Aces – Athens: 1st Airport Chief Executives’ Symposium

The 1st Airport Chief Executives’ Symposium (ACES – Athens), an Athens International Airport initiative, was successfully held on Thursday, October 17, 2015.

Bearing the ancient meaning of the Greek “Symposium”, ACES aims to become the annual international gathering of airport CEOs and top industry officials, and, through the synthesis of ideas and opinions, address the challenges, trends and issues of today’s aviation.

The Symposium, including speeches and panel discussions conducted by high-level executives of the industry, including CEOs, representatives from ACI World / Europe, and the Tourism and Transport sector, was also honoured by the opening speech by the Minister of Tourism, Ms. Olga Kefalogianni.  

“City Pair Initiative”
Athens International Airport’s initiative for the promotion of the city of Athens:
Memoranda of Cooperation with 18 airports, handling an annual traffic of 170,000,000 passengers

Aiming to boost the attractiveness and the dynamics of the city of Athens as a destination, especially during a  period impacted by the adverse macroeconomic conditions, Athens International Airport announced a new initiative, called the “City Pair”.

During the works of ACES – Athens, and under the scheme of cooperation and mutual support, 18 fellow airports from around the world, signed MoUs with AIA, committed to promote “Destination-Athens” with all their available means, on a reciprocity basis.

Through “City Pair”, the city of Athens will be promoted at airports in Canada, the USA, Latin America, the European Union and Russia, with the key message

“Perhaψ You’re an Aθenian too”
in a promotional campaign that captures a market of nearly 170,000,000 passengers.

The contribution of Athens International Airport to the Greek economy:
An update of the study conducted by the Athens University of Economics and Business:

• With an annual added value of €5,1 billion, Athens International Airport’s contribution to the GDP corresponds to 2.63%
• 99,987 jobs created on a national level
• €716 million added value creation for the surrounding Messogheia area /  more than 11,000 jobs for Messogheia residents inside or outside the airport
• Athens International Airport, a business and employment engine: 300 enterprises and more than 13,000 employees constitute the “airport community”

The updated study -based on 2012 data- conducted by the Athens University of Economics and Business under the guidance of Professor Gregory Prastakos, demonstrated that AIA remains one of the most important hubs of economic value added and job creation in the country. The airport’s contribution to job creation, tourism and to the economic development of Greece but also on a regional and local level is of the utmost importance. At the same time, the relevant comparison with other European airports is indisputably positive, demonstrating the successful implementation of the business and operational model of Athens International Airport.

AIA’s CEO and ACI World Chairman, Yiannis Paraschis, stated on the occasion of the Symposium:

“ACES – Athens is a very significant initiative for our airport and for the city of Athens. We are delighted to have signed MoUs with 18 international airports, for the promotion of Athens to nearly 170 million passengers in 2014. During the event, the contribution of the Athens airport to the local, national economy and employment was also emphasized. The study conducted by the Athens University of Economics and Business demonstrates that the business activity of the Athens airport contributes 2.63% of the GDP, and creates approximately 100,000 jobs; despite the economic crisis, these results prove that AIA remains a most important contributor to the national economy. I would like to thank all those who worked for the success of our first Airport Chief Executives’ Symposium, looking forward to its establishment as an institution on an annual basis in the city of Athens".

View the sumposium agenda here!