Great Interest in Marble İzmir
Great Interest in Marble İzmir
Opening its doors for the 29th time this year, Marble İzmir – International Natural Stone and Technologies Fair is attracting great interest. Held on an area exceeding 150,000 square meters, Marble İzmir hosts 1,014 exhibitors, including 131 international participants. In the first two days alone, tens of thousands of visitors from nearly 150 countries worldwide and from all over Türkiye attended the fair.
As the world’s largest natural stone fair, Marble İzmir stood out with the massive interest it received in the first two days. Government institutions, provincial governors, local administrations, exporters' associations, industry organizations, and sector representatives from across Türkiye have visited the exhibitors, discussing export opportunities, industry developments, and participation in the fair. In the block area, where nearly 1,500 natural stone blocks are displayed, more than half of the products have already been sold. Meanwhile, natural stone and machinery companies have established business connections and signed deals worth millions of Turkish liras.
To enhance international participation at Marble İzmir, collaborations have been made with commercial attachés from the U.S., the Middle East, Asia, and Europe. The fair expects exhibitors and visitors from all over the world. With the support of the Ministry of Trade, three different procurement delegation programs are being organized in collaboration with the Aegean Mineral Exporters’ Association, Istanbul Mineral and Metals Exporters’ Associations, and the Western Mediterranean Exporters’ Association. These programs bring industry professionals from target countries, including the United Kingdom, South Korea, France, Italy, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, and Azerbaijan. Additionally, 186 international buyers have joined the B2B program managed by İZFAŞ, facilitating fast and effective business meetings between exhibitors and buyers. Moreover, thousands of visitors from 59 countries, spanning every continent—from Australia to Italy, the U.S. to China—have attended the fair.
With 1,014 exhibitors, including 131 international participants from 20 countries and 883 domestic participants from 47 Turkish provinces, Marble İzmir features natural stones and products, mining consumables, factory and workshop consumables, mining machinery, construction machinery, heavy equipment, factory and workshop machines, environmental protection, recycling and recovery systems, industry organizations, IT and software companies, logistics and transportation services, financing and credit services, public and governmental institutions, associations, unions, NGOs, and media organizations. In addition to supporting the industry and its sub-sectors, export, and employment, the fair—just like in previous years—positively impacts various sectors, including tourism, accommodation, transportation, and food & beverage, benefiting both the city and the national economy. The domestic and international exhibitors and visitors attending Marble İzmir have created an economic boom throughout the city.
When Marble İzmir was first held in 1995, Türkiye’s natural stone exports were valued at $77 million. Over the years, with the fair’s contribution, Türkiye’s natural stone exports have exceeded $2 billion. In the first three months of this year alone, Türkiye’s natural stone exports reached $420 million, marking an increase compared to the same period last year. The fair, which will remain open until April 20, 2024, at 18:00, is expected to welcome nearly 100,000 visitors.