MeeTurkey November 2016 by S&M Publication ltd.

November’2016 Year:22 No:84 FROM THE EDITOR Izmir, Turkey’s emerging destination for meetings PUBLISHER & EDITOR IN CHIEF Paris, Barcelona, London, Berlin, Istanbul are just some of the most visited cities for meetings. Thousands of participants visit those destinations frequently over the years and wonder new destinations to discover. In this issue, as an example for a new destination to discover, we are presenting our readers Turkey’s third most populous city; Izmir with its unique history of 8,500 years and rich natural and cultural assets. Izmir, being an harbor city, is the center of the business tourism, with its hot spring resorts in Balçova known as Agamemnon thermal springs; it is the heart of the health tourism and with its Artemis Temple that was one of the Seven Wonders of the Antiquity, the House of Virgin Mary, the Basilica of St. John and the three of the Seven Churches mentioned in Bible, namely Ephesus, Smyrna and Pergamon, it is the center of faith tourism. Today, Izmir is emerging as a new destination determined to be included in congress tourism thanks to its new international hotel chains, renewed airport, and highquality congress centres. Besides the presentation of this unique destination, we cover stories about Seven Stars Luxury Hospitality and Lifestyle Awards, IT&CMA and CTW Asia-Pacific 2016, and news about some unique events that we believe draw your attention. As always, we bring you news from Turkey as well as the world. Happy reading!

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IN THIS ISSUE

30 Contents

Newsline Turkey ��6 Inbrief �� 15 Meet at Art �� 16 Meet at History �� 18 Meet at Event �� 20 Meet at Exhibition �� 22 Fame & Game �� 24 Eat & Meet �� 26 Newsline World �� 28 Cover Story �� 30 Destinations �� 44 DMCompanies �� 49 Advertisement Index

WOW Istanbul ��Inside Front Cover kmice ��3 Orion-tour ��9 fez travel �� 17 Sanda Yachting �� 19 Limak Hotels �� 27 Hotel Izmir Palas �� 33 The Grand Blue Sky & Hotel Imbat �� 41 Air Astana �� 45 Istanbul Modern �� 51 WOW Hotels �� Back Cover

November 2016 | MeeTurkey | 5

NEWSLINE TURKEY Turkey ranked third most popular Muslim travel destination Turkey has claimed its position as the third most popular destination in the global Muslim travel market, according to the MasterCardCrescentRating Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) 2016, which covers 130 destinations in the world. Turkey took the third position on the list of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) destinations, behind Malaysia which retained its pole position and the UAE.

In May, Turkey will host world’s biggest international conference on halal tourism in May with the Halal Tourism Conference 2016 in Konya bringing together some of the world’s leading names in the travel industry. Indonesia climbed two places to take the fourth spot with Bahrain becoming the biggest mover, jumping four spots to come in tenth place. Singapore also retained its pole position for the non-OIC destinations, with Thailand, the UK, South Africa and Hong Kong making up the top five. The study also revealed that in 2015, there were an estimated 117 million Muslim visitor arrivals globally, representing close to 10 percent of the entire travel market. This is

forecasted to grow to 168 million visitors by 2020 equal to 11 percent of the market segment with a market value projected to exceed US$200 billion. Asia and Europe were also revealed as the two leading regions in the world for attracting Muslim visitors - accounting for 87 percent of the entire market. Turkish and international businessmen will gather in Istanbul for the Turkey-Africa Economic and Business Forum which will take between 2 and 3 November, 2016. The Forum, jointly organized by Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Turkey, the African Union Commission, Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEİK) and Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM), will provide a unique platform for the business circles of Turkey and African countries to create a long-lasting cooperation. Istanbul Lutfi Kirdar ICEC will host the event which will gather businessmen for businessto-business (B2B) meetings as well as sessions that cover topics such as “Business in Africa: Opportunities and Challenges”, Financing of Investment Projects in Africa: Infrastructure, Transportation, Energy. DEİK Africa Business Council President Tamer Taşkın reported that Turkish investors who had been doing business exclusively in North African countries were now focusing on sub-Saharan Africa. Almost 80 percent of sub-Saharan Africa lacks access to electricity, according to the International Energy Agency’s Africa Energy Outlook report. The session titled “Financing of Investment Projects in Africa: Infrastructure, Transportation, Energy” will be an important one to attend on the second day of the forum.

Turkish tourism to benefit from improving relations with Israel and Russia

Turkey started to improve diplomatic relations with Israel and Russia. The improving ties with both Israel and Russia would have a very positive impact on the tourism sector, despite the current terror attack. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent a letter of apology to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Erdogan he extended condolences to the family of the pilot killed in the November 2015 downing of the Russian warplane in Turkish airspace and expressed interest in the normalisation of relations. In a telephone conversation held on Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed to work towards the normalisation of bilateral relations. On the other hand, Israeli Prime Minister 6 | MeeTurkey | November 2016

Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced that Israel’s security cabinet approved on June 29 an agreement with Turkey that will allow the two countries to restore full diplomatic relations following a six-year hiatus. Diplomatic relations between Turkey and

Israel were suspended in 2010 after Israeli forces raided a convoy of aid ships attempting to break the blockade of Gaza, killing nine Turkish activists. Israel will pay $20 million in compensation to the families of the Mavi Marmara victims. Due to regional and global crises, bilateral problems with these countries, and terror attacks Turkey’s tourism industry badly hurt. The number of foreign arrivals to Turkey slumped by 34.7 percent in May compared to the same month of 2015 to 2.49 million, according to data released by the Tourism Ministry on June 28. This marked the steepest decline since the 1990s. The number of Russian tourists visiting Turkey declined by around 92 percent to 41,004 in May compared to the same month of 2015.

With the gradual improvement with Russia and Israel, Turkish tourism industry expects a dramatic rise in the number of tourists. Basaran Ulusoy and Osman Ayik, head of the Travel Agencies Association of Turkey (TÜRSAB) hand the Hoteliers’ Federation of Turkey (TÜROFED) respectively, said that they expect a dramatic rise in the number of Israeli tourists visiting Turkey. Osman Ayik said that the target from this market should be 1 million tourists. Turkish Hoteliers’ Association (TÜROB) President Timur Bayındır said that the improving ties with both Israel and Russia would have a very positive impact on the sector.

Istanbul hosts UFTAA Golden Jubilee Congress

The Universal Federation of Travel Agents ‘Associations (UFTAA) will held its Golden Jubilee Congress; celebrating its 50th anniversary celebrations this November. Hilton Istanbul Bosphorus will host the conference on 25 – 26 November 2016. Sponsored by the Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry and supported by Turkish Airlines, UFTAA’s Golden Jubilee Congress will hold

general assembly, IATA Forum, Business Sessions, and B2B exhibition on November 25th. General assembly, business sessions and b2b exhibition will continue on November 26. The official opening and inaugural dinner will be held on November 25th and gala dinner will be held on November 26. There will be a board meeting and dinner prior to the congress on November 24.

