The event of the Chamber of Trikala for the promotion of local products and gastronomy “METEORISIMO” was successfully held on September 27 and 28, 2014, at the Matsopoulos Mill in Trikala.

The event was honored with the presence of the Consul General of the United States of America, Mr. Robert Sanders, the Commercial Attaché of the Embassy of China, Mr. Sun Liwei and the Consul General of Uzbekistan, Mr. Olim Kasimov, representatives of the official authorities and business entities of the country.

In detail, during his speech, the President of the Trikala Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Yiagiakos Vassilios, referred to the following:

“Gastronomy is one of our main goals for the Chamber. In 2005, we were the first in Greece to establish TRIKALINI GEFSI S.A. because we believe that gastronomic tourism is the form of tourism that can contribute, on the one hand, to the development of our tourism product, on the other hand, to the revitalization of our agricultural sector and, of course, to the growth of the country's export activity. The actions continued, bringing together producers and entrepreneurs in tourism and the food professions; we participated, as TRIKALINI GEFSI, in tourism exhibitions such as PHILOXENIA, the Tourist Panorama, but also in tourism exhibitions in Europe.

Gastronomy is the unexplored wealth of our homeland and our region. It is that type of tourism, which is possessed by the culture of local cuisine. Gastronomy is directly linked to the culture, tradition and history of the place.

The Prefecture of Trikala is a blessed place that unites the people of the plains with cereals, vegetables and a series of other products with the people of the mountainous massif, with meat and dairy products. The great variety of raw materials that our region has, as well as the various cultural influences that our place has received due to its geographical location and the diversity of the soil, have given the wider region of Trikala our own gastronomic identity. An identity that we must highlight and enrich by dynamically integrating it into our overall tourist product.

Despite the undeniable value of local cuisine, unfortunately gastronomy does not occupy the place it deserves in our tourism product. According to data from the World Tourism Organization, 44% of travelers around the world consider food as one of the primary criteria for the place they will visit. However, gastronomic tourism in our country is in its infancy and unfortunately has not yet developed to the extent that it would rank it among the most attractive and competitive destinations, such as neighboring Italy, Spain and France.

Gastronomic tourism, which dominates the Mediterranean tourism market and brings enormous economic benefits to neighboring Mediterranean countries, has barely concerned tourism entrepreneurs in Greece, regardless of size.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
To achieve these goals, the Trikala Chamber of Commerce was based on a marketing plan that includes three categories of actions. The recording and shaping of the gastronomic product, the development of the gastronomic brand name and the preparation of a communication program, through digital technology and a series of actions that will evolve in the coming period, starting today by taking the first step with METEORISIMO which will be the brand name of our region in gastronomy and which will continue with actions in the Prefecture to cultivate gastronomic awareness and then with actions in Athens but also at exhibitions abroad for its promotion.

Tonight we have the pleasure of having with us Mr. Nikos Photiadis executive chef & President of the Panhellenic Institute of Food Culture and Gastronomy who, with his experience and knowledge, will be the main supporter of this project and who will connect our gastronomic culture with local products and modern gastronomy, contributing to the creation of the new gastronomic identity. He is accompanied by fellow local chef Mr. Angelos Makris.

With us are the Food Professions Association, the Hoteliers Association and the Bakers, Confectioners and Butchers Associations. We will all work as a team for the success of the project.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good local cuisine is the backbone of the gastronomic offer. Especially the Greek breakfast that is so talked about is a matter of culture and not cost. It should be understood that gastronomy upgrades the travel experience and gives added value to local products that it makes known to the whole world. That is why we should all embrace this effort because it is not only a matter of the people who are directly involved but it is a matter of the local economy and also a necessary condition for the upliftment and economic development of our homeland.
Thank you.”

On Sunday morning at 11:00, as part of the two-day event, a seminar was held at the Mylos Matsopoulos Cinema on the topic: “Gastronomic tourism promotes local development”.