Istanbul eyes $100 million from medical congresses in 2026

ISTANBUL

Istanbul is set to welcome 25,000 participants at four major international medical congresses in 2026, with tourism revenues expected to reach $100 million.

According to a statement from the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (İTO), the city is gaining significant momentum in the global congress market, with medical congresses emerging as a new driver alongside health tourism.

The Istanbul Convention and Visitors Bureau (ICVB), working with its partners, has already secured 25,000 medical congress tourists for next year. With additional events, the total number of congress visitors in 2026 is projected to surpass the 48,000 recorded in 2024.

Istanbul’s rising profile was highlighted in the International Congress and Convention Association’s (ICCA) newly published list of the “Top 8 Cities for Medical Science Meetings in 2024,” where the city ranked eighth.

In recent months, joint efforts by İTO and ICVB have also secured three large-scale international congresses for 2027, 2028, and 2030.

İTO President Şekib Avdagiç underscored the economic impact of these events. “Through our collaborative work, Istanbul has guaranteed $100 million in revenue from 25,000 medical congress tourists in 2026,” he said.

Avdagiç noted that congress visitors spend three to four times more than traditional holidaymakers, with per capita expenditures reaching $4,000.