MeeTurkey Incentive Magazine - May 2017

May 2017 Year: 23 No:86

Home of Wine

IBTM Arabia 2017 Contemporary Istanbul Mikla Restaurant Istanbul Music Festival Turkish Airlines Euroleague Final Four

FROM THE EDITOR

May’2017 Year:23 No:86

Gastronomy 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 Gastronomy tourism offers enormous ozge@smpublication.com PHOTOS potential in stimulating local, regional MeeTurkey archive and national economies and enhancing ART DIRECTOR sustainability and inclusion. It is Özgür TÖRE also able to attract tourist flows to OFFSET PREPARATION less visited regions, consequently Repronet generating spending in a way that is FILM & PRINTING more equitable throughout the entire region. As tourists travel, they Repronet have chance to see the regions’ other tourism related offerings.

REPRESENTATIVES ANTALYA: Salih ÇENE In this issue, we welcome you at the Thrace of Turkey, which is referred salih@salihcene.com to the European side of the country. Home to one of the oldest producers Tel: 90.242.248 50 35 -36

Gastronomy is a growing trend in travel and tourism industry. For thousands it is a hobby and one of the main reasons for travel. People seek to experience food in different destinations of the world accompanied with their unique cultures. Linking gastronomy and tourism also provides a platform for the promotion of cultures through their cuisine.

of wine in the world, the Thrace region is enjoying a revival of this rich tradition offering the visitor the oppor tunity to explore more than a dozen boutique vineyards. Additionally, travelers can enjoy fresh, crusty white bread, pure natural honey, home-made jams, olives and local cheeses as a perfect and fresh accompaniment to the offerings.

CANADA: Çetin GÜRZ cetin@smpublication.com Tel: 1.514.636 6810

CHINA: Mr. LOUK info@tuerqu.nfo If you enjoy traveling the world, learning about new cultures, and Tel: 86.10.656 37 661 tasting great wines and delicious gastronomy, I recommend you to visit Mobile: 86.13.910 881 852

Thrace of Turkey.

Özgür Töre

FRANCE: Turgay AKSOY turaks@free.fr Tel: 33.476.87 8.2 20

MeeTurkey Incentive Magazine is quarterly publication GERMANY: Henry WALTZ and has been prepared as S&M Publication Ltd. All info@gecko-promotions.com copyrights are reserved.

Tel.: 49. 6172.45 04 86 ALL EDITORIAL AND ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES TO Mobile: 49.173.65 24 368 Tel: 90.216.391 37 95 - Fax: 90.216.391 37 96 ITALY: Ömer SÖZÜER ozge@smpublication.com omer@smpublication.com HEAD OFFICE: S&M PUBLICATION LTD. Tel: 39.2.295 23 382 Muratreis Muradiye Mektep Sokak 13/1 Baglarbasi ITALY: Francesca GATTO 81140 Istanbul-TURKEY f.gatto@verbainedita.it Tel: 90.216.391 37 95 Fax: 90.216.391 3796 Tel:39.3.403 411 296 www.smpublication.com

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İZMIR: Çetinay AKSOY cetinay@smpublication.com Tel: 90.232.433 9262 Mobile: 90.533.312 20 46 Russia & C.I.S.: Iuliia TÖRE iuliia@rustourismnews.com Tel : 90.216.391 37 95 USA: Şahver BURNHAM Sahverr@hotmail.com Tel: 1.623.670 2369 SUBSCRIPTION / ABONE Tel: 90.216.391 37 95 ozge@smpublication.com

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IN THIS ISSUE 6

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Contents

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Newsline Turkey ������������������������������������������������������������6 Inbrief ���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 12 Meet at Exhibition ����������������������������������������������������� 14 Meet at Art ������������������������������������������������������������������� 16 Eat & Meet �������������������������������������������������������������������� 18 Meet at Festival ���������������������������������������������������������� 20 Fame & Game �������������������������������������������������������������� 21 Newsline World ���������������������������������������������������������� 22 Cover Story ������������������������������������������������������������������ 30 Meet at Museum �������������������������������������������������������� 40 Destinations ���������������������������������������������������������������� 42 DMCompanies ������������������������������������������������������������ 47 Advertisement Index

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WOW Istanbul ������������������������������Inside Front Cover Radisson Blu Hotel Kayseri ����������������������������������������3 The President Hotel �����������������������������������������������������9 kmice ����������������������������������������������������������������������������� 13 Orion-tour �������������������������������������������������������������������� 17 Divan ������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 19 S&M Publication ��������������������������������������������������������� 39 Akut �������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 41 IT&CMasia ��������������������������������������������������������������������� 43 Istanbul Modern �������������������������������������������������������� 49 ftnNEWS & RusTourismNews ���������������� Back Cover

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NEWSLINE TURKEY Turkish Tourism Investors Association elects new president and board The 14th General Assembly of Turkish Tourism Investors Association (TYD) is organized today in Istanbul, Turkey. TYD elected its new President and board.

A total of 90 votes accounted; including 1 empty vote. With 49 votes, Oya Narin has been elected as the new President of Turkish Tourism Investors Association (TYD). Other candidate of the association; Burak Kaya has received 40 votes.

The new TYD Board has following names: Oya Narin (Martı Hotels) Ayhan Bektaş (OTI Holding) Ali Güreli (İkon Turizm) Naile Göçen Çukurova (Göçtur Turizm Yatırım) Selim Akın (Akfen Gayrimenkul Yatırım Ortaklığı) Serdar Bacaksız (Limak Group) Banu Dedeman (Dedeman Holding) Recai Çakır (Kadıkalesi Turizm Inşaat Yatırım İşletme) Hediye Güral (Güral Sapanca Wellness & Convention Center) Erkunt Öner (Tura Turizm Holding) Ömer Tosun (İndigo Grup) Kamil Berk (NG Kütahya Seramik Porselen Turizm) Mustafa Göçen (Göçay Turizm) Turkey blocks Booking.com Turkish commercial court has ordered the blocking of travel website Booking.com over alleged unfair competition its hotel and flight reservations platform may pose to local firms, announced by the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies, Türsab.

"The decision has been taken to halt the unfair competition activities of Booking.com. in a case brought by Tursab," the association said in a statement on its website.

Tursab said Turkey's competition authority had fined the Dutch-based internet operator, founded in 1996 and a subsidiary of Priceline Group since 2005, 2.5 million Turkish pounds (some $700,000).

The Hurriyet daily quoted Tursab secretary general Cetin Gurcun as saying anybody who had already made reservations on the site would not be penalised.

How will Generation Y and Z affect tourism industry?

Before going details of the question above, let’s remember again who are Generation Y and Z. Generation Y, also known as Millennials, includes people born between the early 1980s and the mid-1990s to early 2000s, meanwhile Generation Z, also known as Post-Millennials, has birth years that range from the mid-1990s to early 2000s.

HotelsPro, a global technology provider for travel industry Istanbul, Turkey remarked the Y and Z to the tourism sector.

and hotel reservation solutions professionals based in possible effects of Generation

Dwelling upon several industry can touch Generation share of spending power as which is expected to change industry in 2030; Nevgul Bilsel of HotelsPro, has listed the of Generation Y and Z:

suggestions on how tourism Y, which will hold the biggest of 2020, and Generation Z, the dynamics of tourism Safkan, Managing Director expectations and approaches

1.Generation Y, which has a good command of technology and information, values reliability and transparency. On the other hand, Generation Z, who was born into technology, will appear as a generation who constantly questions and researches.

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2.Generation Y makes a decision to take a holiday twice a year. The same situation will also apply to Generation Z. Social media, websites, search engines, friend suggestions and forum websites will be the leading factors of both generations’ decisions.

3.Holiday means relaxation but more of a social activity for Generation Y and Z. Therefore, it will be important for tourism sector and agencies to provide entertainment opportunities for both generation Y and Z. 4.The majority of Generation Y states that they will not buy a service which their friends don’t approve. While paying attention to other’s choices, Generation Y will also affect the buying behaviour of those around. The same situation will also apply to Generation Z. 5.The percentage of Generation Y within internet population is over 55%. It will be around 90% for Generation Z. As part of these ratios, hotels and agencies will have to attach more importance to their appearance on social media and feedbacks about themselves.

6.Generation Y and Z prefer to communicate face to face rather than e-mail and SMS. Therefore, personalized messages and campaigns will make it easier to communicate with these generations.

7.Versatile, simple, clear, easy-to-understand, honest, transparent, sincere and pragmatic approaches, which make them feel free and participant, will stand out among the points touching to Generation Y and Z. Turkey, Ukraine to start passport-free travel Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Groysman today signed an agreement that will allow citizens of Turkey and Ukraine to travel to each other’s countries without passports.

"I believe that with the signed agreement, tourism, economy activities and mutual investment between Ukraine and Turkey will improve faster," Yildirim said at a news conference in Ankara. The agreement enables citizens of Turkey and Ukraine to travel to each other’s countries with their national identities.

The provisions of the agreement stipulate that citizens of Ukraine and citizens of Turkey who are holders of passports in the form of ID cards containing a bio chip, shall be able to enter, exit, transit and stay without visas on the territory of Turkey and Ukraine for up to 90 days within 180 days.

Kids will play together this summer at Real Madrid Foundation Clinic Turkey Real Madrid Foundation Clinic Turkey will be held at Regnum Carya Golf & Spa Resort between June 19th and September 8th, 2017.

Kids between 6 and 17 years old will learn, travel, have fun, play together with other children in Turkey.