Tourists can continue their vacation in Turkey despite State of Emergency

Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TURSAB) released following statement. In light of the declarations by Republic of Turkey, Prime Minister H.E. Binali Yildirim, the security measures throughout Turkey and in major cities like Ankara and Istanbul have been raised to the highest level following recent unfortunate events throughout the country in order to ensure the safety of all civilians. Airports and all touristic facilities are fully functioning and the tourists in Turkey are happily continuing their vacations. In addition to that a 3 months State of Emergency has been declared upon the decision taken by the Turkish Government. However .please rest assure that, this State of Emergency, will not effect the daily life of the civilians, and international travellers. As we see many examples in many countries that this state will neither effect “the freedom of travel,” nor limit our daily routine. Such turbulent events, examples of which we have unfortunately been witnessing more frequently than ever lately throughout the world, not only take innocent lives but also target to scare and thus thwart the global freedom of travel, for which the global travel industry is in dire need to firmly stand together and manifest to the world the utmost

solidarity and fraternity to withstand any menace against the wellbeing of humanity, nations and the travel sector.

We are extremely sure that through such difficult times for our nation and sector, we will not be deprived of your heartfelt support and solidarity. Once again we reiterate our cordial appreciation of your sensitivity on the matter and hope that the fruitful tourism relations between our countries will persevere.

November 2016 | MeeTurkey | 7

NEWSLINE TURKEY Turkish Airlines launches direct service between Istanbul and Seychelles Seychelles becomes Turkish Airlines’ third island in the Vanilla Islands Group, with the addition of three weekly return flights to Mahé, Seychelles from Istanbul, Turkey. Turkish Airlines celebrated the addition of tourist favourite, Seychelles, to its global route map with the airline’s inaugural flight landed at Mahé International Airport. Turkish Airlines flights to Seychelles mark the opening up a world of 114 countries to passengers travelling from the Land of perpetual summer. Flying directly from Mahé International Airport, the brand new service will connect passengers departing from Seychelles to 88 worldwide destinations including Paris, Dubai, Frankfurt, London, Milano, Bombay, Abu Dhabi, Vienna, Munich, Zurich, Rome, Moscow, Dusseldorf, Colombo and Hong Kong. This service brings to 42 the total number of destinations the airline flies to in Africa, as it keeps its status as the carrier that flies to more countries and international destinations than any other airline by serving in 114 countries

across Europe, Russia, Central Asia, Far East Asia, the Middle East, Africa, North and South America. The inaugural flight from Istanbul got a water cannon salute at Mahe International airport at a ceremony graced by Mr. Ahmet Olmuştur, Chief Marketing Officer of Turkish Airlines; and Mr. Alain St. Ange, Minister for Tourism and Culture of the Republic of Seychelles; and Mr. Joel Morgan, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Transport of the Republic of Seychelles, in the presence of diplomatic, protocol and media representatives as well as Turkish Airlines’ officials. Mr. Olmuştur said; “It does not take long to realize why the Seychelles has such a stellar reputation worldwide like Turkish Airlines, you go out of your way to put a stamp of quality in all that you do. It is therefore a great honour for us to add this great destination to our network, which currently has the biggest number of destinations than that of any other airline globally.”

Qatar opens representative office in Istanbul

Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) is extending its European footprint by opening a representative office in Istanbul to reach out to travelers and tour operators in Turkey. Istanbul joins an international network currently covering the UK, France, Germany, Italy, USA, the GCC markets and South East Asia. Istanbul becomes QTA’s 8th representative office. The Istanbul office will aim to greatly enhance QTA’s on-the-ground presence and capabilities, introducing and developing 8 | MeeTurkey | November 2016

awareness and knowledge on Qatar as a quality destination through pro-active marketing to tour operators, travel agencies, hospitality partners and media, as well as targeting consumers. “Our focus will be on projecting the message that Qatar combines top quality accommodation and superb leisure facilities in a clean and safe environment, together with an authentic taste of traditional Qatar hospitality and a range of cultural experiences unmatched in the region,” said Rashed AlQurese, Chief Marketing & Promotions Officer at QTA. AlQurese explained that, in recent years, Qatar has successfully built on its reputation as a business travel destination by diversifying their approach to attract increasing numbers of leisure tourists as well. Total international visitors have soared by 91% since 2009, with an average annual growth rate of 13.8%, making Qatar one of the fastest growing destinations in the world. Qatar’s marketing campaign in Turkey will cover a wide range of promotional initiatives,

November 2016 | MeeTurkey | 9

NEWSLINE TURKEY including workshops, sales visits, travel agents destination training through QTA’s online TAWASH programme, partnerships with tour operators, familiarization trips, media campaigns and a variety of innovative activities to raise Qatar’s profile as a destination among Turkish holiday makers. Qatar welcomed 1.4 million visitors in the first six months of 2016, including 665,355 Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nationals. Click here for more details about the Qatar Tourism Authority’s (QTA) Tourism Performance Summary for the First Half (H1) of 2016.

Istanbul welcomes the 3rd Bosphorus bridge

Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge became Istanbul’s third bridge spanning Bosphorus strait when it was inaugurated on Friday with a ceremony attended by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim and other officials including Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa, Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov, Turkish Cyprus President Mustafa Akıncı and Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, as well as other senior officials from Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Georgia and Serbia. “We are connecting continents,” Erdogan said. “We are celebrating together and we are very proud of it. The nation deserves this. With God’s permission, this nation will get what it deserves.This is great day and joyful day.” The bridge, which cost nearly $3 billion to construct, is the latest in a raft of infrastructure “mega-projects” unveiled by the government. The 1.4 kilometer (0.9 mile) bridge will carry eight lanes of traffic and two rail lines between 10 | MeeTurkey | November 2016

Europe and Asia at the entrance of the Bosphorus to the Black Sea. Named after Selim I, the 16th century sultan known for his expansion of the Ottoman empire, the bridge accompanies the July 15 Matryrs’ Bridge, previously the Bosphorus Bridge, and the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge in crossing the Bosphorus. It is the world’s longest suspension rail bridge and will lead to $1.75 billion-a-year in savings through reduced travel times and energy costs. All trucks and heavy-duty vehicles will be directed to the bridge to ease traffic on the other bridges, as well as cut congestion and pollution in Istanbul. The fee for automobiles going from the European to the Asian side of the city will be 9.90 Turkish liras ($3.40). There will be no charge for passage from the Asian to the European side.

In addition, the bridge’s pylons are themselves exceptional in terms of height. The longer of the two pylons is 322 metres tall – only two metres shorter than the Eiffel tower. Renowned French engineer Michel Virlogeux – the designer of the bridge also credited with conceiving the Millau Viaduct in south France and Lisbon’s Vasco da Gama Bridge – toldAgence France Presse,” This bridge puts Turkey among the world leaders, it’s the most spectacular to have been built in the last years.” The 116-km long highway built as part of the Third Bridge and Northern Marmara Highway

Project includes 35 viaducts. The first phase of the highway project was completed by the private sector, which invested an approximate $3 billion, Anadolu Agency reported. The two other phases will involve the construction of highways and linking roads amounting to a total length of 257 km, expected to be completed and available for public use in 2018. Thousands of people flocked over the weekend to take photos at Istanbul’s newest Bosphorus Bridge. As crowds gathered, traffic was blocked both over the bridge and on the connection roads.

