The shining star of the congress sector: Istanbul
 
 
 
Istanbul unites its natural beauties with its historical and cultural accumulation and modern infrastructure, ascending in world league as the new favorite city for international organizations.

Istanbul is one of the most preferred cities in the world tourism with its historical and cultural heritage dating back to thousands of years. In this respect, it has been attracting attention in the international area in recent years as a rising star in the congress tourism. Istanbul has hosted many important international fairs and congresses in recent years due to its specific location as a central spot both geographically and also culturally functioning as a bridge between Asia and Europe. Therefore it is one of the most attractive cities for the professionals of congress tourism.

Istanbul has successfully organized international conferences such as Habitat Conference, NATO Summit, AGIT Summit, International Union of Architects (IUA), Formula 1, CeBIT Informatics Fair, Autoshow, EMITT Tourism Fair, World Association of Newspapers (WAN), Forum Istanbul 2005, Turkish-German Businessmen Congress, Turkish-Arabic Business Forum, and thus has proved to the whole world that it has the necessary infrastructure and the technical hardware.

Istanbul has a historical and cultural heritage acknowledged not only by Turkey but also by the whole world; and apart from its historical and natural beauties the city is quite assertive with its hotels, fair, congress and meetings halls in European standards; international airport with a passenger capacity of  20 millions annually and its transportation opportunities. It has the capacity to meet all the demands of the sector with its five-star hotels providing service in world standards and with the CNR Expo Istanbul, Beylikdüzü Tüyap Congress and Fair Center in Yeşilköy and Lütfi Kırdar Congress Palace, which have become giant fair complexes with recent investments.

The Eastern and the Western cultures are in the same pot!
Istanbul is one of the strongest candidates for international organizations in the forthcoming years, and the city hosted organizations such as World Trade Centers General Assembly in 2006, and Mediterranean Trade Chambers Union General Assembly, World Trade Chambers Union General Assembly in 2007.

Istanbul’s attractiveness is not limited to these. Besides, the visitors coming for meetings, congresses and fairs have the opportunity to experience the eastern and the western cultures together amongst the artworks reflecting a history of thousands of years.

It also promises an amazing touristic journey beyond imagination with its modern shopping centers, eating and drinking opportunities including all the cuisines of the world, and the entertainment spots working all day and night. The cultural and art organizations such as the concerts given by the foremost artists of the world or film festivals also create great opportunities to its visitors.

Istanbul rapidly goes up to the first league of the congress sector with all these opportunities…It is the most important competitor of the leading cities of congress tourism such as Barcelona, Copenhagen, Madrid, Paris and Berlin.