The program is one week and the trainings will be held for 5 days a week, starting from Monday until Friday. The trainings will be held with Real Madrid Foundation coaches which are selected by Real Madrid C.F. Academy Director.

A certificate by Real Madrid Foundation will be presented at the completion of the course.

Participants will get complimentary Real Madrid Foundation training kit (shirt, short and socks).

Weekly Course Rate is 400 Euro* for Regnum Carya & Sentido Zeynep guests and 600 Euro* for external participants. *There is %25 discount for the second kid (from the same family) For more information:frmclinicsturkey@regnumhotels.com

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NEWSLINE TURKEY Turkey’s TAV to develop and operate two more airports in Saudi Arabia Turkey’s TAV Airports included Qassim and Hail airports in Saudi Arabia to its portfolio following Madinah and Yanbu. TAV, with its partner Al Rajhi Group, will develop the two airports and operate them for 30 years.

Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) has disclosed that they have selected TAV Airports, in partnership with Al Rajhi Holding Group, for operating Qassim and Hail International Airports for 30 years. Upon the closing of the selection process, the number of airports operated

by TAV worldwide will reach 17 and the company will be operating four airports in Saudi Arabia.

TAV Airports President & CEO Sani Şener stated: “TAV has become one of the world's highly-preferred brands thanks to the know-how acquired in airport construction and operation business. TAV's success in the Madinah Airport project, which was the first airport privatization project in Saudi Arabia, opened new doors in this country. In the last two months, TAV has been selected by the Civil Aviation Authority of Saudi Arabia for the development and operation of three more airports. With the addition of Qassim and Hail to our portfolio, the number of passengers in Saudi Arabia will increase to 10.5 million per annum; while the number of passengers at all airports abroad will reach 25 million. TAV has its signature in the capital city airports of six countries in the Gulf Region, which is the most challenging market of the world. We sustain our growth in the region by working in harmony with our local partners. Furthermore, we continue seizing the opportunities at various regions worldwide".

Providing service to approximately 2.5 million passengers last year, Qassim and Hail airports will reach approximately 6.5 million passenger capacity per year thanks to the new investments.

Located in the center of the Arabian Peninsula, Qassim is one of the 13 administrative regions of Saudi Arabia.

Qassim Airport is the gateway to the region, where the majority of the country's agricultural production takes place and is a significant tourism destination, and 12 airlines including Turkish Airlines launch scheduled flights to the airport.

TAV has been operating Madinah Airport in Saudi Arabia since 2012. In March, the company was selected for the development and operation of Yanbu Airport. Furthermore, TAV has operations at Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam airports through its service companies.

Istanbul welcomed Spring with Tulip Festival Istanbulities and visitors of Istanbul welcomed spring with the beautiful tulips all around the city. Every year visitors enjoy Istanbul’s parks that are decorated with beautiful tulips in April. Since 2005, Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality annually organizes International Istanbul Tulip Festival in spring. This year’s tulip festival took place between 1 – 30 April, 2017.

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NEWSLINE TURKEY Events are organized around the city this year as part of the International Istanbul Tulip Festival. The main exhibitions and festivities took place at Taksim Square, Emirgan Woods, Hidiv Woods, Göztepe Rose Garden, Büyük Çamlıca Woods, Sultanahmet Square, and Gülhane Park during the Tulip Festival. In addition to selling tulip-themed products ranging from marblings to sculptures, there were also paintings, photo exhibitions, and concerts on exposition.

According to the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Park and Gardens Directorate, a total of 26 million 500 thousand tulips of 160 different varieties were planted.

Tulips of 160 different varieties were grown by villagers from Silivri, Çatalca, Şile, Pamukova and Geyve as well as those in the Çumra district of the Central Anatolian province of Konya.

The tulip has become a symbol of the city of Istanbul since the period of Seljuk Turks up until our present time and it has become worthy of aesthetic admiration in every part of the society and has affiliated with the Turkish Culture with these works, returned back to its original motherland.

Istanbul Film Festival Golden Tulip Award Winners announced The 36th Istanbul Film Festival announced the winners of its competitions at an award ceremony held at Soho House İstanbul on 14 April. The 36th Istanbul Film Festival Award Ceremony saw presentations of awards in the scope of International and National Golden Tulip competitions, FACE Human Rights in Cinema, National Documentary and National Short Film competitions, as well as the Seyfi Teoman Best Debut Film Prize, FIPRESCI International, National,and National Short Film Awards.

This year the International Golden Tulip Competition Award, presented every year in memory of Şakir Eczacıbaşı, went to The Ornithologist, directed by João Pedro Rodrigues. The presentation of the monetary award went to Mario Tiago Paixao, Embassy of Portugal in Turkey’s Cultural Atachè. The International Golden Tulip Competition Special Jury Prize went to the film Summer 1993, directed by Carla Simón.

12 films that were completed in the season of 2016-17 vied for the Golden Tulip in the National Competition of the festival. Among them, 10 films had their world premieres and one film had its first screening in Turkey at the festival.

The Golden Tulip for the Best Film in the National Competition went to Yellow Heat, directed by Fikret Reyhan.

Yeşim Ustaoğlu won the Golden Tulip for the Best Director for her film Clair Obscur. The Special Jury Prize in memory of Onat Kutlar was given to the film Blue Silence directed by Bülent Öztürk. Ecem Uzun won the Best Actress Award for her role in Clair Obscur. Aytaç Uşun won the Best Actor Award for his role in Yellow Heat. The Best Screenplay Award in the National Competition was given to Bülent Öztürk for the film Blue Silence. Marton Miklauzic won the Best Director of Photography Award in the National Competition for the film Yellow Heat. The Best Editing Award in the National Competition was given to Ömer Günüvar & Fikret Reyhan for their work in the

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film Yellow Heat. The Best Original Music Award in the National Competition went to Antoni Komasa-Lazarkiewicz for the film Clair Obscur.

Spearheaded with the objectives of encouraging short film making, supporting the development in this field, and bringing together the audience and outstanding short films, the National Short Film Competition was held for the second time this year.

Filiz Işık Bulut’s film Zelal won the Best Short Film Award. Pınar Yorgancıoğlu’s film Mrs. Nebile’s Wormhole won the Special Mention. The Best Documentary Award was given to Mother Derdo and The Walnut Tree directed by Serdar Önal. Bluedirected by Mehmet Sertan Ünverwon the Special Mention. Bülent Öztürk’s film Blue Silence was presented a monetary award of 30,000 TL via CMYLMZ Fikirsanat.

The Film Award of the Council of Europe (FACE) that is presented to a film in the Human Rights in Cinema Competition section exclusively at the Istanbul Film Festival, is now in its 11th year. FACE Film Award of the Council of Europe was given to the film Félicité, directed by Alain Gomis. The film Blue Silence, directed by Bülent Öztürk won the Special Mention.

In every edition of the festival, The International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) presents three FIPRESCI Awards under the categories of International Competition, the National Competition, and the National Short Film Competition.

The winners of the FIPRESCI Awards were: In Between directed by Maysaloun Hamoud in the International Golden Tulip Competition, Something Useful directed by Pelin Esmer in the National Golden Tulip Competition, and Hinterland directed by Sinan Kesova in the National Short Film Competition.

Istanbul hosts World Cities Expo Istanbul 2017 World Cities Expo Istanbul 2017, organized by Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB), is going to take place on May 15th to 18th at Haliç Congress Center Istanbul. As cities become "smart cities" in the 21st century, World Cities Expo Istanbul will bring ideas and experts at the forefront of this transformation together in Istanbul.

The event will be held with the participation of pioneer institutions, organizations and countries from all over the world regarding Smart Cities to develop business, transfer the technology, exchange of know-how and experience between each other and by creating public awareness considering the new common need to expand smart city practices mainly to cities and citizens.

The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality announced that Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales had been taken off the guest list for the upcoming event. "He had been informed of the decision," it said in a statement. The announcement came just days after internet users in Turkey were barred from accessing Wikipedia.org.

World Cities Expo Istanbul 2017, with its strong content that focuses on different topics as; Digital Entrepreneurship, Urban Regeneration, IoT, Smart Vehicles, Information Technologies and Innovation, Energy, Environment, Social Participation, Cultural Life, Health solutions, Start-Ups, Security, Big Data and Data Analytics, will welcome c-levels and the future makers, opinion leaders of the sectors with over 10,000 trade visitors to explore an impressive exhibition environment, technology based experience zones, well-known speakers at the conferences and firsthand-synergy based networking experience.

Contemporary Istanbul hosted a cocktail reception in Delhi Contemporary Istanbul hosted a cocktail reception at the residence of Ambassador of Turkey in Delhi, HE Şakir Torunlar with initiative of Abhishek Basu, CI Ambassador for Delhi and brought together several key figures from the international art scene.

The event welcomed collectors, art professionals and press members to celebrate the occasion of the 12th edition of Contemporary Istanbul as part of the calendar of international gatherings for the fair throughout the year. Abhishek Basu Contemporary (A.B.C.) also exhibited the works of the Turkish artist Ardan Özmenoğlu, who was awarded with the artist residency program provided by Basu Art Foundation at the 11th edition of Contemporary Istanbul.

The reception whose opening remarks were given by Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey in India HE Şakir Torunlar with initiative of Abhishek Basu, CI Ambassador for Delhi was well attended by a number of notable

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NEWSLINE TURKEY guests, including Sumeet Nair, Bobby Bedi, Maestro Satish Gupta and Amita Gupta, Dr. Alka Pande, Sir Dominic Asquith and Louise Asquith, Subhag Singh, Gundeep Singh Anand and Bandana Anand , Bhavna Kakar, Deven Coopoosamy, Amrita Verma, Madhurbein Singh Anand, Leyla Torunlar and Bhavna Kakar.

