Turkish Airlines, the national carrier of Turkey, hosted a group of leading travel agents from Cairo, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Jeddah, Riyadh, Amman and Kuwait, on a tour to Istanbul in Turkey. The familiarisation trip was organised to further highlighting the global carriers Turkish Conventions service and introduce Istanbul as a MICE destination.

Turkish Airlines hosted the 11 Middle East based travel agents on the three-day familiarisation trip to Istanbul to discover the touristic highlights of the Basque country and the appeal of the destination to Arab tourists.

The group of agents were welcomed by Adem Ceylan, VP Marketing & Sales of Turkish Airlines Middle East, and members of Turkish Airlines Conventions Department and Istanbul Conventions Bureau. The visitors were introduced and briefed about Turkish Airlines Conventions offerings.

Adem Ceylan, said: The most effective way of informing people about a destination is to give them a visit experience. Middle Eastern countries are important to us given their close proximity and similarities in culture to Turkey. The familiarisation trip is an ideal opportunity to showcase our key offerings and promote Istanbul as a destination for every kind of traveller and to promote MICE tourism. The event is also a strategic opportunity to connect with key agents in each market and strengthen our relations across the Middle East.

The familiarisation trip to Istanbul, in partnership with Eresin Hotels, Halic Congress Center, Radisson Blu ili Hotel, and the Marmara Istanbul Hotel, enabled the agents to discover the citys rich cultural history, scenic beauty and touristic highlights.

The trip comprised tours of the Halic Congress Center, exploring Sultanahmet Old City Area with guided walking tour, tea break at Sultanahmet Eresin Crown Hotel, a visit to Grand Bazaar, tour at Istanbul Convention & Exhibition Center- ICEC, and TourIstanbul by Turkish Airlines in addition to free time for visitors.

Agencies represented on the trip included: Excel Travel and Four Directions from Cairo, Golden Gate Travel from Abu Dhabi, Carlson Wagonlit Travel and Kanoo Travel from Dubai, Intercontinental Travel and Portfolio Travel from Jeddah, ITL Travel from Riyadh, Travel One and Plaza Holidays from Amman and Yaish Travel from Kuwait.

Istanbul exudes a charm like no other. With a blend of Eastern and Western influences reflected in magnificent monuments, treasure trove bazaars and palatial museums through to the heights of rooftop restaurants, contemporary fashion malls and the worlds finest hotel and spa brands, the city is must-visit destination.

Turkish Airlines offer free tours on certain stopovers in the city, with the Touristanbul service. Visitors can spend time exploring historical masterpieces, marvel at the natural scenery from the Bosphorus, enjoy culinary delights or relax in the luxury setting of some of the worlds finest hotels and spas with vistas of the famed landmarks in the city.
Turkish Airlines has developed Turkish Conventions to offer benefits for both international event organisers and participants. For all international events, meetings, seminars, congresses or fairs in any type of industry with over 100 International participants, Turkish Airlines can provide exclusive offers through an online application.

By going online, event organizers or travel agents can easily manage their requests for Turkish Conventions product and manage all procedures including support letter requests and reporting, via https://www4.thy.com/TKC.
For more details including flight schedules of Turkish Airlines, please visit www.turkishairlines.com, or contact the call center on +965 2242 5421 or visit any Turkish Airlines sales office.