MeeTurkey Alternative Tourism & MICE Magazine November 2017

November 2017 Year: 23 No:88

Shopping at Public markets of Istanbul

The Gastromasa Conference Tarsus Gastronomy days Weekend Meetings in Istanbul Turkish Airlines Open Meet at festivals ITCMAsia & CTW Uzakrota Balkan Travel Summit

FROM THE EDITOR

November’2017 Year:23 No:88

Shopping tourism

PUBLISHER & EDITOR IN CHIEF SUAT TÖRE suattore@smpublication.com PUBLISHING EDITOR Özgür TÖRE ozgur@ftnnews.com EDITORS Ömer KOCAMAN omer@smpublication.com Fusun TÖRE fusun@smpublication.com INT. RELATIONS Özge TÖRE ozge@smpublication.com PHOTOS MeeTurkey archive ART DIRECTOR Özgür TÖRE OFFSET PREPARATION Repronet FILM & PRINTING Repronet REPRESENTATIVES ANTALYA: Salih ÇENE salih@salihcene.com Tel: 90.242.248 50 35 -36

Shopping Tourism is one of the most used tools in the promotion of destinations. Shopping has converted into a determinant factor affecting destination choice, an important component of the overall travel experience and, in some cases the prime travel motivation.

Cities utilize shopping and retail experiences to boost the appeal of the destination. Shopping is also one of the major categories of tourists’ expenditure, representing a significant source of income for national economies both directly and through the many linkages to other sectors in the economy.

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) recently published Europe City Travel & Tourism Impact report. The report has ranked London at top for international spend in Europe. In 2016, international visitors spent €18.9billion in London. Istanbul ranked at the second place with €17.5 billion, ahead of other popular European destinations such as CANADA: Çetin GÜRZ Paris, Barcelona, and Amsterdam. cetin@smpublication.com Istanbul is a shopper’s paradise, from antique shops and chic boutiques to shopping malls. In this issue, we are presenting you Istanbul’s bazaars. Every week in Istanbul more than 200 bazaars are set. This is an old tradition that comes from the Ottoman times. I hope our cover story will assist you to start planning your next trip to Istanbul.

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IN THIS ISSUE 18

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Contents

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Newsline Turkey ������������������������������������������������������������6 Inbrief ���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 16 Meet at Exhibition ����������������������������������������������������� 18 Weekend Meetings ��������������������������������������������������� 20 Meet at Festival ���������������������������������������������������������� 21 Meet at Summit ��������������������������������������������������������� 22 Fame & Game �������������������������������������������������������������� 24 Eat & Meet �������������������������������������������������������������������� 25 Newsline World ���������������������������������������������������������� 26 Cover Story ������������������������������������������������������������������ 36 Destinations ���������������������������������������������������������������� 44 DMCompanies ������������������������������������������������������������ 49 Advertisement Index

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WOW Istanbul ������������������������������Inside Front Cover Radisson Blu Hotel Kayseri ����������������������������������������3 The President Hotel �����������������������������������������������������7 kmice ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������9 Yeşil Marmaris ������������������������������������������������������������� 17 Mandarin Hotel ���������������������������������������������������������� 29 Cambodian Travel Mart ������������������������������������������� 33 Devarana Spa �������������������������������������������������������������� 35 Akut �������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 45 Istanbul Modern �������������������������������������������������������� 51 Orion-tour ��������������������������������������������������� Back Cover

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NEWSLINE TURKEY US resumes visa processing in Turkey U.S. missions in Ankara and Istanbul announced that they have resumed limited processing of all non-immigrant visa services, with priority to special cases.

U.S embassies and consulate said in the official website, “We have received initial high-level assurances from the Government of Turkey that there are no additional local employees of our Mission in Turkey under investigation. We have also received initial assurances from the Government of Turkey that our local staff will not be detained or arrested for performing their official duties and that Turkish authorities will inform the U.S. government in advance if the Government of Turkey intends to detain or arrest a member of our local staff in the future.

Based on these preliminary assurances, we believe the security posture has improved sufficiently to allow for the resumption of limited visa services in Turkey. We continue to have serious concerns about the existing cases against arrested local employees of our Mission in Turkey. We are also concerned about the cases against U.S. citizens who have been arrested under the state of emergency. U.S. officials will continue to engage with their Turkish counterparts to seek a satisfactory resolution of these cases.”

Metin Topuz, a long-standing consulate employee, was arrested over alleged ties to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization, the group behind last year’s defeated coup attempt in Turkey.

Following the U.S. resumption, Turkish missions in the U.S. also resumed limited visa services for U.S. citizens.

Istanbul in the Top Five for international spend in Europe The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) published Europe City Travel & Tourism Impact report, which looks at the contribution of Travel & Tourism to city economies and job creation. Istanbul is ranked in the top 5 for international spend in Europe.

London ranked at top position in Europe. In 2016, international visitors spent £11.2billion (€18.9billion) in London, more than in any other city in Europe. Visitors from within the UK spent a further £1.74 billion (€2.94bn). Overall Travel & Tourism directly employs 228,000 jobs in the capital and in terms of Travel & Tourism GDP contribution, London accounts for nearly 19% of the UK’s total. Istanbul ranked second with €17.5bn. Other cities in the top 5 are: Barcelona (€13.6bn), Amsterdam(€11.8bn) and Paris (€10.4bn).

WTTC’s Europe City Travel & Tourism Impact study covers 65 cities, 17 of which are in Europe. The report launch coincides with the opening of World Travel Market at London’s Excel centre – the leading global event for the travel industry which attracts 5,000 exhibiting destinations and 51,000 travel professionals to the city.

Gloria Guevara, WTTC’s President & CEO said “London is a truly international city and the London is Open campaign has given a very strong message of welcome to tourists from abroad, which, with a great offering and unique experiences for tourists, means the UK’s capital has gained the top spot when it comes to international tourism to cities in Europe.

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NEWSLINE TURKEY Uncertainty around Brexit and the impacts of terrorism will put pressure on the city’s tourism sector in 2017, however our data suggests that London is well placed to be resilient against these challenges. We expect international tourism spend to increase by 7% every year over the next ten years.”

Following attacks in January and November 2015, international arrivals to Paris decreased by 8 percentage points.

However, forecasts suggest that tourism’s contribution is set to rise and return to 4% of the city’s GDP in the coming years.

Brussels experienced a fall in international demand of 17 percentage points following the attack in March 2016, however overall the city’s T&T sector grew at double the rate of Belgium’s over the past ten years (2.1% per year, compared to 1.1% for Belgium), and is forecast to continue to grow at a rate of 7.3% per year over the next decade.

Antalya and Istanbul, both impacted by terrorism and political instability in Turkey, are expected to grow at 8.6% and 9.8% over the next ten years, faster than any other European cities.

The report highlights the overall importance of cities for Europe’s Travel & Tourism sector. The 17 cities studied account for 18% of the region’s total, rising to 25% by 2026. Three of the cities – Prague, Dublin and Brussels – generate more than 50% of their country’s Travel & Tourism GDP; and a further seven generate more than 25% (Warsaw, Stockholm, Lisbon, Amsterdam, Istanbul, Paris and Moscow).

The research also quantifies the contribution of Travel & Tourism to employment in these cities. In Amsterdam, 9.8% of employment (1 in 10 jobs) is directly generated by tourism, compared to 8.4% in Prague, 7% in Lisbon and 6.5% in Berlin and Munich. Across all 17 cities, Travel & Tourism’s proportion of employment by is set to increase over the next ten years, highlighting the growing importance of the sector as a generator of jobs.

Guevara continued, “This research highlights, for the first time, the economic contribution of Travel & Tourism to European cities in terms of GDP and jobs. It clearly shows that cities are important drivers of tourism across the region, and that cities themselves benefit significantly from the sector. City authorities should prioritise tourism development, and integrate it into long-term planning, infrastructure development and sustainable public policies.

In recent months we have seen the challenges of increasing tourism to cities such as Amsterdam and Barcelona.

WTTC has invested in this research to further understanding of tourism’s economic impacts as authorities try to strike the balance between visitor numbers and their economic benefits.”

Turkish Airlines Announces US$939 million net profit in Q3 2017 Turkish Airlines, given the financial discipline and dynamic demand management applied since the beginning of 2017, with US$939 million in Q3, 2017, posted record net profit of all 3rd quarters in company history. The 9-monthly operating net profit is recorded as US$956 million.

The successful 3rd quarter marked a 23 percent increase on total revenues compared to the same period of 2016, reaching US$3.6 billion. The 9-monthly average on total revenues marked US$8.2 billion with an 8 percent increase.

According to Turkish Airlines 2017 Q3 financial results; earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and rent (EBITDAR) increased 90 percent to US$1.5 billion. The 41 percent EBITDAR margin confirms the Airline’s position amongst the most profitable airlines of the industry.

“The net profit recorded in 2017 Q3, clearly demonstrates our capacity to generate cash” Turkish Airlines Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee İlker Aycı said. “As the Turkish Airlines family with our common aim to become one of the leading five star airlines of the world, we will continue this growth trend without ever compromising form our service quality. As largest exporter of Turkey, our march will continue to position Istanbul as a major hub for international airport” he added.

According to the 2017 Q3 financials, Turkish Airlines with 81.5 percent reached the highest September load factor of the past 5 years. The number of passengers carried increased by 17 percent compared to Q3 of 2016 with the airline serving 21.3 million passengers. Hence, during the nine months of 2017, the airline carried 52 million passengers, with a load factor of 79 percent . Financial measures applied translated as 6 percent decrease in the 9-monthly operational costs.

As to Turkish Cargo, the company increased destinations from 55 to 72 as of 2017 Q3, reaching to 294 thousand tons of cargo with 29 percent increase. Turkish Cargo in the third quarter of 2017 also increased revenues by almost 40 percent reaching US$343 million. Turkish Cargo was recently awarded with the ‘Best Air Cargo Carrier in Asia”.

Along with the new destinations of 2017 such as Samara and Phuket, the number of destinations served by the flag carrier reached 300 in the Q3 of 2017, including 49 domestic and 251 international destinations in 120 countries.

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NEWSLINE TURKEY The First Qatar Airways Flight arrives Adana, Turkey Qatar Airways launched its scheduled services to Adana following the arrival of its inaugural flight from Doha to Turkey’s fifth-largest city.

