MÜSİAD EXPO 2020, the largest trade fair held since the pandemic and attracting significant interest from both exhibitors and visitors, has been successfully concluded. Nearly 15,000 visitors from 102 countries, including Europe, Asia-Pacific, Eurasia, Africa, and MENA, attended the four-day fair. Held under the slogan "Global Trade is Here," the fair hosted 400 procurement delegations from 50 countries. The summit, which featured numerous events, also saw the signing of 19 MoUs from four continents. EXPO 2020's virtual fair will be open to online visitors until November 28th.

MÜSİAD EXPO 2020, organized biennially by the Independent Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (MÜSİAD) to serve as the Turkish economy's communication hub and bridge for trade and investment, has been successfully concluded.

This year, it not only attracted the largest attendance during the pandemic; The fair, which also solidified its strong brand image by breaking new ground, welcomed nearly 15,000 visitors across a 70,000-square-meter area.

Held at the TÜYAP Fair and Congress Center in accordance with pandemic regulations and the TSE COVID-19 Safe Service standards, MÜSİAD EXPO, as the first hybrid fair, also welcomed virtual participation and visits. The event, which strictly adhered to mask-wearing, social distancing, and hygiene regulations, allowed all participants and visitors to enter after meticulous checks, and contactless technologies were used in the fairgrounds.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also visited the fair, which was opened by Minister of Industry and Technology Mustafa Varank. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Minister Varank said, “Large-scale events like MÜSİAD EXPO enable us to develop new collaborations with countries with low trade volumes. In these challenging times, joint investment, joint production, and joint trade opportunities established between countries will ensure strong economic immunity against the pandemic. The winners of the post-pandemic era will be those who establish cooperation today and take swift action.”

HUNDREDS OF COMPANIES FROM 24 SECTORS PARTICIPATED

MÜSİAD President Abdurrahman Kaan stated that 400 procurement delegations from 50 countries were hosted at MÜSİAD EXPO 2020. He stated that they organized MÜSİAD EXPO 2020, which attracted hundreds of companies from 24 sectors, to be effective and beneficial in the new economic roadmap during this challenging period of the pandemic.

Kaan noted that numerous countries, from Venezuela to Uzbekistan, Indonesia to Germany, participated in the fair with booths. He said, “The strong demand from European, Asia-Pacific, Eurasian, African, and MENA countries has encouraged us to support our country's new investment policies.”

TÜYAP General Manager İlhan Ersözlü stated that MÜSİAD Expo was held at the TÜYAP Fair and Congress Center in accordance with pandemic regulations and TSE COVID-19 Safe Service standards. As the first hybrid fair, MÜSİAD EXPO continues to welcome exhibitors and visitors virtually. He noted that we strictly adhered to mask, social distancing, and hygiene rules, allowing all exhibitors and visitors inside after meticulous checks and using contactless technologies throughout the fair. According to the results of our post-fair survey, we found that 89% of our exhibitors were satisfied with the fair, and 96% of our exhibitors intend to attend the next fair. These results are very pleasing to us, and I would like to emphasize that we are already rapidly starting preparations for the 2022 fair. Ersözlü stated that they welcomed the procurement delegations to the Tüyap Palas in the best possible way. "As TÜYAP management," he said, "I would like to thank Müstakil Fuarcılık and MÜSİAD management for their collaboration on MÜSİAD EXPO 2020." He said.

GREAT INTEREST IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP AREA AT EXPO 2020

Kaan noted that projects that have become Turkey's new investment powerhouse were showcased in the Entrepreneurship Area, one of the firsts at this year's fair, and that this area attracted considerable attention from visitors. He also emphasized that electric vehicles, the justified pride of the Turkic world, which were also showcased at the fair, were met with great interest.

MANY FIRSTS ACHIEVE

At this year's EXPO, caravan tourism initiatives, developed by MÜSİAD for the first time and presented to the public as part of the project to develop new tourism resources and diversify tourism investments, were also exhibited, gaining significant traction. The MÜSİAD Valley, which was also featured at the fair, featured the Smart Agriculture City Project, the Caravan Park Project, the Pandemic (Field) Hospital, and the Investment, Production, and Trade Bases projects, which will become MÜSİAD's National Production Base. MÜSİAD Future, MÜSİAD Innova, The MÜSİAD Invest, MÜSİAD Academy, 2023 LOCAL, and MÜSİAD TIA brands were also launched.

The MÜSİAD Investment, Production, and Trade Bases, introduced at MÜSİAD EXPO, are designed to provide SMEs with the opportunity to grow in an incubator-like environment, with the necessary conditions for every stage of investment, production, and trade.