Destination Development and
Institutionalization Strategies
In the OIC Member Countries
90
ICVB is also a chair member of ICCA. During this bidding process, ICVB works closely with its member
stakeholders by taking their offers and conveying them to global event planners.288
Average spending per tourist in Turkey visit is $700, according to Tourism Ministry stats, which is very low
compared with competing countries such as France and Dubai.289 But, average spending of any MICE tourist
is $2.500. That is why ICVB focuses on that market. MICE delegates spend four times the average tourist
because hotel, flight and attendance fees are already fully paid by the organizer/corporation or the host, and
theMICE guest still has extramoney to spend fromhis/her own budget.MICEdelegates usually prefer to travel
to conventions with their families which helps increase the average revenue of the destination per tourist. For
example, a convention held in Istanbul for global brain surgeons attracted four thousand brain surgeons from
the world, and many of them travelled together with their families, it was very prestigious as well for the
destination. 290
With the goal of making Istanbul the number one congress center in the world, ICVB tries to attract global
MICE buyers and market players to Istanbul by collaborating with the world’s third largest MICE exhibition
called “ACE of M.I.C.E. Exhibition by Turkish Airlines”. This event will take place in February 21-23, 2018
for the fifth time at Istanbul Congress Center. The exhibition will host 750 buyers from 40 countries, with
almost 9.800 B2B appointments, 220 national and international exhibitors, about 100,000 US dollar value
global media coverage, 160 sponsors and partners, 20 sessions, 35 speakers and over 15,000+ national
and international visitors. 291
Facilitator Role: During thebiddingprocess for an international convention through ICCA, if there is a potential
of cancellation of an international meeting to be held in Istanbul, ICVB takes an active role in urging the
Ministry of Tourism, the City’s Governor and the President of the Municipality to bring the international
association additional guarantees, showings of support, letters of intent from the government side. Having
some guarantees and feeling of support from local government is very crucial in persuading convention
organizers worldwide. 292
Promotional Activities: ICVB attends global fairs, exhibitions and other MICE events for networking with the
MICE industry and to make connections with international associations andmultinational companies that are
in search of cities to organize incentive/distributor meetings.
Tourist Friendly Digital Applications: ICVB collaborated with the Istanbul Development Agency, which is a
government agency responsible for development and investments at the provincial level, in building the
following mobile apps and digital platforms for tourists:
• One Istanbul Guide is a five-language mobile app that was developed by ICVB. It lists nearby historical,
cultural, leisure places and provides map routes. The app can be downloaded on Google Play Store and
Apple App Store.
288 Interview with ICVB team, 17 Nov 2017, ICVB Office, Istanbul.
289 Turizm Gelir, Gider ve Ortalama Harcama. (2018). Retrieved from ,72942/turizm-gelir-gider-ve-
ortalama-harcama.html
290 Interview with ICVB team, 17 Nov 2017, ICVB Office, Istanbul.
291 ACE of MICE Exhibition 2018 [Infographic]. (2018). ICVB. Retrieved fro
292 Interview with ICVB team, 17 Nov 2017, ICVB Office, Istanbul.