IAPCO Council meeting underscores Istanbul’s rising status as a global congress hub

 Istanbul hosted the final in-person meeting of the International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO) Council for 2025, further strengthening the city’s profile as a leading global hub for business events and international congresses.

The meeting, held from 4–8 November 2025, brought together IAPCO leadership and key representatives of Turkey’s business events ecosystem to discuss industry strategies and future priorities. The gathering was hosted by the Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA) under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, with support from the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM), the Istanbul Convention and Visitors Bureau (ICVB), and the Hotel Association of Türkiye (TÜROB).

The five-day programme included strategic discussions, knowledge-sharing sessions, and destination experiences designed to showcase Istanbul’s business events capabilities. Delegates explored the city’s convention infrastructure, expanding accommodation capacity, and global air connectivity, supported by Turkish Airlines and Istanbul Airport (İGA).

IAPCO President Sissi Lignou opened the meeting and highlighted the city’s appeal as a congress destination, stating: “Istanbul represents the perfect harmony between heritage and innovation. The city’s energy, connectivity, and creativity continue to position it among the most dynamic congress destinations in the world.”

The council sessions also provided a platform for reviewing IAPCO’s 2025 milestones and shaping strategic goals for 2026. Priorities include advancing the association’s Education and Accreditation programmes, expanding global EDGE Seminars, and growing sustainability-driven destination partnerships.

Sinan Seha Türkseven, General Manager of TGA, said the meeting was an opportunity to demonstrate Turkey’s capabilities on the global stage. “We believe that collaboration with IAPCO and its international network will 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 reflects Türkiye’s commitment to strengthening international cooperation, innovation, and sustainability in the business events sector,” he noted.

Photo caption: Left to right: Başar Demirel, MICE Supervisor, Turkish Airlines (THY)​, Sarah Markey-Hamm, IAPCO Immediate Past-President and CEO, ICMS Pty Ltd (Australia)​, Ellen Franck, IAPCO Chair of Community Engagement Committee and Partner, Meetagain (Sweden)​, Ajay Bhojwani, IAPCO Chair of Sustainability, Ambassadors and Partnerships Committees and Managing Director of MCI Middle East (UAE)​, Stephen Noble, IAPCO Chair of Training Academy and Manager (APAC), The Conference Company (NZ and Australia)​, Martin Boyle, IAPCO CEO (UK)​, Jimena Ruiz, IAPCO Chair of EDI and Regional Focus Committees and Chief of Staff, BTC Americas (Mexico)​, Çağla Yöntem, MICE Director, Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA), Elif Balcı Fisunoğlu, Deputy General Manager, Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA), Sissi Lignou, IAPCO President and CEO, AFEA Congress (Greece)​, Umit Ozturk, Advisor to the Mayor, Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM)​, Cemil Hakan Kılıç, General Manager, Istanbul Convention & Visitors Bureau (ICVB), Serkan Yilmazer, MICE Manager, Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA), Göksenin Kürkçü, Board Member, Hotel Association of Türkiye (TUROB)​, Yagmur Yildi Ozcan, Business Development Specialist, Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM)​, Jason Yeh, IAPCO Treasurer and CEO GIS Group (Taiwan), Nuri Kalyoncu, Board Member, Hotel Association of Türkiye (TUROB)​, Giulia Sarri, IAPCO Chair of NextGen and Advocacy Committees and Head of Service Design, AIM Communication (Italy)​

Tags: Sinan Seha Türkseven, Istanbul Convention and Visitors Bureau (ICVB), Sissi Lignou, IAPCO