Dogus Group secures €1 billion financing for Istanbul’s new port project

Turkey’s Doğuş Group which is among the historically most successful conglomerates in Turkey, had secured €1.02 billion (US$1.14 billion) in financing from six Turkish banks for a luxury port project near the Galata district of Istanbul along with its project partner, Reuters has reported. CEO of Doğuş Group Hüsnü Akhan said that Dogus would invest 4.5 billion lira (US$1.5 billion) in the project, which it aimed to complete in the last quarter of 2018. The Peninsula Hotels, operated by Hong Kong and Shanghai Hotels, would invest 500 million lira (US$170 million) in the project. The Galataport project envisages a new terminal for cruise ships and a luxury hotel in the touristic Karaköy neighborhood near Istanbul’s historic Galata district, the site of Istanbul’s old berths for cruise liners. Doğuş Holding and its partner Bilgili Holding placed the highest offer for the privatization of the Istanbul Salıpazarı Cruise Port Area project, commonly known as Galataport with a $702

million bid in May 2013, winning the rights to operate the port area in Istanbul’s Karaköy neighborhood for 30 years. The Istanbul Salıpazarı Port Area has up to 1,200 meters of coastline and covers an area of approximately 100,000 square meters.

It is expected that the number of cruise tourists could increase to 2 million per year, from the current level of around 650,000, after the project is completed.

A golf course opens in Samsun, Turkey

Turkey’s largest city and port on the Turkish Black Sea coast; Samsun will soon open world’s first artificial golf course. The city’s mayor Yusuf Ziya Yılmaz said that the 9-hole golf course will be the world’s first golf course on an artificial island. Mayor said that the construction for the golf course started a year ago and soon it will be completed. “We are building the largest 9-hole golf course in Turkey. Built on 370 acres land, 250 acres will be for golf and 120 acres will be used for landscape and recreation area. Also, there will be three artificial lakes. We are hoping the golf course will attract more tourists to the city,” added Mr. Yılmaz. Golfplan - Dale & Ramsey Golf Course

Architects has designed the Samsun golf course. It will host the Deaflympics Golf Tournament in July 2017. November 2016 | MeeTurkey | 11

NEWSLINE TURKEY Istanbul to host 2017 EuroLeague Final Four

Euroleague Basketball announced that 2017 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four will be held in Istanbul in May, 2017. Istanbul Mayor Kadir Topbaş said: “We have already started preparations for 2017 Euroleauge Final Four.” Istanbul will host the best four EuroLeague teams from May 19 to 21, 2017 in what is sure to be a thrilling finish to a ground-breaking season, the first in European basketball history in which all the teams in the continent’s premier competition are guaranteed to play each other. The 2017 EuroLeague Final Four will take place for the second time at the Sinan Erdem Dome, which officially opened its doors on April 16, 2010 and two years later played host to a memorable Final Four that was one of the most successful in EuroLeague history. H.E. Akif Çağatay Kılıç, the Minister of Youth and Sports of Turkey; Mr. Kadir Topbaş, the mayor Istanbul; Mr. Vasip Şahin, the governor of Istanbul; Mr. İlker Aycı, the Chairman of Turkish Airlines’ Board of Directors and Executive Committee; Mr.Jordi Bertomeu, Euroleague CEO and President; Mr. Hidayet Türkoğlu, the senior sports advisor to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and as well as celebrities from the sports world attended the publicty meeting in Istanbul. “Basketball has seen outstanding growth in Turkey in recent years, while İstanbul already has a Final Four tradition that’s second to 12 | MeeTurkey | November 2016

none, so we are excited to be crowning the EuroLeague champion there next May,” Jordi Bertomeu, Euroleague Basketball President and CEO, said. “We will return to the Sinan Erdem Dome, one of the finest arenas anywhere in which to watch basketball and the perfect venue to culminate a season in which fans will see all the stars in their own cities for the first time in history. With the way Turkish fans continue embracing the EuroLeague more and more each year, it will be great to have them with us for the very biggest games at the Final Four.” “We highly treasure our partnership with Euroleague Basketball because it has allowed us for many years to be part of a great sport - commented Mr İlker Ayci - This year we are even more proud to be the title sponsor of this championship, since the Final Four will actually take place in our city of birth and global hub, Istanbul. We are sure that the international atmosphere and innovative traits of our city will add an extra touch of innovation and thrill to such an amazing event. Furthermore, every year we commit to ideating, together with Euroleague Basketball, new and exciting ways to deliver a sporting experience that truly goes beyond expectations to all basketball fans and travellers”. The Sinan Erdem Dome has a capacity for 16,000 spectators for basketball and, in addition to the 2012 Final Four, has hosted such prestigious basketball events as the 2010 world championships.

The 3rd Istanbul Design Biennial participants and projects announced

The 3rd Istanbul Design Biennial taking place from 22 October to 20 November 2016 announces its participants and projects. Organised by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV) and curated by Beatriz Colomina and Mark Wigley, the biennial is titled “ARE WE HUMAN? : The Design of the Species: 2 seconds, 2 days, 2 years, 200 years, 200,000 years”. The biennial will present more than 70 projects from 5 continents by designers, architects, artists, theorists, choreographers, filmmakers, historians, archaeologists, scientists, labs, centres, institutes and NGOs in 5 main venues; Galata Greek Primary School, Studio-X Istanbul and Depo in Karaköy, Alt Art Space in Bomonti, and Istanbul Archaeological

Museums in Sultanahmet. In addition to the projects of this core multidisciplinary group, the work of a dense array of international writers, video makers and designer researchers will be presented in the same venues and online to stimulate a new kind of conversation about design. The 3rd Istanbul Design Biennial will explore the intimate relationship between “design” and “human” over a time period that spans from the last 2 seconds to the last 200,000 years. Organised by İKSV and co-sponsored by ENKA Foundation, VitrA and Petkim, the 3rd Istanbul Design Biennial is held free of charge (except the Istanbul Archaeological Museums will require a museum ticket).

Malaysia was the partner country of the 85th Izmir International Fair

Izmir International Fair, the first and the most comprehensive commercial fair of Turkey organized 84 years ago despite war, famine and crises opened its doors for the 85th time .

This theme of the Izmir International Fair 2016 is ‘Innovation’. The most important brands of the world and of Turkey met in Kültürpark in Izmir where great steps have been taken to create a city of design and innovation. Izmir International Fair had a new platform in which innovators, academicians and private sector representatives will be able to introduce innovation to the public. With its slogan “The Future Lies in Izmir”, 85th Izmir International Fair progressed in line with change and innovation; and it wasl continue its innovation theme in the following years by bringing future to Izmir. Representatives from 42 different countries attended the event, where Malaysia was this year’s partner country. November 2016 | MeeTurkey | 13

NEWSLINE TURKEY Turkish Science Minister Faruk Ozlu at the opening ceremony said, “Fair organizations develop diplomatic ties between countries as

well as contributing to expanding economic and commercial relations.

