If we were to tell you about brand new £170 million pound fashion outlets, 40-day shopping festivals, the world’s most exclusive hotel developments and fresh investment from global business names like Coca-Cola and Ford, you’d probably think we were referring to destinations like Dubai, New York, Paris or London perhaps.
However, fresh from being named European City of Culture in 2010 and winning more business-like accolades from respected PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), which reported the city as being the most popular location in Europe for real estate investors, it’s actually Turkey’s Istanbul that we’re about to discuss and which is entering the modern city elite.
Turkey, fast-emerging as an economy of choice for investors, has acted as a suitable catalyst for Istanbul’s advancement, thrusting it under the spotlight as its flagship destination, and in return drawing attention from the fashion world as well as the corporate world. And if you’re looking for a new place to call home, have you considered living in Istanbul? It has increasing affluence, culture and vibrancy…and for dynamic individuals it could be a great choice.
Istanbul boasts one of the largest shopping outlets in Europe, and when built back in 2008, Viaport was among the biggest construction projects in the world. It came in at a cost of €200 million and offers fashion stores with labels like Benetton, Gant, Lacoste, Diesel, Tommy Hilfiger and Mango: but this outlet offers more than just shopping, because with horse riding, go-karting and many and varied restaurant options within the centre for example, visitors are expected to do much more than just shop!
Viaport is just a single example of the many lifestyle attractions that Istanbul has – but as we all know, no city is complete with just one shopping mall alone! Rather, strength from the business world is critical to any destination’s sustained advancement. While Istanbul has not always been associated with big business and the modern corporate world, it would seem that developments such as a new science and technology park that is likely to eclipse any competition across Europe and the Middle East, and the fact that STR Global announced that Istanbul is now one of the most popular corporate conference locations in the world, it is little wonder that incoming visitor rates to the city are rising sharply, and so too are hotel room occupancy rates.
So Istanbul is being thrust very much into the modern world, but old sayings such as its culture is a blend of ‘east meets west’ remain true to this day – and therein lies a fair description of the blend of cultures that makes Istanbul unique and highly attractive - and this is an attraction from which the city will never want to escape, explains Graham Flaherty, Istanbul property expert.
He says: “Istanbul has a thriving nightlife, diversity of people and an abundance of attractions – it’s the cultural, economic, and financial centre of Turkey. Tourists like to visit the Anatolian side of Istanbul because it has more of the traditional Ottoman feel to it whilst still offering all the services of a modern city. At the same time, newly arrived expats keen to get the very most from their new life in this lifestyle destination prefer the suburbs on the European side.”
For 40 days in March and April this year Istanbul will get the chance to showcase its diverse offerings to a far larger audience than ever before, as the first city-wide shopping festival is launching across the European and Anatolian sides of Istanbul. This huge event will cover the main shopping districts of the city including Abdi İpekçi Street in Nışantaşı, Beyoğlu’s İstiklal Street, Bakırköy’s İstasyon Street, as well as many of Istanbul’s shopping malls and centres.
Throughout the festival city visitors will be entertained with music concerts, fashion shows, product discounts and parties, and each day stores will stay open until 2am – proving that Istanbul is a city that has a nightlife to show off as well.
The grand opening will be held on 18 March in Sultanahmet Square, when a parade will pass through İstiklal Street where 600 musicians will perform. If you want to get a taste of how exciting life in Istanbul can be, it could be a great time to visit.
According to Business Monitor International: “Turkey is likely to emerge as one of the world’s highest potential consumer markets over the next decade”, and when you consider the type of lifestyle it’s offering people who visit and choose to live in the city, you can see how predictions like this are being generated.