This year, Contemporary Istanbul will take place between 14-17 September (with the VIP Preview Day on September 13) and once again aims to bring together leading international galleries for art enthusiasts and to contribute to Istanbul’s status of art capital of the future.

Turkey drops a place in Muslim Travel Market Turkey has dropped one spot to fourth as the top performing destination in the global Muslim travel market.

The Mastercard-CrescentRating Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) 2017, which was officially launched on May 3rd in Jakarta, saw Turkey lose its position behind Malaysia who kept the top spot while Indonesia moved up to third place in the overall rankings.

The Index, which covers 130 destinations, showed a number of nonOrganisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) destinations in Asia move up the rankings, a result of the concerted effort to adapt their services to cater to and attract the Muslim travel market.

Singapore retained its pole position for the non-OIC destinations, with Thailand, the UK, South Africa and Hong Kong rounding up the top five. Japan moved up two places to take sixth spot with Spain entering the top 10 for the first time.

The research showed that the Muslim travel market will continue to grow at a fast pace with the sector estimated to grow to US$220 billion in 2020. It is expected to grow a further US$80 billion to reach US$300 billion by 2026.

It was also revealed that in 2016, there were an estimated 121 million Muslim visitor arrivals globally – up from 117 million in 2015 – and this is forecasted to grow to 156 million visitors by 2020 representing 10 percent of the travel segment.

Asia has remained the leading region in the world in terms of attractiveness to Muslim tourists with an average GMTI score of 57.6, with Africa coming in second place at 47.0, followed by Oceania (43.8), Europe (39.9) and the Americas (33.7)

Inbrief Nirvana Lagoon Villas Suites & Spa has announced the appointment of Erdoğan Turan as General Manager

Hakkı Ülkü has been appointed as the general manager of Marmaris Martı Hotels.

Oya Narin has been elected as the new President of Turkish Tourism Investors Association (TYD).

Ufuk Gezgin is the new general manager of Ela Quality Resort Belek.

Bilge Kasırga İpek has been appointed as the genaral manager of Ferko Ilgaz Mountain Hotel and Resort.

Nihat Tümkaya is named general manager of IC Hotels.

Kurtuluş Gülşen is the new golf director of Antalya Lykia World & Links Golf.

Sedat Nesil is named general manager of J'adore Deluxe Hotel & Spa .

Yaşar Göçer is named as general manager of Otium Eco Club & OtiumSeven Seas.

M. Şefik Ketrez has been appointed as the general manager of Marmaris Resort Spa & Deluxe.

Murat Yıldırım is the new general manager of Sivas Thermal.

Selçuk Şentepe is the new general manager of Mardan Palace.

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MEET AT EXHIBITION

Business Booms at IBTM Arabia 2017 ibtm arabia 2017 once again was hailed a great success by exhibitors and Hosted Buyers.

Over 2,100 pre-planned meetings happened during two days of the event, which took place from 7-9 February at Jumeirah Etihad Towers in Abu Dhabi. 82 exhibitors from 15 countries were joined by 120 Hosted Buyers from 32 countries for the three-day long event.

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MEET AT ART Contemporary Istanbul Reception held in New York On May 2, Contemporary Istanbul and Leila Heller Gallery co-hosted the dinner reception in honor of the 12th edition of Contemporary Istanbul (CI) with kind support of H.E. Mr. Feridun Sinirlioğlu, Ambassador of Turkey to the United Nations and Herrick Feinstein.

Participated by Consul General of the Republic of Turkey in New York, Mr. Ertan Yalçın, Contemporary Istanbul's Founder and Chairman Ali Güreli, CI Executive Committee Member Hasan Bülent Kahraman and CI Fair Director Kamiar Maleki, the event welcomed collectors, art professionals and journalists to celebrate the occasion of the 12th anniversary of Contemporary Istanbul.

The dinner reception whose opening remarks were given by Leila Heller and Contemporary Istanbul's Founder and Chairman Ali Güreli was well attended by a number of notable guests, including Daniel Hamparsumyan (Director Leila Heller Gallery), Louis Negre (Founder Pera Capital), Majida Khattari (visual artist), Dillon Brandt, Marcia Levine (Special Projects Director Marlborough Gallery), Nazee Klotz, Margie Glass, Asher Edelman (President Edelman Arts), Michelle Edelman, Prof. Dr. Aylin Seçkin (Berkley University), Emin Hitay (Chairman Hitay Holdings) and Haluk Akakçe (visual artist).

In her opening speech, Leila Heller, a prominent international gallerist and lecturer, expressed her honour and pleasure about hosting the exclusive event organized by Contemporary Istanbul and emphasized the importance of the cross-over of the openings of Contemporary Istanbul and Istanbul Biennial, which will locate Turkey’s metropolis at the heart of an all-encompassing international art audience in September.

Speaking at the reception, Ali Güreli extended invitation to the guests for the 12th edition of CI to take delight in new, original and fresh art offered to art lovers each year. During his speech, Güreli also announced that Istanbul Art Week is set to take place during the second week of September with the participation of leading private art institutions, galleries and museums, supported for the first time by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism stating: "It will be a stunning week. Istanbul; an incredibly unique city; the capital of three empires, now the hub of arts, culture and capital will bedazzle its visitors with such powerful art event.’’

During the reception, Kamiar Maleki also put emphasis on the unique position of Istanbul that connects East and West and has history, culture and tradition by commenting that Istanbul, an important global arts hub, has championed both regional and international art. ‘The aim of CI is to further increase its recognition worldwide, building upon its trajectory and legacy', added Maleki.

For 11 years, Contemporary Istanbul has proven pivotal to the rise in Turkey’s visibility in the global art world.

Contemporary Istanbul’s next international gathering will be in London on May 25, where once again, prominent contributors from the international contemporary art scene will come together to celebrate contemporary art and the upcoming edition of the fair.

This year, Contemporary Istanbul 2017 will take place between 14-17 September (with the VIP Preview Day on September 13) and once again aims to bring together leading international galleries for art enthusiasts and to contribute to Istanbul’s status of art capital of the future.

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EAT & MEET

Mikla Restaurant is 51st The World’s Best Restaurants The World’s 50 Best Restaurants has announced the 2017 list of restaurants ranked from 51 to 100 ahead of its annual awards event, which is taking place in on Wednesday, April 5th in Melbourne. Located at the top of Istanbul's The Marmara Pera Hotel, Mikla Restaurant is ranked at 51st place by The World’s Best Restaurants.

Opened in October 2005, Mikla is on the top two floors of The Marmara Pera Hotel located in the historic Pera region, with its outstanding view of Istanbul, including a birds eye view of the historical peninsula, the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus.

Mikla Restaurant ranked at 51st place in the World's Best Restaurants list. The 51-100 list originates from the votes of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy as part of same process that creates the 1-50 ranking. For 2017, the Academy was expanded to include 1,040 voters worldwide, with each member casting 10 votes for their best restaurants (up from 7 in 2016). Of these 10 choices, at least 4 must be for restaurants outside of the voter’s home region.

51-100 list includes restaurants from 24 countries across six continents and USA leads with nine restaurants.

Reflecting the breadth of the global gastronomic scene, the 2017 list includes debuts from Mexico (Sud 777, No.75), USA (Atelier Crenn, No.83), Russia (Selfie, No.88), South Korea (Mingles, No.89), Denmark (Kadeau, No.94), Japan (Sushi Saito, No. 97 and Florilège, No.99) and Brazil (Olympe, No.100).

Hiša Franko in Kobarid, Slovenia, is also among the first-time entries. Fronted by Ana Roš, named The World’s Best Female Chef 2017, Hiša Franko emerges at No.69.

William Drew, Group Editor of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, said: “In anticipation of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards ceremony in Australia, we’re thrilled to share the 51-100 list. As well as showcasing emerging talent and highlighting new culinary trends, this group also features perennial favourites that demonstrate enduring quality. Overall, the list reflects of the diversity, promise and excitement surrounding global gastronomy.”

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MEET AT FESTIVAL

The 45th Istanbul Music Festival Istanbul Music Festival, organised by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV) under the sponsorship of E.C.A. Presdöküm Sanayii A.Ş., celebrates its 45th year. Having presented the best and most recent outputs of classical music to 3,5 million music lovers in Istanbul with 3.000 events in the past 45 years, Istanbul Music Festival will be held under the theme of “Unusual”, from 29 May to 21 June 2017.

In addition to the classical repertoire, the 45th Istanbul Music Festival will present a programme that will give classical music lovers a whole new concert experience with new discoveries, interdisciplinary and multimedia works, and performances that reconnect different periods and genres around this year’s theme, “Unusual”.

The 45th Istanbul Music Festival will host over 600 local and international artists, including some of the world’s leading ensembles such as Russian Chamber Philarmonic St. Petersburg, Vienna Chamber Orchestra, London Chamber Orchestra and Ebene Quartet, remarkable soloists like Hüseyin Sermet, Fazıl Say, Alina Pogostkina and Mathias Goerne, as well as young generation artists at 15 venues in Istanbul.

In its 45th year, the festival will bring a fresh breath to classical music with its creative, evocative, multi-disciplinary and multi-faceted projects on its programme. Concerts that allow interdisciplinary transitions, commissions and premieres will offer unusual experiences to audiences of all ages.

This year, the Istanbul Music Festival stands out with its venue choices that relate with the concert themes. The festival will take place across 15 different venues, 8 of which will be used for the first time.

