Thessaloniki Mayor Yiannis Boutaris is paying a visit to Istanbul from January 18 through to January 22 where he will meet with Greek Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and attend a conference on promoting the city of Thessaloniki is a tourist and business hotspot.

The meeting with the Greek religious leader is scheduled for January 20. Mr. Boutaris is also attending a conference organized by the Municipality of Thessaloniki on the promotion of Thessaloniki in Turkey.

Mr. Boutaris is also expected to visit the International Tourism Fair of Istanbul, one of the five largest tourist exhibitions in the world.