My phone won’t stop ringing—friends keep asking:
“How was Xiamen?”
Yes, compared to last year, the atmosphere at the fair was much more positive. But the golden days of 2013 and 2017 feel like a distant memory. As our Chinese colleagues put it, those days are long gone.
What hurts the most? Seeing the once Turkish-stone-dominated booths of China’s largest companies now filled with Brazilian stones. We searched for Turkish marble among them in vain.
Yet, beyond the dominance of Brazil, the real highlight of Xiamen was its multinational character—a factor we must emphasize more than ever.
But let’s shift the focus from Xiamen to Marble İzmir.
What’s Missing in Marble İzmir?
After attending Verona and Xiamen, one question keeps coming back to me:
What’s missing in İzmir?
Let’s be honest. The biggest shortcoming isn’t just the lack of international visitors—it’s the lack of international exhibitors.
Where are the national pavilions from Italy, Brazil, Spain, Portugal, Egypt?
Every year, post-fair discussions in İzmir revolve around the absence of foreign buyers. But in reality, the more pressing issue is the absence of foreign participants!
If we continue to see Marble İzmir as a “Let me get the best space, and who cares where the foreigners stand” kind of event, we risk turning it into nothing more than a local gathering.
Instead, we must broaden the pool—because when the tide rises, all ships rise together.
A New Vision for Marble İzmir
The presence of Tuğçe Cumalıoğlu, the new General Manager of İZFAŞ, at Xiamen with industry representatives was a positive sign.
With her background in event management, deep understanding of the sector, high energy, and strong communication skills, she embodies why expertise matters and why it’s essential.
As both members of the Turkish natural stone community and as İzmir locals, our demand is clear:
A more multinational Marble İzmir.
