Blueprint foresees overhaul of Thessaloniki International Fair
A plan to overhaul the Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF) foresees its transition from a trade fair, with dozens of stalls, to a broader area hosting stores, offices and a hotel, Kathimerini understands.
According to a special zoning plan, which has yet to be finalized, the 17 hectares of space used for the country’s annual trade fair will have a different function over the years to come.
Although there is no final blueprint, the aim is to divide the space into three areas, two of which will be devoted to chiefly open-air spaces for exhibitions and cultural events and the third to a network of buildings including a 120-room hotel, malls, offices, banks and conference venues.
“The new exhibition space will be created with the overhaul of buildings and their uses with the aim of modernizing its function,” said Dimitris Doumas, who is leading the team that drafted the plan.
This year’s 85th Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF), originally scheduled for September 5-13, will not happen due to the pandemic.
However, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is to give the traditional keynote speech outlining the country’s economic policy priorities for the coming year, and the usual press conference, in front of a restricted audience.
The cancellation of this year’s TIF, for the first time since WWII, is expected to result in a loss of up to 100 million euros.
