The global bunfight for lucrative international congresses just gained another serious contender, with Türkiye stepping deeper into the ring and making it crystal clear it has no intention of sitting quietly in the corner.
The Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA) has joined the International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO) as its newest Destination Partner, giving the destination a direct line to some of the world’s most influential meeting planners.
In business events circles, that’s rather like receiving a backstage pass to the industry’s most exclusive club. And in a market where destinations are jostling harder than airline passengers chasing overhead locker space, those relationships matter.
The partnership plugs Türkiye directly into IAPCO’s international network of accredited Professional Congress Organisers (PCOs), industry leaders and association decision-makers, precisely the people who help decide where the world’s major meetings and congresses land.
For Türkiye, this is not simply another membership badge destined for the office wall.
It’s part of a much bigger play.
Group signing at IAPCO AM&GA Athens
Competition for international conferences has become fierce as destinations chase not only visitor spending but also the intellectual capital, research opportunities, and long-term economic benefits that accompany major congresses.
IAPCO President Sissi Lignou believes Türkiye is arriving with plenty of momentum.
“Türkiye has demonstrated strong momentum and ambition within the global meetings industry, supported by ongoing investment in infrastructure, accessibility and international engagement.
“This partnership is a valuable addition to the IAPCO Destination Partner community, and we look forward to strengthening collaboration with TGA and Türkiye’s wider business events ecosystem.”
And there is evidence to back the confidence.
Backed by modern convention facilities, extensive international air connections and a hospitality sector that has long understood the art of making guests feel genuinely welcome, Türkiye has steadily strengthened its credentials as a heavyweight meetings destination.
Istanbul, in particular, continues to shine.
According to 2024 figures from the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), supplied by TGA, Istanbul ranked eighth globally for medical and healthcare congresses, no small achievement in a fiercely contested sector where destinations compete as vigorously as football clubs chasing a star striker.
Dr Elif Balcı Fisunoğlu, Deputy General Manager of TGA, described the agreement as a landmark moment.
“TGA becoming an IAPCO Destination Partner represents an important milestone in our international growth strategy and reflects the rising power of Türkiye in the global MICE sector.
“This partnership provides an important opportunity to directly showcase Türkiye’s unique blend of accessibility, world-class infrastructure, hospitality and cultural richness to a global network of event decision-makers. Through closer collaboration with IAPCO and its members, we aim to further strengthen Türkiye’s competitiveness and visibility within the international meetings landscape.”
The partnership will also extend beyond winning bids.
Both organisations will collaborate on advocacy, sustainability initiatives, and professional development programs, which are increasingly essential ingredients in an industry under growing pressure to deliver events that leave more than just room-service bills behind.
Supporting the strategy is TGA’s dedicated digital platform, MeetingInTürkiye, which offers international organisers destination intelligence, planning support and access to Türkiye’s expanding business events capabilities.
One thing is becoming increasingly obvious.
Türkiye is no longer content simply being the destination delegates add to their bucket lists after the conference ends.
It wants the conference itself.
And judging by its latest moves, plenty of meeting planners may soon be saying “evet”, that’s Turkish for “yes”.
By: Christine Nguyen – © 2026.
Read Time: 3 minutes.
Author Bio:
Christine’s story is one of quiet courage, told without fuss and lived with remarkable grace. She arrived in Australia as a young refugee from Vietnam, carrying little more than hope, family, and a curiosity that refused to be extinguished. Sydney became home, built patiently, brick by careful brick.
She studied Tourism at TAFE and soon found her place in inbound travel, working with one of the city’s leading destination companies. Christine loved showing visitors the Australia that lives beyond postcards, warmer, truer, and far more interesting.
When the sea began to whisper, and life asked for a gentler rhythm, she listened. Designing brochures, writing blogs, she discovered storytelling waiting quietly inside her.
Today, at Global Travel Media, Christine writes with warmth and wisdom, reminding us, softly and persuasively, why travel still matters.