A welcome ceremony organized for the first flight; attended by airport and government officials, together with local dignitaries. Qatar Airways Chief Commercial Officer, Mr. Ehab Amin, led a high-profile delegation on the inaugural direct flight from the airline’s five-star hub, Hamad International Airport, Doha, and was greeted by Ambassador of the State of Qatar to Turkey, H.E. Mr. Salem bin Mubarak Al-Shafi; Governor of Adana, Mr. Mahmut Demirtaş; Assistant Governor of Adana, Mr. Mustafa Yavuz; State Airports Authority Adana Airport Chief Manager, Mr. Ahmet Bülbül as well as other VIPs and government officials.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “We are delighted to launch our first direct service to Adana, a much-anticipated addition to our expanding global network. Turkey remains one of our key target areas for growth and we have identified Adana as an important Turkish destination to include in our expedited expansion plans.

Qatar Airways Chief Commercial Officer, Mr. Ehab Amin, said: “With the launch of this new service, we look forward to strengthening our ties with Turkey even further, and are delighted to be able to connect even more Turkish citizens to more than 150 global destinations via our five-star hub in Doha.”

Adana Airport Chief Manager, Mr. Ahmet Bülbül, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Qatar Airways flights to Adana, connecting passengers to destinations all over the world and enabling us to welcome the world to Adana. The State Airports Authority and Adana Airport Chief Management give Qatar Airways our full support and together we look forward to a successful future.”

Adana, located at the crossroads of Anatolia and the Middle East, is one of the most populous cities in Turkey.

Passengers travelling to Adana can admire the magical sunsets over the Seyhan River, or taste the unique cuisine whilst enjoying a view of the river from one of the city’s dazzling rooftop restaurants. The sixteenth century Great Mosque (Ulu Cami), Clock Tower, the old bazaar and Adana Archeological Museum are among other top sights of Adana.

Qatar Airways has successfully operated service to Turkey for 13 years. The airline began services to Istanbul Ataturk International Airport in 2004, marking Qatar Airways’ first destination in Turkey. Since then, due to tremendous passenger demand, the airline has been steadily increasing its number of flights to the country.

Qatar Airways launched services to Ankara in 2010 and flights to its second airport in Istanbul at Sabiha Gökçen Airport in May 2014. The award-winning airline currently operates three daily flights between Doha and Istanbul’s Sabiha Gökçen Airport, 10 weekly flights between Doha and Istanbul Ataturk International Airport and daily flights between Doha and Ankara. Qatar Airways will operate three times weekly to Adana, bringing the total number of flights operated by the airline to Turkey to 41 per week. The Doha-Adana route is operated by an Airbus A320, featuring 12 seats in Business Class and 132 seats in Economy Class. The introduction of three weekly belly-hold flights to Adana will provide efficient connections for garment and textile businesses in the city to the Middle East, Asia and India via Qatar Airways Cargo’s state-of-the-art Doha hub. Qatar Airways Cargo currently offers twice weekly Airbus A330 freighters to Istanbul and 38 weekly belly-hold flights to the main airports in Istanbul and Ankara. With the new addition of Doha-Adana-Doha route, the cargo carrier aims to increase its market share in Turkey.

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Hyatt House Brand Debuts in Turkey with the first property in Istanbul Hyatt Hotels Corporation announced the entry of the Hyatt House brand into the Turkish market with the first Hyatt House opened on the Asian side of Istanbul.

The opening of Hyatt House Gebze in Istanbul is an important step towards increasing Hyatt’s brand presence throughout Europe and is the fifth Hyatt House branded hotel to open outside the U.S. in 2017.

Located just 10 miles from Sabiha Gökçen International Airport and less than 40 miles from Istanbul, the 158-room upscale extended stay hotel features fully equipped kitchens, comfortable living rooms, spacious bedrooms and stylish bathrooms, making it the perfect place for guests to relax and pause before beginning the next part of their journey.

“We are thrilled to open our doors to the city of Gebze,” said Emin Celik, General Manager of Hyatt House Gebze.

“The Hyatt House brand is designed to offer guests a home away from home, and with spacious living areas and fully equipped kitchens, Hyatt House Gebze allows guests to feel right at home during their stay.”

Hyatt House Gebze comprises of: »» 158 apartment-style Kitchen Suites with fully equipped kitchens, comfortable living rooms, spacious bedrooms, and stylish bathrooms »» Free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel and guestrooms »» H BAR, a cozy space for Hyatt House guests to unwind in the evening, featuring a delicious menu and a comprehensive selection of premium beers, wines and cocktails »» The H Market meets the everyday needs of guests, from snacks and sundries to freshly prepared salads and sandwiches »» Gathering Rooms with more than 1,054 square feet (98 square meters) of flexible meeting space; all-inclusive packages will be available, and each meeting room will come fully serviced with extensive menu options, comprehensive event planning support and audio-visual equipment »» A 24-hour Workout Room, sauna and indoor pool to keep fitness routines going »» Game and media room »» Borrows Menu with often-forgotten items from phone charges to razors »» Additional services, including 24-hour laundry room, complimentary breakfast and grocery shopping services There are four Hyatt-branded hotels currently open in Turkey, including Grand Hyatt Istanbul, Hyatt Centric Levent Istanbul, Hyatt Regency Istanbul Ataköy and Park Hyatt Istanbul - Macka Palas.

New Turkish Airlines service for Business Class travelers Turkish Airlines announced yet another service: “Istanbul Bosphorus Experience”. The Istanbul Bosphorus Experience is a new program, specially designed by Turkish Airlines for its Business Class passengers who have a transfer time of seven or more hours in Istanbul. Turkey’s national flag carrier introduces this program to enable its transfer passengers to closely experience the beauty of Istanbul and the Bosphorus, before continuing their trip to their target destination.

“We always strive to offer our passengers the best flight experience possible – on board and on the ground. With the addition of the Istanbul Bosphorus Experience, we continue to improve our wide range of activities and services including our worldwide known “Turkish Airlines Lounge Istanbul”, that earned the top spot in the category “World’s Best Business Class Lounge” within the Skytrax World Airline Awards 2017, or our innovative Miniport service, and etc. These offerings already transform the layover into a special experience. Passengers can now discover and enjoy the cultural facets of Istanbul at first hand. Besides further diversifying our unmatched offerings to our passengers by launching this service, we can also indirectly contribute to the Turkish tourism economy by this way.” said Mr. Ahmet Olmuştur, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of Turkish Airlines.

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NEWSLINE TURKEY The eligible Turkish Airlines Business Class passengers can make their own reservations with special offers through https://bosphorus.turkishairlines.com/ by using their Passenger Name Record (PNR) Code.

Within the framework of this service, passengers will be welcomed by a guide, who will accompany them during their passport control also, and receive a Prime Class welcoming when they arrive at the Istanbul Ataturk Airport.

Outlines of the program: »» The guide continues to accompany the program participants throughout the entire program. At the first stage, the guide will take the passengers to the marinas of Eminönü or Karaköy, two prominent symbols of Istanbul, with luxurious vehicles. »» Following that, guests have the opportunity to tour around the unique beauty of Bosphorus on a private cruise. »» All following services will be offered during this cruise program: »» A crew will be serving beverages and snacks to the participants, »» And there will also be an available wi-fi connection for their use. »» After the cruise tour, an array of the most famous samples from the legendary Ottoman Cuisine (either breakfast, lunch or dinner) will be offered to the passengers, at the historical Çırağan Palace Kempinski Hotel, located at the Bosphorus. »» After the Çırağan Palace Kempinski visit, the passengers will be taken to their departure terminal, in company with the guide again.

Istanbul is among the Best Cities to Spend a Weekend A new study revealed world’s best 100 cities to spend the weekend. The study considered a set of factors while evaluating the top 100. Those factors include how easy a city is to navigate, the ease of finding accommodation and the number of green spaces. Istanbul, Turkey ranked in the Top 100.

To highlight which cities are best for millennials, families and baby boomers, the number of social locations such as restaurants, bars and clubs were also included, as well as cultural activities such as museums, art galleries and theatres. In addition, safety and tolerance were factored into the research, looking specifically at data on women’s rights and safety, LGBT friendliness and the perception of security.

The results give an overall score for each city, but also indicate which destinations are best for three different types of travellers; millennials, families and baby boomers. As a company who lives and breathes weekend travel breaks, weekenGO undertook the study to define what exactly makes a city great for a short visit, and to help travellers of different age groups and dynamics to choose a destination which best caters to their interests.

The study began with the top 1,000 cities determined by the number of visitors based on the UNWTO. The researchers then analysed all of these factors to create a ranking of the top 100 best cities to visit for the weekend.

The study by online weekend getaway portal and app, weekenGO ranked London, UK at the top spot.

The table shows a breakdown of the results for Istanbul, Turkey. Rankings for each category are out of 100, with 1 being the best possible rank. Scores are out of 100, and the higher the score, the better.

Uzbekistan Airways launches a new route to Istanbul Uzbekistan Airways National airline will starts operating flights on a new route between Samarkand and Istanbul. The flights will be operated starting from 30 October 2017 on Mondays.

Schedule is the following: HY 275 Samarkand-Istanbul: departure from Samarkand at 20:00, arrival to Istanbul at 23:00 HY 276 Istanbul-Samarkand: departure from Istanbul at 00:30 (+1) arrival in Samarkand at 06:45* *The time in all points is local.

Istanbul to host UEFA Super Cup in 2019 Istanbul, a popular destination for sportive events, will host UEFA Super Cup match in 2019. Beşiktaş’s home stadium of 43,000-capacity Vodafone Park will host the final match.

It is not the first final game for Istanbul. The city hosted the 2005 UEFA Champions League Final at the Ataturk Stadium where Liverpool beat AC Milan 3-2 on penalties after the match finished 3-3 after extra time.

In 2009, Fenerbahçe's Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium hosted the 2009 UEFA Cup Final that FC Shakhtar Donetsk beat Werder Bremen 2-1.

Other cities that bid for the 2019 UEFA Super Cup final are: Tirana, Toulouse, Haifa, Astana, Belfast, Gdansk

5,000 year old fortress discovered in Cappadocia Archeologists uncovered an approximately 5,000-year-old settlement and fortress in central Turkey's Nevşehir province, home to the unique geological and historical region known as Cappadocia.

The site, which dates to the Early Bronze Age, was discovered during research on a hill 20 kilometers from the center of Çakıltepe city, conducted by a team of archeologists from Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli University (NEVU) and the Nevşehir Museum Directorate.

Researchers believe the settlement, which includes a defense fortress, dates as far back as 3,000 B.C. and continued to be inhabited through the Byzantine era.

The site contains a multilayered mound with remains of different periods, the oldest dating from the third to the second millennium B.C. It is understood that there are Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine settlements in the area.

The fortress structure and walls formed for defense purposes in the middle of the site have been traced back to the earliest period of the Bronze Ages.

A preliminary research team of six experts is currently mapping the area and completing technical aspects of the project in preparation to begin extensive drilling and excavation work.

