Istanbul " The Congress Metropolis"

With the rapid development of world travel Turkey has contributed to, and benefited from, the growth and expansion in recent years of congress tourism as tourists and business people alike seek more exotic environments and cultures to explore. With over 50 airlines flying to Turkey and most major European cities just a two or three hour flight away, Turkey is becoming the venue of choice for conventions and exhibitions. Its unique geographical position has also ensured a rich and diverse history. Home to the traces of a myriad of civilizations over thousands years, Turkey offers a unique blend of cultures past and present and is on its way to becoming the congress capital of the 21st Century.

Istanbul, Turkey's largest city, bridges the continents and cultures of Europe and Asia. It has been a focal point of world history over the last two millennia serving as the capital of the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman Empires. The city's unparalleled natural beauty and historical churches, mosques, palaces and bazaars attract visitors from all over the world. The city is now a modern metropolis with pride in its past, confidence in its present and optimism in its future safeguarding the treasures of history while meeting the requirements of 21st century citizens and visitors alike.

As well as the 5,000-person capacity Istanbul Convention & Exhibition Centre, Istanbul has a convention and exhibition centre, two fair and exhibition halls (CNR & TÜYAP) and 19 five star hotels. The city is able to host 25,000 conference and exhibition delegates and visitors at any one time. The Majority of the hotels are operated by international chains and include amongst others the Istanbul Hilton, Ceylan Inter-Continental, Swissotel Bosphorus, Çırağan Kempinski, Conrad Istanbul, Hyatt Regency, Crown Plaza and Four Seasons. The latest edition to the list of exclusive hotels is the Ritz Carlton Istanbul, which was opened in October 2001. The hotels and the city itself contain a huge variety of first class restaurants and eateries serving the delights of the Turkish and Ottoman dinner table with its rich blend of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavours as well as top class international cuisine.

Dedicated Conference & Meeting Facilities in Congress Valley

Accomodation

From the very beginning of civilization, Istanbul's unique geographic location at the crossroads of Europe and Asia has attracted visitors from all over the world. Over the centuries, they have come to experience the legacy of an imperial capital and enjoy the unparalleled natural beauty of its setting. Every year the city welcomes close to 2,000,000 visitors staying in a variety of accommodation ranging from restored 19th century wooden townhouses to luxurious international hotels. From the simplest guesthouse to the most stylish hotel, visitors are looked after in the grand tradition of Turkish hospitality.
As well as adhering to tradition the city has developed a sound, modern infrastructure. State-of-the-art conference facilities and resources and the professional back up required to operate and maintain them makes the city an ideal location to meet the demands of the modern convention.
Total room capacities in 3 to 5-star hotels in Istanbul are as follows:

How To Get Here

Istanbul Lütfi Kırdar Kongre ve Sergi Sarayı is located in the heart of the city's business and cultural centre, allowing the traveller easy access to municipal, domestic and international transportation networks.

23 km / 14.3 miles from Atatürk International Airport
(30 minutes by taxi)

5 km / 3 miles from Sirkeci train station, terminal of the Orient Express

100 m from Harbiye bus stop on the Taksim-Sisli line

500m from Taksim Metro Station linked to the city's new underground system