Istanbul hosts GlobeMeets B2B tourism networking event

The fourth GlobeMeets B2B Networking Event has commenced at Rixos Tersane Istanbul, bringing together over 3,000 tourism professionals from more than 50 countries. The event aims to facilitate over 25,000 business meetings and generate a commercial volume exceeding 100 million euros.

Participants include more than 1,000 travel agency buyers, 200 companies, official tourism offices from 11 countries, and nearly 20 global airlines. During the opening, Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Nadir Alpaslan highlighted Turkey's position as a leading global tourism destination, noting the country has reached approximately 64 million visitors and 65 billion dollars in tourism revenue.

Istanbul Chamber of Commerce President Şekib Avdagiç reported that Istanbul has risen in international congress city rankings, now placing 13th in Europe and 18th globally. He noted that the number of congresses in the city has increased by 10 percent compared to last year, with Istanbul accounting for over 65 percent of Turkey's total congress tourism success.

Additionally, TÜRSAB Vice President Hasan Eker addressed upcoming legislative discussions, raising concerns regarding the competitive equality between domestic travel agencies and foreign digital platforms.