Cappadocia is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Along with its diverse geological formations, including its fairy chimneys, Cappadocia is known for hundreds of rocky hillside dwellings, as well as several immense underground cities.

During the late Bronze Age, Cappadocia was known as Hatti, homeland of the Hittites. The region was later under control of the Persian, Roman and Byzantine empires, inhabited by Zoroastrians, polytheists, Christians and Muslims.

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NEWSLINE TURKEY Cappadocia's four main cities, Nevşehir, Kayseri, Aksaray and Niğde, attract almost a million visitors every year.

Many guests opt for unforgettable dawn hot air balloon rides, to gain a birds-eye view of the area's natural and historical wonders.

Travel Turkey Izmir 7-10 December Travel Turkey Izmir Tourism Fair and Congress hosted by Izmir Metropolitan Municipality and organized by the partnership of Izfas and TURSAB Association of Turkish Travel Agencies will bring the tourism professionals together for the 10th time in Fuar Izmir between the dates of 7-10 December, 2017.

Travel Turkey Izmir is aiming at showing tourism richness and different destinations of Turkey and other countries to local and foreign tourism investors, agencies, buyers and end users planning their holiday. The fair will invigorate the tourism sector, which is undergoing difficult times due to economic and politic developments experienced in the world, by bringing tour operators, travel agencies and buyers together with tourism media. New business contracts will be established and the sector will restore trust as a result of the bilateral negotiations to be made under the name of B2B Hosted Buyer Programme within the scope of the Fair. The business negotiations are expected to invigorate the sector with the early reservation campaign.

Turkish Airlines named “Five-Star Global Airline” Turkish Airlines, flying to more countries than any other airline, has been named a “Five-Star Global Airline” by the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) Official Airline Ratings. The prestigious award, based on passenger feedback, was presented to Turkish Airlines at the APEX Award Ceremony at Expo 2017 in Long Beach, California.

This five-star ranking reaffirms Turkish Airlines’ position as a global leader in passenger experience and comfort. Turkish Airlines won several awards from the industry’s most respected organizations with its service quality, on-board and on the ground catering, Business Class and lounges. These include; the “Best Airline in Europe for the 6 consecutive year starting from 2011”, "Best Business Class Onboard Catering” in 2013, 2014 and 2016, and 2017 and the “World’s Best Business Class Lounge” awards in 2015 and 2017. The global carrier also picked up the “Best Business Class Lounge Dining” for the third consecutive years according to this year’ survey results of Skytrax, another widely acclaimed airline passenger survey organization in global.

Commenting on the airline’s latest accolade, Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee of Turkish Airlines M. İlker Aycı said; “We strive to provide the best travel experience to our guests and having been named a ‘Five Star Global Airline’ by passenger votes is the most valuable recognition that we can have in return. What differentiates us is that while connecting our guests with their loved ones, we turn great ideas into reality that result in a travel experience full of unique services and delightful differences. Touching our passengers’ hearts is the key factor that earned us a series of awards. This is our most important advantage over our competitors.”

The APEX Official Airline Ratings are the industry's first rating program based solely on passengers' verified feedback. This innovative industry program gathers passenger feedback based on travel itineraries and provides an audited third-party analysis of the insights gathered.

Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) chose Turkish Cabin Interiors Azerbaijan Airlines AZAL will work with Turkish Cabin Interiors (TCI) for design and manufacture of the Galleys for their new B737-MAX 8 aircraft. There will be a total of 10 shipset to be delivered to AZAL and first delivery will be made on November, 2018.

This deal has been an important step towards the expansion of TCI Cabin Interior worldwide. With this agreement TCI has shown its accelerating growth in cabin interior market with its products and solutions, especially after the signed agreements comprise of 155 aircrafts operated by SpiceJet and in addition to this 79 aircrafts operated by Jet Airways, in 2017.

TCI is the first Turkish company to manufacture and certify products for the aerospace market, created and built by a partnership between Turkish Airlines, and Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI). With this agreement signed with AZAL, a major carrier and one of the leaders of the aviation community of the CIS countries, stands for an important step to feature TCI as a rapidly emerging brand across the industry.

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NEWSLINE TURKEY The 4th Annual TCA Turkish American Youth Leadership Congress Concludes The Turkish Coalition of America’s Fourth Annual Turkish American Youth Leadership Congress took place in Washington, DC from October 26-29, 2017.

Twenty three young Turkish American college students, graduate students, and young professionals enjoyed a weekend of networking and meetings with experts and government officials, and they came away inspired to become involved in politics and take a more active role in the Turkish American community.

Inbrief Dr.Serdar Baş has been appointed as General Manager of Rixos Premium Göcek.

Göktan Bal has been appointed as General Manager of Ramada İstanbul Asia Hotel.

TEMA Vakfı named Oben Akyol as General Manager.

Concorde Luxury Resort Hotel appoints Adnan Soyaslan as General Manager.

Mehmet Mulayım named General Manager of Limak Cyprus Deluxe Hotel in TRNC. Cansu Yörükoğlu is new General Manager of The Grand Tarabya.

Serkan Yalçınkaya is now Hotel Manager of Hilton Istanbul Bomonti Hotel & Conference.

Ercüment Uluçer has been appointed as General Manager of Titanic Business Kartal.

Youth Congress delegates attended meetings and briefings with Turkish policy experts, congressional staffers, representatives from the U.S. Department of State, journalists, political activists, and leaders in the Turkish American community. They also had the chance to learn more about civic engagement from two former members of Congress, the Honorable Al Wynn (D-MD/4th, 19922008) and Dan Maffei (D-NY/24th, 2013-2015). Additionally, two representatives from the Council of Turkish Canadians (CTC) accompanied the delegates throughout the weekend and briefed the group on the political system of Canada and the challenges faced by the Turkish Canadian community, providing an impetus for cross-border dialogue and relationship building between Turkish Canadians and Turkish Americans.

Burak Çubukcuoğlu is now Assistant General Manager of Hilton Antakya Museum.

Delegates toured the U.S. Capitol and the Turkish Ambassador’s historical residence, and they attended the Maryland American Turkish Association’s (MATA) Republic Day Gala celebrating the 94th annual Turkish Republic Day. Their visit to the nation’s capital was topped off with a concert to watch Pink Martini perform with the National Symphony Orchestra at the historic John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and a boat cruise brunch on the Potomac.

Alper Pınar becomes manager of Elexus Hotel & Resort & Spa.

Over the course of the weekend, Youth Congress delegates were able to network with other young Turkish Americans while learning about the U.S.-Turkey relationship and the political systems of both countries. They engaged in an active dialogue on the state of U.S.-Turkey relations, and they learned about the role that citizens can play in policy-making as well as the steps they can take to be successful Turkish American advocates.

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Levent Suyolcuoğlu becomes General Manager of Gloria Hotels & Resorts.

Hasan Ekmen appoints as General Manager of Barceló Hotel Group Dubai. Ülkay Atmaca is now General Manager of Innvista Hotels Belek.

Selçuk Kurtul is now General Manager of Abu Dhabi Zaya Nurai Island.

Ahu Kırmızıoğlu named General Manager of Galata-m84 Apart Hotel.

Emin Çelik has been appointed as General Manager of Hyatt House Gebze.

MEET AT EXHIBITION

ITCMAsia & CTW ITCMAsia & CTW 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 World’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 2,900 delegates from over 50 countries, including 154 Internatioal and local media with 100 net work seminar this year.

ITCMAsia & CTW next year will be organized September 18 – 20.

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WEEKEND MEETINGS

Istanbul is among the Best Cities to Spend a Weekend A new study revealed world’s best 100 cities to spend the weekend. The study considered a set of factors while evaluating the top 100. Those factors include how easy a city is to navigate, the ease of finding accommodation and the number of green spaces. Istanbul, Turkey ranked in the Top 100.

To highlight which cities are best for millennials, families and baby boomers, the number of social locations such as restaurants, bars and clubs were also included, as well as cultural activities such as museums, art galleries and theatres. In addition, safety and tolerance were factored into the research, looking specifically at data on women’s rights and safety, LGBT friendliness and the perception of security.

The results give an overall score for each city, but also indicate which destinations are best for three different types of travellers; millennials, families and baby boomers. As a company who lives and breathes weekend travel breaks, weekenGO undertook the study to define what exactly makes a city great for a short visit, and to help travellers of different age groups and dynamics to choose a destination which best caters to their interests.

The study by online weekend getaway portal and app, weekenGO ranked London, UK at the top spot.

The table below shows a breakdown of the results for Istanbul, Turkey.

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MEET AT FESTIVAL International Izmir Short Film Festival Berlinale winning producer of “On Body and Soul” András Muhi will head up the international official competition jury at this year’s 18th International Izmir Short Film Festival in Turkey. The festival poster is also revealed.

The festival, which takes place from 7th to 12th November, is supported by the Turkey Ministry of Culture and Tourism, İzmir Metropolitan Municipality, Izmir General Directorate of Cinema, Buca, Konak, Bornova and Karşıyaka Municipalities and French Cultural Center.

The festival’s Best Film Award recognizes inspiring filmmaking, with the jury selecting the winner from a shortlist of 10 international titles. Last year’s winner was Juanjo Gimenez’s Time Code.

Main screenings are going to be at the Institut Français, Izmir Art in Culture Park, Buca Municipality Tarik Akan Youth Center and at the participating universities’ halls for the students to have a better access to festival.

Istanbul Fashion Film Festival to held at Zorlu PSM Sponsored by Derimod, the Zorlu Performing Arts Center (PSM) is preparing to host Istanbul's 3rd Fashion Film Festival with its unique content, great surprises and amazing names, bringing fashion and film worlds together. Two days of free events and screenings full of festival promises to bring a unique experience to the audience with interviews, art installations and parties. Aside from screening films from internationally renowned fashion houses, brands and young and independent designers from every corners of the world, festival programme also comprises talks and workshops given by world-class brand representatives.

Free festival is sponsored by Derimod, kindly supported and host by Zorlu Performing Arts Center (PSM) and organized by founder and director of the festival Tuna Yilmaz. Derimod Fashion Talks will begin with Derimod Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors Sedef Orman and Ece Sukan on 11th of November.

Istanbul Fashion Film Fest will award films in 6 different categories this year. The international jury with members with expert names from different disciplines of fashion, photography, film, design and festivals will determine the awards for Best Fashion Film, Best Turkish Fashion Film, Best Music Video, Best Make Up and Best Hair Design In addition, one of the directors of the films submitted by new talents will be rewarded for Young Discovery Award to support their next project to be shot in Istanbul.

