The Tourism Potential of Local Governments Showcased in Istanbul
The Istanbul Tourism Fair (ITF) opened its doors to visitors for the third time this year. Held at the Yenikapı-Eurasia Show and Art Center, the fair brought together leading representatives of the tourism sector. The Union of Municipalities of Turkiye (UMT) supported municipalities at the event by providing booth space.
Over 15,000 tourism professionals from across Turkiye and around the world gathered at the Istanbul Tourism Fair. Now in its third edition, the fair served as a sectoral meeting point for municipalities, travel agencies, hotels, convention and visitors bureaus, gastronomy representatives, and many other stakeholders.
Providing a platform for new collaborations, UMT supported municipalities by offering booth space. The municipalities of Battalgazi, Göynük, Sur, and Gürsu had the opportunity to showcase their historical heritage, local values, and culinary richness to visitors at their dedicated booths.
On the second day of the fair, UMT organized a panel titled “Cooperation and Future Vision: Inter-Municipal Tourism Collaborations – Shared Routes and Regional Synergy.” The panel was moderated by UMT Deputy Secretary General Dr. Şengül Altan Arslan, with speakers including Muğla Metropolitan Mayor and President of the Coastal Aegean Municipalities Union Ahmet Aras, and UMT Executive Board Member and Selçuk Mayor Filiz Ceritoğlu Sengel.
The panel addressed topics such as the creation of shared tourism routes among municipalities, the importance of regional synergy, and the sustainability of thematic collaborations. Discussions were held under themes such as “Shared Routes and Regional Synergy,” “From Local Assets to Shared Routes: Cultural and Thematic Tourism Collaborations,” and “From Ancient Stories to the Future: A Tourism Vision Rooted in the Spirit of Cities,” exploring how local governments can leverage their natural, historical, and cultural assets through cooperation.
National and international speakers also participated in the “Tourism Summit” and the “Gastronomy Summit” held during the fair. Participants shared insights on emerging trends in tourism, gastronomy tourism, current challenges in the sector, and the global tourism agenda.