EUROPE – Fears over liquidity have caused a drop in trade show enquiries in Greece, according to organisers and venue operators.
Alexis Lagoudakis, managing director of organiser ROTA, which also manages the Metropolitan Expo Exhibition Centre (MEEC) in Athens, told EW that uncertainty surrounding a bailout agreement meant exhibitors were reluctant to commit to bookings for late 2015.
“The past couple of weeks we’ve seen a slow down. Right now we’re just on a hold-and-wait pattern to see what’s happening,” Lagoudakis said.
With shows focused on the tourism, hospitality and giftware sectors, the majority of ROTA’s clients are based in Greece.
“People were afraid the liquidity crunch was coming and it did come eventually.
“I don’t think people are in the mood for a lot of business right now.”
Lagoudakis said that the closure of the country’s banks this week had not severely affected MEEC visitors.
“Thank God at least it happened at this time of the year,” he said. “The summer months are very quiet for us.”
Lagoudakis reported that the business had a strong performance in 2014, which had continued into the first quarter of 2015, traditionally its busiest time of year. He remained optimistic that the company would achieve double-digit growth this year.
Greek’s are set to go to the polls on Sunday for a referendum on whether the government should accept terms of a bailout agreement, after the country failed to make a €1.5bn (£1.1bn) payment to the IMF on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras made a renewed attempt to negotiate with Greece's creditors yesterday (30 June), the BBC reports.
Kyriakos Pozrikidis, managing director of Thessaloniki exhibition centre TIF-HELEXPO, told EW the breakdown in negotiations had severely affected the exhibition industry.
“We strongly believe that actions need to be taken fast in order for not just our company, but every business in this country, to be able to maintain its standing,” Pozrikidis said.
“Bank closures and strict limits on ATM withdrawals had a huge impact on businesses, companies as well as individuals.”
He strongly supported Greece remaining in the eurozone.
“Greece contributed a lot to the European democracy and civilization and thus I can’t imagine Greece out of Europe…anything other is out of any thinking.”