Content and partnership agreements made for the 3rd Istanbul Fashion Film Fest will allow Turkish fashion films to compete in international fashion film festivals and fashion weeks around the world including; Serbia, Russia, Milan, Medellin, Berlin, Canada and Australia, where the screening of Turkish films will contribute to the global promotion of Turkish fashion brands. 120 films will be screened this year. Some of the highlights of the festival include; Print is Not Dead! International Magazine Films Selection, Can Evgin retrospective, Harun Guler special selection and masterclasses with Bruno Aveillan and Dion Lee on “Brand Management and Future of Fashion”.

MEET AT SUMMIT

Uzakrota Balkan Travel Summit Turkey's largest tourism event Uzakrota Travel Summit, from all Balkans with the participation of 600 tourism professionals is in 27th October in Belgrade Metropol Palace Hotel.

Around 30 travel speakers from Balkan countries informed many summit topics as; Globalization, Foreign Investment, Turkey and Balkan Tourism, Geostrategic Challenges in Tourism Promotion and Development, Health Tourism Risks and Opportunities in Turkey and the Balkans, PR and Destination Marketing in Tourism, IT in Tourism: On-line Vs. Off-line / Trends and New Techs Shaping the Future of Tourism, Better Understatement For Better Results | Knowing Your Customers, Trends and Platforms to Shape the Future of the Travel Market, Writing Content for the Consumer and Content Marketing and Providing Additional Income in Tourism.

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FAME & GAME

Justin Rose wins the 2017 Turkish Airlines Open in Belek, Antalya The Turkish Airlines Open took place at the Regnum Carya Golf and Spa Resort in Belek between 2 November and 5 November. Justin Rose claimed victory at the Turkish Airlines Open 2017, with a final round of 65 leaving him 18 under par for the tournament, which was played in front of record crowds.

The close fought competition was decided on the 72nd hole where Rose, the gold medallist at last year’s Olympics, pulled clear with a fine birdie leaving him a shot ahead of Nicolas Colsaerts and Dylan Frittelli at the Regnum Carya Golf and Spa Resort for his second win in two weeks.

Rose’s win was not the end of the drama for the huge crowds, with Turkish Airlines taking to the skies to present the Englishman, who won the 2012 Turkish Airlines World Final and last week’s WGC-HSBC Champions, with the trophy.

Hoverboard world record holder Alexandru Duru flew in to hand the trophy over and his appearance from the Belek skies provided a fitting end to another remarkable week at the Turkish Airlines Open.

The Turkish Airlines Open is part of the European Tour’s Rolex Series – a selection of eight premier events on the European Tour, each with a prize fund of at least $7 million.

Turkish Airlines’ Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee, Mr. M. İlker Aycı, said: “Flying to more countries than any other airline and attaching our name to the finest tournaments in the world, Turkish Airlines is once again proud to have displayed our high service quality and our hallmark hospitality through this tournament to a global audience. Moreover, Turkish Airlines Open has earned Antalya, and Belek in particular, a place in the itinerary of many players as a top golf destination, thanks to the tournament’s wide reach across the world. We were also delighted to surprise everyone with Alexandru Duru flying in to deliver the trophy today. Turkish Airlines remains committed to growing golf globally, through both our sponsorship of this event and organisation of the Turkish Airlines World Golf Cup Amateur series, which gives almost 8,000 amateurs a chance to tee off at some of the world’s best golf courses.”

Winner of the Turkish Airlines Open 2017 Rose said: “It’s been great to be back in Antalya. I really love it here. I’ve had a great week and really enjoyed playing this course. It was lots of fun. Before I have won with two putts on the last green and it was unique to make a putt that really counted on the last hole.”

It is the fifth time that Turkish Airlines has sponsored the tournament, which took place between 2—5 November 2017. The airline’s agreement with the European Tour last one more year.

Turkish Airlines is a global airline headquartered in Istanbul, flying to more countries than any other carrier in the world, which will continue to fulfil its commitment to the global sports events and organizations that reflects its dynamism and competitive spirit in every aspect.

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EAT & MEET The Gastromasa Conference The "International Gastromasa Gastronomy Conference", which will be organized by Sözen Organization, brings together the famous stars of the gastronomy industry to talk about "Product" at Haliç Congress Center on December 2nd, 2017. Successful chefs will perform workshops on stage using the special products of their respective regions. One of the highlights of the conference is the "Chef Chat" section where the chefs will take part in answering your questions and chatting with you. This year with the theme of "Product". It is on the way to introduce the Turkish culinary culture to the world, to create a synergy by bringing the world gastronomy with the Turkish gastronomy and to aiming to be one of the Turkey's best major tourism and gastronomic destinations.

One of the interesting pieces of activity is Chef Chat. Chef Chat will be held on December 2nd under Gastromasa that the famous chefs and local heroes will answer your questions and chat with you. The Gastromasa Conference, which aims to become one of the important conference brands in world gastronomy.

This year the guest city of the conference is Gaziantep where UNESCO was awarded a gastronomic award in 2016.

Local Chef events will include local dishes and workshops of Gaziantep.

From the 3rd year of Gastromasa, an award will be given to an important person for his/her project. Gastromasa will welcome world-renowned chefs and industry professionals and the world will speak the "Product" in 2017.

Tarsus Gastronomy days Planned by the Mersin City Council and supported by the Mersin Metropolitan Municipality, "Tarsus Gastronomy" presented Tarsus cuisine to gourmets.

Mersin hosted an important event Nov. 3-7. The local tastes of Tarsus, which are culturally rich, presented in "Tarsus Gastronomy." The event promoted the tastes of various cultures cultivated in Tarsus, the values of Tarsus cuisine, which have been disappearing, and the historical beauty of the city. Many delicious foods presented in a modern way, and many chefs from various foreign countries, expert writers and academicians from all around Turkey attended.

The products that grow on the lands at the foot of the Taurus Mountains, which the Berdan River spans on its journey to the Mediterranean, enrich and season the local cuisine. Add the favorable climate to the high-inmineral soil and you have a city with a great variety of products from cotton to figs, citrus to corn, and dozens of vegetables. The cuisine of this region, where a field can grow eggplants, corn and peppers in the same year, is just as rich and varied. There’s also the contribution brought along by the region's cosmopolitan texture and the cultural exchange between the different ethnic groups.

The essence of Tarsus cuisine comprises Greek, Armenian, Arabic, Cretan, Christian, and Turkish-Ottoman elements. The use of olive oil and vegetable dishes made with olive oil are the gift of the Cretans who settled down here in the past.

Arabs’ greatest gift to Tarsus cuisine is tahini-flavored delicacies. Used in dozens of desserts and pastries, tahini is one of the primary local ingredients.

Famous writer and gourmet Barbara Abdem Massad, modern kebab practitioner Edward Brunet Adiono and Turkish National Chef Team Captain Esat Özata shared their secrets about the cuisine with visitors.

Tarsus has been enriched with Mediterranean, Arabic and Anatolian influences and has created its own cuisine.

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NEWS LINE WORLD 3 Turkish Cities Join the UNESCO Creative Cities Network 64 cities from 44 countries have been designated as UNESCO Creative Cities by Director-General, Irina Bokova. They join a Network at the frontline of UNESCO’s efforts to foster innovation and creativity as key drivers for a more sustainable and inclusive urban development. This network attracts growing interest from local authorities.

“These new designations showcase an enhanced diversity in city profiles and geographical balance, with 19 cities from countries not previously represented in the Network” declared the Director-General. She added “The cooperation framework proposed to foster candidate cities from the Africa region – a UNESCO Global Priority – has been a true success with 9 African cities now joining the Network.”

From Turkey, Istanbul, Kütahya, and Hatay joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network.

The new 64 UNESCO Creative Cities are: Alba (Italy) – Gastronomy Almaty (Kazakhstan) – Music Amarante (Portugal) – Music Auckland (New Zealand) – Music Baguio City (Philippines) – Crafts and Folk Art Barcelos (Portugal) – Crafts and Folk Art Braga (Portugal) – Media Arts

Dubai (United Arab Emirates) – Design Durban (South Africa) – Literature Frutillar (Chile) – Music Gabrovo (Bulgaria) – Crafts and Folk Art [City of] Greater Geelong (Australia) – Design Guadalajara (Mexico) – Media Arts

Brasilia (Brazil) – Design

Hatay Metropolitan Municipality (Turkey) – Gastronomy

Bristol (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) – Film

Istanbul (Turkey) – Design

Brno (Czechia) – Music

João Pessoa (Brazil) – Crafts and Folk Art

Bucheon (Republic of Korea) – Literature Buenaventura (Colombia) – Gastronomy Cairo (Egypt) – Crafts and Folk Art Cape Town (South Africa) – Design Carrara (Italy) – Crafts and Folk Art Changsha (China) – Media Arts Chennai (India) – Music Chiang Mai (Thailand) – Crafts and Folk Art

Kansas City (United States of America) – Music Kolding (Denmark) – Design Kortrijk (Belgium) – Design Košice (Slovakia) – Media Arts Kütahya (Turkey) – Crafts and Folk Art Lillehammer (Norway) – Literature Limoges (France) – Crafts and Folk Art Łódź (Poland) – Film

Macao Special Administrative Region, Chordeleg (Ecuador) – Crafts and Folk China (Associate Member, UNESCO) – Art Gastronomy Cochabamba (Bolivia [Plurinational Madaba (Jordan) – Crafts and Folk Art State of]) – Gastronomy Manchester (United Kingdom of Daegu Metropolitan City (Republic of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) – Korea) – Music Literature

Mexico City (Mexico) – Design Milan (Italy) – Literature Morelia (Mexico) – Music Norrköping (Sweden) – Music Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) – Crafts and Folk Art Panama City (Panama) – Gastronomy Paraty (Brazil) – Gastronomy Pesaro (Italy) – Music Porto-Novo (Benin) – Crafts and Folk Art Praia (Cabo Verde) – Music Qingdao (China) – Film Québec City (Canada) – Literature San Antonio (United States of America) – Gastronomy Seattle (United States of America) – Literature Sheki (Azerbaijan) – Crafts and Folk Art Sokodé (Togo) – Crafts and Folk Art Terrassa (Spain) – Film Tétouan (Morocco) – Crafts and Folk Art Toronto (Canada) – Media Arts Tunis (Tunisia) – Crafts and Folk Art Utrecht (Netherlands) – Literature Wuhan (China) – Design Yamagata City (Japan) – Film

The UNESCO Creative Cities Network now counts a total of 180 cities in 72 countries.

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While differing geographically, demographically or economically, all Creative Cities commit to develop and exchange innovative best practices to promote creative industries, strengthen participation in cultural life, and integrate culture into sustainable urban development policies.

Within the framework of the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the New Urban Agenda, the Network provides a platform for cities to demonstrate culture’s role as an enabler for building sustainable cities.

