ITO President Avdagiç makes statement on “Istanbul’s largest exhibition center”

Stating that they aim to significantly expand the Istanbul Expo Center, which has 96 thousand square meters of indoor space under the Istanbul World Trade Center (IDTM), in 2024, Avdagiç said, "It will be an honor for the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce to offer Istanbul’s largest indoor exhibition space to the service of our business world."

Avdagiç provided information that 89 fairs were organized at the Istanbul Expo Center in 2023, and the square meter equivalent of these fairs was 2 million 428 thousand 750 square meters.

“A new 40 thousand square meter exhibition hall in the first phase”

Noting that they are planning the construction of a 40 thousand square meter exhibition hall on the current parking area in the first phase within the scope of the project to expand the exhibition area, Avdagiç continued: “Then, in the second phase, we plan to grow with a 35 thousand square meter exhibition hall, and subsequently, in the third phase, with the support of the Ministry of Trade, on the parcel adjacent to the IDTM land. Our goal is to write this into our history in golden letters as an achievement of the 21st Term ITO Assembly.”

Reminding that ITO organizes the participation of Turkish companies in important international fairs all over the world, Avdagiç provided the following information: “In 2023, we ensured the participation of 1,250 of our companies in 38 international fairs covering 20 different specialized sectors in 24 cities across 16 countries, from Germany to China, America to Russia, Albania to Azerbaijan, France to Azerbaijan, and England to Singapore. When we compare 2023 with 2022 figures, we achieved a 48 percent increase in the number of participating companies and a 37 percent increase in the square meter category.”

“In 2024, we will ensure the participation of Turkish companies in 46 fairs in 17 countries”

Noting that they will organize the participation of Turkish companies in 46 fairs in 17 countries in 2024, Avdagiç said, “Participation in every fair means being more competitive, seizing more export opportunities, and reaching more production and employment.”
Stating that they successfully completed the 15th stage of the First Step to Export Program in 2023, Avdagiç said, "Together with 16 companies from among our businesses that have never exported or have exported but could not make it continuous, the number of companies benefiting from the program has risen to 326 to date. We are launching the 16th stage of our First Step to Export Program as of January. Our program will continue at full speed and without interruption."

Avdagiç noted that they have taken steps to implement the End-to-End E-Export Center Project this time with the support of the ISTKA-guided project. Reminding that the 2nd term training of the SoftITo Software-Informatics Academy Project started in 2023, Avdagiç said, “Hopefully, they will graduate within 2024. With SoftITo, we are achieving great success in training the software developers that the business world needs. It is working like clockwork, and Turkey is meeting talented software developers.”

“Wherever there is a Turkish merchant, ITO is there”

Avdagiç emphasized that they are involved in efforts that will bring new goals to Turkey in international relations and commercial diplomacy. Şekib Avdagiç said, “We met with mission chiefs from 34 countries, 9 of whom were at the ministerial and ambassadorial level. We hosted chamber of commerce presidents and business delegations from over 20 countries and held investment and business meetings. We operated in a wide geography from the Middle East and Gulf countries to Balkan countries, from EU countries to Africa, especially North African countries, from North America and Latin America to Central Asia and Far East countries. This picture shows this: Wherever there is a Turkish merchant, ITO is there, and ITO is by the side of the Turkish merchant in that country.”

Pointing out that as ITO, they see vocational training as a reason for existence, Avdagiç reminded that they have been carrying out the Vocational Education Cooperation Protocol, or the Mentorship Project, with the Ministry of National Education and the Ministry of Industry and Technology and other stakeholders since 2019. Avdagiç noted that as of the end of 2023, the number of Vocational and Technical Anatolian High Schools whose mentorship is carried out by ITO has reached 55, and they will increase this number.