MICE Istanbul Interview Notes - 1
Thank you for getting back to me so quickly. To give you a better idea of what I am working on for my story, here are some of the more general questions I hope to address:
1). What does Istanbul offer business travelers that no other city in the world can provide?
Big meeting and convention dest right now. Location Turkey Istanbul like a hot destination between Europe and ME very import, very convenient one city Europe fly to Istanbul do conference leisure time there go back as if traveling within own country in case of US 3 hours to Fl from NY in 3 hours European cities to Istanbul one of most important.
2nd believe Europe vry expensive right now turkey still not in Europe though some sell as Europe foods, rest, attractions less inexpensive than Europe so many great attractions someone conference fly one hour to enjoy o the bach see the ruins arch sites go back finish conference go to own country. Think 3 major stuff tell you right now makes very unique.
2). What do meeting planners love about Istanbul? Is it easy to get around, and to reach the center of Istanbul from the airport and convention centers? Are the exhibition halls and facilities at or above international standards in terms of technology and service?
Take taxi, take subway, public transport easy. Also service between 2 continents also sea taxis if there is traffic take one place to another dopesn’t affect you.
Many good locations in the world usually great facilities huge facilities nothing else buit if go to turksy 3 days meting join 1st and last but not 2nd day one day fly to to Ephesus see great ancient city full day tour then go back to Istanbul whole day on Aegean coast where else you can do this? Something important or morning flight to antaria to med coast then go to beach enjoy whole day beach evening back to Istanbul next join meeting.
If don’t want travel so many attractipons palaces muiseums mosques thousands years old go toprincess island public ferry very big island so many little islands and visit take horse carriage enjoy local wines, great food as if in a small town 1, 2 hours away.
Really important elemens for someone traveling convention and mand baeeting not do 24 hours spending 3 days convention all con and meting stuff nice life while there.
Highlights everybody should see the Topcum Palace, realy important was palace of ottoman empire long time highlights everybody visit grand azaar shopping original shopping mall in the world grand bazaar good to visit also we have all these monuments Byzantine time hagia sofia masterpiece Byzantine architecture also the blue mosque famous six minarets with blue tiles and taking ferry to aSian side cruising on the bosphorous Europe asia same time marble palaces andcient fortresses thru bosphorus spice markets top 10 attractions that I could recommend.
Do something really quiet and peaceful local ferry cruise to largest princess islands big summer resort tour horse driven carriage beaut lunch local wines back to hotel.
If really tried tried Turkish hammam full culture and health not external cleanness but full culture full experience 3 big hammams have experience Turkish bath ½ day meeting afternoon free enjoy Turkish hammams top luxury puzzles nice spas ritz carlton 4 season beautiful spas very famous Turkish spas.
Otherwise how host all big meetings of course convention centers hi tech stuff very interesting every corner of Istanbul can find fireworks so many meetings, evnts going on fireworks it’s very vibrant in sense of culture and also whole other aspects.
3). What do meeting planners find challenging about Istanbul? How can they overcome these challenges?
4). What are some "uniquely Turkish" opportunities for incentives or team-building activities? Are there any destinations, foods or activities that are "musts" for meetings or conventions in the city?
Spice market is there good oldest spices very colorful very colorful scene grand bazaar unique itself Turkish delights locum almost like get lost easily spend few days in grand bazaar because huge bazaar all places told you 1,000 to 2,000 years old monuments you can’t see anywhere else not like one nice palace or museum Istanbul was capital of 2 major empires Byzantine and ottoman ottoman took 600 years imagine so it has the elements of all eastern and middle eastern Islamic and also equally all these monuments, churches from Byzantine empire diversity during 600 jewish quarter old neighborhood greek orthodox old neighborhood really one of biggest empires in the world so many different ethnic groups and cultures blended really well can still feel this culture when you visit old neighborhoods of each different culture. See old Greek quarter old jewish quarter all mosques synagogues church ins ame neighborhoods.
5). What are some business practices American travelers should be aware of when visiting Istanbul?
Very much the same. Don’t think the same it’s very European standards. Dinner very extended hours turkey in general typ med love spending hours and hours for dinner even for lunch very ultured things not just go and eat most of the good places overlooking the bosphorus old palaces enjoy the view talk with friends and colleagues same time have dinner or lunch just sit and eat there have to have a view
6). What are some of the newest developments in Istanbul's exhibition venues and convention hotels? Have there been recent changes to the city's infrastructure or airport that might benefit/challenge business travelers?