Turkey ranks in the top 20 most expensive countries for flights

According to a recent research detailing countries of the world which offer the least and most expensive flights, Turkey ranked in # Country the top 20 most expensive 1 India countries for flights. The 2 Malaysia research, conducted by online travel agencyKiwi.com, 3 Russia formerly known as Skypicker, 4 Portugal analyzed over a million flights 5 Indonesia to find an average price of domestic and international 6 Azerbaijan 7 South Africa flights on a low cost and a legacy airline from each of 8 Algeria the countries. 9 Philippines Turkey ranked in position 58, 10 Sweden with an average flight cost of US$28.51 per 100km of travel, factoring in both domestic and international journeys. The least expensive country, India, averaged a

Domestic Flights cost/100km

International Flights cost/100km Low Low Cost Legacy Cost Legacy Airline Airline Airline Airline $2.27 $2.67 $3.54 $4.51 $2.32 $5.81 $2.11 $4.88 $7.02 $6.32 $3.18 $7.01 $4.04 $14.57 $2.80 $5.41 $4.34 $5.68 $6.18 $11.14 $6.03 $11.69 $2.91 $7.10 $5.69 $9.94 $6.33 $7.36 $9.16 $10.43 $5.17 $5.92 $5.23 $8.26 $3.93 $13.61 $8.97 $15.14 $2.81 $5.33

Average cost/100 km US$3.25 $3.78 $5.88 $6.71 $6.84 $6.93 $7.33 $7.67 $7.76 $8.06

flight cost of $3.25 per 100km of travel. At the other end of the ranking, United Arab Emirates calculated at a cost over 30 times higher, at $105.71 per 100km of travel.

2016 Wine Price Index, Turkey ranked 7th Most Affordable Country

wine weekends becoming one of the biggest travel trends of 2016, SHAREaCAMPER also hope to empower travellers in choosing wine travel destinations that suit their budgets. Turkey ranked in position 7 with an average cost of €8.87 for a 750ml bottle of wine, factoring in both local and imported wines. This compares to Paraguay, which offered the least expensive wine at an average price of €6.74 per bottle, whilst at the other end of the ranking United Arab Emirates calculated at a cost over 5 times higher, at €34.85 per 750ml bottle. Turkey consumes an average 1.00 litres of wine per capita annually, ranking 54th in the world for litres consumed. The top five most expensive countries to buy wine overall were the United Arab Emirates at €34.85 a bottle,Singapore at

Wine tourism is one of the fastest growing travel trends of 2016. With many vineyards now opening their grounds for campers to stay and sample the local wine, peer-to-peer motorhome rental platform SHAREaCAMPER have released the 2016 Wine Price Index, a comprehensive study Country comparing the cost of wine in 65 countries worldwide. The Index averages and 1 Paraguay compares local and imported 2 Serbia wine prices in each country, 3 Czech Republic allowing travellers and wine 4 Argentina lovers a bird’s eye view on 5 Panama the consumer wine industry across the globe. The United 6 Malta Arab Emirates was the most 7 Turkey expensive destination for 8 Bulgaria average wine costs, whilst 9 Nepal Paraguay offered the least 10 New Zealand expensive wine options. With 14 | MeeTurkey | November 2016

Consumption Average Average Overall (litres per Local Imported Average capita annually) €5.24 €8.25 €6.74 6.40 €7.25 €7.72 €7.48 28.80 €5.86 €9.21 €7.53 7.40 €8.51 €7.33 €7.92 32.30 / €8.28 €8.28 1.45 €9.58 €7.67 €8.62 17.70 €7.65 €10.10 €8.87 1.00 €8.61 €10.70 €9.65 13.70 €4.63 €14.79 €9.71 0.02 €8.76 €10.90 €9.83 25.80

€34.42, Maldives at €32.05, Israel at €26.99 and South Korea costing €26.08. The country with the most affordable local wine is Nepal costing an average of €4.63 a bottle, whilst the most expensive was Venezuela, at an average of €23.17 a bottle. The country with the most affordable imported wine is South Africa costing €5.43 a

bottle, with the most expensive being Israel with a bottle costing €40.48 on average. The country that consumes the most per capita annually was Luxembourg at 61.30, followed closely by Portugal at 55.40, and France at 53.60 litres.

Turkish Food Festival at Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh

Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh hosts Turkish Food Festival at The Grill restaurant. Tarek Bekhiet,

Regional Director of Marketing hosted the

opening event along with Chef Husseyin Deniz who prepared a special menu to welcome guests to experience the authentic Turkish cuisine. The Turkish Food Festival offers a daily allinclusive dinner buffet at The Grill restaurant. The Festival is prepared under the supervision of the Turkish Executive Sous Chef at Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh, Chef Husseyin Deniz, who prepared a wide variety of the most delicious Turkish cuisine specialties mainly from the region of Anatolia, in addition to authentic Ottoman classics such as adana kebab, iskend er kebab, beyti, and delicious char-grill offerings. The festival continued till November 5, lasting two full weeks.

Inbrief ◀◀ Bilal Ekşi is the new General Manager of Turkish Airlines.

◀◀ Edip Çelik has been appointed as the General Manager of CVK Park Bosphorus Hotel İstanbul.

◀◀ Atakan Altuğ, now new general manager of Radisson Blu Hotel Kayseri.

◀◀ Haakon Gaarder-Larsen is the new general manager of Ankara Hilton SA.

◀◀ Bülent Şenses has been appointed to Albatravel Group as Online Marketing Manager for Turkey. ◀◀ Burak Aydın has been appointed as the General Manager of BW Plus The President Hotel Istanbul ◀◀ Demet Buyurman has been appwinted as the General Manager of Sumahan on the Water in Istanbul.

◀◀ Lufthansa announced that Kemal Geçer is the new Turkey manager.

◀◀ Sadun Alp has been appointed as the General Coordinator of Bof Hotels.

◀◀ Levent Suyolcuoğlu named as the genaral manager of Ramada Plaza Istanbul Asia Airport ◀◀ Temel Kotil has been appointed as the General Manager of Turkish Aerospace Industries Inc. ◀◀ Burcu Gürol Durak has been appointed to Wyndham Grand Istanbul Europe as Sales & Marketing Manager. November 2016 | MeeTurkey | 15

MEET AT ART Istanbul Modern presented Artists’ Film International 2016 Istanbul Modern presents Artists’ Turkey’s guest for this year’s Artists’ Film International 2016, an Film International is Zeyno Pekünlü. exhibition and program featuring Pekünlü’s collage video “How to videos, animations, and short properly touch a girl so you don’t films by artists from around the creep her out?” (2015) was be on world. Focusing on the theme of view throughout this year, not “technology”, this year’s exhibition only at Istanbul Modern, but at the was on view until October 6, 2016. international partner organizations as well. Curated by Çelenk Bafra of Istanbul Modern, the exhibition explores the psychological and social effects of different technologies, the sociopolitical codes of new technologies, and the way these transform artistic production processes. The program were also includes conversations, workshops, and presentations about video art and artists’ films.

