Business events in Istanbul: what is worth attending in 2026–27

Istanbul's trade fair season has two peaks: October to December, and March to June. July and August are quiet, and January is light. September restarts the calendar with large consumer-goods and construction shows. Almost every event on the list is a trade exhibition rather than a conference: a show floor where manufacturers, suppliers and buyers meet.

The table lists the upcoming Istanbul events on atndr for the 2026–27 season, month by month. Confirm dates on the organizer's site before you book travel.

The always-current list is on the Istanbul events page.

Choose by sector. Istanbul's calendar is built on manufacturing and trade, so the events worth the flight are the large sector fairs, where producers show to domestic and export buyers.

Construction and building materials

Yapı – Turkeybuild Istanbul 2027 runs 27–30 April 2027 at Tüyap. It is the 49th edition of the city's long-running building materials show. UNICERA İstanbul 2026 (2–6 November 2026, Istanbul Expo Center) covers ceramics, bathroom and kitchen products. Big 5 Construct Türkiye 2027 (15–17 September 2027, Istanbul Expo Center) is a new Istanbul show in dmg events' Big 5 construction portfolio, the group that also runs Big 5 Global in Dubai.

Food and consumer goods

WorldFood Istanbul 2026 (15–18 December 2026, Istanbul Expo Center) is the 34th edition of the city's international food products and processing show. It runs hosted-buyer and key-buyer programmes for importers. ZUCHEX 2027 (15–18 September 2027, Tüyap) is the home and kitchenware fair, and IJS Istanbul Jewelry Show (31 March–3 April 2027) covers jewellery and watches.

Industry, plastics and metals

Plast Eurasia Istanbul 2026 (2–5 December 2026, Tüyap) is the 35th edition of the plastics fair. Its 2025 edition reported 1,503 exhibitors, 76,430 visitors and exhibitors from 44 countries. Automechanika Istanbul 2027 (24–27 March 2027, Tüyap) is the automotive aftermarket show. ANKIROS 2026, Tube & wire Eurasia 2027 and WIN EURASIA 2027 cover foundry, tube and wire, and automation.

Health, pharma and chemicals

Expomed Eurasia 2027 (15–18 April 2027, Tüyap) is the medical equipment fair and adds an animal-health section, Expovet, in 2027. Pharmaist 2027 and CHCI 2027 share Istanbul Expo Center on 9–11 June 2027. PharmaEx Eurasia 2027, EFIS Eurasia 2027 and ChemEx Eurasia 2027 are co-located on 3–5 November 2027.

Defence, security and finance

IDEF 2027 runs 3–9 May 2027 at Istanbul Expo Center. It is the 18th International Defence Industry Fair, hosted by Türkiye's Ministry of National Defence, and professional visitors apply through an online form. ISAF International 2026 (7–10 October 2026) covers security, fire and smart buildings. Istanbul Fintech Week 2026 (5–7 October 2026, Hilton Istanbul Maslak) is the main conference-format event: a paid-pass fintech programme, with economist Daron Acemoğlu speaking on 6 October.

Two venues host most large trade fairs, and both sit on the European side, west of the historic centre. Check which one your show uses before you book a hotel: they are far apart, and Istanbul traffic makes the distance matter.

Istanbul Expo Center describes itself as Türkiye's largest fairground, at about 96,000 m² of exhibition space, hosting about 100 fairs a year. It shares a complex with the WTC Istanbul business towers and the WOW hotels and congress centre, so you can sleep on site. Tüyap sits at the end of the 52 km Metrobus line along the D100 (E5) highway, with hotels within walking distance.

Most Gulf travellers need no visa. According to Türkiye's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ordinary passport holders from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman are exempt for stays of up to 90 days in any 180 days. Qatari passport holders are exempt for up to 90 days within six months, but the ministry's rule mentions tourism and transit only. Qataris going for business should check the rule with a Turkish mission before travelling.

• Everyone else: e-Visa. Nationals of eligible countries apply at the official portal, evisa.gov.tr. The ministry says it takes about three minutes and is valid only for tourism or commerce. Work assignments, such as building a stand, need a visa from an embassy or consulate.
• Invitation letters. Tüyap's show pages say visitors can use their online ticket registration in a visa application, but the organizer does not issue invitation letters.
• Airports. Istanbul has two airports, Istanbul Airport (IST) and Sabiha Gökçen (SAW). Istanbul Expo Center's own directions from IST use the Havaist bus to Yenibosna and then the airport metro. From SAW, they use the Havabus to Taksim and then the metro or Metrobus.
• Badges. Tüyap shows such as Plast Eurasia sell visitor e-tickets online, at a discount before the show. Many Istanbul Expo Center fairs ask professional visitors to pre-register. Buy or register before you fly.
• Buyer programmes. WorldFood Istanbul and Turkeybuild run hosted-buyer programmes, and several organizers offer Turkish Airlines discounts. Importers from the Gulf should apply early, because places are limited to qualifying buyers.
• On site. Istanbul Expo Center lists a prayer room, restaurants and cafés among its visitor services.

Treat an Istanbul fair as a sourcing trip. Arrive with a buying brief and a shortlist of exhibitors, not just a badge.

1. Pick shows that share dates. Pharmaist and CHCI run together on 9–11 June 2027. PharmaEx, EFIS and ChemEx share 3–5 November 2027. One trip can cover several supply chains.
2. Use the matchmaking tools. Organizers such as ICA Events (WorldFood, Turkeybuild) run online matchmaking before the show. Book meetings with factories you have already screened.
3. Plan around the venue. Stay near the venue your show uses. Yeşilköy and Büyükçekmece are far apart, and crossing the city at rush hour takes time.
4. Follow up in person. If a supplier makes the shortlist, ask to visit its production site after the fair. A factory tells you more than a stand.
5. Check visiting hours. Most fairs open around 10:00. UNICERA, for example, opens 10:00–19:00 for four days and closes at 17:00 on its last day.

If you are new to trade fairs, the atndr guide to getting a free visitor pass explains how registration works, and conference, exhibition or summit explains the formats.