Some new venues such as the Aya Yorgi Greek Orthodox Church, bomontiada, Garden of Galata Mawlawi House, Grand Bazaar, Küd Dıpo Surp Asdvadzadzin Armenian Church, Panayia Greek Orthodox Church, Sait Halim Pasha Mansion, Sakıp Sabancı Museum Fıstıklı Terrace and Zorlu PAC Drama Stage will be added to the venues that has become a classic for the festival Hagia Eirene Museum, Boğaziçi University Albert Long Hall, Lütfi Kırdar Convention and Exhibition Centre, İş Sanat Concert Hall, Süreyya Opera House and Austrian Culture Forum.

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FAME & GAME

Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four will be in Istanbul A world-class city that witnessed two of pro basketball's most spectacular season-ending shots ever will have the same opportunity again next spring when the 2017 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four will be in Istanbul, Turkey.

Istanbul will host the best four EuroLeague teams from May 19 to 21 in what is sure to be a thrilling finish to a ground-breaking season, the first in European basketball history in which all the teams in the continent's premier competition are guaranteed to play each other.

The 2017 Final Four will take place for the second time at the Sinan Erdem Dome, which officially opened its doors on April 16, 2010 and two years later played host to a memorable Final Four that was one of the most successful in EuroLeague history.

"Basketball has seen outstanding growth in Turkey in recent years, while Istanbul already has a Final Four tradition that's second to none, so we are excited to be crowning the EuroLeague champion there next May," Jordi Bertomeu, Euroleague Basketball President and CEO, said. "We will return to the Sinan Erdem Dome, one of the finest arenas anywhere in which to watch basketball and the perfect venue to culminate a season in which fans will see all the stars in their own cities for the first time in history. With the way Turkish fans continue embracing the EuroLeague more and more each year, it will be great to have them with us for the very biggest games at the Final Four."

The Sinan Erdem Dome has a capacity for 16,000 spectators for basketball and, in addition to the 2012 Final Four, has hosted such prestigious basketball events as the 2010 world championships.

The upcoming 2016-17 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season that ends in Istanbul will be the first in which there is no possibility that two opponents can meet for the first time at the Final Four. The new competition system features 30 regular season games among the competition's 16 teams, each playing the other 15 both home and away before four playoff series decide the semifinalists who will compete for the title in Istanbul.

Fenerbahรงe is the first team of Final Four With a win against Panathinaikos, the Yellow Canaries have become the first ever Turkish team to play a Final Four on its home soil. Fenerbahรงe are also now the first Turkish club in the Euroleague to advance to three consecutive Final Fours, and the first team in the tournament to sweep three straight first round series.

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NEWS LINE WORLD 2016 ICCA rankings for Association Meetings International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) announced top cities and countries for the international association meetings in 2016. The number of international association meetings continues to double every ten years. Paris reclaims the top spot in the 2016 city ranking, while USA ranks at top in the 2016 country ranking.

ICCA captured 12,212 rotating international association meetings taking place in 2016, which is clearly an all-time record for ICCA’s annual snapshot of immediate past year’s meetings data, and 136 additional meetings compared to 2015.

ICCA identifies more than double the number of association meetings in a decade: from just under 6,000 in 2006 to over 12,000 in 2016.

ICCA’s Researchers also spotted an additional 710 meetings for 2015, and 524 for 2014. The ICCA Association Database now includes 20,000 regularly occurring meeting series, 220,000 meeting editions and 11,500 international associations.

Paris, number one in 2014, takes over first place again with 196 meetings in 2016 – one more meeting than last year’s number one Berlin. Even though the order is quite different, this year’s top 5 cities were also represented in last year’s top 5. Vienna climbs 2 places to second and Barcelona remains third. Berlin drops from first to fourth place and London remains fifth. Singapore is the first Asian city jumping one place from seventh to sixth. Madrid drop 2 places from a shared fifth in 2015 to a shared seventh in 2016. Newcomers in the top 10 compared to last year are Amsterdam, twelfth last year and now sharing seventh place with Madrid, and Seoul jumping from 13th to tenth.

Like last year, Lisbon is ninth.

The top 10 is made up of the same countries as last year, with some minor shift and one newcomer on a shared tenth place. U.S.A. remains number one with 934 meetings in 2016; 9 more than in 2015. Germany remains second and The United Kingdom remains third. France and Spain swap places: France is now fourth and Spain fifth. Italy and Japan remain sixth and seventh, while Japan now shares seventh place with China-P.R., which is climbing one place. The Netherlands drops one place form shared eighth to ninth and Canada remains tenth but is now joined on tenth place by Portugal, which was twelfth last year.

Whilst these ICCA rankings provide some evidence of a city or country's relative performance, it is only when all data on all the meetings taking place in a destination are considered - corporate, intergovernmental, non-rotating, etc - that a true, complete picture can be seen. ICCA always advises its members to collect their own statistics on all meetings they organise, and provide a full picture on their performance.

ICCA CEO Martin Sirk commented: “Once again our report provides clear evidence of the resilience and long-term continued growth of the international association meetings sector. Anecdotally, we hear that it is not just the traditional association meetings business that is in a healthy state: new association-type events are being created by groups of scientists and doctors, destinations are designing and hosting their own world-class STEM meetings and festivals (science, technology, engineering, maths), online discussions are migrating to the real world of concrete face-to-face interactions, and even corporate events are evolving into community gatherings of suppliers, clients, partners, investors, users, and academics, blurring the lines between the for-profit and not-for-profit sectors. The Information Revolution and Knowledge Economy are experiencing continuing exponential growth, so it’s hardly surprising that the entire association meetings community is responding in such a dynamic fashion. Traditional association meetings are growing strongly, but they are definitely no longer the only game in town!”

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12 Startups to Pitch Investors at Mekong Tourism Forum 12 startups from Cambodia, the Lao PDR, Myanmar and Vietnam have qualified to pitch their business plans to investors at the Mekong Tourism Forum, 6 June in Luang Prabang, Lao PDR. Industry experts selected the 12 startups from more than 250 applications spanning travel technology solutions, traditional tourism products, hospitality projects and social enterprises.

All 12 attended a three-day training and evaluation program, 5-7 May in Siem Reap, Cambodia, where experts from Amadeus Next, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Buffalo Tours (TMG), Clickable Vietnam, Entrepid Advisors, Gobi Ventures, the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO), and Triip.me mentored the startups.

Mekong Innovative Startup Tourism (MIST) accelerator program co-creator Jens Thraenhart, executive director of MTCO, explained that it is critical in today's competitive and fast changing travel and tourism landscape to integrate innovation and startups into tourism development planning. MTCO is currently the only regional tourism organization that incorporates startups into its tourism strategy development process.

Startups qualifying for the Mekong Tourism Forum Investor Showcase include: Artisan Origins by TAEC – Lao PDR: Artisan Origins offers authentic, high quality crafts from rural ethnic communities in Lao PDR, a café and information center about visiting handicraft communities, and displays about the ethnic groups, cultural context and techniques demonstrated through the crafts.

Bayo – Vietnam: Bayo’s mission is to help Vietnamese make the best travel decisions by helping them find the right travel information, right suppliers, right products and prices, and to transact with local suppliers easily.

BookMeBus – Cambodia: BookMeBus connects travelers and bus operators in real time, helping bus companies fill their seats and users find the most cost-effective ways to easily get around the region.

CamboTicket – Cambodia: CamboTicket aggregates bus, ferry and private taxi bookings around Cambodia and Laos into one platform, creating an even playing field for over 40 operators.

I Love Asia – Vietnam: I Love Asia offers women-led motorbike tours of Hoi An and Hue while supporting projects for disadvantaged communities in the cities where they operate.

Dichung – Vietnam: Dichung uses technology to promote low-impact rideshare transportation options, giving drivers the chance to trade free seats in their vehicles, and working with taxi companies to develop vanpools.

Chameleon City – Vietnam: Chameleon City is an on-demand chat-based service providing travel and lifestyle answers from local experts, 24/7. ezStay – Myanmar: ezStay offers hotel reviews and instant booking confirmation, including for hotels and guesthouses without an online presence, broadening and simplifying accommodation bookings for travelers in Myanmar.

GoP – Myanmar: GoP is an online tour platform amassing providers and options into one place, offering highquality service, reliable bookings and instant confirmation.

GuideInsider – Cambodia: GuideInsider offers comprehensive in-country guidance on local sights and activities, including history, opening times, available tour guides, possible tour packages and user reviews.

Ma Te Sai – Lao PDR: Ma Te Sai preserves cultural heritages while developing skills and offering employment options for youth in Nambak through tourism to unique TaiLue villages via a multipurpose information center and roadside café.

Morning Rooms – Vietnam: Morning Rooms is Vietnam’s largest budget hotel network, helping economical tourists find the right quality rooms for the price they need.

Qualifying MIST startups will present their business plans to media, investors and an expert judging panel. Four will be awarded innovation grants of $7,000-$10,000 USD PATA Youth Symposium to be held in Colombo, Sri Lanka on May 18 The next PATA Youth Symposium is to be hosted by the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism & Hotel Management (SLITHM). Organised by the Association’s Human Capital Development Committee, the Symposium takes place on Thursday, May 18 with the theme of ‘No Barriers: Millennials and the Future of Tourism’.

“With the Association’s activities this year including a special focus upon the Young Tourism Professional this PATA Youth Symposium reflects our commitment to the next generation of tourism professionals. As we continue to develop and enhance the knowledge and skills of students engaged in tourism, hospitality management and related degree courses this event is an outstanding opportunity for them to hear from and to network with tourism industry leaders,” said PATA CEO Dr. Mario Hardy.

