Istanbul hosts global tourism gathering with 3,000 attendees

Türkiye's largest city and a major hub connecting Europe and Asia will host the fourth GlobeMeets Networking Event next week, bringing together global tourism professionals to shape the industry's 2027 outlook and forge new business partnerships.

The gathering will take place at Rixos Tersane Istanbul on Sept. 10-11 under the theme "Meeting Point Beyond Borders," with Azerbaijan serving as this year's country partner.

Visitors walk through a crowded career or recruitment fair featuring exhibition booths and company stands. (Adobe Stock Photo)

Thousands of participants expected

Organizers expect 3,000 participants, including official tourism offices from 11 countries, ambassadors, nearly 20 international airlines, and more than 1,000 travel agencies from Istanbul and other cities across Türkiye.

Over 11,000 business-to-business meetings are planned over the two days, involving nearly 100 international buyer travel agencies, local agencies from over 60 countries, cruise lines, and international hotel chains.

Attendees sit in an auditorium during an international conference with national flags displayed near the stage. (Adobe Stock Photo)

Officials set to speak at opening

Speakers scheduled for the opening include Istanbul Governor Davut Gul, Türkiye's Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism, Nadir Alpaslan, and Istanbul Chamber of Commerce Chairman Sekib Avdagic.

Firuz Baglikaya, chairman of the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TURSAB), and Huseyin Kurt, co-founder of GlobeMeets, are also expected to address attendees.

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Event grown since 2023 launch

GlobeMeets was first held in 2023 and has expanded each year. Its third edition, held in September 2025 at the same venue, drew participants from 20 countries and tourism offices from 11 nations, along with roughly 700 buyer agencies based in Istanbul and 250 hosted buyers from elsewhere in Türkiye, according to industry reporting.

The event's second edition, in September 2024, attracted more than 1,000 travel agencies from 50 countries.

Organizers have described GlobeMeets as an invitation-only platform built around scheduled one-on-one meetings rather than a conventional trade fair format, distinguishing it from larger tourism exhibitions.

This year's edition marks the event's largest scale to date by participant numbers, with organizers citing continued growth in both international attendance and the volume of scheduled meetings.

September 03, 2026 11:15 AM GMT+03:00