World's Most Visited 100 cities in 2016 Euromonitor International unveiled Top 100 destinations for tourists in the world. This year's report highlights how future travel trends are borne out of the opportunities and challenges cities face. Hong Kong is the most visited city in the world with over 26.5 million visitors. Bangkok came second with over 21.2 million visitors, followed by London with over 19.2 million. Istanbul ranked 15th with over 9.2 million visitors.

According to the report, Asian cities dominate the global destination rankings thanks to the unstoppable rise of Chinese outbound tourism demand.

On the contrary, the performance of European cities has been hampered by the Eurozone and migrants’ crisis, as well as Brexit and terrorist attacks. Despite the uncertainty, some European destinations, in particular Greece, Italy and Spain, have profited from unrest in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

Performance in the MENA region has fluctuated greatly in recent years, however, Euromonitor forecast data shows a recovery for the region in 2017 and beyond. While MENA’s main challenges remain wars and border disputes, SubSaharan Africa is looking to do the reverse: opening borders and enhancing collaboration with the African Union for a plan towards seamless borders.

In stark contrast to Africa, the plans towards stronger border controls might weigh heavily on America’s tourist arrival growth. According to Euromonitor International’s Travel Forecast Model, if the US drops out of NAFTA and imposes a 35 percent tariff on Mexican imports, followed by Mexican retaliation, the impact on inter-regional travel would be considerable. New York, the most visited city in America and the only US city in the top ten most visited city ranking, has revised its 2017 forecast, expecting a potential fall of 300,000 visitors as a worst case scenario.

The top ten most visited cities are: Hong Kong: 26.6 million visitors

Dubai: 14.9 million visitors

Bangkok: 21.2 million visitors

Paris: 14.4 million visitors

London: 19.2 million visitors

New York: 12.7 million visitors

Singapore: 16.6 million visitors

Shenzhen: 12.6 million visitors

Macau: 15.4 million visitors

Kuala Lumpur: 12.3 million visitors

A total of 4 Turkish cities ranked in the Top 100. Istanbul came 15th with over 9.2 million visitors, Antalya 29th with over 6.1 million, Edirne 68th with almost 2.8 million and Artvin ranked 85th with almost 2.4 million.

South Korea’s Jeju Island to host MICE Expo and MICE Job Fair The 3rd Jeju MICE Expo will be held from November 8-10 in ICC JEJU(International Convention Center JEJU) in Jeju, South Korea. This event is hosted by Jeju Special Self-Governing Province and organized

by Jeju CVB (Jeju Convention & Visitors Bureau).

This show aims to promote the MICE industry of Jeju Island and improve the competitiveness of local businesses. 100 major businesses in the industry from home and abroad were invited to this expo, which will offer business consultations with 65 MICE companies on Jeju Island.

In addition, as a side event, the MICE Job Fair will be held for college students and graduates who look for their career opportunity in the MICE industry. Also, the MICE Talk Concert will be staged with a view to creating jobs in the MICE industry on the island.

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NEWS LINE WORLD Jeju Mice Expo is the first MICE trade fair organized by the provincial government. This year marks the third anniversary since the first event held in 2015.

Jeju CVB carefully selected invitees from the list compiled through MICE expos, road shows, and sales calls. Major buyers are invited, who have a plan to hold a MICE event or have been considered prospective clients who could hold an event on Jeju Island. By using this opportunity, the organizers focus on creating tangible outcomes through one-on-one business consultations.

65 Jeju MICE Alliances will participate in the expo. The number of international buyers who participate in the event has increased from 35 to 40 and the domestic buyers from 45 to 60 from last year. More business meetings will be arranged. In particular, more international buyers from ASEAN countries are invited with an aim to diversify the market for the development of the tourism industry on Jeju Island.

On November 9, the MICE Job Fair will be held as a side event, where employers and job seekers could meet each other. One-on-one consultations with the human resources managers of hotels, PCOs, and convention centers will be provided so that the job seekers could get the practical help.

Moreover, the event also offers the MICE Talk Concert. Participants can enjoy free talking and share their experiences and job information with the people from convention centers, PCOs, hotels, Jeju CVB and other MICE businesses.

Lee Seung chan, director of Tourism department at Jeju Special Self-Governing Province and concurrent chairman of Jeju CVB said, "The Jeju MICE Expo is the only trade fair organized by a provincial government. We will spare no effort to make this opportunity to promote Jeju's MICE industry and assist local MICE companies to proactively respond to external changes and explore new markets through exchanges with buyers home and abroad. He also mentioned, "We will make the MICE Job Fair a regular event with a view to creating opportunities for talented people to have a chance to become leaders in the MICE industry of Jeju Island".

IMEX America in Las Vegas presents positive outlook and more business opportunities Over 3,200 hosted buyers and an additional 2,500 plus attendees came to Las Vegas for this year’s IMEX America that took place 10-12 October, 2017. With more than 3,300 exhibitors representing 150 countries and a major expansion of the Inspiration Hub, the show’s education area, the seventh IMEX America was the largest ever.

As 12,000 plus exhibitors, hosted buyers and attendees at this year’s IMEX America said “Farewell,” IMEX Group Chairman Ray Bloom reflected upon the achievements of the show and a positive, unifying week for the meetings industry.

Over 3,200 hosted buyers and an additional 2,500 plus attendees came to Las Vegas, and Tuesday and Wednesday were the busiest days ever at IMEX America.

With more than 3,300 exhibitors representing 150 countries and a major expansion of the Inspiration Hub, the show’s education area, the seventh IMEX America was the largest ever.

A significant factor in this growth was that 58 booths - 20 per cent of returning exhibitors - had booked larger spaces and the show welcomed 64 new booths.

An RFP gives a strong business focus to appointments at the show. The fact that 72 per cent of appointments were based on RFPs, an increase by 4 per cent, is a powerful measure of how buyers are ready to discuss real business prospects at IMEX America.

As more than 70,000 appointments were made including 60,000 individual appointments and booth presentations, Ray Bloom said, “For exhibitors and buyers this simply means that we’ve created more opportunities than ever to do business.”

“We’re really happy with the quality of the IMEX buyers and we’ve gotten very strong prospects for short and longterm business,” said Darren K. Green, Senior Vice President, Sales for the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board.

IMEX Group Chairman Ray Bloom also drew attention to an important milestone; the 150th IMEX-MPI-MCI Future Leaders Forum took place at the show. “We’ve always been committed to actively encouraging students from

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Mandarin Hotel Managed by Centre Point is world renowned for its superb service, located in the heart of Bangkok, the Mandarin is a sophisticated, non-smoking, luxury hotel. The hotel is not only within short walking distance to both MRT subway and BTS sky train stations but also within easy reach of all city’s key attractions.

The 374 rooms are immaculately designed and offer the utmost in comfort.

We also provide function rooms of various sizes accommodating from 15 – 1200 people. Our function rooms are perfect for all types of conference. Our dedicated event team is on hand to ensure the success of your event.

NEWS LINE WORLD around the world to make careers in the meeting and incentive travel industry. Over the years more than 7,500 young people have taken part in this program and many have since gone on to positions in the industry. It’s very pleasing to see how far they’ve progressed.”

Discussing the show’s extensive education program, Ray Bloom highlighted the new Event Design Certificate course and the Association Leadership Forum, created by ASAE, a new special education program which had brought together 85 association CEOs and executives on Monday. He also said that the Executive Meeting Forum for meetings strategists working in the corporate sector had attracted 30 senior executives from companies including BP, Allianz AG, McDonald’s, PwC and Toyota with an annual buying power in excess of $2.5bn.

The program started with Smart Monday, powered by MPI, which brought over 1,000 event professionals to engage in a wide variety of learning events. At the first MPI keynote Janet Sperstad provided fascinating insights when presenting key findings newly published in a white paper about the IMEX Group’s Talking Point for this year, Purposeful Meetings.

During the week, 250 education sessions took place, covering ten education tracks, and attracted several hundred participants. 80% of the sessions were assigned with CEs for CMP certification. Adding to the overall show experience was the new Inspiration Hub which used inflatable domes for the seminars, campfires and white space areas for the first time.

The "power of live experience" was a theme that came to life at the Lunchtime Live Zone, interactive live event experiences including instant personalized song writing, the first Virtual Reality Photo Booth and "Sand Selfies”.

The new CSR & Sustainability initiatives this year by IMEX America included using recyclable carpet in the aisles and in some of the booths and not printing a Show Catalog. The show was also supporting "Spread the Word Nevada" by encouraging participants to donate books to a local literacy scheme. For those taking particular care of their health there was the #IMEXrun which this year attracted over 450 runners.

IMEX America is widely known for its networking opportunities. More than 6,000 peer-to peer introductions were made in advance of the show via the Zenvoy connections software, while a wide range of social activities such as SITE Nite North America, the EIC Hall of Leaders Reception, Shamrock Shootout Golf Classic and MPI Foundation Rendezvous, the IMEX America Night brought thousands of people together.

Ray Bloom added, “It’s not just the associations with their major events. Many exhibitors have also been investing in creating major hospitality events, taking over restaurants and bars across the city. It all adds to the overall value and experience for both buyers and suppliers.

“I’d like to thank all our industry partners for their continuing support and to congratulate them on the many fantastic networking events that they have arranged to take place here at IMEX America. The worldwide industry has been in Las Vegas this week and I look forward to seeing everyone next year.”

Looking to the future, the IMEX Group announced that it has formed a partnership with Skift with its new Skift Cities platform that will examine how mid-sized cities are leveraging their innovation economies to reposition themselves in the meetings industry as catalysts and collision spaces for new ideas. This will result in the publication of a trends report in 2018.

Ray Bloom concluded, saying, “This has been a week when the positive outlook of everyone has ensured that doing business, planning meetings and events continues to be a powerful way to regenerate and drive economies forward.”

Ray Bloom was joined on stage at the show closing press conference by show partner executives Paul Van Deventer, President & CEO at MPI; Cathy Tull, Senior Vice President of Marketing for the LVCVA and Chandra Allison, Senior Vice President of Sales for The Venetian® | The Palazzo® | Sands Expo®.

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Argentina hosted the 2nd UNWTO Global Conference on Wine Tourism To highlight the relevance of wine and gastronomy as key components of tourism development, the 22nd UNWTO Global Conference on Wine Tourism was held in Mendoza, Argentina on 29-30 September. The Conference was coorganized by UNWTO and the Ministry of Tourism of Argentina, in collaboration with the Region of Mendoza and the Chamber of Tourism of Argentina.

Mendoza, known worldwide as the heart of Argentine winemaking, accounts for 70% of the national production of wine and about 85% of the bottled wine sales. The identity of the city is strongly linked to wine production.

