation members paid the Israel-Greece Chamber of Commerce a handling and organization fee, which also covered a joint dinner.

Exhibition Highlight: XENIA presented the ONEliving project, an innovative concept designed by the architectural and design team of Costas Gagos and unveiled for the first time in Hall 2 of the Xenia exhibition. The 380 sqm specially designed space aims to revolutionize our understanding of minimalist, smart, environmentally friendly, and luxurious living. (https://www.xenia.gr/en/xenia-presents-the-oneliving-concept/)
We had a personal meeting with the chief designer and discussed potential collaborations. More to come. (https://oneliving.gr/en)
Additionally, the chamber team organized a joint dinner on Sunday, November 26, at the Lefkes restaurant (https://lefkes.gr/lefkes-athens/?lang=en) for delegation members. The former Economic Attaché of Greece in Israel, his former deputy, and a Vice President of Eurobank were invited. The restaurant is highly recommended.
Summary in numbers:

Three days of visit – Saturday, Sunday, and Monday
7 delegation members
2 working meetings with exhibition organizers
Approximately 86 B2B meetings
12 meetings with guests and chamber contacts
Joint dinner at LEFKES - GALATSI with Christina, the coordinator from FORUM SA, Nikos (former Economic Attaché of Greece in Israel), and our Dimitris SMILE

For more information about this visit and the upcoming FOODEXPO event in Athens in March 2024, please contact Dimitris Ziaggas, the Operational Manager of the Israel-Greece Chamber of Commerce, at chamber@israelgreece.com.
This visit represents another step in the ongoing activities of the Israel-Greece Chamber of Commerce to maintain business continuity even during emergencies, strengthen ties, create new initiatives, and assist chamber members and business people in general in advancing their businesses in the Israeli-Greek sphere.
Reported by: Kobi Bitton
CEO, Israel-Greece Chamber of Commerce