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NEWS LINE WORLD The Youth Symposium takes place on the first day of a busy PATA Annual Summit programme taking place in Negombo. The programme was developed with guidance from Dr. Chris Bottrill, Chairman of the PATA Human Capital Development (HCD) Committee and Dean, Faculty of Global and Community Studies at Capilano University.

Confirmed speakers at the Youth Symposium include Dr. Mario Hardy; Sunil Dissanayake; Aleandre Kwan (Philanthropies Asia Programme Manager, Microsoft, Singapore); Andrew Chan ( Founder and CEO - ACI HR Solutions, Singapore); Dr. Chris Bottrill (Chairman of the PATA Human Capital Development Committee and Dean of the Faculty of Global and Community Studies, Capilano University, Canada); Faeez Fadhlillah (CEO - Tripfez and PATA Face of the Future 2017); Hiran Cooray (Chairman - Jetwing Hotels) and Miss JC Wong, PATA Young Tourism Professional Ambassador.

The symposium includes plenary talks on ‘Talent and Recruitment in the Tourism Industry – The future for Gen Y and Millennials’, ‘Corporate Commitment to Future Generations’ and ‘Youth Entrepreneurship for the 21st century’.

The event also features two interactive roundtable discussions on ‘What is important to the future Generation of Tourism Professionals?’ and ‘How will Millennials and the next Generation Change the Future of Tourism?’

IMEX in Frankfurt 2017 is set for the largest show to date IMEX in Frankfurt, which will take place at Messe Frankfurt from 16 – 18 May 2017, is yet again setting a record for the largest show to date. This year’s market-leading trade show is a 10 per cent increase in space taken by exhibitors in Africa and Asia and a 9.5 per cent increase from the USA and Canada.

On the show floor, IMEX’s dedicated technology area will be the largest to date with growth of 15 per cent - with many new exhibitors reflecting the show’s increasing focus on event technology companies. At the heart of the technology section will be the TECHknowledge Area, powered by The Meeting Pool, offering the chance to touch, test and try the latest gadgets such as wearables and Virtual Reality.

New exhibitors for 2017 include Moldova Tourism, Meet Puerto Rico, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kyoto Convention Bureau, Jeju Province and Choose Chicago. Exhibitors with expanded stands include Tourism New Zealand, Shanghai, Korea, London & Partners, Spain, Rocco Forte Hotels, Guatemala, Panama, Uruguay and NYC. Alongside this is a packed programme of free education with over 200 sessions, including a full day of preshow education – EduMonday, 15 May. Combined with over 200 networking opportunities including many with senior level meeting professionals, and social events including Site Nite Europe, CIM-Clubbing and the IMEX Gala Dinner, this adds up to three inspiring and productive days of business.

“As we head towards the final countdown for IMEX in Frankfurt, there’s a quietly confident attitude radiating throughout the meetings and events sector. Although the first quarter of this year has been marked by some extraordinary and unsettling events around the globe, IMEX 2017 will be a reflection of an international market that’s extremely resilient, and well placed for solid, long-term growth,” says Carina Bauer, CEO of the IMEX Group.

The IMEX Group also runs IMEX America, America’s worldwide exhibition for incentive travel, meetings & events, which will take place 10 – 12 October 2017 at the Sands Expo and Convention Center at The Venetian® | The Palazzo®, preceded by Smart Monday, powered by MPI, on 9 October.

Thailand hosts World’s Biggest Destination Wedding Planners Congress From professional wedding planners to photographers, leading wedding venues and destinations, world renowned destination photographers, exquisite jewellery designers, inspiring couture designers, extraordinaire travel partners and planners are in Phuket, Thailand for the 4th Destination Wedding Planner Congress 2017.

Organized by Dubai-based QnA International, DWP Congress is taking place for the first time in Asia, the three previous editions have been held in Greece, Mauritius, and Florence. The 4th Destination Wedding Planners Congress is taking place from on 02 – 04 May 2017.

“Thailand is known for its luxurious beach and spa resorts, the breath-taking views, pristine beaches, lively

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entertainment, amazing hospitality and the mouth-watering cuisine – it’s truly no surprise that it is one of the most popular locations picked for overseas weddings! Thailand is the first country in Asia to be chosen for this initiative and these factors played a big role in selecting the destination and the experience it will provide to these high-profile buyers” explained Ackash Jain, Director of QnA International.

Tourism Authority of Thailand hosts over 450 professionals from the wedding industry covering 65 countries in a two-day, by-invite only congress. The DWP Congress is the only event of its kind in the world built on a solid business format which brings luxury destination wedding planners, leading wedding suppliers and creative partners under one roof. This year’s edition is set to offer a bigger range of destination wedding venues and suppliers along with more networking opportunities.

“We are delighted to welcome the wedding planners and the key influencers in the global wedding business to Phuket, Thailand. This 4th Destination Wedding Planner Congress 2017 will be an opportunity for us to showcase our readiness and potential in promoting Thailand as an international romance destination, through our professionalism, hospitality, creativity, as well as, our Thai Touch. Not only Phuket, but our main destinations in other provinces can also offer you various experiences suitable as a wedding destination; such as, Chiang Mai in the North, our capital Bangkok, or the internationally well-known Ko Samui and Krabi,” said Mr. Yuthasak Supasorn, Governor of Tourism Authority of Thailand.

10,000 top Amway sellers from China to meet in New Zealand This time next year New Zealand will be hosting up to 10,000 top Amway sellers from China. Amway China has chosen Queenstown for its 2018 Leadership Seminar. To build excitement and motivate sellers about the prospect of coming to New Zealand, Amway worked with New Zealand Post, Tourism New Zealand Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett create bespoke Queenstown New Zealand postcards.

The cards showcase New Zealand activities and include a handwritten “look forward to seeing you” message from Hon Paula Bennett and a customized stamp.

“The postcards depicting New Zealand are being very well received by our sales people and are working well to amplify the excitement about our visits to New Zealand in 2018,” says Carl WEN, Director of Amway Special Event Department.

The cards showcase New Zealand activities and include a handwritten “look forward to seeing you” message from Hon Paula Bennett and a customised stamp.

“The postcards depicting New Zealand are being very well received by our sales people and are working well to amplify the excitement about our visits to New Zealand in 2018,” says Carl WEN, Director of Amway Special Event Department.

In addition to the $50 million injection into the New Zealand economy from the incentive win, the delegates’ personal spending will deliver significant additional financial benefits to regional economies. The 2018 visits will be staggered during the autumn in groups of around 500 strong.

New Zealand Post added a Kiwi touch to the postcards and organized for them to be sent to recipients in China.

Amway China's president Audie Wong notes, "We chose New Zealand as our partner for Amway China's 2018 Leadership Seminar because we value its excellent hard and soft tourism conditions, and we appreciate the high flexibility and creativity it exhibits as a business events destination. We believe, this seminar, providing a great opportunity for all the participants to witness New Zeeland's natural beauty and unique culture, will not only help them widen their vision, but also leave them with a lasting memory. It will help enhance the understanding between the two peoples and the friendship between the two countries."

5 key trends in the Destination Wedding Industry 5 key trends are set for destination weddings which continue to be the fastest growing segment of the US$300 billion worth global wedding market. The 5 key trends are set to take the industry by storm in the coming months according to experts. Those 5 key trends are: • the gravitational pull of Asia as a destination;

• the need for exclusive experiences; and

• the emphasis on culture;

• the increasing preference for longer stays.

• the importance of experiential dining and authentic flavours; “We are seeing more enquiries in Asia, and I think that well become the next hot destination in 2018/2019. Mexico is becoming increasingly popular too, especially with the peso being devalued currently”, said Joe Blackman, CEO, Collection 26.

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NEWS LINE WORLD Popular destinations in Asia cover a vast range of exotic destinations from Thailand, to Japan, to Bali, Maldives and the United Arab Emirates.

Experiential travel was the “travel trend” for 2016, and it has had a ginormous impact on the destinations now being chosen for weddings. Echoing similar views Aleit Swanepoel added that many couples are embracing “experience” weddings, with an African theme for example. What I love most about these weddings, is the wonderful energy that builds amongst the guests when they travel together. Weddings become a three-day event, with pre-wedding BBQ’s, cocktail functions and excursions.

Longer stays continue to be a growing trend. “People are paying for guests all-inclusive experience so that all their guests can stay in one place; meaning they cover airfare and hotel rooms“adds Alison. The guests usually tend to increase their stay at the destination and explore the destination at leisure pre and post wedding.

Argentina to host 2018 WTTC Global Summit The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) will organize next year’s WTTC Global Summit in Buenos Aires, Argentina on 18-19th April 2018. Roberto Palais, Executive Manager, Ministry of Tourism of Argentina, announced the location of the 2018 Global Summit at the closing ceremony of the 17th WTTC Global Summit in Bangkok, Thailand.

The 2018 WTTC Global Summit will be jointly hosted by the Ministry of Tourism of Argentina, The Argentine Chamber of Tourism and the Buenos Aires City Tourist Board.

David Scowsill, President & CEO of WTTC, said: We are extremely excited to bring next year’s WTTC Global Summit back to South America for the first time since 2009, to Buenos Aires, Argentina, a great example of a thriving tourism destination. Travel & Tourism contributed ARS775 billion (US$52.5 million) to Argentina’s GDP in 2016, which is 9.6% of total GDP, and this is expected to grow by 4.4% during 2017. Furthermore our sector supported 1.6 million jobs, representing 8.8% of total employment.”

