ITO President Avdagiç: Once Visa Acquisition Ceases to Be a Barrier, Turkish Business World Will Elevate Its Current Potential

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ITO President Avdagiç: Once Visa Acquisition Ceases to Be a Barrier, Turkish Business World Will Elevate Its Current Potential

Foreks - Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ITO) President Şekib Avdagiç stated, "We strongly condemn the issue of visas being used like the sword of Damocles over Turkey and the Turkish business world." According to a written statement from the ITO, Avdagiç made comments regarding the topics on the business world's agenda during the Chamber's Extraordinary Assembly Meeting, as well as the ITO's activities for 2024 and its 2025 business program.

Highlighting that the number one issue awaiting resolution in international relations or trade and purchasing programs is the visa matter, Avdagiç noted, “Once obtaining a visa is no longer an obstacle, Turkish businesses will elevate their existing potential even higher. As the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce, we are engaged in dynamic efforts on this issue."

Avdagiç reiterated, "We condemn the visa issue being used like the sword of Damocles over Turkey and the Turkish business world. We carry this topic in all its dimensions to our discussions with EU country officials, stating what needs to be said clearly."

  • "We have organized participation of Turkish firms in 47 trade fairs in 2024" ITO President Avdagiç explained that they have taken significant steps to open new horizons for the Turkish economy in production, exports, employment, and investment. He pointed out that as ITO, they reached a record number in organizing the participation of Turkish firms in 47 trade fairs abroad in 2024, stating, "We organized 39 fairs in 2023. For the 47 fairs in 2024, we organized national participation in 32 of them as ITO." He added that they have already scheduled 38 fairs for 2025, emphasizing, "Our goal is to make a significant impact on major fairs with more comprehensive participation. We believe that both Turkey's exports and employment will increase with fairs, and our members will reach new markets."

Avdagiç stressed the high export potential towards markets such as India, China, Malaysia, and Indonesia, stating, "We plan to establish 'country desks' to increase our trade activities towards these countries."

  • Activities of ITO's partner organizations Avdagiç highlighted that Istanbul Commerce University, founded by ITO, is one of their major social responsibility projects, noting, "Our journey that started in 2001 with 73 students has reached 9,225 students by the 2024-2025 academic year. The number of graduates over our 23 years of journey has risen to 26,625." He mentioned that there are 1,201 international students from 85 different nationalities studying at Istanbul Commerce University.

Stressing that ITO's affiliates have achieved significant successes in 2024, Avdagiç stated, "Istanbul Trade Center (İDTM), which includes the Istanbul Fair Center (İFM), has been a source of pride with its fair hosting activities. An average of 80 fairs are held annually in İFM's 11 halls, which cover an area of 95,000 square meters." Avdagiç also noted that the İDTM Business Center serves the business world with its 346 offices, stores, restaurants, and cafes.

Şekib Avdagiç remarked that Teknopark Istanbul, established in collaboration with the Presidency of Defense Industries, continues to be a pride of the country in defense and advanced technology production. He indicated that as of December 2024, there are approximately 500 active R&D companies in Teknopark Istanbul. "These companies employ 10,500 R&D, software, and design personnel who are currently working on nearly 900 active projects, shaping the present and future of the Turkish defense industry," he said. Avdagiç noted that the number of projects implemented in Teknopark Istanbul has reached 4,000 to date.

Describing their support for 1,158 initiatives and 1,486 entrepreneurs as the Knowledge Commercialization Center (BTM) in 2024, Avdagiç continued, "Approximately 25% of the entrepreneurs at BTM are women entrepreneurs. We plan to further increase the proportion of women entrepreneurs within BTM in the upcoming period." He noted that 17 of BTM's entrepreneurs received a total of 196 million TL in investment in 2024, stating, "To date, BTM entrepreneurs have received a total investment amount of 1.1 billion TL, with an investment valuation amount reaching 8.5 billion TL."

  • “As ICVB, we hosted 69 international congresses this year” Emphasizing the significant efforts to enhance Istanbul's brand value in the tourism sector, Avdagiç stated that as ICVB, they hosted 69 international congresses with participant numbers ranging from 50 to 7,300, which they brought to Istanbul and supported by December 2024. Avdagiç mentioned, "In 2025, we will host 14 international congresses that we contribute to in our city, and in 2026, we will host 3 congresses."

ITO President Avdagiç stated that the ITO Foundation for Education and Social Services successfully carries out both the foundation and economic enterprise culture at the highest level. He explained, "As a foundation, we carry out various charitable activities, primarily benefiting our university, open social facilities for our 819,000 members, and manage our economic enterprises like a professional company to create resources for our charitable activities."

Avdagiç indicated that investments will continue in 2025, saying, "The opening of our social facility in the old ITO, which is now our new university building, the opening of stores under the CSK and Bullvar brands on the ground floor of the Taş Han Annex Building, and the improvement works in İFM and Cemile Sultan Grove are extremely important for us."