Program Partners were;

Afghanistan Centre for Contemporary Art, Afghanistan Ballroom Marfa, USA The Cultural Centre of Belgrade, Serbia Initiated by the Whitechapel Gallery Fundación PRóA, Argentina in 2008, Artists’ Film International continues this year in partnership GAMeC / Galleria with 13 art organizations from d’Arte Moderna e different parts of the world. Having Contamporanea participated in the program in di Bergamo, Italy Istanbul Museum previous years with works by Ali Kazma, İnci Eviner, Ergin Çavuşoğlu, of Modern Art, Sefer Memişoğlu, Bengü Karaduman, Turkey Burak Delier, and Vahap Avşar, this MAAT – year Istanbul Modern has invited Zeyno Pekünlü to Artists’ Film International on “technology”. 16 | MeeTurkey | November 2016

Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology, Portugal Neuer Berliner Kunstverein (n.b.k), Germany Para Site, China Project 88, India Tromsø Kunstforening, Norway Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw, Poland Whitechapel Gallery, UK

MEET AT HISTORY A cable car between Eyüp - Pierre Loti – Miniatürk Eyüp is a charming district of Istanbul located at the end of the Golden Horn. In the centre of Eyüp, you can discover the famous Pierre Loti hill. The famous cafe entitled with the name of Pierre Loti, a famous French writer, is reached on getting to this ridge on which the perfect view of Golden Horn can Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality be watched. You will be charmed (IBB) approved a project plan by the beautiful wooden houses of that will construct a 2-kilometer this very authentic neighbourhood cable car line connecting Eyüpfrequented by Turkish families. Pierre Loti – Miniatürk. The construction of the cable car line will start in 2016, as the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality approved the project plan listed in the municipality’s budget statement for 2016. The planned cable car line is expected to carry 3,000 passengers per hour and ease the burden of day-to-day traffic between Eyüp-Pierre Loti and Miniatürk neighborhood. Each cable car cabin will have a capacity of 8 people and the project is scheduled for completion in 14 months.

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Meanwhile Miniatürk, located by the Golden Horn, is one of the world’s largest miniature parks with its 15,000 sqm (160,000 sq ft) model area. The park contains 122 models in 1:25 scale. It contains structures from in and around Turkey, as well as interpretations of historic structures.

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MEET AT EVENT Seven Stars Awards The 4th annual Seven Stars Luxury Hospitality and Lifestyle Awards, which sets the world of Luxury hospitality and lifestyle ablaze on the night of October 15th at the Villa Padierna Palace Hotel, Marbella â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Spain. Luxury Panel Members in attendance were: His Serene Highness Prince Massimiliano della Torre e Tasso, Her Serene Highness Princess Costanza della Torre e Tasso, Her Royal Highness Nathalie Princess of Hohenzollern, Princess Bhargavi Kumari Mewar, Kenelm Jenour, Jean Christophe Rousseau, Thanos Liontos, Andreas Lindner, Bernie

Hawkins, Alexander Jovanovic. There were two award winners from Turkey. Lazzoni Hotel CEO Efe Kababulut and General Manager GĂźrhan Sayar received luxury hotel award, Osman Oguz and Onur Dogulu, Managing Partners of G2O Meetings & Incentives received an award in Luxury DMC category.

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MEET AT EXHIBITION IT&CMAsia-Bangkok The 24th and 19th instalment of was held in Bangkok, Thailand on September 26-29, with several new milestones set ahead of its 3-day programme. Incentive Travel & Conventions, Meetings Asia (IT&CMA) and Corporate Travel World (CTW) Asia-Pacific is The Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Only Doublebill Event in MICE and Corporate Travel. IT&CMA and CTW Asia-Pacific is the undisputed leader in MICE and Corporate Travel exhibition and conference in the region. The event hosted 2,800 delegates from over 50 countries, including 600 hosted buyers and media, this year.

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FAME & GAME

Land speed record on the bridge Four-time FIM Supersport World The construction of the quakeChampion, Turkey’s professional resistant bridge began in 2010. motorcycle racer Kenan Sofuoglu The bridge is a 2,682-meter long reached 400 km/h on the opening structure, lies in the southern shore day of Osmangazi Bridge, which of the Marmara Sea along the route becomes the fourth-longest of the new six-lane Istanbul-Izmir suspension bridge in the world Highway Project, which cost around and the second longest in Europe. $6.3 billion. The bridge is also Sofuoglu reached 400 kilometers known as the Izmit Bridge because (248.5 miles) per hour in less than 30 it stretches across the Izmit Bay in seconds on his Kawasaki Ninja H2R Turkey. sports bike and broke land speed The 421-kilometer (261.6-mile) long record on a motorcycle. highway will cut the average journey The construction of the quakeresistant bridge, which aims to drastically cut travel time between Istanbul and the country’s western provinces, opens today by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Binali Yildirim. 24 | MeeTurkey | November 2016

time between Izmir and Istanbul from 10 hours to approximately four hours. The new bridge and highway will also mean that the drive-time between the country’s second busiest Sabiha Airport and the eastern province of the Bursa Province would be less than an hour.

Traditional Swimming Race at Bosphorus The Turkish Olympic Committee Turkey are delighted with the success has hailed the success of the of the 28th Samsung Bosphorus 28th Samsung Bosphorus CrossCross-Continental Race. The Turkish Continental Swimming Race, 1541 Olympic Committee and Samsung swimmers took part in one of the Electronics Turkey would like to world’s most unique swimming congratulate all of today’s swimmers events. and we hope to see you here again next year for another fantastic day of Swimmers from 49 countries swam competition and celebrations”. the challenging 6.5km route from Kanlıca on the Asian side of Istanbul to Kuruçeşme on the European side. This year’s celebrity guest and former Australian long-distance swimmer, Shelley Taylor-Smith, kickstarted the race and was on hand to congratulate participants as they crossed the finish line. Following the race, President of the Turkish Olympic Committee Professor Dr. Uğur Erdener said: “The TOC and Samsung Electronics

Turkish swimmer Ömer Tara completed the course in first place, with a time of 47 minutes and 39 seconds. The full results are listed below:

Men’s: 1- Ömer Tara (Turkey) (47.39) 2- Dimitar Videnov (Bulgaria) (49.57) 3- Arda Kip (Turkey) (50.10) Women’s 1- Nilay Erkal (Turkey) (52. 38) 2- Deniz Güngöroğlu (Turkey) (53. 33) 3- Ekinsu Tezel (Turkey) (53. 34) November 2016 | MeeTurkey | 25

