Automobile and Touring Club of Greece
Elliniki Leshi Periigiseon ke Aftokinitou (Greek Automobile and Tours Club) is the official Greek based motorsports organisation which organises every racing event in Greece, including the world famous Acropolis Rally.
Since Elpa's foundation it has developed a big activity in the subjects of service Greek and foreigner motorists in inside and except their Greece locomotions. Concretely, from 1926 it undertook, according to laws and in application of corresponding international conventions that signed by Greece, the responsibility of publication International Authorisations of Control. At the same time it offers it's services in every sector of tourist service (information, maps etc) and constitutes since the foundation the best private institution of tourist projection in the abroad. It has to be marked that the first road maps of country were created by the ELPA.
Before the world war II ELPA undertaken the total labelling of the Greek road network, and it was something that became mainly with it's own expenses and continued until 1957, when the Greek Government undertook this responsibility. However, an other offer of ELPA remains: already from the prewar times, ELPA played a leading part in the placement of signs in the streets for the passing care drivers and motorcyclists in order to ensure safety and right circulation. This initiations continued for the most recent past and such sings still exist in many streets. Already from 1927 ELPA became member of International Federation of Car and International Federation of Motorcycle (FIA) and it began to organise national and international car and motorcycle races. Of course the most important race made, Rally Acropolis first started in 1952 and gave a big impulse on the Greek tourism. The Acropolis Rally and the Festival of Athens (which began five years later) were the two poles of attractions for the most tourists. Rally Acropolis that continued until today and is the unique and world known event that is organised every year in Greece.
The racing department of ELPA supports in every way the Special Olympics Greek Team, and especially the special olympics bicycle department, since 1993.