Istanbul, Two Continents – One City, connecting today’s world of retail and leisure

Following on from the enormous success of the inaugural RLI Connect MENA Deal-Making event in Dubai last October and our renowned Global Deal-Making Event now in its sixth year, RLI decided to take its second MENA event to Istanbul in October. Since the announcement a few months ago we have been inundated with Shopping Centre Investors,  Mall Developers and Franchise Partners from outside the MENA region also wishing to connect with the much sought after Turkish brands.

RLI have therefore decided to leverage on this unique opportunity by widening the scope of attendees to offer Turkish Retailers the opportunity to expand their brand internationally rather than restricting them to the MENA region. RLI Connect Istanbul will continue to connect the world of retail and leisure attracting International Shopping Centre Investors, Mall Developers and Franchise Partners eager to connect with Turkish brands to feed their potentially lucrative markets – markets that offer great opportunities for these brands to achieve levels of recognition and respect that may even exceed those that they enjoy in their home market.

RLI Connect Istanbul will also assist those global and emerging brands that are looking at expansion across Turkey. Istanbul is the only city in the world that spans two continents and home to the oldest and largest shopping mall in the world, “The Grand Bazaar” with over 4,000 stores some dating back to 1453. Istanbul has been the key point for trade and civilization due to its strategic location for centuries. In the last 20 years, Istanbul has changed and developed becoming prominent both in Europe and the Middle East. It has been predicted that in 2023, every city in Turkey will have at least one shopping mall and Istanbul will become a shopping and entertainment destination for neighbouring countries. With a further 670,000 sq. m of new shopping centre space currently under construction, Turkey presents huge potential for international retailers looking for growth markets to tap into despite current economic and political challenges.

Taking place 24-25 October at the “Besiktas Vodafone Park”, Istanbul over two days, the thinking behind RLI Connect Istanbul is simple: face-time with key global retail and leisure decision makers, creating a sustained platform for doing business and building value through strategic partnerships on a global scale.

Source :  Jayne Rafter , Publisher RLI – Retail & Leisure International