EAT & MEET

Turkish Restaurant Week was in Washington DC Residents and travelers in Washington D.C. have the chance to taste and experience Turkish culinary dishes and culture which are renowned for its diversity of resources, fresh ingredients and variety of recipes that were influenced by Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa during the Turkish Restaurant Week started September 9. Organized by The American-Turkish Association of Washington DC (ATADC), the Eighth Annual Turkish Restaurant Week is a week-long celebration of Turkish cuisine. The event took place from Friday, September 9 through September 18, 2016 during the Fifth Turkish Heritage Month. During Turkish Restaurant Week, diners enjoyed this rich and authentic cuisine with a special three-course prix fixe lunch ($25) and four-course prix fixe dinner ($35) at Washingtonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top Turkish restaurants in Washington D.C., Maryland and Virginia. The most outstanding Turkish restaurants were offer their culinary arts and specialties for #foodies in the D/M/V area. 26 | MeeTurkey | November 2016

The UAE was recognised as the most popular destination for incentives and conferences in the Middle East, with the UK, Saudi Arabia and India identified as the key source markets placing inbound business into the destination. Accessible flight routes, new hotels, and an investment of time and resources in the latest technology and set-ups to facilitate large-scale events have pushed the UAE to the top of the list. Texas topped the list as the most popular destination for meeting and events in the USA, followed by Florida and Las Vegas. New venues, restaurants and an increase in international and regional flights have boosted the popularity of these destinations while the abundance of available VIP experiences have established Dallas, San Antonio, Miami, and Las Vegas as key cities for conference and incentives in the U.S.

NEWS LINE WORLD Travel Turkey Izmir at 8 - 11 December Travel Turkey Izmir’2016 Tourism Fair and Congress, which is one of the leading tourism shows for the tourism market in Turkey, will be held at ‘fuarizmir’ between 8 - 11 December 2016, organized by TÜRSAB - Association of Turkish Travel Agencies and İZFAŞ, under the patronage of Republic of Turkey, Ministry of Culture & Tourism. Georgia, Ghana, Greece, India, Hong Travel Turkey İzmir’2016 Tourism Kong, India, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Italy, Fair and Congress is the most Jordan, Kosovo, Morocco, Poland, ideal platform in Turkey for the Portugal, Russia, Serbia, Spain, development of already existing business relations, establishment of South Korea, Sri Lanka, Turkey, USA, Uzbekistan, Zambiya and Zimbabwe new connections and partnerships are the exhibiting countries of last in fuarizmir, the newest and most year. modern fair complex in Turkey. The last edition, Travel Turkey Izmir 2015 hosted 1008 exhibitors from 31 countries and was visited by 33,688 tourism professionals from 63 countries. Exhibitors were especially satisfied with the quality of professional buyers at the show sponsored by Turkish Airlines. The excellent media coverage of the travel trade press was also noted as enabling exhibitors to strengthen their ties with foreign markets and to reach their business objectives.

As a part of the exhibition, the ‘THE INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF GASTRONOMY TOURISM’ will be held 8-10 December 2016.

Travel Turkey Izmir Tourism Fair & Conference is a trade fair and conference which is specially designed for the Turkish Tourism Industry. It attracts buyers & purchasers from the main source markets in Europe and Asia. Travel Turkey aims to provide crucial information as well as a venue for serious professional networking Argentina, Australia, Bosnia Herzegovina, Bulgaria, China, France, that results in signed contracts with global deal-makers. 28 | MeeTurkey | November 2016

2016â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Most Popular MICE Destinations A recent global Destination Index Singapore. Governmental stability, revealed the top destinations in attractive exchange rates and Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and improved flight connections were the United States for meetings and factors contributing to the increased incentives. attention from source markets The global Destination Index, which including North America, Australia and other Asian regions. is compiled by the leading Global DMC and Event Management Companies, Pacific World and ACCESS Destination Services, identifies each year the countries

In Europe, France and Italy were identified as the top countries for meetings and incentives. Improved transport links and investment

and cities most thriving within the meetings, incentives and conferences industries.

in infrastructure resulting in the opening of a number of new hotels and venues were factors accountable for the fact that Milan and Paris have both been voted as the most popular European cities for Meetings and Incentives, with increased interest from source markets such as the Middle East, USA, UK, Germany, and Brazil.

Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore were recognised as the top countries in Asia for meetings and incentives, with Bangkok and Bali voted as the most popular cities, and meetings and incentives being the most requested event types in

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COVER STORY

Another MICE destination of Turkey Izmir is the third largest city in Turkey with a population of around 3.7 million, the second biggest port after Istanbul, and a very good transport hub. It is a rapidly growing city on the Central Aegean coast of Turkey. Izmir, historically Smyrna, is the third most populous city of Turkey and the country’s largest port after Istanbul. It is located in the Gulf of Izmir, by the Aegean Sea. It is the capital of Izmir Province. Izmir is the inheritor of almost 3,500 years of urban past, and possibly up to that much more in terms of advanced human settlement patterns. It is Turkey’s first port for exports and its free zone, a TurkishU.S. joint-venture established in 1990, is the leader among the twenty that Turkey counts. Its workforce, and particularly its rising class of young professionals, concentrated either in the city or in its immediate vicinity (such as in Manisa), and under either larger companies or SME’s, affirm their name in an increasingly wider global scale and intensity. Izmir is widely regarded as one of the most liberal Turkish 30 | MeeTurkey | November 2016

cities in terms of values, ideology, lifestyle, dynamism and gender roles. The Izmir Convention & Visitors Bureau (Izmir CVB) was founded in 2007 by Izmir Tourism Promotion Foundation (IZTAV), as a non-profitable, independent of any marketing structure information exchange bureau. Izmir CVB’s mission is to promote the city’s rich cultural and natural assets and it’s great potential on a national and international level and is seeking guidelines and best practice to develop the city’s congress tourism.

Once the ancient city of Smyrna, İzmir is now a modern, developed, and busy commercial center, set around a huge bay and surrounded by mountains. The broad boulevards, glass-fronted buildings and modern shopping centers are dotted with traditional red-tiled roofs, the 18th century market, and old mosques and churches, although the city has an atmosphere more of Mediterranean Europe than traditional Turkey. The history of Izmir stretches back to around 3000 BC when the Trojans founded the city in Tepekule in the northern suburb of Bayrakli. This was the birthplace of Homer, who was thought to have lived here around the 8th century BC. The Aeolians, the first Greek settlers, were eventually taken over by their Greek rivals the Ionians. The Ionians were followed by November 2016 | MeeTurkey | 31

city and the Greek and Armenian populations were expelled. Ataturk formally took Izmir on 9 September 1922, which is celebrated as the day of the city’s liberation. Izmir is a relatively safe city for its size, however it does have its “shady” areas. The city center as well as populated suburbs are generally safe during the day. Use common sense if walking at night, avoid dark and narrow alleyways (found mainly in Alsancak and Konak). Avoid the streets around the main port as well as the streets around the railway junction (Hilal, Halkapinar). Be weary in Basmane, though it is fine to stay in hostels in this neighbourhood (the Syrian food will keep you coming back). It is important to also be cautious in Kadifekale, which is where one of the city’s main landmarks is located. It is not advisable to travel on foot in the neighborhoods on the south side of the train tracks near the city center at night. Use common sense and you will be relatively safe. If you find yourself in any situation don’t be afraid to call the police (155). Izmir Police Department has a “tourism police” section where travellers can report passport loss and theft or any other criminal activity they may have become victims of. The staff is multilingual and will speak English, German, French, and Arabic.

