Exhibition industry launches association

The Greek Exhibition Industry Association (SOKEE), made up of organizers and stand contractors to the venues they use, held its inaugural general assembly last Friday.

Representing an industry with over 1,050 companies, 4,400 employees and an annual turnover of 225 million euros, SOKEE’s mission is to communicate the importance of trade fairs and public exhibitions for the Greek economy.

The sector’s significant multiplier economic effect for the Greek economy translates into more than €1 billion for a raft of collaborating sectors such as tourism, catering, conferences, transport, customs clearance and many others, while generating the respective tax revenues.

According to the Foundation for Economic and Industrial Research (IOBE), the average international visitor to trade fairs spends €1,150 per visit, while often staying in the country for tourism purposes beyond the duration of the event. In cities with major exhibition centers, such events represent account for a quarter of overnight stays. 

“Our industry is highly complementary to a number of crucial economic pillars like tourism, catering and transport, and plays an important role in the country’s extroversion thanks mainly to its contribution to the promotion of Greek products,” said SOKEE President Theodore Vokos, of Posidonia Exhibitions.

The exhibition industry is one of the most affected by the pandemic, due to an 18 month-long ban, and is perhaps the industry that was the worst hit. The prolonged closure created the need for a collective body, which will express the demands of the sector and be an interlocutor for both the market and the state, creating synergies for the entire economy.

“As the official representative of the sector, our task is to provide accurate insights and data, as well as informed opinions to help shape decisions that may have an impact on the smooth operation of the dynamic sector of trade exhibitions,” Vokos said, after being elected president of the newly founded body.

The board of directors of SOKEE also consists of Vice-President Kyriakos Pozrikidis (TIF-HELEXPO SA), Secretary General Evangelos Charalampous (Be Best), Treasurer Evangelos Galatsopoulos (Expowork SA) and members Alexios Lagoudakis (Metropolitan Expo SA), Athanassios Panagoulias (Forum SA) and Sofoklis Iosifidis (Interform SA).