Turkey expands C&I offering

Turkey is expanding its C&I offering with new venues ahead of Istanbul becoming European Capital of Culture 2010.

Developments include the Sutluce Convention and Cultural Center, which is set to open in Istanbul in March with five auditoriums, the largest of which has capacity for 3,104.

The Courtyard Istanbul International Airport opens in May with seven meeting rooms and a 340sqm ballroom.

Istanbul Convention and Visitors Bureau director of sales and marketing Elif Balci Fisunoglu said:  "Istanbul's unique Conference Valley and the announcement that we have been named European Capital of Culture 2010 give congress organisers added value and appeal for attracting exceptionally high numbers of delegates to conferences held in Istanbul."

Events the city hosted last year include the European Society of the Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis and Osteoarthritis, the 28th International Congress of the World Federation of Hemophilia and the 12th International Congress of Bacteriology, Applied Microbiology and Mycology.

Additional developments:

• The Harbiye Congress Center will open in October in Istanbul, offering an auditorium with capacity for 3,500 delegates and meeting rooms ranging from 600sqm to 1,400sqm.

• Launch of the Ayazaga Congress and Cultural Center in 2010

• The Divan Istanbul hotel will open in 2010

• The 312-room Radisson SAS Resort & Spa, Cesme, will open this summer offering five meeting rooms ranging from 81sqm to 137sqm

• Mardan Palace will open in Antalya in May with two column-free ballrooms plus 17 meeting rooms with capacity for 150 delegates