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The Electrolighting Fair, which will bring together both local and international industry professionals for the 4th time in 2024, has announced its dates. Organized by Partner Fuarcılık, the fair will be held from May 5-7, 2024, at Titanic Deluxe Golf Belek, Antalya, bringing together industry giants and buyers from across the four continents in the electrical and lighting sectors.

In May 2023, Partner Fuarcılık successfully hosted over 200 businesspeople from 44 countries, connecting 60 local manufacturers with international buyers. Now, for the 4th time in 2024, the fair is expected to host more than 200 importers and exporters from 55 countries, with a theme of “Hot Sales.” The event will provide a unique B2B format outside the traditional framework, offering a vacation-like atmosphere for networking, with a significant portion of visitors expected to come from Africa.

The fair will cover a wide range of products, including electrical accessories, switches, electrical panels, cables, transformers, meters, solar materials, and smart building technologies. It aims to create opportunities for Turkish manufacturers to interact directly with foreign potential clients, strengthening commercial relationships.

The event is set to gather 70 Turkish manufacturers with 200 buyers, including key decision-makers from their respective countries. Additionally, expert interpreters in English, Arabic, French, and Russian will be provided to assist visitors and participants.

Looking ahead, Partner Fuarcılık will also organize a Plastic Raw Materials B2B program in September 2024, connecting 30 petrochemical companies from Iran with Turkish manufacturers to address challenges in sourcing raw materials. This program will help industries, particularly those in plastic goods and the electrical sector, to access raw materials more efficiently and at lower shipping costs.

The Electrolighting Fair will once again be held in Antalya from May 1-3, 2025, continuing its role as a key event in the electrical and lighting sector.

Elazığ Municipality will organize the Elazığ Construction Materials, Furniture, Real Estate, Construction Machinery, and Building Technologies Fair from May 1-4, 2025. The fair aims to promote Elazığ’s construction and real estate potential on the international stage, increase commercial activity in the sector, and contribute to the regional economy.

The fair will be held at the Ahmet Tevfik Ozan Fair and Congress Center, which has hosted various national and international events since it began operating. This year, it will be the venue for a significant fair that will bring together construction materials, furniture, real estate, construction machinery, and building technology companies. The fair is expected to serve as an important platform for local and international companies to explore regional potential, discover investment opportunities, and follow developments in the construction and real estate sectors.

Elazığ’s construction and real estate sector will have the opportunity to engage with regional firms and increase its business volume through networking, trade, and investment opportunities. The event will provide valuable exposure for companies involved in construction materials, furniture, real estate, machinery, and building technologies.

Elazığ Municipality, through Gelecek Fuarcılık, is organizing the fair to support the city’s economy and create new business opportunities. The fair will run for four days and is expected to contribute significantly to the local economy. Firms involved in the relevant sectors are invited to participate and take part in this important event.

As the International CFE Carpet and Flooring Expo 2025 is approaching, it has been announced that 180 carpet companies from Gaziantep will participate. Zeynal Abidin Kaplan, the President of GAHİB (Southeastern Anatolia Carpet Exporters Association), stated that over 50,000 square meters of exhibition space have been sold, with 86% of it being occupied by machine carpet manufacturers and sellers. He emphasized, “Our goal is to make our country, which is the center of carpet production, the global center of carpet trade.”

The CFE International Carpet and Flooring Expo, which will bring together the world carpet sector from January 7-10, 2025, in Istanbul, will witness a record participation of 600 companies and company representatives from 18 countries, including 145 foreign and 180 Gaziantep-based brands. Kaplan pointed out that the fair has sold over 50,000 square meters of booth space, with the majority of the exhibitors being manufacturers and sellers of machine-made carpets. He also highlighted the significant growth of the fair, which is quickly becoming one of the largest global events in the carpet sector.

The fair will take place at the Istanbul Expo Center and will use all the available halls, expanding from the previous year’s exhibition. Kaplan also mentioned that the fair will feature not only product exhibitions but also a variety of events aimed at shaping the future of the sector, such as panels on sustainability, recycling, and eco-friendly production techniques, as well as presentations from professional designers and leading companies about new trends in the industry.

With increasing international participation, the fair will help further solidify Turkey’s position as a leader in the global carpet and flooring market.

The first meeting of the Advisory Board for the Afyonkarahisar Block Marble Fair was held. During the meeting, which took place at the Afyonkarahisar Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ATSO), it was decided that the Afyonkarahisar Block Marble Fair would be held at the Afyonkarahisar International Fair, Congress, and Exhibition Area from June 18-21, 2025.

