Istanbul has A Tale of Two Cities to tell at Meetings Show
The Istanbul Convention and Visitors Bureau (ICVB) is excited to have kicked off presenting Istanbul at the Meetings Show in London today at one of the world’s top shows for meetings, conventions and incentives to press, buyers, meeting and event decision-makers.
Meeting with the press and buyers at a well-attended conference today, Istanbul CVB shared news and trends on Istanbul’s latest developments and investments, including up-to-date statistics, together with the bureau’s recent global marketing campaign. Istanbul CVB is taking place in Türkiye stand J19.
Istanbul is very much the centre of attention globally, recently rising to the 5th most visited city according to MasterCard Global Destinations Cities Index 2015. It also continues to go from strength to strength as far as the international congress sector goes as illustrated by the International Congress and Convention Association’s (ICCA) recent 2014 Rankings Report for Cities and Countries in which Istanbul maintained its top 10 position as a global congress destination. Ranking 9th in the world in 2014 with 130 congresses, Istanbul has now held this top 10 position since 2010. Istanbul was also recently named Best MICE Destination Europe at the Business Destinations Travel Awards after groundwork prepared by Istanbul CVB.
Istanbul CVB has played a key role in a promoting Istanbul as destination with its metaphorical A Tale of Two Cities campaign. This project has been running successfully for the first half of this year, reaching an audince of 550,000 across 17 international meetings & Incentive publications across print and online channels globally. The campaign includes adaptations in the local languages, while maintaining a striking and identifiable brand image.
The number of congresses in Istanbul has risen by 280% during the past ten years and this increase is expected to continue as Istanbul CVB work towards making Istanbul one of the most desirable destinations in the world for the meetings industry. The goal for 2023 is for Istanbul to rank in the top 5 convention destinations in the world. Istanbul is a top 10 congress destination since 2010.
A magnet for dynamic and talented people from around the world, Istanbul is the ideal meetings and conventions destination with its vibrancy, modernity, top-notch infrastructure and enviable geographical position. Exciting up-and-coming infrastructure projects for Istanbul include a third airport for 2019 which will cater to 150 million passengers, making the city the largest airline hub in the world, and a new road tunnel under construction, the ‘Eurasia Tunnel’, which will connect Asia and Europe under the Bosphorus.
The Meetings Show is the must-attend event for the UK inbound and outbound meetings industry and, organised by meeting professionals for meeting professionals, it is focused around a large exhibition, networking opportunities and professional education. More than 5000 industry professionals and 400 global suppliers, including destinations, venues, hotels and industry suppliers, are expected to attend and there will be 80+ educational sessions and over 10,000 pre-scheduled meetings.
