Tourism Explorer: Dear Olga, thank you for taking the time to talk with us. Let’s begin with your overall impressions. How would you evaluate the Istanbul Tourism Fair (ITF) 2025? What was the atmosphere like, and what were the key trends this year?

Olga Philippova-Atlı: ITF 2025, now in its third edition, not only confirmed its status as a key event for the region but also made a qualitative leap in its development. The scale and geographical diversity of participants were noticeably broader than in previous years, which immediately set a strong, international, and truly business-oriented atmosphere. The overall mood could be described as “technological optimism.” Without a doubt, the dominant theme was the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into all segments of the tourism industry—without eliminating the crucial human factor. The discussion wasn’t about some distant future but about ready-to-use solutions that are already transforming the sector today.

As for our participation, our system, HelloOtel TurboMarketing, has been the main ITF partner for CIS countries for the second year in a row. This time, we brought 350 travel agents from 20 countries to the exhibition, which in itself speaks volumes about the growing prestige of the event.

Tourism Explorer: That’s very interesting. Could you elaborate on the trends and themes that were in the spotlight? Which directions will shape the future of tourism?

Olga Philippova-Atlı: Based on what we observed, I would highlight two key technological trends:

Transformation of sustainable tourism: Stricter environmental regulations and rising traveler awareness have turned the “green footprint” from an option into a necessity. The fair actively promoted projects based on the principles of a circular economy (reuse, zero waste).

Hospitality optimization with AI: AI algorithms are being applied to automate customer support, analyze feedback in real time, and even manage hotels’ energy consumption.

Tourism Explorer: Did you notice any particular countries, markets, or innovative approaches that stood out among the participants?

Olga Philippova-Atlı: This year the geographic diversity was impressive. In addition to traditionally strong domestic market participants, Southeast Asian and Latin American markets were highly active. We saw striking national pavilions from Cambodia, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, and Peru, which strongly promoted their unique cultural and eco-tourism offerings.

Major players in the transportation industry were also very prominent. Giants such as Emirates and Fly Dubai, along with leading cruise companies, had their own stands—underlining the scale of the fair.

As for hoteliers, they were eager to present their latest offerings to travel agents. For example, Balcan Oğuz, Regional Sales Director of Divan Hotels, enthusiastically shared news of the long-awaited opening of Divan Talya. Meanwhile, representatives of Pullman highlighted their successful role in medical tourism, noting a consistently strong influx of such guests, as well as business travelers.

I would also like to emphasize the strong presence of Turkish regions. Among the speakers was Ahmet Aras, Mayor of Muğla Province, who not only discussed the potential of the Riviera but also presented concrete plans to develop exhibition infrastructure in Muğla itself, so that the region could host similar international events.

Tourism Explorer: And one final question. How do you evaluate the role of such fairs in strengthening Türkiye’s position in international tourism?

Olga Philippova -Atlı: ITF 2025 clearly demonstrated that Türkiye is using such platforms to strategically strengthen its position. The key value lies in the business and expert dimension. The entire program of business talks and discussions was organized into a separate segment—“Turizm Zirvesi 2025” (Tourism Summit 2025)—which became a true “factory of ideas.” Leading hoteliers, such as Tolga Kilit, delivered market analyses and presented forecasts for the upcoming season.

I would also like to highlight the organizational contribution of our system. As with all marketing events we participate in, HelloOtel provided a fully automated rendezvous system for exhibitor stands. Thanks to this, our travel agents and exhibitor partners held around 10,000 productive B2B meetings in total. For us and our partners, efficiency means not only numbers but also experiences. That’s why, alongside the official program, it was organized for our system participants an unforgettable Bosphorus cruise and a stylish gala evening, both of which became highlight events of the fair.

In summary, ITF’s contribution is threefold:

Positioning: Türkiye positions itself as a technological and business hub of the tourism industry.

Networking: The fair provides direct contact between Turkish (and international) companies and global partners—a process we at HelloOtel actively facilitate.

Expertise: Platforms like Turizm Zirvesi enable Turkish businesses to stay at the forefront of industry trends.

We as HelloOtel are proud to have made a significant contribution to the success of the Istanbul Tourism Fair 2025, and we are confident that this exhibition will continue to expand and strengthen its role on the global stage year after year.