MPI's European Meetings & Events Conference (EMEC) kicked off February 22 in Istanbul, an iconic city that straddles Europe and Asia and has served as a crossroads of civilizations and culture after rising to prominence as Constantinople, an imperial capital of the Roman Empire founded by emperor Constantine the Great.
“It’s a fitting place for these turbulent times that we revisit—Istanbul is the crossroads of cultures and ideas,” said MPI President & CEO Paul Van Deventer in his address opening the event, emphasizing the theme of the conference, “Great Events Create Harmony.” “Meetings and events are about harmony. Events are where we find hospitality, commonality and understanding. Harmony is not only worth celebrating, but it’s worth creating.”
Held through February 25, EMEC—which attracted 220 attendees with approximately 40% being hosted meeting and event planners—provides an ideal opportunity for Turkey to showcase not only its iconic city of more than 15 million inhabitants, but also the other key, multifaceted meetings and tourism draws of the country.
A key member of the EMEC host committee, and also an Istanbul MICE veteran as well as a founder of its MPI Chapter (which now is a Club and working its way back to Chapter status), Handan Boyce Consultancy’s Handan Boyce knows how important to the city hosting EMEC for a second time is, as she was also instrumental in Istanbul’s first EMEC, in 2014.
“It’s the most effective way to showcase your destination and it’s a new window to open for the local market as well, as I always encourage the networking opportunities [for our club members],” she said. “Our Turkish colleagues that registered also became members of MPI, so I’m sure it will contribute to an increase in our membership.”
According to Boyce, 26 of MPI Türkiye Club’s 30 members are attending the event.
Boyce, whose Istanbul MICE experience includes C-level positions in hotel management as well as being the former general manager of both the Istanbul Convention and Exhibition Center and the Halic Congress Center, said the role of business event planners in Turkey differs from their North American colleagues in that most Turkish planners work for third-party event companies, aside from a comparatively small number of planners at major corporations.
“There is a different dynamic here,” she said. “Some hotels work directly with international planners, but when it comes to doing business in Turkey, every market has its own way of doing business and third-party planners are our planners. But Turkey is really an established destination for incentives and our planner agencies are all well-equipped.”
For Istanbul programs, Boyce notes the city’s dining scene as a major lure, along with getting attendees out to be embedded in the local street scene, its many unique historic venues and districts—the city’s cisterns are even used as special event venues—and activities such as Bosphorus cruises, wellness-focused visits to its traditional hammam Turkish baths, and Turkish art and culinary workshops.
Iconic historic venues such as Hagia Sophia, first built as a Christian cathedral by Byzantine emperor Justinian in the 530s and then rebuilt in grand fashion after an earthquake and finally turned into a mosque by the conquering Sultan Mehmed II of the Ottoman Empire, are truly a must-see for any visitor to Istanbul.
Long a draw for its rich history and as a crossroads of culture and religion, cosmopolitan Istanbul and Turkey as a whole are charging into the future via a thriving, Mobile-recognized gastronomic scene—there are currently 14 Michelin Star restaurants in the nation—and the elevation of destinations such as Bodrum, an Aegean Sea resort that is fast building a reputation as a posh luxury destination in the spirit of Spain’s Ebiza or the South of France.
Other standout Turkish MICE offerings include:
- Anatolia, the heart of the country’s wine industry that is rising in worldwide prominence, and in fact is one of the earliest wine-producing regions in the world and a rising star of wine and gastronomy tourism and events held in vineyard settings.
- Cappadocia, where early Christianity flourished and which is now a destination associated with romance, boasting unique accommodations and venues built into the caves that have always been a hallmark of the destination. Hot-air ballooning is also a must-do event here.
- Izmit, another historic destination closely associated with early Christianity and which is less than two hours from Istanbul.
The up-and-coming beach destinations of Urla, another key gastronomy and wine-route destination, and Cesme, known as the surfing capital of Turkey. - A cruise segment with major ports in Kusadasi and Istanbul, where the new state-of-the-art Galataport cruise terminal is transforming the waterfront via a nearly $2 billion project to modernize and streamline the cruise passenger entry and exit process.
Increasing the country’s appeal, flag carrier Turkish Airlines currently serves 14 U.S. destinations and is also a key airline serving Europe and the Middle East.
Unprecedented Turkey MICE Partnership
To capitalize on Turkey’s tourism and MICE bounty, key tourism- and business events-related organizations announced during EMEC that they are merging efforts in a unique public-private partnership.
The unprecedented collaboration brings together the nation’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA), İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality, Istanbul Chamber of Commerce, Istanbul CVB, Turkish Airlines, Pegasus Airlines, the Hotel Association of Türkiye and Istanbul’s two major airports, IGA Istanbul Airport and Sabiha Gökçen Airport.
The goal of the collaboration is to provide a streamlined MICE bidding process, enhance the delegate experience and provide comprehensive support packages for international congresses.
According to the TGA, key facets of the partnership include the following:
- Easy bidding process: A unified and simplified approach to international congress bidding, ensuring that event organizers can navigate the process with efficiency and confidence.
- Delegate-boosting initiatives: Tailored marketing efforts and strategic campaigns to attract a larger global audience to congresses hosted in Istanbul.
- Congress support packages: Financial and logistical incentives, promotional assistance and customized city experiences to enhance the appeal of Istanbul as a premier MICE destination.
“The goal is to get more associations to Istanbul, so we’re working on packages for discounts and working with local associations to bid for more international congresses,” said Dr. Elif Balci Fisunoglu, Türkiye Tourism Promotion & Development Agency vice general manager-Tourism Operations & Development. “This is a new phase to attract more association business, especially. We needed to create a new platform, and it will feature a new website, MeetTurkeye.com, that will have one point of contact for meetings. Before we were more independent, but now we’ve joined forces to have better communication, and the collaboration will start with Istanbul.”
EMEC Activities
EMEC delegates were treated to off-session activities that showcased a few of Istanbul’s most interesting venues and tour offerings.
The opening night reception was staged at the elegant Rixos Terane event venue and sponsored by TGA. The venue is located in the Rixos Shipyard, which has a 600-year history as a maritime district, with a cavernous, brick-laden exterior that was once used to build and store boats.
Highlights included F&B action stations that showcased the unique tastes of seven regions of Turkey and entertainment that ranged from a tranquil kick-off combo of traditional musicians to a foot-stomping Turkish dance troupe that held attendees rapt attention and joining in with hoops and hollers as the dancers flew across the stage.
The final afternoon of EMEC offered a choice of five Learning Journeys:
The Timeless Passage: Unity Candle Lighting Ceremony (with a sunset cruise on the Bosphorus)
Fragments of Harmony: Mosaic Art in the Heart of History
Mysteries and Memories: Cocktail Workshop at The Pera Palace
The Art of Turkish Coffee: Bridging Tradition and Modernity
Flavours of the Crossroads: A Culinary Journey Through Istiklal’s Hidden Gems
The final night ended with Rendezvous at ISAKA at CVK Bosphorus, a networking and fundraising event for MPI Foundation held at CVK Park Bosphorus Hotel, a luxurious urban retreat overlooking the iconic Bosphorus Strait that separates Europe from Asia.