Several categories really boutique beautiful which has overlooking bosphorus koshur summahan hotel all international ritx, 4 seasons and 4 seasons in old city
Depends what type of hotel asking me all convention Hilton, Conrad, just conventions besides convention centers.
Most big hotels have the same Hilton, 4 seasons turan kampinsky used to be ottoman palace convert to hotel great meeting convention facilities sit on bosphorus palace luxury beautiful hotel not small boutique big has all conventnion facility top luxury high end charma palce kampinsky.
8). How has Istanbul been affected by the recent economic downturn? How has it responded to those challenges?
Business very good in turkey right now. Turkey not in Europe and so it is really also not as valuable as Europe still good relatively inexpensive not effect bad economy at all. Istanbul designated 2010 cultural capital of Europe.
People come from England from france join cultural events like a weekend desitnation as well.
Very vibrant very young although NY known as city never sleeps you should go to sleep even during the weekdays in NY almost dead after certain hour but was in Istanbul in june couldn’t believe Tuesday, Monday night people out enjoying dinnerlong day very late hours population young like diversity and contrast because you can spend a couple of hours in modern museum very contemp top contemp places in Istanbul and afternoon time in 1000 years old church and mosques hist old ancient and very contemporty.
This is a contrast hard to find somewhere else and food is really, really great.
First of all let’s start with the view. Really important thing Ulas 29 one of favorite restaurant in Istanbul beaut beaut rest on killer hillside in between 1st and 2nd bosphrorus bridges connect asia to Europe breathtaking view of the sea cusiine del cocktails lunch dinner
All typical appetizers vegetables cooked in olive oil usually eat this first course. And for instance eggplant, artichoke, fava beans cooked in olive oil tomato and onion usually served room temperature first time going to turkey usually want to try sampliong of this little bit of everything and some of them with yogurt healthy
Main course all about kebab delicious kebab besides that egg plant purree with meat and have all these stew kind of dishes
Turkish food very healthy comb veg, emat and olive oil basis of very simple and yet very flavorful. Ulus 29.
Haldun Dinccetin
msilverassociates
public relations • marketing communications
747 Third Avenue, 23rd Floor | New York, NY10017
Tel: 212.754.6500, ext. 243 | Fax: 212.754.6711
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Leyla
I realize these are very general questions, so please feel free to add other information or suggest other areas that you think might be of interest to our readers, and to direct me to links or documents with useful background information.
In center of all important waterways only city situated 2 continents Europe and asia bringing diff cultures and cont together ideal location for forum to take place. Situated in Istanbul. Hired to rep WWForum and publicize around the world. Our exp phenomenal.
I can tell you the other reason why Istanbul a beautiful fit the for WWF historical importance with regards to the usage of water and the way first human civilizations carried water was in the architecture of Istanbug sl the Byzantine empire used to reside created this fascinating plumbing system first historical plumbing system if you go to the cisterns in Istanbul beautiful beautiful fascinating location has been preserved city that still has preserved world’s first plumbing systemused old civilizations ideal location
Symbolic and geographical and geopolitical importance of Istanbul and obviously as the different trade facilities are concerned it’s a fantastic city. I go to trade show conventions all over the world in states and across the world can say facilities have in Istanbul world class able to accommodate over 27,000 vsitors and acutlly record breaking attendance never had such huge attendance to the forum combination of pub able to generate also increasing wareness world water issues contr to increased attendance and think Turkish people fascinating multicultural city so many facets to it people speak mult languages very friendly concept of hospitality is very very highly elevated in the Turkish culture. A guest shows up at your door you give th guest food and bed we here in states can’t relate to that’s how you grow up in turkey help a stranger in need. Last time there thought left blackberry on the plane come off go thru passport control picking up luggage can’t find go to lost and found find nice gentleman at desk plane came form Chicago run to plane and look for it myself. Kid got up ran to plane spent hour looking for blackberry who does that? Kind of anecdotes over Andover again. Ask someone for directions especially if a foreign nonturkish person so proud of city and country stop whatever doing walk with you to make sure get tolocation go to sense of pride helping stranger helping somebody who’s lost making sure nontukish person enjoys time in Istanbul not seen in any other country lived of visited.
Turkish writer incredible description of Istanbul.