As stated at the 1st UNWTO Global Conference on Wine Tourism, held in the Kakheti Region of Georgia, gastronomy and wine have become key components for experiencing the culture and lifestyle of any destination. They also constitute a growing motivation for travellers and therefore exhibit high potential as a tool for local development.

The Conference brought together over 640 participants from 23 countries from Ministries of Tourism, destination management organizations (DMOS), international and intergovernmental organizations as well as tour operators, wine experts and media. Throughout the three sessions, dynamic discussions complemented by experts’ presentations shed light on the challenges, latest developments and successful examples of initiatives existing in wine tourism.

As the conference took place in the framework of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development 2017, a special focus was dedicated to strengthening the relationship between sustainability and wine tourism, highlighting the valuable role of wine tourism in the sustainable development of tourism destinations.

“Through the involvement of UNWTO in this event, we can assert that the whole world convenes today in Mendoza to give support to tourism in Argentina and particularly in Mendoza, a province at the core of our sector. That is why we wanted to complement the conference by sharing the UNWTO prototype methodology, in which we have actively participated since last June through The Joyful Journey Mendoza,” said Minister of Tourism of Argentina Gustavo Santos “Wine tourism helps enrich the tourism offer and attracts different publics. This conference tries to promote exchanges and to build cooperation among destinations that show potential in this field,” said UNWTO SecretaryGeneral Taleb Rifai.

The first day of the conference offered interventions and key notes from experts in tourism, as well as a panel on the UNWTO prototype methodology on wine tourism.

‘The Joyful Journey Mendoza’ includes a component of social corporate responsibility and attaches importance to the relevance of the SDGs. Among the participants were Mariángeles Samamé, Director of Touristic Products Development at the Ministry of Tourism of Argentina, Gabriela Testa, President of Mendoza Tourism and Yolanda Perdomo, Director of Affiliate Members at UNWTO. The second day of the conference included also two panels. The first was dedicated to ‘regional integration and public/private partnerships and the exchange of responsible practices.’ Among the participants were Gustavo Santos, Minister of Tourism of Argentina, Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary-General-elect of UNWTO, Stanislav Rusu, Director General of the Agency of Tourism of the Republic of Moldova, Catherine Leparmentier Dayot, Founder and Executive Director of the Global Network of Wine Capitals, and José Miguel Viu, President of the Regional Strategic Programme of Wine Tourism in Chile.

The second panel of this session addressed the relevance of ‘heritage, architecture, interpretation centres and best practices in wine tourism.’ Interventions included Eliana Bórmida, Co-founder of Bórmida & Yazon Architects, Santiago Vivanco, President at The Joyful Journey Spain, Tornike Zirakishvili, Head of Convention and Exhibition Bureau of Georgia and Óscar Bustos Navarta, Head of Quality Guidelines for Wineries at the Ministry of Tourism of Argentina.

The 3rd Conference on Wine Tourism will take place in Moldova in 2018 and the 4th in Chile in 2019.

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NEWS LINE WORLD Budapest to host United Networks of International Corporate Event Organizers United Networks of International Corporate Event Organizers, the international association bringing together senior decision-makers in charge of corporate events representing major companies and associations internationally, will organize UNICEO European Congress win Budapest, Hungary, 28-29 June 2018.

At Kempinski Corvinus Hotel, members of the association from more than 20 countries will come together and focus on the congress theme, "Leading Events to the Future". The event aims to strengthen the positioning of UNICEO members as key players in the communication strategy and business development of their companies.

During the event, UNICEO members and their peers will have the opportunity to discuss their day-to-day issues and the best practices to be implemented to optimize the effectiveness of their events and prepare to successfully tackle the challenges of the sector in a world where how people meet and interconnect is continually changing.

The conferences and debates will specifically focus on three major elements: technological innovations and digital, the performance measurement indicators (KPIs) that help evaluate Return on Investment (ROI) and the keys to motivating and engaging participants.

Debora Piovesan, Vice President of the Association, says, "Our first International Congress is marked by the leadership and collective intelligence needed to calmly address changes in our industry; technological developments and innovations, especially in the field of artificial intelligence and augmented reality promise us important changes.

Our Congress will therefore be an excellent opportunity for our Members to find out more about innovations, to strengthen their knowledge and to share best practices with peers. Their companies will therefore be able to continue to benefit from the best event communication strategies.

UNICEO Congress is organized in partnership with key players in business and event tourism, international organizations and UNICEO partners.

The first-ever Dubai Association Conference to be held in December The first-ever Dubai Association Conference, is scheduled to take place 11-12 December, 2017 at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC).

The Dubai Association Conference is being hosted by the Dubai Association Centre (DAC), a joint initiative of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) and Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC).

Promising to be an insightful event for association representatives from around the world, the lineup of speakers includes His Excellency Helal Al Marri, Director General of Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, and His Excellency Hamad Buamim, President and Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, who will discuss their vision for associations. Paul Bennett, Chief Creative Officer of IDEO, will explain how associations can unlock the energy of knowledge to upgrade their offerings, while Greg Bogue, Vice President of Experience Design at Maritz Global Events, will speak about creating engagement through purpose, passion and a picture of the future.

With the number of associations steadily growing across the Middle East region, the conference will aim to offer a vital platform for networking and knowledge-sharing, in an effort to further boost progression across industries.

The Dubai Association Conference will be held under the theme Building a Community and bring together association executives, government representatives, university faculties and students, as well as professionals who are interested in forming associations.

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CAMBODIA TRAVEL MART Sokha Siem Reap Resort & Convention Center, Siem Reap, Cambodia

17th - 19th November 2017

The inaugural Cambodia Travel Mart aims to a leading annual international travel event selling Cambodia and the region to the world. CTM will feature Leading Travel Industry Suppliers from Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam and will attract regional and international buyers and media buying and reporting on these destinations. Buyers, suppliers, trade professionals, association leaders and media partners from the tourism and travel organizations meet and exchange the latest and new developments in the industry and develop more business growth.

212 Booths, 200 Sellers, 200 Buyers, 50 Media 200+ Buyers 200+ Exibitors

from China, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, India and EU (UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy and Scandinavian

from travel agents, hotels, and airlines including other fields from education, restaurants, hopistal, spa, massage and other related sectors.

50% MICE | 50% Leisure Organized by

Supported by

www.ctmcambodia.com

NEWS LINE WORLD The first day of Dubai Association Conference will focus on further building the association community and showcasing Dubai’s vision for the future through in-depth sessions featuring some of Dubai’s key leaders and industry experts. Sessions from day one include: The Impact of Associations delivered by Susan Robertson, President of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) Foundation, which will highlight how associations have a unique opportunity to make great contributions to their country’s economy, competitiveness, and quality of life; and The Future: Associations and Government Unite led by Dr. Noah Raford, Chief Operating Officer and Futuristin-Chief at Dubai Future Foundation, which will elaborate on how stronger collaboration between associations and the government is the key forward.

The second day will largely concentrate on skills development and sharing best practices in an effort to provide attendees with the required tools to succeed, through self-development panels such as: Building Your Career Path delivered by Vicki Loise, CEO of Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening (SLAS), Debra BachmanZabloudil, President and CEO of The Learning Studio, and MaryLynn Fayoumi, President and CEO of The Management Association.

Following the conference, attending association representatives will be invited to join the Dubai 360 experience which will be hosted in tandem with the Dubai Association Conference. The immersive study mission will offer a unique opportunity for attendees to explore Dubai’s diverse facets and discover what makes the city the most dynamic destination in the world. The tour will encompass exploring UAE’s rich heritage through a visit to the Etihad Museum, and being offered a glimpse of Dubai’s future vision at the Dubai Future Foundation. The engaging itinerary will also include a behind-the-scenes peek of the Expo 2020 Dubai site, in addition to a desert safari, gala dinner, and a tour of the Gold and Spice souk.

Mahir Julfar, Senior Vice President, Venues Management at Dubai World Trade Centre, said: “The inaugural Dubai Association Conference, to be hosted at DWTC, reiterates Dubai’s reputation as an international business gateway, as it will facilitate collaborations, connect people and foster innovation, all of which are crucial to the development of a knowledge and creative economy. This highly anticipated conference will serve as an unprecedented platform that supports the growth of regional and global associations by tapping into industry networks and by encouraging invigorating discussions, designed to create new associations and expand the presence of established ones.”

Supporters and partners of the inaugural Dubai Association Conference include MCI, ASAE, PCMA, ICCA, IAPOC, AfSAE and the Global Association Hubs Partnership.

Prague Congress Centre Closes Its 17-year chapter Prague Congress Centre Closes Its 17-year chapter and introduces a new corporate identity that symbolizes its transformation into an open, friendly and inspiring place.

The blue logo, which the Prague Congress Centre has been associated with since 2002, will be replaced with a new logo at the beginning of November.

The winner of a new corporate identity tender, Fast & Simple Group was asked to give the Prague Congress Centre an unmistakable, distinctive and visually clear style.

The logo itself corresponds to the changes that are taking place in the PCC, to its upgrading, digitalization and innovative approach.

"The idea behind the design of the logo was the location itself, so not only want the location in the centre of Prague, but also in the very heart of Europe, where visitors from Europe are practically around the corner. It is the imaginary corner that fits into the graphic of the whole corporate identity. The selected triangles represent the initial letters of the name of the Prague Congress Centre," explains Nikola Jaroschova, creative director of the agency.

The Prague Congress Centre, which made a major shift with the dynamic new management during the last year and can honour its rank among the best congress centres in Europe, deserves a new visual style. "We liked the playfulness and simplicity of the design, the distinctive colours that symbolize the tradition with our dominant position in the congress market on one side and growth and future development on the other. Blue represents longterm experience and professionalism, fuchsia then self- confidence and green, finally, sustainable development and growth which also corresponds with the direction of the green arrow," says Lenka Žlebková, the Sales and Marketing Director.

Altogether, the logo evokes the shape of the present building and the future extension of the new exhibition hall.

The aim was to highlight Prague itself as an excellent congress destination.

The visual elements of the new corporate identity will be accompanied by the slogans "That's Me, Just Around the Corner and Feel the Change", which will be used especially in targeted marketing campaigns.

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Australia’s most famous wine has won a major international wine tourism award The home of Australia’s most famous wine has won a major international wine tourism award. Penfolds Magill Estate in Adelaide, the capital of South Australia, is celebrating a Best of Wine Tourism Award in the Wine Tourism Services category. The award was announced at a gala dinner in Chile as part of the Great Wine Capitals Annual General Meeting.

The Magill Estate winery and cellar door is the original home of Penfolds and dates back to 1844. It is also the home of Penfolds Grange, Australia’s most celebrated wine.

Penfolds Chief Winemaker and Great Wine Capitals Global Ambassador Peter Gago said, “Any visitor to Penfolds Magill Estate – whether local, interstate or international – absorbs the most from our quality wine experiences,” he said.

