Steve Monnington takes a look at the international organisers making moves in Turkey.
Over the last couple of years we’ve seen a number of international organisers enter the market often by taking majority stakes in local Turkish organisers.
We’ve seen UBM acquire 65 per cent of Rotaforte, organiser of the Istanbul Jewellery Fairs; Clarion made their move into Turkey with the acquisition of Survey Turkey, organisers of Zow. Italy’s Bolognafiere created a sales and marketing partnership between their brand Cosmoprof and Ipekyolu, organisers of the Beauty Eurasia show.
As well as interest from the UK and Italy, we’ve also seen Messe Stuttgart enter the market by acquiring a majority stake in ARES, whose main show is the bakery technology show IBATECH.
In all cases these partnerships have created synergies between the Turkish events and the events already run by the international organiser. This is a logical approach to a first step into the market as the international partner can create real strategic added value.
“The largest international organisers in Turkey today are also the longest established. ITE and Hannover Messe International have both been active in Turkey for more than 10 years and both originally enetered the market by creating joint ventures with local organisers. ITE with CNR Exhibitions and Hannover with Dunya Fuar, organisers of Sodeks.
Hannover Messe now has a mixture of joint venture business and 100%-owned shows while ITE, with the exception of their joint venture with Ekin Fuar, operates its own 100% business.
If you add in the venue management business operated by GL Events there is now significant presence from the French, Germans, Italians and Brits in the market. What’s happening is that most organisers are looking for expansion outside of their home markets, especially where those markets are mature and there is relatively little growth. This money is being spent increasingly in Turkey; one of the markets on everybody’s list that can be described as a hot market.
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