Turkey’s geo-political position has long made it a staging ground for unlocking the economic potential of Eurasia; the Balkans, Ukraine, Russia, mid-Asia and the Middle East; a region inhabited by more than a billion people.
In recent months we’ve seen an acceleration of exhibition businesses entering Turkey. And with rumours of a large government-owned venue being mooted for Istanbul, in addition to the existing largest venues CNR and TUYAP, the future looks bright.
Under the watch of president Gul and Prime Minister Erdogan, the Turkish exhibition sector is being allowed to grow at a rate consistent with international interest. Turkey is at the forefront of regional efforts to establish a free trade zone, an ambition that becomes increasingly pertinent as markets become more free and trade routes open with the collapse of closed-minded governments falling amid the huge political changes taking place in the Middle East.
Turkey offers few barriers to entry. Its exhibition sector is entirely owned by the private sector, while the Government actively promotes trade and investment with neighbours with which it has had formerly fractious relationships, such as Iran and Syria. Additionally, and in line with its policy of cooperation with neighbours, Turkey’s visa diplomacy has removed travel restrictions with countries including Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Iran. In testament to this, a million Syrians are expected to visit Turkey for cross-border trade this year.
The country’s yearly trade with the Arab world now stands at US$30bn, up from $2bn a decade ago.
Istanbul holds a strong position as a connection point providing direct daily flights from 50 countries or cities. In this context, Istanbul offers major geographical argument for meeting in terms of international exhibitions.
Turkish organiser NTSR, one of the biggest local players, says Turkey offers development potential as strong as in the BRIC countries. It has several partnerships with international companies and has done so, on a project basis, for 30 years.
“Different partnerships are emerging in exhibitions being organised for the future,” according to the president of NTSR, Serkan Tiglioglu (pictured above).
“We enter such partnerships after analysing the value created, and the advantages that can be provided. Some of NTSR’s exhibitions created that effect and have been sustaining and reinforcing these partnerships for almost 15 years. We believe this is an indicator of the synergistic and successful job we accomplished,” he comments.
“It may be a cliché that Istanbul is the gateway between East and West but there is a lot of truth in the matter,” says ITE Group International sales director Andy Braid. “With the country delivering impressive growth figures for many years, it is easy to see why Turkey appeals to exhibitors at international trade events.”
ITE is one of the biggest international organisers, alongside Germany’s Hannover Messe, organising some of its events though its Turkish company EUF. It works in partnership with ministries, associations and institutions to co-organise events, but not currently with other full-time event organisers. Braid points out that yields are low in Turkey, demand is high and strong relationships matter.
“Turkey is strong in many sectors, agricultural, manufacturing and business services. The country’s mining sector is also strong and while the country is a net importer of oil and gas, it is a major transport hub for hydrocarbons.” Building and construction technology, production technologies, textile (leather/ready-to-wear), automotive, agriculture and food processing industries are among other leading sectors in Turkey.
The country’s success isn’t delivered on the back of industry and financial prominence alone. Turkey’s hotel potential, natural beauty, history and culture-entrainment, as well as its global transportation ties, makes it stand out against competitors, says Tiglioglu.
But what of its infrastructure, a concern levelled at most young, growing markets? Tiglioglu claims Turkey is experiencing infrastructural developments in every aspect of the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) sector. “We’re seeing international management companies and organisers entering into the market. So investments for exhibition venues, new conference venues and renewal of existing exhibition venues are hot topics.
“Local governments have realised the potential contribution the MICE sector can make to their cities. They are more active and realised the power of exhibition industry as their strategic market to give full support for the future,“ he comments.
However, while the majority of events in Turkey are trade events, even the development of these can be hampered by venue configuration.
“One of the problems Turkey has in creating vertical tradeshows with content is the lack of the combination of good large exhibition space and proper professional conference venues,” says Mayfield Media MD Steve Monnington. “I think the demand for the educational elements has been suppressed and people accept this as the norm. In general what there is right now is very good. Go to any major exhibition here and you see people on the stands doing real business.
“Obviously with the technology shows and indeed exhibitions in a number of other sectors, there should be a demand for the educational content. If somebody was to build a really good conference centre in one of the two main exhibition centres I think that you would slowly start to see the nature of some of these events changing.”
“There are big opportunities for corporate establishments capable of making long-term plans and investments,” adds Tiglioglu.
However, the dynamism resulting from the country’s own entrepreneurism makes terms of free competition irrational and brings degrees of distortion from time to time, an “amateurism” Tiglioglu believes will be “tamed by the professional establishments” in due course.
Turkey’s international exhibition market, it seems, is maturing as we speak.
Any comments? Email exhibitionworld@mashmedia.net