Scowsill added: “WTTC’s annual Global Summit brings together the most influential figures from the public and private sector to address the challenges and opportunities facing Travel & Tourism. Hosting the Summit in Buenos Aires is a reflection of the commitment and efforts of the Argentinean government to growing business and leisure travel, and we are very much looking forward to April 2018.”

Gustavo Santos, Minister of Tourism, Argentina, said: “We are thrilled to be hosting the 2018 WTTC Global Summit, which will allow us to showcase the breadth of opportunities our capital and our country holds for Travel & Tourism, as both a leisure and business destination.”

“Travel & Tourism is an important area of focus for the Argentinean government. Holding the Summit in Buenos Aires, we will further showcase our commitment to growing the sector in a sustainable fashion and promote the exchange of cultures between the visitors and local communities,” said Gonzalo Robredo, Executive Director, Buenos Aires City Tourist Board.

Oscar Ghezzi, President, Argentine Chamber of Tourism, concluded: “We are looking forward to welcoming the Summit attendees next year. It is an excellent opportunity for the delegates to experience our culture and the touristic opportunities that Buenos Aires and Argentina have to offer.”

Study reveals Importance of Wi-Fi for event bookers An ongoing study was carried out by Lane End Conference Centre, a Buckinghamshire based venue, revealed what event bookers ask about the venue. The research was carried out amongst 122 Lane End clients to help the venue to further understand what trainers and delegates deem important when it comes to Wi-Fi. A staggering 86% of bookers ask if the Wi-Fi is free but fail to ask how effective the Wi-Fi actually is. The study shows that; • 86.07% of bookers ask if Wi-Fi is free • 34.43% of bookers ask the upload and download speed of the Wi-Fi • 31.97% of bookers ask if extra Wi-Fi capacity can be made available • 50% of bookers ask how many devices can be used concurrently • 77.87%of bookers ask if Wi-Fi covers the whole venue • 50.82% of bookers ask which parts of the venue have weak Wi-Fi coverage • 47.54% of bookers ask if there is a data capture process in place to access Wi-Fi • 31.15% of bookers ask if the venue has a Wi-Fi contingency plan

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Director of Sales and Marketing at Lane End Heni Fourie said; “We all know that the expectation is that Wi-Fi should be free, and that venues that do not offer free Wi-Fi are deemed to be behind the times. Event bookers need to ask more questions about the Wi-Fi to ensure that it is suitable and meets the requirement of the delegate – the fact that the Wi-Fi is free is irrelevant if it’s inefficient and not fit for purpose.”

Lane End Conference Centre offers direct fibre optic links, which provides the venue with Grade A+ Wi-Fi of up to 40 Megabytes per second (MBPS) or hard-wired 200 MBPS guaranteed. This makes the venue ideal for virtual meetings, video conferences and live-streaming through designated websites or social media platforms. Free hardwired internet is also available for organisers and delegates who want to use their own video conferencing supplier.

Lane End Conference Centre offers a unique modular design with five distinct and completely self-contained conference buildings – each offering bedrooms, meeting facilities, bar, lounge and dining room – available for exclusive use.

Arabian Travel Market 2017 witnessed a 7% increase in international visitors This year’s Arabian Travel Market witnessed a 7% increase in international visitors and a 10% increase in visitors from the GCC to the event, which was held in Dubai World Trade Centre from April 24-27. For the second year in succession, visitor numbers smashed through the 28,000 mark – the show saw a 71% increase in visitors over the last five years.

Simon Press, Senior Exhibition Director, ATM, said: “The continued growth in ATM is testament to the strength of the travel and tourism industry in the Middle East. The event has also built on its quality year on year and the professionalism of exhibitors and stands not only increases the brand value of their own organization, but also that of Arabian Travel Market.

“Exhibition stand contracts signed during ATM 2017 for next year are up 38% year-on-year, with exhibitors keen to reserve their space for what promises to be a record-breaking event in 2018 as ATM celebrates its 25th anniversary.”

Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai, ATM has grown to become the largest event of its kind in the region and one of the biggest in the world. The 2017 edition, on the theme of experiential travel sponsored by La Perle, boasted an additional hall, with 466 main stand holders representing 87 countries and over 100 new exhibitors making their debut. The number of countries represented at ATM 2017, taken from all attendees, totaled 157.

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NEWS LINE WORLD

The show got off to an inspiring start, with an informative discussion on the legacy of Expo 2020. Now just under three years away, it was revealed that plans for the site after the world showcase concludes will see 80% of the plot re-developed with all Expo’s assets and transport infrastructure re-purposed for future use by a range of tenants and major private sector firms.

While the UNWTO & ATM Ministerial Forum, which was attended by more than 20 Government Ministers and global leaders, concluded that the main priorities for the region’s tourism industry include human resources development, public/private sector cooperation, connectivity, technology and sustainability.

“Despite all external shocks, the Middle East and North Africa tell one of tourism’s biggest success stories. A story that brings an immense opportunity to make tourism a pillar of economic diversification, job creation and sustainable development in this region” said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai.

“This meeting provided an opportunity to identify the priorities of tourism policy for the MENA destinations, strengthen regional cooperation and public-private partnerships that prepare the region to welcome the 195 million international tourist arrivals – almost triple the present volume of 72 million – forecasted by UNWTO for 2030,” he added.

New this year, the inaugural Halal Travel Summit, was one of many seminar sessions on the Global Stage, which welcomed leading Muslim travel industry experts including Rafi-uddin Shikoh, CEO of DinarStandard and Faeez Fadhlillah, CEO of Salam Standard & Tripfez, in a discussion about halal destination strategies and how to sell halal travel.

Muslim travel is a key sector for economic development and job creation throughout the world, generating $139 billion in GDP and creating 4.5 million jobs worldwide. And the travel and tourism industry throughout the Middle East is perfectly placed to capitalise according to panellists. Fadhlillah said: “The USA and the EU represent 44% of the global Muslim travel market, netting nearly $64 billion of inbound expenditure during 2015. The Asian and Middle Eastern countries attracted more than a third (37%) of the global expenditure total, and these regions are expected to see the most robust tourism growth in the coming years.”

The one-day summit featured three interactive seminar sessions covering the big picture, halal destination strategies and how to sell halal travel. It was agreed there was a strong need to create a halal tourism industry body involving both Muslims and non-Muslims. Also, in the Middle East, there is a need to develop formal halal destination strategies with public and private sector involvement and buy-in, following in the footsteps of Asian countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia and Japan.

Yokohama to host XXIII IMEKO World Congress in 2021 Yokohama, Japan has been chosen as the host for the 23rd World Congress of the International Measurement Confederation (IMEKO). The conference will be attended by approximately 800 measurement technology experts from all over the globe.

Based in Budapest, Hungary, IMEKO is a nongovernmental federation of measuring institutions that is focused on the advancement of measurement technology.

With the joint efforts of the city of Yokohama, the Yokohama Convention & Visitors Bureau, and the PACIFICO Yokohama Convention Center in cooperation with the Japan National Tourist Organization (JNTO), the city was able to make a successful bid for the Congress.

In September of 2016, the governing body of IMEKO chose Yokohama over Hangzhou, China as the venue.

The deciding factors were said to be high grades for "the enthusiasm of the local host committee members, the vision of placing importance on the development of young research professionals, the convenience of Yokohama's transportation network, and the close proximity of facilities such as international conference halls, hotels, malls, etc."

Held every three years, Japan has not been the host nation since the Congress was held in Osaka in 1999.

Current IMEKO President-elect and Chairman of the Technical Board, Prof. Masatoshi Ishikawa, Dean of University of Tokyo's Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, is set to be appointed President from 2018.

The Society of Instrument and Control Engineers (SICE) will take on the role of local host.

Vienna’s meetings industry broke record in 2016 In 2016 Vienna’s meetings industry recorded more events, bednights and value-added than ever before, according to the announcement by Director of Tourism Norbert Kettner.

Last year 567,000 delegates (+7% on 2015) participated in a total of 4,084 congresses, corporate events and incentives (+11%) in Vienna. The resulting number of bednights increased by 2% to around 1,718,000.

The nation-wide value-added of the Vienna conference industry once again broke the significant billion-euro barrier, contributing a total of 1,072 billion euros (+3%) to the Austrian gross domestic product. 80% of this value-added was attributable to international congresses, which in 2016 attracted about half the total number of meeting delegates, and three quarters of bednights.

M e e t i n g s , congresses and incentives in Vienna secured nearly 20,000 year-round jobs throughout Austria. Overall the Austrian capital recorded almost 15 million bednights in 2016, 12% of which were attributable to the meetings industry.

For the eighth time in succession, the consulting firm Mercer has just rated Vienna the city with the highest quality of life in the world. For years now, the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) has also ranked Vienna among the leading congress metropolises worldwide. “Vienna is an easily accessible central European hub with a multifaceted hotel sector and top meeting locations,” explains Kettner. “Meetings are optimally supported by both urban and scientific establishments, and, with 36 licensed certification agencies for Green Meetings, Vienna has already demonstrated far-sightedness with respect to environmental compatibility and sustainability.” Vienna can be reached by direct flights from almost 200 destinations worldwide and currently offers around 66,000 hotel beds.

COVER STORY

Thrace, European Turkey The Thrace of Turkey refers to the European side of the country and showcases all the benefits of being located at the intersection of the Balkans, Asia and the Black Sea. Home to one of the oldest producers of wine in the world, the Thrace region is enjoying a revival of this rich tradition offering the visitor the opportunity to explore more than a dozen boutique vineyards.

