Tourism Investment Forum 2026 to Shape the Future of Global Tourism in Istanbul
Istanbul, February 7, 2026 – The Tourism Investment Forum (TIF) 2026 is set to bring together the global tourism investment agenda in Istanbul. Hosted by the Turkish Tourism Investors Association (TTYD), with the support of the T.C. Presidency of the Republic of Turkey Investment Office and the Turkey Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, and with Türkiye İş Bankası as the main sponsor, the forum will convene leading national and international representatives from the public, finance, investment, real estate, and hospitality sectors.
The two-day event holds strategic importance for the further strengthening and development of Turkish tourism, especially during a critical period of strong growth in the global tourism and travel sector, marked by significant advancements in competitor countries such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Italy.
A Comprehensive Program with Over 100 Speakers
TIF 2026 will feature nearly 30 content sections, including sessions, keynote speeches, and special presentations on industry outlook. The forum will host over 100 speakers and moderators, including İş Bankası General Manager Hakan Aran, World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) President & CEO Gloria Guevara Manzo, and Italian National Tourism Board President Alessandra Priante. Leaders from the finance, hospitality, travel, and marketing worlds will discuss investment decisions, financing conditions, and new product categories that will enhance the quality of growth in tourism.
The forum will be inaugurated by TTYD President Oya Narin. On the first day, WTTC CEO & President Gloria Guevara Manzo will share her strategic perspective on the global tourism investment agenda. A leaders’ session, structured around growth, resilience, and future preparedness, will bring together public and private sector representatives from various geographies. This session will evaluate the global economic and financial outlook, along with the risks and opportunities focusing on tourism investments.
Key Topics: From Financing to Experiential Design
The forum’s sessions will cover a wide range of topics, starting from the cost of financing and capital structure-key determinants of investment decisions-to brand strategies in hotel investments, local brand development, operational and investment financing, asset management, and investor expectations. In a new era where value creation in tourism is increasingly defined by ‘experience,’ the agenda will also include design, architecture, culture-art, and creative industries for building destination narratives, marketing effectiveness, and talent and human resources.
The second day will feature aviation sessions focusing on accessibility and mobility, as well as themes such as wellness-longevity investments, sustainable tourism transformation, maritime tourism and marina investments, event/congress venue economics, and new investment areas in sports experiences. The changing roles of tour operators, travel agencies, and digital platforms will also be discussed, opening a debate on the transformation of distribution channels in the sector.
Turkey’s Position in Global Tourism and Future Strategies
In a press conference held before TIF 2026 on Friday, February 6, at The Marmara Taksim Hotel, TTYD President Oya Narin, along with Board Members Şerife Ercantürk, Mehmet Göçen, Erdem Tavas, Executive Board Member Ece Demirpençe, and Secretary General Dr. Öykü Korkmaz, made statements regarding the tourism sector and the upcoming Tourism Investment Forum.
TTYD President Narin stated, “Turkish tourism now competes not only on volume but also on value, quality, and transformation. At TIF 2026, we will address a broad agenda, from investment financing to new product categories, branding to experience design, with the common intellect of the public and private sectors. Our goal is to strengthen Turkey’s growing tourism capacity over the last 10 years with the investment language of the coming period and to generate value sustainably. Today, Turkey is among the leading tourism countries in the world. However, at this point, Turkish tourism needs re-positioning, a new tourism initiative. Our traditional competitors continue to grow. Spain closed 2025 with the highest number of visitors in history, 143.9 million visitors. Italy’s foreign visitor numbers in 2025 increased by 8.7 percent compared to the previous year, reaching 104 million people. Spain accommodates these visitors in 1.2 million hotel beds, 440 thousand tourist residence beds, 148 thousand rural tourism facility beds, and 276 thousand camping beds. Considering the comprehensive tourism initiatives of neighboring countries such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt, we need a plan that covers the next 10-15 years to elevate our current position in tourism.”
TIF 2026 aims to create a common vision for Turkey’s new period priorities in tourism investments by bringing together investors, financial institutions, developers, global hotel brands, public representatives, and industry leaders on the same platform through its two-day sessions.
Source: https://www.bloomberght.com/turizm-yatirimlarinin-yeni-donemi-istanbulda-konusulacak-3768587
