Congress tourism and Turkey's congress tourism potential

SUMMARY Congress Tourism is a sector resulting from the whole activities that are tha consequences of the meeting of various organizations. It's benefit, in terms of economy, can be regarded as providing foreing currency, creating employment, stimulating othet sectors and expanding seasonal activities. In te^ms of socio,cultural aspects it's positive effects can be seen as minimizing negative cultural effects, creating a positive image, contributing to scientific studies, building new establishment which the local citizens need, supporting cultural and art activities and because of the less environment pollution, it is more advantageous. Considering Turkey's conditions, Istanbul, Antalya, Ankara and İzmir are the cities accepted as possessing all the relevant qualifications to be a congress city. The availability of big congress centers, meeting halls of congress hotels, the adequate number and quality of 4-5 stars hotels and whit the developed transportation and communications facilities provide the potantial to get significant share from the world's congress market. Therefore, Turkey must determine it's existing possibilities and problems to specify congress target market. Setting out with this purpose, according to some numeric data of some other countries formed an abstract model for Turkey. According to this model, it supposed that Turkey can be host for 4S0-S00 congress per a year. The sectoral problems which Turkey may have are studied though such a big demand. Thus, it has been accepted that Turkey are able to be the host, from small to large organizations, for various meetings. A few propositions can be made to increase Turkey's share of the world congress market. National congress bureaus must be opened in then city, mentioned in this study and marketing efforts must be done by these bureous. A special discount made by the THY for the delegates and good relation with the country where the congress is held, by Ministry of Foreing Affairs, would provide advantage for Turkey.