These burgeoning Vineyards are situated among picturesque villages that boast eclectic architecture from GrecoRoman, Balkan, Byzantine and Ottoman styles and surrounded by natural parks which offer hiking trails and activities such as paragliding and diving. However, it is safe to argue that the greatest showcase for all that diversity is the cuisine, where the distinct flavours of Greek, Balkan and Anatolian tastes flow into one another.

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Home of wine

Perhaps the best part is, the vineyards seem to think so as well, as they banded together to promote their unique appeal and offer a guide for the prospective visitor to make the best out of a tour of the region.

The Thrace Wine Route experience, offered through the website and handy mobile apps (iOS & Android) provides detailed routes to plan your trip from Istanbul in the form of branching excursions and offers a list of flavours to taste.

From the Kirklareli region that boasts former Ottoman capital of Edirne near the Western border of Turkey to Gelibolu on the south, following the coastline that is steeped in the memory of the First World War conflict, the guides highlight all the requisite tastes to sample and sights to visit along with their comprehensive coverage of vineyards operating in each part. And to make planning even more effortless, each section has a list of dedicated tour operators uniquely specialized in organizing such vineyard oriented tours.

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COVER STORY In these summer months, the southern parts of Turkey are usually the focus of many visitors and who can blame them, it’s gorgeous down there. But, with this many boutique vineyards being so eager to welcome you to their enchanting landscape, the recommendation comes very easily: the Thracian region awaits you with alluring nature and wonderful food and boutique vineyards, set among one of the most historically rich landscapes on the planet.

Cities of Turkish Thrace Located in the northwest of Turkey are the cities of Edirne, Kırklareli and Tekirdağ provinces within the regions of Thrace and the Sea of Marmara.

This three-city region includes the area west of Istanbul, east of Greece, North coast of the Marmara, Çanakkale & the Aegean Sea, and the area south of Bulgaria.

Edirne lies to the westernmost part of the physical boundaries of Turkey; to the north are the Instranca Mountains, to the south, the Koru Mountains and Aegean Sea, to the west is the Meriç River and to the East is the Ergene Plain.

Edirne serves as a bridge that connects highways and railway Anatolia to Europe. Anatolia and Istanbul are connected by the D-100 highway is connected that merges with the European motorway, while the D-550 connects these areas to Çanakkale and the Aegean.

The area of Kırklareli is surrounded by the Istranca Mountains, Black Sea to the east, Edirne to the west is, Tekirdağ to the south, Bulgaria and Burgaz to the north and Istanbul to the southeast.

The northern and earstern parts of the province are mountainous while the southern and southwestern parts have the nature of a plateau. Passing by Kırklareli are the Istanbul-Edirne D-100 motorway and the TEM highway which connects Turkey to Europe.

Edirne Edirne has always been an important settlement placed between the East, Europe and the Balkans which allowed it to function as an important center of trade and commerce. Edirne has been home to many civilizations throughout history and has hosted the Odryssians, Persians, Macedonian Kingdom, the Roman- Byzantine Empire, Kingdom of Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire.

Edirne is characterized by wide plains, with mountains and hills and different elevations in geography. The highest point of the city is 720 meters. The average height is 41 meters above sea level. 25% of the land is forested and 58% of the provincial area is agricultural which draws most of its water from the Meriç River on the Turkish-Greek border.

How to Go The Marmara region is dominated by a flat landscape with a location that gives it a range of convenient and comfortable transportation options compared to many other cities. Edirne’s location as a border city makes it an important route in transportation to other places in Europe and the Balkans. Edirne has a convenient transportation network to get to other areas in the district and other parts of Turkey. Highway and railway options are available to and from Edirne. District and tourist towns are served by bus companies.

Where to Stay A majority of hotels in Edirne are situated in the city center. It’s possible to find 2 or 3 star hotels, many in number and in the city center. Pensions and boutique hotels in the towns and areas bordering to the sea are available. Guest houses of public institutions, mostly teachers’ houses in the city center and in town are the main alternatives.

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What to Eat The geographical location as well as its affluent history mingled with various cultures.

Edirne, an Ottoman palace city is also a center for rich cuisine. Edirne was a transit point of cultures, and a prosperous cuisine understanding was developed in the point between Anadolu and Rumelia. It’s possible to try delicious local meals in small restaurants in the city center and in towns which has ocal delights such as almond dip sauce, pan liver, stuffed liver, deva-i misk paste, cheese candy, white cheese, veterans’ halvah, tarhana soup, crepe, hardaliye (bitter almond syrup with mustard), kara kavurma (deep fried meat), cabbage wrap, dilber dudağı dessert, raw pastry.

What to Buy There are many local products to buy in Edirne. The most well known are deva-i misk dessert, white cheese candy, Edirne cheese, fragrant soap, almond dip sauce. Handicrafts specific to Edirne include Edirne dolls, brooms with mirror, hardaliye made by mixing mustards and bitter almond, earthenware and wickerwork baskets are some of the leading products that can be bought from Edirne.

Where to Visit The Selimiye Mosque is the fi rst masterpiece of the architect Mimar Sinan. The city of Edirne hosts many important artifacts from the Ottoman period and has many historical and cultural assets. Edirne is ranked 1st in Turkey and 2nd in the world in terms of historical monuments per square meter. You can conveniently visit all the works of the city center on the following route.

• • Selimiye Mosque • Şahmelek Mosque • Museum of Turkish & Islamic Works • Ottoman Tombstones • Stone Rooms • Palace (Hamam) Bathhouse • Edirne Museum of Archeology & Ethnology • Hıdırağa Mosque • Arasta Bazaar • Old Mosque • Bedesten • Rüstempasha Caravanserai • Saraçlar Street • Ali Pasha Bazaar • Macedonian Clock Tower • Tahtakale Hamam • Üç Şerefeli Mosque • Cameleer’s Hostelry • Beylerbeyi Mosque • Saraçhane Bridge • Kadı Bedrettin Mosque • Sveti Constantin-Elena Church • Kasım Pasha Mosque • Sezai Baba Tomb • Darül Hadis Mosque

• Gazimihal Hamam • Gazimihal Bridge • Gazimihal Mosque • Yıldırım Bayazıt Mosque • Yıldırım Bayezid Bridge • Beyazid II Complex & Health Museum • Yalnızgöz Bridge • Remnants of Edirne Palace • Sarayiçi Balkan Martyrdom • Fatih Bridge • Field of Contest and Kırkpınar Wrestles • Hunting Mansion • Kanuni Bridge • Muradiye Mosque • Sveti Georgi Church • Şükrü Pasha Monument and Museum of Balkanian Wars • Tunca Bridge • Meriç Bridge • Historical Police Station • Hacı Adil Bey Fountain • Edirne Train Station • Lozan Monument

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COVER STORY

Sights of Edirne There are many historical settlements in the city, particularly • Süloğlu in Lalapasha which carries traces of the Enez and Th racians • Tatarian Tomb who appeared in history of the Ordys.

• Balkan Martyrdom The city which was a capital of the Ottoman Empire was underwent instense development in this period. Edirne gives • Havza the opportunity to sea tourism and alternative tourism along • Sokollu Social with cultural tourism.

Complex • Uzunköprü • Uzunköprü Bridge • Meriç • İpsala • Alaca Mustafa Paşa Mosque

• Erikli • Gökçetepe • Sazlıdere • Mecidiye • Enez • Enez Fortress • Excavation Area of Enez King’s Daughter Basilica • Roman Route • Enez Beach • Gala Lake

• Keşan • Hersekzade Ahmetpasha Mosque

Kırklareli Kırklareli been host as the centre of population for many ancient settlements due to its geographical location and carries traces of the Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine and Turkish Islamic civilizations.

The province was named as “Saranta Ekklesies” meaning “40 Churches” in the Byzantine era, and was renamed Kırkkilise in the Ottoman era in 1924.

The parts of Kırklareli that are located in the Istranca Mountains of the Marmara Region and Ergene Plain arevremarkable for their natural beauty and eco-system.

Kırklareli has a 180 km land border with Bulgaria and a 60 km sea coast with the Black Sea and a total area of 6,550 square kilometers.

There are caves, carstic shapes, beaches and valleys which are of importance for tourism in Kırklareli. Dupnisa Cave is located in the town of Demirköy near the Sarpdere Village and is the most well known among them.

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How to Go Kırklareli is located south of the 159 km long border with Bulgaria. To the east is a 58 km coast along the Black Sea. Its west of Edirne, northwest of Istanbul and is bounded in by the province of Tekirdağ to the south. Kırklareli can be reached by sea, roadway and air. District towns and touristic areas are reachable by public transport from private bus companies.

Where to Stay Accommodation facilities are busier during the summer in Kıyıköy and İğneada where sea tourism is popular.

Compared to winter months, the facilities in Kırklareli are busier in the spring, summer and fall months. It is possible to receive group discounts, child discounts and early booking discounts at almost all hotels. Some hotels provide reservation service via telephone and the internet. The vast majority of hotels accept credit cards.

Hotels are concentrated in Kırklareli and the city center, as well as tourism centers in İğneada, Kıyıköy and Vize as well as Lüleburgaz which is the business center. There are 2, 3, and 4-star hotels and many hostels in the city center and towns. Rest houses and teacher’s houses are located in the city center and the towns and are also among the important accommodation alternatives.

What to Eat Kırklareli is a rich city in terms of local food. The source of their local cuisine are their local agricultural products, meat products and seafood. Agricultural products such as Wheat, sunflower, sugar beet, pumpkin seeds, potatoes, corn, beans, barley, grapes, tomatoes, peppers grown in the region ready ingredients for any local cuisine. Kırklareli is also famous for its meat dishes and köfte.