The Advisory Board, which was established to organize the fair, met for the first time under the hosting of ATSO President Hüsnü Serteser. The meeting was also attended by Deputy Governor Fatih Topuz and Deputy Mayor Ömer Yıldız. It was decided during the meeting that the Afyonkarahisar Block Marble Fair would be held at the Afyonkarahisar International Fair, Congress, and Exhibition Area from June 18-21, 2025. The Advisory Board also decided to quickly initiate the necessary work to ensure the fair’s organization.

ATTENDEES OF THE MEETING Among those present at the meeting were Cihat Alagöz, President of the TOBB Turkey Fair Council and ALZ Group’s Board Chairman; İbrahim Alimoğlu, President of the Aegean Mineral Exporters Association; Dr. Mehmet Sıtkı Merdivenci, President of the Afyon Boğaz Marble Manufacturers Association; Muharrem Çakmak, President of the İscehisar Marble Manufacturers Association; Şuayp Demirel, Disciplinary Board Member; Necmettin Ayyıldız, Member of the 5th Profession Committee (Mining Activities, Stone and Marble Quarries); Metin Balaban, Member of the 10th Profession Committee (Marble Factories); Serkan Sarıçiçek, Member of the 27th Profession Committee (Marble Exporters); Remzi Özcan, Chairman of the Board of Karamehmet Marble; Ali Şenol, General Secretary of ATSO; and Server Seçer, General Manager of ALZ Fair. The meeting concluded with the participants agreeing on the steps to be taken based on their shared views.

In 2025, the Turkish exhibition sector, which reached a size of 350 million Euros in 2024, is expected to gain momentum. Due to geopolitical risks and difficulties in the visa process for the EU, there is an anticipated increase in interest toward Turkey, with an expected 7 million visitors attending 400 fairs.

Turkey’s exhibition sector has grown significantly, with approximately 350 million Euros in size as of 2024. The country now holds 1.7% of the world’s fairgrounds, with a total indoor exhibition space of 767,000 square meters, placing Turkey 10th globally. In Europe, Turkey hosts 4.54% of the continent’s fairgrounds, ranking 6th in terms of indoor area capacity.

By August 2024, the International Exhibition Union (UFI)-certified fairs in Turkey reached 59, with 27 UFI-member exhibition companies. This number is expected to rise further in the coming years. It is projected that the sector will grow by approximately 20% in terms of both revenue and employment in 2025, with 400 fairs and over 7 million visitors.

The growth of the exhibition sector is also supported by related industries such as tourism, accommodation, catering, logistics, security, and cleaning, with services exceeding Western standards. Additionally, Turkey’s image as a “safe harbor” in the face of geopolitical risks and visa issues is expected to further boost the sector’s growth.

Istanbul as a Hub for Fairs

Istanbul aims to become a major center for international exhibitions. The Istanbul Expo Center (İFM), one of Turkey’s largest exhibition areas, is managed by the Istanbul World Trade Center (İDTM). The complex spans 500,000 square meters, with 11 exhibition halls covering approximately 95,000 square meters.

Şekib Avdagiç, the President of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (İTO) and Vice Chairman of İDTM, emphasizes that international trade and exhibitions reflect the real pulse of commerce. Through the fairs held at İFM, thousands of companies are able to meet new markets and opportunities. Avdagiç notes that Istanbul has become one of Europe’s leading centers for exhibitions and continues to improve its infrastructure with innovative solutions.

In 2024, İFM hosted 70 fairs across 44 sectors, attracting around 2.5 million business people, with a total exhibition area of 2,438,250 square meters. With its easily accessible location, İFM is positioned as a prominent global exhibition hub. In 2025, additional meeting rooms covering 2,000 square meters are planned to be built, further enhancing the center’s appeal.

The 51st International İnegöl Furniture Fair (MODEF Expo 2024) has officially opened in İnegöl, a key center for Turkey’s furniture industry. The event, which will run until October 5th, features 144 companies showcasing their products.

