SAHA EXPO aims to create $2 bln value

ISTANBUL

Organized by SAHA Istanbul, Europe's largest industrial cluster, the SAHA EXPO International Defense, Aerospace and Space Industry Fair is expected to generate a trade volume of $2 billion this year.

This year, the event will be held under the auspices of the presidency, with the support of six Ministries and the Presidency of Defense Industries, on October 22-26, 2024 at the Istanbul Expo Center (IFM).

Many local and foreign companies, institutions and organizations will have the opportunity to exhibit their latest and new products at the fair, which will feature technologies that will shape the future.

SAHA EXPO, which hosted more than 78,000 trade visitors last year, aims to host more than 150,000 visitors this year in a total area of 90,000 square meters in eight exhibition halls, foyers and outdoor areas of the Istanbul Expo Center.

Levent Kerim Uça, secretary-general of SAHA Istanbul, said that SAHA EXPO has achieved success that is unprecedented in the world.

"We held our fair, which started in a small area in 2018, on an area of 40,000 square meters in 2021. In 2022, the fair ground increased to 60,000 square meters, and this year it is increasing to 90,000 square meters. There is no example in the world of a sectoral fair that grows by 50 percent every year in a short period of time, that is, by adding a new fair almost every period."

Uça said they expect the figures they achieved at the last fair to be even higher this year.

"With more than 1,200 exhibitors, more than 500 official and trade delegations, 150,000 visitors, 25,000 B2B meetings and signing ceremonies to be held during the fair, we expect to reach an economic value of $2 billion," he added.

"In other words, in an environment where our defense and aerospace industry is breaking records in every way, we, as SAHA EXPO, aim to break new records."

Uça noted that the exhibition, which lasted four days in previous years, will last five days this year, adding that they have also increased the number of days open to the public to two.