21.03.2018 Kocaeli
TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, who attended the opening of the 4th East Marmara Ideal House and Marriage Preparations Fair organized with the cooperation of TUYAP and Kocaeli Chamber of Commerce, pointed out that fairs are a very important part of the increase in trade and export and said, “Both the companies that organize the fairs and the exhibitors as well as the visitors are aware of the importance of these fairs. "
Hisarcıklıoğlu attended the Ideal House and Marriage Preparations Fair
held in Kocaeli. Hisarcıklıoğlu said in his speech here: "I attend with
the opening of many fairs in different sectors. However, I think that the
opening we made today is very important for two reasons. Because at the end of
this fair there is a blessed situation. This fair facilitates the work of our
young people who will marry. On the other hand, 600,000 people in average marry
every year in Turkey. The wedding industry in Turkey has a market size of 30bn
TRY. This fair is a very important one both in terms of spiritual aspect and
economic dimension. With the authority granted by the Ministry of Customs and
Trade, we are authorized to grant permits as TOBB in Turkey. In the past years,
we have disciplined the exhibition sector upon the demand of the sector, set
the standards and applied them. Fairs are platforms that combine supply and
demand correctly and effectively. Due to the increasing competition, increasing
product variety and quality differences, it is a must for our business world.”
- Fairs maintain their importance
Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that despite the technological transformation
today, fairs are still important for the need of physical visibility and for
improving the opportunities for cooperation. Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that the
exhibition industry has been showing a rapid development. Explaining that, 475
fairs held in Turkey last year, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “In these exhibitions,
60,000 exhibitors were given more than 3 million square meters of stand space.
A total of 22 million people visited our fairs. 587,000 of these visitors were
the foreign tourists. The number of fairs organized and the number of visitors
coming to fairs are increasing every year. Also in 2018, 540 trade fairs will
be held throughout Turkey and 8 fairs will be in Kocaeli. Our goal is to make
Turkey the exhibition center of the region. We also need to increase the number
of foreign visitors participating in our fairs. For this, TOBB continues to
work with the Fairs Sector Council.”
- Sign of unity and solidarity
Expressing that the fairs are concrete signs of unity and solidarity,
Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “Here we can achieve the goal by working hand in hand with
consensus like all stakeholders forming a fair. With consultation and in common
wisdom, we can overcome all our issues. Let's stand together. Let us not
alienate one another.”
- Thanking the Kocaeli Chamber
Commodity Exchange Chair and Sector Council Chair Alagöz
Indicating that the Presidents of Kocaeli Chamber of Industry, Kocaeli
Chamber of Commerce, Gebze Chamber of Commerce, Körfez Chamber of Commerce are
a great opportunity for the city; Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “Kocaeli Chamber of
Commerce Chair Necmi Bulut and Industry Chamber Chair Ayhan Zeytinoğlu work non-stop
to pave the way for merchants and industrialists of Kocaeli. They do not
hesitate to take on responsibility. We work together with them both in Kocaeli
and in Ankara. I congratulate both chairpersons for their successful works. I
would like to thank my former colleague and TOBB Fairs Sector Council Chairperson
Cihat Alagöz for organizing the opening ceremony of the fair being held for the
4th time in Kocaeli.”