By Tassos Tzikas*

Greece’s national convention and exhibition agency, TIF-HELEXPO, is at a crucial cross-roads. The agency now stands before a major challenge, namely, implementing a project that is expected to completely alter not only the growth potential the organization, but that of the entire Thessaloniki region. The project is none other than a topto-bottom renovation of all of TIF’s grounds and facilities in the northern Greece metropolis, in tandem with the simultaneous creation of a metropolitan park.

*Tassos Tzikas is the president of TIF-HELEXPO

2019 will witness the holding of the 84th Thessaloniki International Fair, with India as the honored country. The emphasis for this year’s TIF is entrepreneurship, innovation, new technologies and culture.

While we’re confident that TIF2019 will again be a success, we nevertheless have ascertained the fact that our infrastructure and venues need a thorough renovation and upgrading.  Our strategic planning envisions the creation of new exhibition space and an overall upgrading of our “product”, which is often impeded by outdated facilities. Given the circumstances, we consider an expansive renovation of TIF as imperative.

As such, we’re now much closer to meet our goal. The decision taken by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to include the entire Thessaloniki International Fair complex in a list of five emblematic urban regeneration projects in Greece provides a momentous impetus to our efforts.

Our goal is for planning and licensing procedures under the auspices of the Energy and Environment Ministry to be completed within the coming period, and with a relevant Presidential Decree, setting in motion the regeneration, to be signed within the year. The goal for issuing the first construction licenses is within 2021, so that construction can begin in 2022 and be completed by 2026, when TIF will be able to celebrate its centennial in a new main convention center.

After planning, licensing and designs are completed, the project must seek guaranteed financing, where it’s almost certain that private capital will be required, possibly under some form of a public-private sector partnership, but after first exhausting all efforts to find funding from European institutions, such as
the European Investment Bank.

The TIF-HELEXPO management  recognized, from the very first moment, the role that the exhibition and convention complex plays in boost the local economy and showcasing the entire region as a business and economic hub. We believe we have a geo-strategic advantage that should not be lost. That’s why the first study commissioned by this management came to the conclusion that the only viable plan is the upgrading and modernization of the Thessaloniki International Fair, rather than its relocation.

Such as regeneration will dramatically boost the city’s growth prospects and image, combined with an ongoing improvement in other urban infrastructure and transports.