We stayed at the Kiron Campinsky Hotel going to send picures of hotel the fairy tale that has been captured from a book and put into a city. Used to be an old palace burnt down purchased campinsky group built whole hotel around gardens of palace also restored palace so façade of palce intact gorgeous on bosphorous strait looking at Asia and there is a swimming pool on this hotel flush with the ocean go into pool see Turkish boats cruising left and right it’s absolutely incredible. Breathtaking view of bosphorous bridge joining asia and Europe whole sense of pride of city and hospitality very much demonstrated in this hotel marvelous job combining western comfort with eastern hospitality from a decoration perspective flat screen TV modern bathrooms all touches of the orient culture meshed with western comfort glorious.
Convention center brnad new by the waterway symbolically situated give you all information that facility world class very comfortable obviously delegates from over 70 countries attending the forum all the necessary lang translations, headphones, AV equipment required second to none without a glitch forum organizers applauded for organization how seamlessly it went very hi profile names on the forums prince of japan, monocot prince albert European royalty attended hi level delegates from the UN obv accommodating all these world class delegates a challenge and I thought facil extr comfortable with state of art technology press room was impressive of course food in Istanbul
Turkish food mouthwatering delicious food hospitality facilities my impression was very positive but general feedbackforum phenomenal extremely well organized not only attendance was recordbreaking but facil really met or exceeded expectations.
Other part of I think the comfort or as an executive travel to Istanbul quite often the available hotels and acocomodations very you get a wide variety world class hotels really came about in last 20 years Hilton probably first non Turkish hotels in Istanbul within past 20 or so beaut swiss kamioin 4 seasons turned old Turkish prison into magnificent hotel by 2000 hagia Sophia mosque in old Istanbul recently opened up new 2nd hotel in Istanbul on the bosphorus beautiful strait between asia and Europe think hotels worldwide hotel chains realize potential Istanbul has as key location putting together conventions or biz meetings and Istanbul becoming one of hippiest and more in cities in world from cultural richness also persp biz travelers has become hub of media imports and exports and conventions world water forum.
Love favorite thing to do in Istanbul is taking boat ride on bosphorus and basically starting from where old Istanbul is and going almost up to the north sea a magnificent voyage of seeing where east meets west where asia meets Europe beautiful wooden Turkish houses maybe 200 years old from ottoman empire era of turkey before Turkish republic founded see these castles that are probably 6-700 years old that used to protect city from being conquered. See modern buildings scattered between ancient palaces and all these hills and nature it’s a very therapeutic relaxing voyage takes you through a time tunnel and something could be vbery interesting turkey is the only muslim democracy in the world, secularism is ext important I turkey 98% of pop is muslim a completely secular country quite exemplary given dynamics of world what can be achieved in a muslim country.
Other favorite thing to do place called Ortakoy it’s a very authentic place go rink tea outside kind of bazaar of vendors selling wonderful arts crafts in street fish rest bars places go out have coffee and brunch pockets of places ext interesting obviously if want to have more glorious tea drinking experience on terrace of kanpinsky watching swimming pool gardens palace bosphorus another option
Love walking in streets of old Istanbul area popkupa palace sultans of ottoman empire used to live fileld with history where modern Istanbul is newer basically love sitting in one of these tea cafes tea houses drinking morning tea reading newspaper taking in whole historical theme gardens of hagia sofia church one of favorite things to do.
Also love place Bebek in istanbu residential area many boat owners little harbor love walking on the ocean side on walkway there enjoying view going to little cafes there.
Then nightlife of Istanbul extremely interesting lved in paris, lived in nym stayed in London stayed in Holland never seen nightlife like this group of Turkish friends like going out at night stuff don’t usually do here in Chicago never seen nightclub where line in front of it line 5 am that’s how nightlife Istanbul is packed, packed and packed in summer everything open air nightclubs open air every night of the week go to a rest or club buzzing buzzzin people fun 2, 3 am don’t know how to go to work next day. So Turkish people they work hard but they also party hard and Istanbul buzzing nightlife and fun and that culture.
I’ve done steam bahs south of turkey not know couple steam baths go in jawol 4, 5 years ago wnt once couple friends took there unique experience find very sensual experience go into baths steam all over the place and you’re kind of dressed wrap really thin piece of cloth pashtemal a very a little bit exotic, erotic experience it’s very interesting didn’t pers get a massage ladies there massage you scrub your skin and it’s very interesting.
Spas more western, European very much equivalent to spas here in Chicago name few spectacular spas hotels gone to. Can have the exotic, oriental expreince whether food or spa or general sightseeing but also real western experience very European day shopping center all western brands good cheese all got to spa where receive same treat beaut spa here in the states or really beaut authrentic experience enticing whether biz Istanbul 2 worlds avaialbe have that.
Favorite city in the world. My heart beats whenever I hear name of Istanbul.