The International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO) Council convenes in Istanbul between 4 – 8 November 2025 for its final in-person meeting of 2025.
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 is supported by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM), the Istanbul Convention and Visitors Bureau (ICVB), and the Hotel Association of Türkiye (TÜROB).
This major gathering unites 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 spotlights Istanbul’s growing prominence as a premier international destination for global congresses and conventions.
The five-day programme features strategic discussions, knowledge-sharing sessions, and immersive experiences that highlight 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, which was followed by an Advisory Board Meeting with participation from local hosts addressing global trends transforming the meetings industry.
Lignou said: “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 Istanbul Council Meeting also serves 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 offers a unique opportunity to demonstrate Türkiye’s leadership and capacity in the global meetings industry.
“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,” said Türkseven.
For more information and to find accredited IAPCO PCOs, visit https://www.iapco.org/
From 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)
About IAPCO
The International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO) is the only global accreditation body for Professional Conference and Congress Organisers (PCOs), representing the gold standard of excellence in the global meetings industry.
A not-for-profit, member-driven organisation, IAPCO exists to elevate professional standards in the planning and delivery of world-class conferences and meetings. IAPCO has over 94 members, with over 10,000 meeting professionals, operating from over 180 offices across the globe.
In 2024, they delivered a combined 21,322 events with an economic impact of over €17.8 billion.
Members have undergone a rigorous peer-review process to be regarded as IAPCO Accredited and need to consistently demonstrate an unwavering commitment to quality, integrity, and innovation.
Underpinned by three strategic pillars – Community, Education, and Advocacy – IAPCO is the global voice of the PCO. Together, we champion the profession, inspire excellence, and unlock new possibilities in event delivery.
The key to quality. IAPCO: Unlocking Excellence.
Visit: www.iapco.org
About the Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency - TGA
Founded on July 15, 2019, Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA) is dedicated to delivering Türkiye as a brand and a popular destination in both domestic and international tourism markets; discover, develop and promote tangible and intangible natural, cultural, biological and manmade heritage assets; boost the tourism capacity of Türkiye, increase the rate of tourism investments in the national economy and raise the quality of service with short, medium and long-term communication and marketing activities. In line with tourism strategies and policies set by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Agency carries out all promotion, marketing and communication activities to serve Türkiye’s tourism goals under the GoTürkiye brand, promote and market current tourism opportunities across the globe, as well as discover, improve and establish potential areas of tourism.
Visit: www.gotürkiye.com
https://meetinginturkiye.com/en
