Interview - Mr Baris Can Erol, Deputy Managing Director, Istanbul Trade Fairs Inc [ITF]
fibre2fashion:
What is your impression about the Turkish Textile Industry and what are the determinants behind its success or failure?
Mr Baris Can Erol
As being in the crossroads of Europe and Asia, Turkey is not only a local player for clothing and textile industry, also the main domain of supply for Russia and Caucasian Countries, Middle East and Northern Africa region and the Turkic Republics. Regarding the forces behind Turkish textile indusrty, Turkey is the seventh largest cotton producer in the world, second largest textile supplier of Europe and cotton is still the most important raw material needed in textiles. Turkish producers employ a highly experienced and skilled workforce, industry has a superior and high technical/technological infrastructure. On the other hand Europe is the most active market for textiles and Turkey is advantageously close to this market. Also Turkish textile industry belongs to the customs union with the EU.
fibre2fashion:
What role does logistics and management play in setting up a successful trade fair?
Mr Baris Can Erol
Extremely important!
At the end of the day we are a service company. Everything very much depends on planning and implementation. Primarily, we need to bring together the right visitors with the right exhibitors. Secondly, we must provide seamless services to our exhibitors and visitors before, during and after the show. All these stages require both high and low level planning and the involvement of all levels of management in these stages are very much important and dependent on the success of the show. Our management team is well aware of this and we put all our efforts to make our fairs more successful than the previous one.
fibre2fashion:
We see a lot of online and industry specific events promoting textiles and apparel products. Where do you place the future of holding events from within such industries?
Mr Baris Can Erol
On the contrary, online promotions are dependent on trade fairs. People take notes about what they see online but no one makes a decision to buy textiles and apparels without seeing and touching the samples. Trade fairs give buyers the chance to see and feel what they are about to buy.
Regardless of the number of events taking place, trade fairs will continue being the most important meeting point for exhibitors and visitors, so will Texgate.
fibre2fashion:
Texgate-2007 has been a great success. What was the reason for the same and how are you likely to replicate it?
Mr Baris Can Erol
It is too important to recognize what expectations exhibitors and visitors have. If you have this information then you will not make a mistake. We did this for Texgate 2007 and you have already seen the successful results. We will keep focusing on the expectations of exhibitors and visitors to grow our success further.
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