What to Buy There are variety of local products that can be bought in Kırklareli. Traditional wooden household items, weaving products and handicraft products are major gift products which may be bought in the region. In addition to these, you can buy beet pekmez, tahini, hardaliye (famous grape juice), sheep yogurt and cheese.

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COVER STORY Where to Visit Kırklareli is where urban life first took root in Thrace and is a remarkable city of antiquity. The Kırklareli Museum where antiques that were found particularly around Kanlıgeçit Ancient City and Aşağı Pınar Mound sheds light on the history of the region with its rich inventory. The religious buildings from the Ottoman period are located in the city center and 19th Century examples of civil architecture should not be missed.

• Hızırbey Mosque • Kocahıdır Primary School • Grape Statue • Hızırbey Hamam • Kırkşehitler Monument • Relief of Balkan Immigration • Alman Fountain • Old Governor’s Mansion • Vilayet Square • Kadı Mosque • Old Mansions of Yayla Square • Aşağı Pınar Mound • Kadı Fountain • Kırklareli Train Station • Ancient City of Kanlıgeçit • Şevket Dingiloğlu Park • İstasyon Street • Seyfi oğlu Bastions • Kırklareli Museum • Old Custom Building • Polos Fortress • Karaca İbrahim Bey Mosque • Sebahattin Ali Park Sights of Kırklareli With its spectacular natural beauties such as the Istranca Mountains, caves, carstic shapes, beaches and valleys, Kırklareli grabs attraction among the tourist areas of Turkey. The importance of its historical culture, seasand-sun and varieties of alternative tourism have gradually increased over time. You can visit the districts and tourist towns of Kırklareli as follows.

• Pınarhisar • Vize • Sokullu Külliyesi • Fortress Koloğlu • Vize Kalesi • Zindan Baba Türbesi, • Primary School, • Gazi Süleyman Paşa Camisi • Çarşı Çeşmesi • Binbir Oklu Ahmet Baba Tomb • Hasan Bey Camisi • Kadı Ali Camisi • Poyralı Village Culture House • Vize Antik Tiyatro • Sokullu Mehmet Paşa Köprüsü • Dupnisa Mağarası • Kıyıköy Kalesi • Babaeski • Demirköy • Aya Nikola Manastırı • Cedid Ali Paşa Camisi • Fatih Dökümhanesi • Papuçdere • Babaeski Köprüsü • İğneada Longoz Ormanları Milli • Kazandere • Fatih Hamamı Parkı • Kıyıköy Limanı • Fatih Camisi • Mert Gölü • Kıyıköy Kumsalları • Dördüzlü Çeşme • Limanköy Feneri • Lüleburgaz • Alpullu Sinanlı Köprüsü • İğneada Sahili

Tekirdağ The history of Tekirdağ dates back to 6000 BC and has been home to and ruled over by the Odrys, Persians, RomanByzantine Empires, Bulgarian Kingdom, the Greeks and most recently, the Ottoman Empire. During the Ottoman period, it was an important city on the route between Istanbul and Edirne and as such was frequented by the Sultans as much as any other important city in its time. Its location between the commerce, culture and migration of Europe, Anatolia and the Near East increased the importance of the region of Thrace.

The Ottomans first used the name “Rodosçuk” and later gave it the name “Tekfurdağı”. After the early years of the Turkish Republic, the city’s name was formalized as “Tekirdağ”.

Tekidağ is located in the Northwest of Turkey and covers an area of 6,313 square kilometers. Tekirdağ is a city that’s been built upon the shore and seaside cliffs that face the Sea of Marmara. Nearly 75% of the province sits upon a plateau while the remaining 9% and 15% are mountains and plains respectively. The terrain in the province is generally flat with the exception of Mt. Ganos. The most important river of the Province is the Ergene River. The southern boundary of Tekirdağ is formed by a 133 km coastline with the Sea of Marmara along with 2.5 km of coastline with the Black Sea.

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How to Go Throughout history, Tekirdağ was located on the trading and migration routes and today it serves as a bridge between Europe and Anatolia. There are multiple options for transportation to Tekirdağ. You can reach the city by road, sea and air. Local bus companies provide an important option in districts and touristic towns. Tekirdağ is served by the E-80 (TEM), E-84 and D-100 highways. The district of Çorlu can also be reached by air. Touristic and central district areas have tours and services available which can be organized from Tekirdağ and Istanbul. Touristic towns and areas outside the city and district centers all within reach of bus and minibus services.

Where to Stay Kilometers of sandy beach along the Sea of Marmara and an established spot frequented by paragliding enthustiasts in Uçmakdere have created a number of appealing possibilities for alternative tourism activities and hosts in Tekirdağ. The city is host to 3, 4 and 5 star hotels as well as a number of boutique hotels, hostels and guesthouses in and outside the provincial center.

What to Eat Tekirdağ is a Turkish city rich in cuisine. The secret to this delicious history is many different ethnic groups have lived and passed through Thrace and have cherished and protected their cultural wealth and handed it down from generation to generation. In Tekirdağ, you can find a number of different vegetable and meat dishes but what really puts Tekirdağ on the gastronomic map is the region’s trademarked Köfte. Also notable are is cheese halva, Hayrabolu sweets, bulama soup, umaç soup, fig sweets, çeneçarpan soup, akıtma and çizleme (two different types of pancake), and höşmelim (sweet milk pudding) are some of the most recognizable flavors of the local area.

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COVER STORY Where to Buy Tekirdağ is limited in terms of non-food gift items in comparison to other provinces. If you do want to take something back for family or friends or just for yourself you can choose from Hayrabolu sweets and desserts, cheese, havla, and Tekirdağ rakı. For Şarköy you can buy wine as well as olive oil. Uçmakdere has a number of dried plant/herbal products such as thyme, linden, mint and chamomile for tea. Other items up for gifting are rugs, saddlebags, gloves, hand-woven mats and ornamental squash.

Where to Visit Tekirdağ was an important summer resort city during the Ottoman period that lay on the route between Istanbul and Edirne. The Tekirdağ city center hosts a number of surviving Ottoman-era works and houses including those of Mimar Sinan such as the Rüstempaşa Complex which still stands today. Tekirdağ’s museums are well appointed and display its signifi cant cultural and historical richness.

• Rakoczi Museum

• Old Mosque, Central Mosque

• Namık Kemal House

• Namık Kemal Public Library

• Murat Hudavendigar Monument

• Rüstempaşa Complex

• Provincial Culture and Tourism Municipality

• Namık Kemal Statue

• Republic Square

• Ertuğrul Firkateyni Park &Monument of the martyr Colonel Ali Bey

• Atatürk Statue

• Hussein Pahlivan Statue

• Governor’s Building

• Seaside Hammam

• Namık Kemal Monument

• Monument of the “First Teacher” M.K Ataturk

• Ibrahim Müteferrika Statue

• Old Munipal Building

• Tekirdağ Archeology & Ethnology Museum

• Monument of Freedom

• Seaside Fountain

Sights of Tekirdağ Kilometers of sandy beaches, blue flag beach in Şarköy, nature sports and easy to reach locations, ancient cities, museums and the historical works of the Tekirdağ region make it an important center for tourism. You can visit the following nearby places listed below on a route of your choosing.

• Along the coastline

• Pasha Mosque

• Marmara Ereğlisi

• Barbaros

• Tomb of Sarban Ahmet

• Ancient city of Perinthos

• Kumbağ

• Bridge of the pilgrims to Mecca (Hacılar Köprüsü)

• Perinthos open-air museum

• Uçmakdere • Hoşköy • Hora Lighthouse • Güzelköy • Mürefte • Wine Museum • Hayrabolu

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• Beatiful Hasan Bey Mosque • Bazaar Mosque • Malkara • Gazi Suleiman Pasha Mosque • Hacerzade Ibrahim Bey Mosque • Gazi Omer Bey Mosque and Tomb

• Çorlu • Çorlu Castle • Süleymaniye Mosque • Monument to the Balkans • Castro • Kastro (Çamlıköy)

MEET AT MUSEUM

Military High School Turned into a Museum Kuleli Military High School, which was the oldest military high school in Turkey - located in Çengelköy on the Asian shore of the Bosphorus, will be turned into a museum. It was founded on September 21, 1845, by Ottoman Sultan Abdülmecid I and closed last year following the coup attempt on July 15, 2016.

Minister of National Defense Fikri Işık announced that the school's building, an Ottoman-era landmark notable for its pointed towers and white exterior, will be converted into a museum while plans are also underway to re-purpose vast green spaces inside the school's sprawling lands.

The reason of the high school’s closure is because of some cadets, mostly those persuaded by their commanders at the school and several military officers serving as administrators and teachers at Kuleli, joined the coup attempt.

Işık has said that the museum, which will be run by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, will be specialized on military history and said the decision to convert

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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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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

44 | MeeTurkey | May 2017

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 ¡¡ Covered Bazaar Küçüksu Pavillion ¡¡ St. Sophia St. Irene ¡¡ Kariye Museum Blue Mosque ¡¡ Beylerbeyi Palace Topkapi Palace ¡¡ Yerebatan Cistern Mosaic Museum ¡¡ Miniatürk

May 2017 | MeeTurkey | 45

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.

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 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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¡¡ ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡¡ ¡¡

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Meclis-i Mebusan Caddesi Liman İşletmeleri Sahası Antrepo 4 34433 Karaköy İstanbul T (212) 334 7300 F (212) 243 4319