Istanbul strengthens its position as a leading global congress destination: IAPCO Council convened in Istanbul, Türkiye

Istanbul strengthened its position as a leading global congress destination as the International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO) Council convened in Istanbul, Türkiye, between 4 – 8 November 2025 for its final in-person meeting of the year.

Hosted by the Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA), under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye, the meeting was supported by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM), the Istanbul Convention and Visitors Bureau (ICVB), and the Hotel Association of Türkiye (TÜROB).

This major gathering united international industry leaders and Türkiye’s leading business events institutions to co-create strategies shaping the future of the global meetings and congress industry. It also spotlighted Istanbul’s growing prominence as a premier international destination for global congresses and conventions.

The five-day programme featured strategic discussions, knowledge-sharing sessions, and immersive experiences that highlighted Istanbul’s world-class business events infrastructure, from state-of-the-art convention centres and expanding accommodation capacity to the strong global connectivity provided by Turkish Airlines and Istanbul Airport (İGA), one of the world’s largest aviation hubs.

Opening remarks were delivered by Sissi Lignou, President of IAPCO, followed by an Advisory Board Meeting with participation from local hosts addressing global trends transforming the meetings industry.

Lignou said: “Istanbul represented the perfect harmony between heritage and innovation. The city’s energy, connectivity, and creativity continued to position it among the most dynamic congress destinations in the world.”

The Istanbul Council Meeting also served as a platform for IAPCO to review its 2025 achievements and define strategic priorities for 2026, including the next phase of its Education and Accreditation initiatives, global EDGE Seminars, and sustainability-focused destination partnerships.

Sinan Seha Türkseven, General Manager of TGA, said hosting the IAPCO Council in Istanbul offered a unique opportunity to demonstrate Türkiye’s leadership and capacity in the global meetings industry.

“We believed that collaboration with IAPCO and its international network would further elevate the global competitiveness of Istanbul and Türkiye in the meetings industry.

Through the combined efforts of TGA, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, IMM, ICVB, and TÜROB, this event reflected Türkiye’s commitment to strengthening international cooperation, innovation, and sustainability in the business events sector,” said Türkseven.

For more information and to find accredited IAPCO PCOs, visit https://www.iapco.org/

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