“As a Great Wine Capital of the World, we are best placed here in South Australia to celebrate and showcase our wine, educate, and promote food and tourism.”

Adelaide, which is surrounded by 18 wine regions including McLaren Vale and Barossa Valley, became a Great Wine Capital last year, joining Bilbao / Rioja (Spain), Bordeaux (France), Cape Town / Cape Winelands (South Africa), Mainz / Rheinhessen (Germany), Mendoza (Argentina), Porto (Portugal), San Francisco / Napa Valley (USA) and Valparaìso / Casablanca Valley (Chile) as a member of the global network.

The upgraded Magill Estate cellar door and restaurant, which regularly features in the list of Australia’s top eateries, opened in 2015. The winery, which is one of the few single vineyards in the world located within city boundaries, now offers greater accessibility to local and international visitors.

South Australia is consistently responsible for about 50 per cent of Australia’s annual production. There are more than 200 cellar doors are within an hour’s drive of the city centre of Adelaide.

The state’s Agriculture, Food and Fisheries Minister Leon Bignell said being a member of the Great Wine Capitals Global Network had provided a great opportunity to showcase South Australian wines internationally.

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COVER STORY

Shopping at Public markets of Istanbul

Istanbul has many beautiful places to visit, but you can also take your time in such different bazaars and buy some different gifts to your friends and family.

You may ask that what we can find or buy in this bazaar, but unfortunately there is no certain answer for that because such places are full of suprises for you to discover.

Every week in Istanbul more than 200 markets (pazar) are set. This is an old tradition that comes from the Ottoman times. Markets in Turkey offer more than fruit and vegetables. You can find almost anything in the markets mentioned in this article. Textiles have a great hand in the popularity of Istanbul’s markets. Even celebrities and high-society members are spotted while shopping at markets, and they don’t look bashful at all.

One man's trash is another man's treasure and the flea market is the perfect place to find both. Apart from the endless treasure one can find, the age old flea market has proven to be a lifeline for many communities Browsing, exploring, rummaging, bargaining and buying - flea markets have been supplying the haves and havenots of Istanbul for hundreds of years. But beyond the exotic, Eastern image of easy bargains for tourists, one leading economist has described how these unofficial institutions generate millions of lira every year, providing a real lifeline for Istanbul's low-income earners and vendors alike. These markets also fuel entrepreneurship and provide ways to revive small businesses, according to one expert. Usually an outdoor bazaar where vendors sell all kinds of second-hand items, these flea markets have also become a paradise for bargain hunters, collectors, hipsters and nostalgics. Kenan Seven, a veteran vendor from KadikĂśy told: "The flea markets in Istanbul date back to old times. In the good old days, when something was broken it didn't go to waste, it was repaired and utilized instead."

An old hand at the trade, Kenan has been working as a flea market dealer since the 1960s like his father before him. "I was born into this secondhand world, my family is one of the most experienced junk market dealers in Istanbul," he said proudly.

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You never know what you will find at a flea market from one week to the next, Kenan said: "It is a haven of trivia. You can find some mechanical things, like wrenches or hammers; some technological stuff like computers, CDs, mobile phones or a television remote; or stuffed animals, porcelain mugs, old comic books. But the best thing is that you always find something that belongs to the past."

He added: "Maybe a photograph of a happy couple that you never met and probably never will because they are dead. Maybe some documents such as a sales contract or a marriage certificate. Flea markets are the place between today and yesterday."

Many textiles and leather products of famous brands are manufactured in Turkey. Most of these brands give their ‘export surplus’ or faulty items to the markets, to be sold with or without showing the brand name. The quality of such items ranges from perfect (export surplus) to slightly faulty, and sometimes even with a big shortcoming (called defolu in Turkish).

A traditional market is set on Tuesdays in Kadıköy, on the Asian side of Istanbul, the Sali Pazari. It all started rather modest in 1969. However, as time passed by, together with the city the market expanded. As a result, Kadıköy pazarı more and more became a sufferance for the hectic city life with blocked traffic during the market days. So, in December 2008, it moved from its traditional place in Altıyol to a modern forty thousand square meters area, with no less than four thousand stalls and a car park in Fikirtepe. This market is famous for the huge amount of women visitors as well as the women stallholders.

The cheapest clothes in town are on sale here, so if you've been on the road for a while and your underwear needs replenishing, this is the place to do it! To get there, get off the ferry and move straight ahead along the major boulevard of Söğütlüçeşme Caddesi for about 500m until you come to a busy intersection, Altıyol Square.

Cross over, take the right fork and continue eastward along Kuşdili Caddesi for another 250m (three cross streets).

At Hasırcıbaşı Caddesi turn left and you'll see the tent-city market spread out before you. It's open between 08:00 and 18:00. On Sunday the market is taken over by stall keepers selling a motley collection of antiques, furniture and jewellery.

Istanbul is home to many iconic markets in less-thanglamorous locations. The Dolapdere market is one such bazaar located behind a petrol station and an offal restaurant; the Feriköy market offers the city's most original old furniture and antiques - both are among the metropolis' most famous markets. As a trend, both Dolapdere and Feriköy open at around 6:00 a.m. on Sundays, and shopping generally continues into the afternoon. Mert Bahtiyar, a 26-year-old university student from Istanbul, is just one of those addicted to searching through the city's flea markets. He has been a loyal customer of the flea markets in Feriköy and Dolapdere for many years, Mert said: "I and my father always looked forward to Sundays.

He used to wake me up in the early hours of Sunday, and we'd just set off with lots of coins in our pocket and with a long list in our mind." Mert said that flea markets have some distinctive rules both for the customers and vendors: "Seizing a place in flea markets early in the morning is certainly the best idea because the most unique and precious finds are sold by the afternoon." Each flea market, no matter how simple or small, has treasure potential in it, he added. Indicating that he could find many things, especially antique and quality goods in flea markets, he said: "You know the world market is full of Chinese-made products. It is getting harder to find quality on the cheap. There is no point hiding it. If we are strapped we want to save money on our goods, so flea markets are the best places to save money."

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COVER STORY

In Ferikรถy public market place, it is being established in each Saturday. Generally second-hand goods are sold, and people have a curiosity for old things and antiques can find something interesting in this bazaar. Postcards, old photos, old documents, old cameras, records, books and sort of souvenirs are waiting for to be owned by curious people. There are not only people who sold their own antique goods but also Professional antique dealers. If you get fatigue because of the magic of this antique place, you can have a break to eat tasteful Gรถzlemes with Turkish tea.

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Three Market Shopping Essentials While shopping for textile items, keep the following basic rules in mind: Quality Check It is your responsibility to check out the quality of the items, so you are allowed to investigate the stall and samples.

Crowds Can Be Positive Every shopper wants to get his or her hands on the highest quality pieces. Therefore, some stalls tend to be more crowded than others, which may indicate where to find the top goodies. Be aware though that you could get intimidated by the hassle. When you find an item you might want to buy, do not let go until you have made up your mind. Once you put it down, it’s someone other’s to take.

You Can Bargain Lastly, shout or wave at the stallholder to pack your items and pay for them. You can always bargain, but you won’t always be successful. However, your chances increase with the number of items you plan to buy.

Besides the cultural richness, flea markets make an economic contribution. Minimumwage earners like African and Asian immigrants plus refugees or the homeless and unemployed both buy and sell in these markets to meet their needs. Economist Serhat Karamursel told that in order to save money, people have again started to see more value in shopping for discounted and second-hand products as opposed to luxury or brand-new items. Stating that flea markets have been worldwide businesses for hundreds of years, Karamursel said: "Small or large, it does not matter; flea markets contribute to the local economy in significant ways, maybe by millions of liras every year. Besides money saved, the flea markets also offer a way to revive a small business, reducing start-up costs and increasing entrepreneurship. Flea markets are good breeding grounds for those who want to go into business." Karamursel said that small businesses, such as artisans and craftsmen selling homemade or secondhand goods, have the advantage of being mobile in order to make a profit without the extra expenses of a commercial lease or taxes. "But there are some rules and regulations that must to be followed even by movable businesses like flea market vendors; they must pay taxes or else it will be evasion," Karamursel said. However, vendors react strongly against the tax issue. Cihan S., a 45-year-old vendor from the Feriköy flea market, said: "Flea markets are mostly cash businesses.

Many people wonder about how the sellers here are not paying taxes. But we are selling just to survive, not to get rich." Selling any old abandoned thing he can find from the streets or luxury neighborhoods in the city, Cihan said: "I think that makes the difference between making a little money and making a lot of money in this job. I am not stealing, just working round the clock to find something to sell." However, Cihan warned: "You should keep your eyes open. Be watchful of your wallets. As in any big city, crowded markets and bazaars are great places for purse snatchers, and flea markets are no exception."

The Arasta Bazaar on the southeast side of Istanbul's Blue Mosque is worth visiting for its many shops selling carpets, kilims, Turkish tiles, apparel and souvenirs.

While you're here, you can visit the Great Palace Mosaic Museum beneath the Arasta.

An arasta is a series of shops built beneath or near a mosque. Rent from the shops provides money for the maintenance and repair of the mosque.

These shops were empty and derelict for many years until the tourism boom of the late 1980s and 1990s convinced those in charge to restore and rent them. Now the Arasta Bazaar (marked on some maps as the southwestern continuation of Kabasakal Caddesi) is among Istanbul's most-visited tourist markets.

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COVER STORY

At its northeastern end by Mimar Mehmet AÄ&#x;a Caddesi are several open-air cafes, snack stands and restaurants, one of which has highly-amplified Turkish music until about 01:00 am.

To stroll through the Arasta Bazaar is to be invited in by dozens of accomplished, polished salesmen, speaking unaccented English (and a half dozen other languages), with bottomless treasure troves of ironic humor and topical jokes, to have a look, take a seat, sip some Turkish coffee or tea and consider the purchase of what is obviously a priceless treasure...or two or three.

Despite the long debate on tax issues, the reliability of the markets' goods or how prices change from season to season or week to week, Istanbul's flea markets in 2014 seem to be the city's most vivacious shopping haunts - just as they were in centuries past.

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Other Istanbul Markets Fatih Market Since the Fatih district is located in the historical part of Istanbul, it offers the oldest and also the biggest market place of the city. Locals mostly refer to it as Çarşamba Pazarı, since Çarşamba (Wednesday) is the market day. It is open between 5am and 9pm. Around 1290 vendors, 4800 stands and about 2500 peddlers compose this market on the 7 main and 17 smaller historic streets of Fatih. Needless to say that Fatih pazarı is an esteemed market, where you can find almost anything ranging from fruit, vegetables, and clothing, to all sorts of household materials. Another bonus for tourists is that it offers a great opportunity to experience the real middle-class local life.