How to go Adnan Menderes Airport, 16km south of the city centre, has several daily flights to Istanbul, Ankara and Antalya. There are also regular flights from many European cities.

What to do While in Izmir see the sights, the Arkeoloji Müzesi (Archaeological Museum), Kemeralti and Clock Tower , near Konak Square, houses a superb collection of antiques including the statues of Poseidon, 32 | MeeTurkey | November 2016

COVER STORY the Lydians who destroyed the city around 600BC before a brief recovery following Alexander the Great’s arrival in 334 BC.

After his death, Alexander’s generals followed his wishes and re-established Smyrna on Mount Pagos in Kadifekale, and the city then prospered under the Romans. It was destroyed by an earthquake in 178 AD but later reconstructed and became a major commercial port during the Byzantine Empire. After the Byzantines, the city had a turbulent time under the Arabs, Seljuks, Crusaders and Mongols, until Mehmet I incorporated it into the Ottoman Empire in 1415. Under Suleyman the Magnificent, Smyrna became a thriving and sophisticated city and a huge trading center, despite its frequent earthquakes. It was a cosmopolitan city , with a Greek Orthodox majority along with Armenians, Jews and Muslims. Numerous languages could be heard in the streets, spoken by locals and visiting traders. Following World War I and the defeat of the Ottoman Empire, and on the basis of the majority Greek population in the area, Greece was granted a mandate over Izmir from the Allies. Athens took control over the whole of the Aegean region. Rising tensions led the outbreak of war as the Greeks purshed further into the heart of Anatolia in an attempt to unite the Greek communities of Asia Minor. Led by Kemal Ataturk the Turkish army launched a counter-attack and seized the city. Soon thereafter 70% of the city burned to the ground by the Greek forces. The ‘Great Fire’ ended multinational authority of the 34 | MeeTurkey | November 2016

and Demeter which, in ancient times, stood in the agora. Neighboring the Archaeological Museum, the collection of the Etnografya Müzesi (Etnographical Museum) contains folkloric artifacts among which are fine collections of Bergama and Gördes carpets, traditional costumers and camel bridles. Situated on Atatürk Caddesi is an old Izmir house used by the founder of the Turkish Republic, the Atatürk Müzesi (Atatürk Museum) exhibits photographs of the leader as well as some of his personnel effects. The Selcuk Yasar Müzesi (Selcuk Yasar Art Museum) is a private museum on Cumhuriyet Bulvari with a collection of 20th century Turkish art. And wander in the bazaar, sip drinks and dine at the pleasant waterfront restaurants.

Get out

Çeşme Çeşme a small village for all summer activities, half an hour drive to Izmir to west. The town itself dominated by Çeşme Castle. While the castle is recorded to have been considerably extended and strengthened during the reign of Ottoman sultan Bayezid II, sources differ as to their citation of the original builders, whether the Genoese or the Turks at an earlier time after the early 15th century capture. A statue of Cezayirli Gazi Hasan Pasha, one of the naval commanders of the Battle of Chesma is in front of the castle and the Pasha is depicted caressing his famous pet lion November 2016 | MeeTurkey | 35

COVER STORY and facing the town square. The battle itself, although ended in Ottoman defeat, had seen Hasan Pasha pulling out honorably after having sunk the Russian flagship Sv. Evstafii, together with his own ship, after which he had to follow the main battle from the coast before joining the capital by way of land, where he rapidly rose to become a distinguished grand vizier. A few paces south of the castle, there is an Ottoman caravanserai built in the early centuries of the Ottoman conquest in 1528 by order of Süleyman the Magnificent, and it is now restored and transformed into a boutique hotel. The imposing but redundant 19th century Greek Orthodox church of Ayios Haralambos is used for temporary exhibitions. Along some of the back streets of the town are old traditional Ottoman houses, as well as Sakız house-type residences of more peculiar lines, for the interest of strollers. Cesme is known as the windsurfing and kite-surfing capital of Turkey, and

the third best surfing resort in the world Especially Alacati offers the ideal location for surfing, and this is where all the surfing schools are located and the Surf Festivals take place in Alacati every year. Alacati is unique as the depth of the water do not go deeper than 1 meter for over 700 meters off shore and the area receives heavy winds. Ilıca is a large resort area 5 km east of Çeşme to which it is attached administratively, although it bears aspects of a township apart in many of its characteristics. It is famed for its thermal springs, which is the very meaning of its name. Ilıca started out as a distinct settlement towards the end of the 19th century, initially as a retreat for wealthy people, especially from İzmir 36 | MeeTurkey | November 2016

and during summer holidays. Today, it is a popular destination for many. Mentioned by Pausanias and Charles Texier, Ilıca thermal springs, which extend well into the sea, are also notable in Turkey for having been the subject of the first scientifically based analysis in Turkish language of a thermal spring, published in 1909 by Yusuf Cemal. By his time the thermal springs were well-known both internationally, scientific and journalistic literature having been published in French and in Greek, and across Ottoman lands, since the construction here of a still-standing yalı associated with Muhammad Ali of Egypt’s son Tosun Pasha who had sought a cure in Ilıca before his premature death. Ilıca has a fine beach of its own, about 1.5 km long, as well as favorable wind conditions which make it a prized location for windsurfing.

Alaçatı Alacati formerly named Agrilia and inhabited by local Greeks until 1920s, Since 2000s, it is much trendier and has a wider visitor profile, which includes many windsurfers. Alaçatı is an Aegean town on the western coast of İzmir Province in Turkey, which has been famous for its architecture, vineyards and windmills for over 150 years. It has now made its name in the world of windsurfing and kitesurfing, with its crystal clear water, consistent and steady wind and well acclaimed hospitality. Alacati is one of the most authentic towns in Turkey with stone houses, narrow streets, boutique hotels and restaurants with tables on the streets. Alacati has a great nightlife, where the nightclubs by the seaside are open until morning. The area is also home to the Alacati yacht marina and the famous Port Alacati development, created by the French architect Francois Spoerry and his son, Yves Spoerry.