In the opening ceremony, attended by important figures such as Bursa Governor Erol Ayyıldız, Bursa Mayor Mustafa Bozbey, TİM Vice Chairman Ahmet Güleç, and İnegöl Mayor Alper Taban, MODEF President Yavuz Uğurdağ highlighted the significant economic achievements of İnegöl. The city’s economic size stands at 1.8 billion dollars, with 1.5 billion dollars in exports, and a trade surplus of 1.2 billion dollars. Uğurdağ shared that the furniture sector has been the primary contributor to these figures, accounting for 56% of the total. Notably, the city’s furniture export has grown 25-fold in the past 20 years, from 24 million dollars in 2004 to 823 million dollars today.

The fair also announced the Tafex project, which aims to open new export opportunities for İnegöl’s furniture sector in the U.S. market, reinforcing İnegöl’s role in global trade. Ahmet Güleç, Vice Chairman of TİM, underscored the importance of production and exports in combating inflation and the need for more competitiveness in the sector.

Other speakers emphasized the importance of sustainability and the need to promote local strengths. Bursa Mayor Bozbey announced plans to develop a new fairground, while İnegöl Mayor Taban stressed the city’s strong legacy in furniture, agriculture, tourism, and trade.

Looking ahead, the 52nd International İnegöl Furniture Fair will take place in April 2025.

The KUMSmall Furniture Fair, held at KUMSmall AVM, the largest mixed-use shopping mall in Turkey and Europe, has opened its doors to visitors with the motto “The World’s Most Modern Furniture Fair.” The fair opened after a moment of silence and the reading of the National Anthem, attended by Kayseri Governor Gökmen Çiçek, Deputy Minister of Trade Volkan Ağar, General Director of Exports at the Ministry of Trade Mehmet Ali Kılıçkaya, President of Kayseri Furniture Makers Association and Board Chairman of KUMSmall AVM Ercan Sarıkaya, protocol members, company representatives, and citizens.

In his opening speech, Ercan Sarıkaya emphasized the importance of promoting this valuable space both locally and nationally. He explained that KUMSmall is home to around 200 stores in a 120,000-square-meter area, showcasing furniture and products in an innovative way, aiming to take a larger share of the global market. He mentioned that the fair started as a festival under the name Modaşov last year, and now, thanks to significant support from the Chamber of Commerce, they have officially obtained a fair organization license. This year, the fair is taking place as a fully accredited event on the fair calendar.

Sarıkaya also reflected on his long history with the furniture sector, recalling the first furniture fairs held in tents in the past. He noted that the fair has evolved significantly, and now KUMSmall is showcasing both established brands and smaller businesses, helping them gain visibility.

Looking ahead, Sarıkaya shared plans for future fairs, including the one scheduled for April, which will be even more professional and internationally focused. He stressed the need for Kayseri to take a bigger share of global trade in the furniture sector, as despite the city’s manufacturing strength, Turkey’s global market share is still relatively small.

The second KUMSmall Furniture Fair is scheduled to take place on April 15, 2025.

Preparations for the 12th Van Construction, Building Decoration, and Real Estate Fair, which will be held this year in Van, are progressing rapidly. The fair, organized by İpekyolu Expo Fair Inc. at the Van Expo Fair and Congress Center, will take place from April 18th to 21st. Many companies from both within and outside the province will participate.

The Van Construction, Building Decoration, and Real Estate Fair is a significant event that brings together innovations and the latest trends in the construction industry, building materials, decoration, and real estate sectors. The fair, which attracts great interest every year, brings together industry professionals, companies, suppliers, and potential customers, contributing to the development of collaborations and trade.

The fair will feature many booths showcasing innovations and technological advancements in the industry. Both domestic and international companies will present their products and services to visitors. Products and services in various fields, such as construction materials, building technologies, interior and exterior decoration items, furniture, kitchen and bathroom equipment, and energy efficiency solutions, will be displayed.

The Van Construction, Building Decoration, and Real Estate Fair is of great importance in demonstrating Van’s potential, investment opportunities, and development in the construction sector. The fair will offer local companies and entrepreneurs the opportunity to assess business opportunities in the region and establish new collaborations. It will also help companies from outside the city discover Van’s economic and commercial potential.

While contributing to the growth of the construction sector in the region, the Van Construction, Building Decoration, and Real Estate Fair will also increase economic vitality and create employment opportunities. The organization of the fair is expected to increase interest and demand for the building sector in Van.

The 12th Construction, Building Decoration, and Real Estate Fair will provide an important platform for showcasing innovations in the industry, strengthening collaborations, and expanding commercial networks. The fair will bring together local and national companies, highlighting the construction sector’s potential in Van and contributing to the region’s economic development.