“Brand City Izmir” Project
Izmir's vision of our Chamber is “To Turn Beautiful Izmir Into A Global City”. Our city must take its place in the global competition environment with the company brands it will create and with city brand emphasizing its traditional, historical and cultural characteristics, creating a difference and capable of adapting itself to changes. With these in mind, “Brand City Izmir” Project was completed in 2007 and put into practice.
Being a global city for Izmir depends on the level of attaining its vision and its success in becoming a brand. We can reach the desired level in global competition if we can create a modern city brand emphasizing the traditional, historical and cultural characteristics of the city, creating difference and capable of adapting itself to changes.
It is doubtless that in creating a city brand the most important issue is the adoption of the brand by all parts who share that city. Therefore, long term efforts can be made only within the perspective to be put forth by the actors of the city because of the importance we attach to this. The company carrying out our brand city study has sought after revealing the perception of Izmir through its citizens by interviewing a wide range of the population beginning from citizens in the street to journalists, from businessmen and managers to non-governmental bodies, and has carried out its efforts in line with this perception.
Likewise, in choosing Izmir city logo and the motto complementing it, 10 logos out of 50 have been presented for voting together with 10 mottos thus providing active participation of all people living in Izmir.
Furthermore, meetings have been made with the participation of the Association of Izmir Advertisers which harbors real and legal persons who are experts of the subject and the studies have been directed in line with their views.
The basic philosophy of the logo determined at the end of the above studies and the verbal interpretation of the logo are as follows:
“What make Izmir different and indispensable for millenniums are its vision and values one more characteristic than one another. These values carrying Izmir to the future in all eras have always been in harmony though they all have different colors and characteristics.
The emblem in the form of a circle consisting small colored pieces represents a world consisted of different colors connecting many characteristics of Izmir in harmony and without restricting each other. A world presenting different opportunities and values where people can use their real potential... Using many and vivid colors to give a feeling of motivation and excitement. The font used interconnects the city and its vision very clearly. The character “i” carrying a world with diversity represents a very powerful stem supporting the vision of the city.
The Turkish motto “Yaºanacak ªehir” and the English version “Rediscover Life” used together with the city logo imply that Izmir presents incomparable experiences in all fields of life and that it can present chances of discovering new opportunities in many fields from industry to education and from tourism to trade.”
Restoration of Touristic Sites
Our City Consulting Office carries out studies in connection with sponsorship for Agora Ruins and Bayrakli Tepekule Ruins as well as beautification of Kadifekale with the aim of promoting tourism in Izmir and increasing the number of tourists visiting the city center.
Cruise Port Project
With the initiatives taken by our Chamber since 2003, cruise tourism has come to a very important point today. Infrastructure and feasibility studies have been made and architectural drawings have been prepared for the construction of a cruise port at Uckuyular and the necessary initiatives have been taken with the Ministries. The process of cruise port project is implemented and followed up by our City Consulting Office.
Supporting Cruise Tourism, Promotional Activities and Assistance Toward Tourists
Our Chamber initiated special work in 2004 to attract cruisers to Izmir in line with the target of “Tourism Round the Year” which we put forward as the vision for Izmir.
Our Chamber has undertaken to pay the arrival tax for the visitors coming to Izmir. As a result, in 2003 3.271 visitors in 5 voyages, in 2004 77.000 visitors in 32 voyages, in 2005 58.042 visitors in 26 voyages, in 2006 183.198 visitors in 94 voyages and in 2007 288.017 visitors in 122 voyages visited Izmir.
Owing to this, Izmir has now a pioneering position in the cruise market and brand new cruise ships just been launched onto water to visit our city.
However, it is clear that Izmir cannot carry on cruise tourism in long term with a single port. Therefore, our Chamber has put on the agenda the “Üçkuyular Cruise Port Project” to be built in Izmir.
It is evident that making the cruise ships visit Izmir is not enough for tourism. What is important is that our city must be correctly presented and tourists must have full satisfaction when they leave. For this reason, every year our Chamber hands out to visitors coming by cruise liners about 150 thousand Izmir Guides printed in different languages and free of charge. Experts from our Chamber provide all information to the tourists at the port. Likewise, audio-visual information prepared in 6 languages about Izmir is provided to the tourists through kiosks on board while they are sailing. There is also an Izmir Cruise Promotional Film reflecting the historical, modern, social, cultural values of the city.
Project for Conversion of Old Tekel Buildings in Izmir Alsancak into Cultural Centers
City Consulting Office carries out the efforts in the name of our Chamber with respect to conversion of the Old Tekel Buildings into a Cultural Centers Project initiated by the Chamber, Izmir University of Economics and Arkas Holding.
Pasaport Harbor and Jetty Project
Pasaport Harbor is one of the favorite places preferred by the people of Izmir. For purposes of converting this harbor into an urban attraction site, the idea of creating a space where there will be culture, art and exposition centers, an underwater museum, a theater, and units for water and light games has been concretized as a project and presented to the related authorities.
Izmir Souvenirs Project
In order to boost the souvenir sector of Izmir, articles designed at Izmir Economy University Faculty of Plastic Arts and Design are being produced and presented to retail and wholesale buyers at the entrance of Izmir Chamber of Commerce through intermediation of the Foundation of Izmir Chamber of Commerce.