The Izmir International Fair ( Izmir International Fair ) is the largest exhibition event in the business life of Turkey, and the city of Izmir is considered the country's business capital, its gateway to foreign trade, which plays an important role in the Turkish economy.
Traditionally, the Izmir Fair is held annually for 10 days in August-September in the Izmir industrial center on the Aegean Sea, at the International Exhibition Center of the city ( TUYAP FAIR ).
The fair has been going on since 1927. Initially, it began to be held by decree of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, as an Exhibition to them. On September 9, ( in honor of Izmir Liberation Day ), with the aim of expanding trade between regions within the country, to restore foreign trade violated by many years of war and to attract the attention of foreign buyers to Turkish goods. From the first days, the exhibition was an extraordinary success, and already in 1934 it acquired the status of an international event and was called the « Izmir International Fair », which exists to this day. In some years, it was carried out irregularly, due to economic difficulties and during the Second World War. But over the years, the prestige and importance of the fair grew, and the number of its participants and guests, including foreign ones, has constantly increased.
Today, the Izmir International Fair – the oldest exhibition in Turkey – is a permanent member of the Union of International Fairs, since 1948 a member of the World Association of the Exhibition Industry ( UFI ) and belongs to the largest world exhibition events. For its holding in Izmir, special pavilions were built on the territory of the Park of Culture, which is unusually beautiful. There are also several museums, a cinema, restaurants, clubs…
The organizers of the fair are traditionally the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Izmir and the Ministry of Trade of Turkey. The purpose of the – fair is to attract the attention of foreign investors in the country's economy, establish highly efficient relations between foreign enterprises, present their achievements, participate the Turkish side in the implementation of investment projects in other countries, organize joint ventures, development of trade, etc.
This annual event stably gathers a large number of visitors in its pavilions, and the city becomes especially crowded. For example, in 2010, about one and a half million people visited the fair, more than 1000 exhibiting companies from more than 60 countries participated in the total exhibition area of about 72 thousand square meters.
The main thematic sections of the fair: telecommunications; electronics; electrical engineering; transport; tools and optics; metallurgy and engineering; construction; chemistry and petrochemistry; pulp and paper industry; furniture and interior design; healthcare and medicine; food industry and equipment; environmental protection, waste processing; consumer goods, etc.
The program of the event provides for meetings at the official level to discuss the prospects for the development of relations between countries and the presentation of the economic potential of states. Also within the framework of the fair are all kinds of symposia, seminars, summits and group discussions.
In addition to official business events, there is a great opportunity to relax by visiting exhibitions, concerts, sports, theater performances, film screenings, restaurants, casinos…
The role of the Izmir Fair for the country's economy is growing every year. It not only contributes to the expansion of contacts of Turkish entrepreneurs, which leads to an increase in external trade, but is also a good source of scientific, technical and economic information.