Yeşilköy Market Another highly respected Wednesday market, this time located in Yeşilköy (literally translated ‘green village’). The area is known for its relatively greener and upper classy setting. You can find an array of high quality products in this well-organized market place. Yeşilköy pazarı covers 12 thousand square meters with 2000 stalls, floral displays, scattered tea cafes and toilet facilities. Most stalls accept credit cards, but prices may be a bit higher compared to other markets.

Beşiktaş Market A smaller scaled Saturday market with ‘only’ 400 stalls. Beşiktaş pazarı still offers most products you’ll find elsewhere, such as shoes, bags, unusual jewellery and home textiles. However, the focus is definitely on clothing.

The market starts building up at dawn and stays until dusk.

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Ulus Market Ulus pazarı was known as sosyete pazarı, or society market. Simply because of the variety on display of both fake and real brand products. However, it was closed down in 2005 because of the disturbance it gave to the neighborhood. After a long break sosyete pazarı came back with a permanent area opposite to the old one.

Because of this, it’s no longer in Ulus, but in Ortaköy these days. But yes, it still has the goodies such as Gap, Adidas, Fred Perry t-shirts, Abercrombie sweatshirts, pants and shirts, Burberry boots, Ralph Lauren t-shirts and the indispensable Louis Vuitton bags. You can also find real fur and leather waistcoats, jackets as well as the makeup products, and many more items. Open on Thursdays between 8 am and 7.30 pm.

How to Reach Istanbul’s Markets?

In case you prefer a complete local experience, here are your (public) transport options: Fatih Market Assuming that you are staying in Beyoğlu or Sultanahmet, I suggest you are better of taking a taxi.

The market place is spread out on the streets behind the Fatih mosque.

Yeşilköy Market Take bus 72T from Taksim or bus 81 from Eminönü, and get off at Park station. Alternatively, you can take the train from Sirkeci station, get off at the Yeşilköy stop, and hop on the free transportation to the market place.

Beşiktaş Market Take bus 43 from Taksim and get off at Ihlamur station. I personally prefer a quick taxi ride.

Ask the driver to go to Beşiktaş Pazarı or Ihlamur Kasrı (Ihlamur Palace), which is a well-known landmark close to the market place.

Ulus Market Ortaköy Dereboyu Caddesi goes up the hill right across the very famous Ortaköy Mosque. The market is located on Çayır Sokak, close to Ortaköy Cemetery. You can take a taxi from Ortaköy. You can get to Ortaköy from Taksim by bus 40 or 40T, and get off at Ortaköy station.

Kadıköy Market By bus 110 from Taksim, which has Kadıköy as its final destination. A more enjoyable way is to take the city line ferry from Eminönü or Karaköy to Kadıköy. From there on you can take a taxi, or hop on bus 8A and get off at Mandıra Caddesi or Ş.Er Bülent Altınsoy station.

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DESTINATIONS - ANKARA

Ankara, the capital of Turkey, is located in the center of Anatolia province. With a known history of around 3000, Ankara has seen great heights in the past. Around 3000 years ago, the Hittites established a city by the name of Akuwash (old name for Ankara) at the intersection of two trade routes in Turkey. During its earlier phase, Ankara was ruled by Phrygians, Macedonians (under Alexander the Great), and Romans. Seljuk Turks captured the city in 1071 AD and renamed it as Enguriye.

Most important moment in the history of Ankara came when Atatürk founded his provisional government here in 1920, and in 1923 when it became the capital of Turkish Republic. The city has seen a number of changes since then, however it has been successful enough in maintaining a fine balance between the old and the new and thereby living up to its unique identity as the “Melting Pot of East and West”. Today, Ankara is a sprawling urban mass thoroughly organized and well - planned and much European in look than most of the cities in Turkey. Its wide-open roads, large hotels, restaurants and government offices distinguish the city. Besides, there are several tourist attractions and meetings in the city making it an ideal destination for the tourists and mice industry.

City At a Glance Population: 3,627,098 Traffic Code: 06 Telephone Code: 0312

How to go Ankara’s international Esenboga Airport is well connected to other cities in Europe as well as to important destinations in other parts of the world.

What to do The foundations of this citadel were laid by Galatians to be completed by the Romans. Byzantines and Seljuk made major changes later on. The citadel is located atop a hill in the old city where one can see some fine examples of traditional architecture of Ankara.

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What to see

The Ankara Citadel The Museum of Anatolian Civilization Anıtkabir The Temple of Augusts The Roman Bath The Column of Julian Had Bayram Mosque The Hatti Monument Victory Monument Monument of the Republic Yeni Mosque Kocatepe Mosque

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DESTINATIONS - ANTALYA

Visit the picturesque old quarter of Kaleici; narrow, winding streets and old wooden houses around the ancient city walls. Since its founding in the second century B.C., Antalya has been continuously inhabited. The region, bathed in sunshine 300 days of the year, is a paradise of sun-bathing, swimming and sports activities like windsurfing, water skiing, sailing, mountain climbing and hunting. If you come to Antalya in March or April, in the mornings you can ski the slopes and in the afternoons you can swim in the warm waters of the Mediterranean. Important historical sites await your discovery amid a landscape of pine forests, olive and citrus groves, and palm, avocado and banana plantations. The Turquoise Coast is the tourism capital of Turkey. Its full range of accommodations, about 35 000 delegates, sunny climate, variety of excursions and activities, and its warm hospitality make it a soughtafter venue for meetings and conferences. The Antalya Convention Bureau, ACB, is an independent, non-profit making organization. Founded in 1995, the Antalya Promotion Foundation (ATAV) has become a member of the European Federation of Conference Towns (EFCT) in 1997. A Culture, Exhibition and Congress Center was opened in 1996 in the Konyaalti district. The Congress Center is located in a glass pyramid.

City At a Glance Population: 1.132.211 Traffic Code: 07 Telephone Code: 0242

How to go Antalya airport is 10km east of the city center, and has direct flights from Europe. It is well connected to other parts of Turkey, and daily direct flights from Istanbul and Ankara.

What to do With its palm-lined boulevard, internationallyacclaimed marina, and old castle with traditional architecture, all set amidst a modern city, Antalya is a major tourist center in Turkey. In addition to the wide selection of hotels, restaurants, bars, nightclubs and shops, the city also plays host to a number of sporting

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events throughout the year, like International Beach Volleyball, triathlon, golf tournaments, archery, tennis and canoeing competitions. Opened in 1995, the Cultural Center hosts cultural and art events. The main area of interest in the city is central old quarter within the Roman walls, known as Kaleici, and there are many interesting museums around the city. ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡¡

What to see

Archaeological Museum Truncated and fluted minarets Hadrian’s Gate Old Harbour Perge, Side, Aspendos Düden and Kursunlu Waterfalls Antalya Castle

DESTINATIONS - ISTANBUL

The former capital of three successive empires -Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman- Istanbul is a fascinating mixture of past and present, old and new, modern and traditional. The museums, churches, palaces, mosques, bazaars, and the sights of natural beauty seem inexhaustible. As you recline on the shores of the Bosphorus at sunset contemplating the red evening light reflected in the windows and slender minarets on the opposite shore you understand, suddenly and profoundly, why so many centuries ago settlers chose to build on this remarkable site. In addition to its unique historical and cultural background and innumerable attractions, modern hotels, exclusive restaurants, nightclubs, cabarets, bazaars and shops make Istanbul a superb site for meetings, conferences and conventions. Istanbul is fast becoming one of the most popular international congress and exhibition destinations.

The opening of the Lütfi Kirdar International Conference Center (ICC) doubled the capacity of congress facilities in Istanbul. The ICC is ideally located in the modern district of Harbiye, at the center of the city’s business, cultural and commercial life, surrounded by some of Europe’s top quality hotels. Istanbul Convention & Visitors Bureau (ICVB) has all the contacts and information for your meetings in Istanbul.

City At a Glance Population: 14.000.000 Traffic Code: 34 Telephone Code: 0212 (European side) - 0216 (Asian side)

How to go Istanbul city has modern and new international airport, which is well connected by regular flights, with most important destinations in Europe, Middle East, and North America with. Besides, vast networks of flights fly between Istanbul and various other cities of Turkey.

Ataturk International Airport is 20 km from city center.

Helicopter service is also available between the cities.

What to do While in Istanbul there is so much to do and look forward to. The museums, castles, palaces, great mosques, bazaars and sights of natural beauty seem inexhaustible.

Being a cultural and historical center, exploring the grand heritage of the city should be the top most priority.

Shopping which can be a pleasure in the markets of Istanbul should form another important part of your itinerary. More than anything else a walk down the lanes and by lanes of the many bazaars in Istanbul can be a great experience, if interested in feeling the culture and lifestyles of the people of this amazing land. ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡¡

What to see

Dolmabahçe Palace Küçüksu Pavillion St. Irene Blue Mosque Topkapi Palace Mosaic Museum

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Covered Bazaar St. Sophia Kariye Museum Beylerbeyi Palace Yerebatan Cistern Miniatürk

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DESTINATIONS - IZMIR

Izmir, historically known as Smyrna, is the third most populous city of Turkey and has 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 has the inherit 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 it has free zone, a Turkish-U.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, is concentrated either in the city or in its immediate vicinity (such as in Manisa). Izmir is widely regarded as one of the most liberal Turkish 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-profit and independent organization. Izmir CVB’s mission is to promote the city’s rich cultural and natural assets .It has great potential on a national and international level and is seeking guidelines and best practice to develop the city’s congress tourism.

City At a Glance Population: 3,627,098 Traffic Code: 35 Telephone Code: 0232

How to go Adnan Menderes Airport, 16km south of the city center, 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 Archaeological Museum near Konak Square, which houses a superb collection of antiques including the statues of Poseidon, and Demeter that in ancient times stood in the agora.

Neighboring the Archaeological Museum, the collection of the Ethnography Museum contains folkloric artifacts among which are fine collections of Bergama

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and Gördes carpets, traditional costumers and camel bridles. Situated on Atatürk Caddesi (Street) there is an old Izmir house used by the founder of the Turkish Republic, the Atatürk Museum, exhibits photographs of the leader as well as some of his personnel belongings.

The Selcuk Yasar Art Museum is a private museum on Cumhuriyet Boulevard with a collection of 20th century Turkish art. Wander in the bazaar, sip drinks and dine at the pleasant waterfront restaurants. ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡¡

What to see

Agora Pergamum – Bergama Milet - Dydima Clock Tower Kemeralti Kadifekale

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Asansor Ephesus – Selcuk Virgin Mary Alacati Seferhisar Cesme

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