Biggest tourism fair to open its doors in Istanbul today
Posted by meb at February 13th, 2008
The Eastern Mediterranean International Tourism and Travel Fair (EMITT) is starting today in İstanbul with a ceremony in which Minister of Culture and Tourism Ertuğrul Günay and the tourism ministers of about a dozen neighboring countries are participating along with a number of international authorities in the tourism sector.
The fair, which will run until Feb. 17, is open to representatives of the tourism sector and everyone interested in tourism and travel at İstanbul’s TÜYAP Beylikdüzü Fair and Congress Center. “We are planning to organize a vivid EMITT opening ceremony. It will be full of surprises that reflect the joys of tourism instead of an ordinary, unexciting and simple one. I hope all our participants and visitors will enjoy it,” says Halim Bulutoğlu, president of EMITT’s event committee and president of Ekin Fuarcılık.
Many special events are scheduled for the week to attract visitors’ attention such as offering free holidays and flight ticket to lucky winners and the distribution of promotion materials. Furthermore, Syria is to sponsor a magnificent gala night this year while the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (KKTC) will hold several receptions.
“EMITT has become the greatest tourism exhibition in the Mediterranean region, the Middle East, Asia and southeastern Europe,” Bulutoğlu says. “Our most important target is to take EMITT to a place among the first five leading exhibitions in the world in the coming years. We completely believe that we will reach such a target.”
Indeed, over the years, EMITT has become an important meeting point for the tourism scene and brings together hotels, agencies, managers, districts, entrepreneurs, tourism professionals and tourism admirers from all over the world and Turkey. EMITT, whose 12th edition is to be held this year, continues to break records. “EMITT is a worldwide fair. With a growth rate of 40 percent in terms of the number of visitors, it has strengthened its position among the 10 most important and largest tourism fairs in the world, also taking an important step toward being placed in among the top five. I believe we will reach this target in a few years time — which is not a long time at all,” says Bulutoğlu.
Turkish tourism one of the most quickly developing sectors worldwide
Covering a vast area that includes the Mediterranean, the Middle East, Asia and southeastern Europe, EMITT is regarded as a world fair rather than only a fair for the eastern Mediterranean. Turkey is currently the fastest growing tourism destination in these regions.
“Turkish tourism has become one of the most quickly developing sectors worldwide. Investments to build and open new tourism facilities are especially springing up in Antalya and its surroundings, in İstanbul, the Southeast and in Central Anatolia. The number of tourists visiting Turkey last year increased by 25 percent compared to the year before. This number is expected to increase much more in the coming year,” Bulutoğlu states.
EMITT has seen overwhelming interest this year and is expected to draw more than 2,500 participating companies from over 50 countries. The Seychelles, Yemen, Algeria, Portugal, Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan are countries participating in EMITT for the first time this year. Due to increased interest, all 10 halls — a first — of the TÜYAP Beylikdüzü Fair and Congress Center are to be used for EMİTT 2008.
This success was only possibly with the help of Ekin’s business partners, the Turkish Hoteliers’ Federation (TÜROFED) and the Turkish Tourism Investors’ Association (TYD). Bulutoğlu says he is “thankful for the very valuable support of the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality and the Governorship of İstanbul. We also thank all our numerous sponsors and participants, who supported the fair with great confidence since the beginning.”
source: Today’s Zaman
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