MICE tourism (Meeting, Incentive, Congress, Event) is increasing at an incredibly fast pace in Turkey, ranking the country among the world's top meeting and convention destinations, revealed.
And Turkey is on the world rankings because it is a bridge between East and West, both in terms of trade and culture. Turkey is therefore exceptionally well positioned as a destination for the conference meeting industry.
In addition to its geographical advantage as a natural bridge between Europe and the Middle East, bordered by the Black Sea and the Marmara Sea, Turkey, and in particular the capital Istanbul, has invested billions of dollars in nuclear infrastructure projects to strengthen the tourism sector and its position as a viable business and family destination.
Long-term planning and active private-public investment in the country's transportation and tourism sectors have left Turkey with two international airports, and a third - said to be the largest in the world - is now under construction. The country's airline, Turkish Airlines, with more than 200 destinations, plays a critical role in raising awareness of Istanbul's position within the conference industry.
The Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism has also played an important role in promoting Turkey as a tourist and travel hub. For years, the ministry has worked to encourage other regions and cities in Turkey to grow and develop their tourism and MICE tourism portfolio, namely Antalya (Belek-Lara-Kemer-Side region), which had a positive impact on the growth in tourism and business travel.
The Antalya region also stands out with its luxurious and high-quality conference rooms in Belek and Lara. Today, Antalya has also taken a leading position in the conference meeting industry. The number of tourists reached 10 million in the first eight months of this year, last year the number was 8 million for the whole year.
And to strengthen its global position, Antalya signed a 'Sister City Agreement' with Miami in the United States. Antalya also launched a popular new theme park, The Land of Legends Theme Park, the main leisure and amusement park in Turkey. The destination received half a million visitors in the first three months of its activities.
All efforts have led Antalya and Istanbul to shine in the future as leading global destinations for the MICE tourism industry (Meeting, Incentive, Congress, Event).
