The TTI Izmir and TTI Health Izmir Fairs, held from December 5 to 7 at fuarizmir, brought together leading figures from the tourism industry in a vibrant celebration of innovation, collaboration, and sustainability. The event opened with a grand ceremony hosted by Dr. Zafer Levent Yildır, Deputy Mayor of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality. Esteemed speakers included Fikri Ataoglu, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Culture, Youth, and Environment of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC); Selami Ozpoyraz, Chairman of the Izmir Chamber of Commerce Assembly; and Hasan Eker, Vice President of the Board of Directors of the Turkish Travel Agencies Association.
The fair’s agenda was enriched by a series of panels over two days, featuring distinguished experts. Discussions ranged from “Diversification of Tourism and Thermal Tourism” by Omer Tosun, President of the Geothermal Investments Association, and Savas Colakoglu, Chairman of the Tourism Hotel Managers Association, to “Tourism Potential of Turkmenistan” led by Ella Azizova, Manager of Ayan Travel. Additionally, a panel titled “New Perspectives in Hospitality: How Can Izmir Hotels Stand Out?” brought insights from Deniz Karaca, General Manager of Izmir Foundation, alongside ETIK President Mehmet Isler, CESTOB Chairman Orhan Belge, and Marriot Hotel General Manager Sercan Korkusuz.
Another highlight was the discussion on “Sustainable Destinations and Izmir,” moderated by Sinem Soygul, Destination Coordinator from the Tourism Branch of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality. Esteemed panelists included Bilge Ogunlu, a member of the Urla Vineyard Route and owner of Urlice Winery; Iyad Kayali, Regional Director of Green Destinations for the Middle East and North Africa; and Seyhan M. Kuralı, Chair of the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality’s Tourism and Fair Commission.
The “Tourism Potential of Turkmenistan” panel, hosted in Hall B, underscored the importance of cross-border tourism development, while the presence of international delegations further emphasized the global nature of the event. Prominent attendees included Venezuela’s Minister of Tourism, Leticia Gomez; Deputy Minister of International Tourism, Vladimir Molina; Ambassador Freddy Molina; and International Positioning Director Maria Milagros Arvelo.
TTI Izmir also fostered collaboration within the sector, uniting hotels, tour operators, agencies, and other stakeholders for three productive days. A unique addition was the “Tourism Digitalization Hackathon” held on December 6-7, as part of the Create in Izmir project led by Izmir University of Economics with support from the Izmir Chamber of Commerce and YABISAK. The event concluded with awards presented to the top teams: Pathfinders (1st place), TuristCo (2nd place), and AllinTech (3rd place).
The TTI Izmir Fair once again demonstrated its pivotal role as a platform for networking, innovation, and shaping the future of tourism, while cementing Izmir’s position as a hub for global tourism initiatives.
