Now in its fourth edition, the event is set to go beyond being a conventional tourism expo by creating a platform for new business connections, destination promotion and discussions on the future of the industry. This year, the expo is expected to bring together more than 17,000 tourism professionals, 345 exhibiting companies and 300 international buyers.
A Platform for New Business Partnerships
One of the key highlights of ITF 2026 will be the B2B meetings bringing together professionals from different tourism markets. Through the Hosted Buyer Programme, international buyers are expected to meet with Turkish tourism representatives and explore opportunities for new commercial partnerships.
Travel agencies, tour operators, hotels, destination marketing organisations, municipalities, airlines, MICE companies, cruise and yacht tourism representatives and other industry stakeholders will take part in the event.
With this broad structure, ITF aims to reinforce Istanbul’s position not only as a leading tourism destination, but also as a major hub for tourism trade and professional networking.
Industry Trends Take Centre Stage
Running alongside the expo, the Tourism Summit will focus on the changing dynamics of the industry. The 2026 programme is planned to feature 83 national and international speakers across 17 different topics.
Changing traveller behaviour, emerging markets, destination management, the future of tourism and international competitiveness are expected to be among the key topics discussed during the summit.
The participation of leading European tourism media representatives is also expected to contribute to the international visibility of Türkiye’s tourism potential and create new opportunities for industry communication and networking.
Istanbul in the International Tourism Spotlight
Held with Türkiye İş Bankası as the main sponsor, ITF 2026 is organised with Turkish Airlines as its official airline partner, TÜRSAB as its strategic partner, and TÜROB and TTYD as official business partners. Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and the Istanbul Convention and Visitors Bureau are also supporting the event.
The city’s combination of transportation, hospitality, culture, gastronomy and event infrastructure further strengthens the significance of the expo for Istanbul. Bringing tourism professionals from different markets together in the city for two days creates an important platform for interaction and strengthens Istanbul’s role within international tourism networks.
Taking place on September 24–25 at Yenikapı, ITF 2026 is preparing to position Istanbul as a key meeting point for the tourism industry, bringing together current market dynamics, new business opportunities and the partnerships that will shape the sector’s future.
