OR Kalamata It is not just a beautiful seaside city in the Peloponnese. It is a place that constantly highlights its multidimensional character. With a rich history, intense cultural activity and a natural landscape that is fascinating, the city has evolved in recent years into a modern and extrovert tourist destination. Its tourist identity is methodically built, with eyes focused not only in summer and sea, but also on what it has to offer all year long: gastronomy, culture, authentic experiences.
At the forefront of this tourist turn is conference tourism, which is now a central axis of its development strategy.
Kalamata this time Lives the culmination of the tourist season With fullness reaching 100%, according to Mayor Thanassis Vassilopoulos. Although July has a slight decline, the city is now moving to the peak of high demand tourism activity, which is expected to continue in September and October.
Kalamata invests in conference tourism
After mid -September, he begins in Kalamata intense activity in the field of conference tourism. As he points out, speaking to the Athens and Macedonian News Agency, Mr. Vassilopoulos, the city’s hotels host conferences, scientific workshops and events, and the municipality has and allocation of spaces such as the Dance Palace for the organization of conferences.
The Municipality is actively and financially supported as far as possible, the organization of conferences, many of which relate to the medical industry. Indicatively, in October the Council of European Rectors, as well as the European Congress of Transplants, events that consolidate the position of the city on the map of conference tourism will be held in Kalamata.
Kalamata in numbers
Kalamata has 5,000 beds and 33 hotels, 5 of which are five stars. It is connected airline to 23 European cities, but also to Athens, Thessaloniki and Heraklion. About 70% of traffic relates to domestic tourism.
The proximity to Athens (just 2 hours and 30 minutes by car) makes Kalamata a popular choice for weekends and school tourism, where he holds the “primacy” according to the mayor.
As the Deputy Mayor of Tourism, George Lazaridis, points out, Kalamata has all the characteristics to attract visitors all year: climate, nature, culture, gastronomy, and easy access. “
Quality of life and alternative activities
Kalamata is a flat city with an extensive network of bike lanes and communal electric bicycles, offering quality of life to both residents and visitors.
Just half an hour from Taygetos, it has signposted trails and infrastructure for nature and cycling activities. Digitization and new marking on 160 km is currently underway, and an international cycling race is expected to take place in November, reinforcing the city’s profile as a bike friendly destination.
Gastronomy and local products
Local gastronomy is also an important pillar of the tourism product. The municipality organized a street food festival, Beer Festival this year, and this time is underway with a gastronomic and music festival with canteens promoting local produce. Kalamata is famous for the pig, with visitors asking for it first of all, as the mayor humorously comments.
At the same time, the city remains closely linked to the primary sector: oil, olives and figs are some of the top products in the area while the three municipalities merged with Kalamata (Municipal Units of Arios, Thouria and Arfaron) maintain a 70% agricultural profile.
Culture and museums
Kalamata invests firmly in culture. It has an archaeological and folklore museum, while the Karelia Museum exhibits traditional costumes. The exhibition “The Princes of Pylos”, which was presented at the Archaeological Museum of Messenia, travels to the US and is expected to return to the city permanently, attracting thousands of visitors.
The aim of the Municipality is to create a new space that will house the Municipal Gallery, which has projects mainly from donations from artists after the 1986 earthquake.
The Faris Public Benefit Company has undertaken the cultural development of the city, with art sector, dance school, Municipal Conservatory and Department of Speech and Dance. An important reference point is the Kalamata Municipal Regional Theater, the only DIPETHE in the Peloponnese Region.
Of particular importance is the operation of the open theater of the city, which has been completed recently and hosts over 50 theatrical and musical performances this summer, with a capacity of 2,500 spectators, according to the mayor.
The city has acquired a powerful cultural footprint, with the spearhead of the International Dance Festival. However, the events are not limited to summer: the Kalamatian Carnival, the Choir Festival and a host of other activities make up an annual Culture Diary that enhances the identity of the destination and offers visit occasions throughout the year.
Indeed, as Mr. Lazaridis points out, there is a digital platform for promotion of events, implemented in collaboration with the Tourism Department and the Programming Department, offering visitors and citizens a complete program of activities.
Communication Strategy and Extraversion
The municipality is investing in the extroverted promotion of the city, with the most recent presentation of Kalamata taking place in Paris, while airlines further reinforce the opening of foreign markets.
“As part of the extroversion strategy, since October last year, the city has organized presentations in Thessaloniki and other cities, on the occasion of new airlines, in collaboration with Aegean Airlines and with travel agents from countries and the Balkans and not only,” said Tourism.
At the same time, the design of the “Visit Kalamata” communication brand, which includes a travel guide, tourist maps, points of interest and printed material for the promotion of the city and the wider area, is underway. Emphasis is also placed on nearby destinations, such as Nestor Palace, Dirou Caves and Ancient Messina. After all, the geographical location of the city makes it an ideal starting point for one -day excursions: It is 30 minutes from Taygetos and Ancient Messina, 45 minutes from West Mani, 1 hour from Pylos, 1 hour from Sparta, and 1 hour and 15 minutes from Ancient Olympia.