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COVER STORY

Pergamum – Bergama Pergamon was a small settlement during the Archaic Period. Lysimachos, one of the generals of Alexander the Great and who had become the sovereign of Anatolia after 301 BC. Philetarios who was the commander of Pergamon, and the kingdom founded by Philetarios by using this sum of money following Lysimachos’s death, flourished and became the most eminent center of culture of the Hellenistic period for 150 years. Eumenes I, Attalos I and Eumenes II were enthroned successively after Philetarios. Eumenes II took acropolis of Athens as an example and had the acropolis of Pergamon adorned with works of art which reflected fine taste, and Pergamon became one of the most graceful cities of the world. Attalos III who succeeded Attalos II, handed over his land to the Romans when he died in 133 BC. In the Acropolis, the remains that you see on the left hand side while going in, are the monumental tombs or heroons built for the kings of Pergamon during the Hellenistic period. Shops are situated at their side. When you enter the Acropolis, the remains seen at your left side, are the foundations of Propylon (monumental gates) which were constructed by Eumenes II. When you pass to the square surrounded with three stoas of the Doric order you will notice the ruins of the temple of Athena, built during the

time of Eumenes II in the 3rd century BC. It’s just above the theater. The famous Library of Pergamon which contained 200,000 books, was situated north of the square. Antonius gave all the books of the library to Cleopatra as a wedding gift. The remains near the library, are some houses from the Hellenistic period. If you go up the stairs, you will see the remains of the palaces of Eumenes II and Attalos II. Inside the Acropolis there are houses, military barracks and military warehouses called “Arsenals”. The building that has been restored at present, is the Temple of Trajan. Trajan started it but after his death Emperor Hadrian (117-138) finished the temple in Corinthian order and it was placed upon a terrace with dimensions of 68 m × 58 m (223.10 ft × 190.29 ft). Attempts have been continuing by the 38 | MeeTurkey | November 2016

German archaeologists since 1976 to erect this temple which has 6 x 9 columns and a peripteros plan (one row of columns around the temple). It is completely marble. The Theater of Pergamon, one of the steepest theaters in the world, has a capacity of 10,000 people and was constructed in the 3rd century BC. The theater underwent changes during the Roman period under the reign of Caracalla. There is a 246.5 m (808.73 ft) long and approximately 16 m (52.49 ft) wide stoa (portico) in front of the theater. The road in front of the theater leads to the Temple of Dionysos (known in Rome as Baccus, god of wine). The temple was constructed in the 2nd century BC and reconstructed in marble during Caracalla’s period (211-217 AD). Its dimensions are 11.80 m × 20.22 m (38.71 ft × 66.34 ft). The temple, which arouses interest because of the staircase in front with a height of 4.5 m (14.76 ft) and 25 steps, has an exquisite appearance.

The famous Altar of Zeus in Pergamon is on the south of the theater. Eumenes II (197-159 BC) constructed it as a memorial of the victory against the Galatians. This Altar has the shape of a horseshoe and its dimensions are 36.44 m × 34.20 m (119.55 ft × 112.20 ft). It is composed of four parts and the high relieves on it describe the war between the giants and the gods. The Altar which was taken away from Pergamon in 1871 and carried November 2016 | MeeTurkey | 39

COVER STORY to Germany by the German engineer Carl Humann, is exhibited at the Museum of Pergamum in Berlin, in a manner conforming to its original. Today the Turkish government is trying to get it back from Germany bringing the issue to the International Court of Justice in The Hague. On the south of the Altar, the Agora (market place) belonging to the 2nd century BC, is situated. In the middle of the Agora there is a small altar. Downwards in the Acropolis, the central city is placed. Inside Pergamon, there is the Temple of Serapis, built for the Egyptian Gods in the 2nd century AD. and called the Red Courtyard by locals. This is a basilica shaped building constructed under the reign of Hadrian, then, in the 4th century, it was converted into a church dedicated to St. John and became one of the Seven Churches of Christianity. The museum is in Bergama and Asklepion (the ancient medical complex, hospital) is out of the city. It is believed that Asklepion, built in the name of Aesculapius, the god of Health and Medicine, has existed since the 4th century BC. It contains premises such as a small theater with a capacity of 3,500 people, rooms where the patients were cured by the sound of water and music, the temple of Asklepion and the library. Here, the dreams of the patients were analyzed by their doctors (priests) 2000 years before Sigmund Freud did. One of the important personalities associated with the Asklepion was Galen (Galenus) from the 2nd century AD. It was under Eastern Roman rule except Sassanid invasion in 620s, Umayyad invasion in 715 and Sultanate of Rum rule between 1074 and 1097. It was conquered by Karasids in 1302. It was part of Ottoman Empire in 1337. During Ottoman rule, it was part of the Sanjak of Karesi between 1337 and 1868, in Saruhan one (Its centre was Manisa) between 1868 and 1877 and finally in İzmir one. During Turkish War of Independence, it was occupied by Greece in June 19, 1919, but came under Turkish control in September 14, 1922. Kursunlu Mosque, Selçuk Minaret built in the 14th century, Çukurhan caravanserai built in the 14th century, Taşhan caravanserai built in 1432, Great Mosque of Bergama built in 1399, Şadırvanlı Mosque built in 1550, Zeus Altar (Now in Berlin Museum), Acropolis - accessible by the Bergama 40 | MeeTurkey | November 2016

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COVER STORY Acropolis Gondola from the base station north east of the town, Asklepion. Bergama is also known for its historic quarter, where old Ottoman houses in the traditional style are found.

Bergama Carpets

Bergama is also renowned for its high quality carpets. There are approximately eighty villages that still weave Bergama carpets. The history of carpet weaving in Bergama dates back to the 11th century when Turkish migration started to the area. Bergama carpets have almost always been woven with wool - an attestation to the pastoral life style of the Yörük clans populating the area at the time. Although the history of carpet weaving in Bergama dates back to the 11th century, most surviving carpets do not age more than 200 years - mainly due to their wool content. The oldest surviving Bergama carpets can be found in mosques in and around Bergama, as well as the archaeological museum in Bergama.

Bergama Festival Between June 18–24, Bergama celebrates its annual festival “Bergama Kermesi”, which is already running into its seventy-second anniversary. Bergama Kermesi is a major local event, generally celebrated with the attendance of Turkish celebrities, singers, players, poets, and writers.

Allianoi Allianoi is an ancient spa settlement, with remains dating predominantly from the Roman Empire period (2nd century AD) located near the city of Bergama (ancient Pergamon) in Turkey’s İzmir Province. The site is at a distance of 18 kilometres (11 42 | MeeTurkey | November 2016

miles) to the northeast of Bergama, on the road to the neighboring town of İvrindi. One particularity of Allianoi is its being a very recent historical discovery. It was mentioned only once in the 2nd century by the orator and medicinal writer Aelius Aristides in his “Hieroi Logoi” (Sacred Tales) (III.1), one of the key sources for the knowledge on the science of healing as it was understood at that time. No other writer of antiquity nor any epigraphic finding known had referred to Allianoi.Country road in Kozak Plateau Kozak Plateau (Kozak Yaylası) is a high plain at an altitude varying between 500 and 1000 meters and starting at a distance of 20 km from Bergama center in the northern direction. The plain is a favorite regional excursion area, famed for its hand-made textile products and pine forests whose pine nut is also extensively exported.

Selçuk It is must to go Ephesus when you visit İzmir city. Selçuk is the central town of Selçuk district, İzmir Province in Turkey not more than 2 hrs drive. It is 2 kilometres northeast of the ancient city of Ephesus. Selçuk, a few hours by bus or train to the south of the city, is a town with much historical sights, as well as serving as a hub to visit nearby Roman city of Ephesus and Virgin Mary’s House, where the Vatican declared an official Catholic pilgrimage site. It is also a few kilometers away from Kuşadası, and the pleasant inland village of Şirince, renowned for its wines. November 2016 | MeeTurkey | 43

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