İzmir Fuarcılık Hizmetleri Kültür ve Sanat İşleri Tic. A.Ş.Translation site

İZFAŞ, the full name of which is İzmir Fair Services, Culture and Art Affairs Trade Inc., is Türkiye’s most prominent public exhibition organizer and a core driver of the country’s trade, cultural exchange, and regional economic development. With over three decades of operation, it has established itself as a benchmark institution in the global exhibition industry, bridging commercial opportunities and cross-cultural communication across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

Basic Profile & Governance

• Establishment & Ownership: Founded on February 7, 1990, İZFAŞ was established through a joint partnership of key regional institutions: İzmir Metropolitan Municipality, the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB), Aegean Region Chamber of Industry, Aegean Exporters Association, İzmir Chamber of Commerce, and İzmir Commodity Exchange. It operates as a public company with 51-200 employees, headquartered in İzmir, Türkiye’s third-largest city and a historic port hub with centuries of commercial tradition.
• Industry Status & Certifications: İZFAŞ is the first Turkish member of the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI), having joined the organization in 1947. It holds the ISO EN 9001:2000 Quality System Certificate, and is widely recognized as the leading fair organizer in Türkiye, with its events contributing significantly to the national economy and İzmir’s position as a global exhibition hub.

Core Business Operations

İZFAŞ integrates commercial exhibition organization, cultural event planning, and venue management into a comprehensive service ecosystem:

1.Flagship & Specialized Fairs:

It organizes more than 35 specialized fairs annually, anchored by two globally renowned events:

• İzmir International Fair: Türkiye’s first and oldest international fair, tracing its roots to the 1932 “Sample Exhibition” held during the İzmir Economics Congress (later renamed the “September 9 Exhibition”). It is hosted in the 421,000-square-meter Kültürpark, attracting thousands of exhibitors and visitors from across the world.
• Marble İzmir: The world’s largest natural stone exhibition, and IF Wedding Fashion İzmir, Türkiye’s largest and most professional wedding fashion trade show, which draws over 22,700 visitors and 350 exhibitors from regions including Europe, the Middle East, and Asia every edition.

Other notable events include the MINEX Izmir (Mining and Mining Machinery Exhibition), which covers 23,000 square meters and hosts 405 exhibitors and 15,800 professional visitors in its 2025 edition.

2.Venue Management:

İZFAŞ operates Fuarİzmir, Türkiye’s largest and most modern exhibition center, which opened in 2004 on a 55,000-square-meter site. The venue is equipped with world-class infrastructure to host large-scale international trade shows, conferences, and cultural events, aligning with global exhibition industry standards.

3.Cultural & Social Initiatives:

Beyond commercial exhibitions, İZFAŞ organizes diverse cultural, educational, and social events to promote intercultural dialogue and community engagement, reinforcing İzmir’s identity as a cradle of civilization (home to UNESCO World Heritage Sites including Ephesus and Pergamum). It also pioneered virtual fair organization in 2021 during the pandemic, launching “Turkey’s Virtual Fair Area Digital” to provide uninterrupted industry interaction for global professionals.

Global Engagement & Industry Leadership

İZFAŞ has a long history of hosting major international exhibition industry events: it previously organized the UFI Global Congress in 1968 and 1972, and will serve as the host of the UFI European Conference 2026 (June 3-5, 2026) in İzmir, expecting around 300 exhibition industry leaders from across Europe and beyond to attend. The event holds top-tier industry ratings, including an NPS of +62 (top 8% of comparable global events) and an overall satisfaction score of 4.62/5.