Bursa got hit by Diwali
Held for the 5th time on September 23-26, Bursa Block Fair coincided with the India Diwali Festival, and the number of exhibitors and visitors decreased.
It’s life’s nature. Sometimes things don’t work out. You might get overwhelmed by difficulties from time to time. You struggle and do your best to solve the problem, but it does not work. You call it “bad luck” and get over with it. However, some mistakes you make are not merely “bad luck.” They are instead “failures.” Just like the 5th edition of Bursa Block Fair! How else could you explain Indians’ favorite fair being held right before one of the two major festivals of India?4
The number of exhibitors decreases for the first time
Bursa Block Fair, which is organized by the partnership of TÜYAP Bursa Fuarcılık A.Ş, Bursa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BTSO) and Marble Manufacturers’ and Industrialists’ Association (MADSİAD), had been able to increase its number of exhibitors and visitors regularly for the past four years. The 5th edition, however, wasn’t as successful. The number of exhibitors at the fair, which was attended by 240 companies last year, decreased to 205. In the event, which took place on an area of 60.000 square meters at TÜYAP Bursa International Fair and Convention Center, the total amount of blocks exhibited decreased from 2500 to 2200.4
The number of visitors is 20.719
As for the number of visitors, TÜYAP Bursa Fuarcılık, the organizer firm, stated that a total of 20.719 professional visitors from 46 countries visited the fair. With China and India having the lead, procurement committees from the USA, Germany, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bulgaria, Algiers, Indonesia, Morocco, Palestine, France, Georgia, Greece, Holland, Iraq, England, Iran, Spain, Israel, Italy, Japan, Canada, Monte Negro, Qatar, Kazakhstan, Kosova, Kuwait, Malasia, Norway, Libia, Lebanon, Egypt, Pakistan, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Umman, Ukraine, Jordan, and Yemen were hosted. Even with these statistics, however, the fair could not exceed its performance in 2018.4
Some good news of e-government
Prof. Dr. Şeref Kalaycı, vice president of the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, İbrahim Burkay, president of BTSO and other sectoral representatives, attended the opening ceremony of the fair. Emphasizing the contributions made by the marble industry, Vice President Kalaycı said, “Trade deficit of the mining sector according to the 2018 figures are around $20 billion. However, a sector contributes significantly to the closing of this gap. And it is the mining sector. The employment rates in the industry make us proud. By the end of the year, we activate the e-mining app. From now on, our mining sector will be able to manage their transactions online without coming to Ankara.”4
Presidents encourage leap-forwards
Erol Efendioğlu, president of MADSIAD, highlighted the sector’s leap-forward. He said, “Italy has the most prominent brand value in the marble sector of the world. Turkey has increased its natural stone export, which was $170-180 million in 2001-2002, up to $2 billion, which means we have caught Italy in 20 years.” Aydın Dinçer, president of Istanbul Mineral Exporters’ Association, said, “We should explain to people the truth and that mining must be handled properly. Turkey exports natural mines worth $27 billion. To prevent mine import, we must appraise our national resources,” as he was emphasizing the negative approaches toward the mining sector.4
The Diwali Festival is the agenda
The agenda at the fair was the Diwali Festival.
Diwali, which is one of the two biggest festivals of India, was celebrated on October 27. Since Diwali was celebrated right before the Bursa Block Fair, a significant decrease in the number of customers from India was noticed. The exhibitors at the fair underlined that such a mistake despite all the warnings made last year was unacceptable. We should also mention that once again, the blocks were sold before the opening of the fair. This problem was discussed in 2018, as well. The 6th edition of the Bursa Block Fair is going to be held on October 21-24, 2020.’
Marble Trend has no age
Another fundamental element of natural stone fairs is Marble Trend. As every year, we participated in the Bursa Block Fair, as well. Our crew, which was consisted of our Publisher Çağlayan Sueli, Chief Editor Hasan Ercazip, and Digital Media Manager Sercan Tansu Aydın, hosted famous sectoral representatives at our stand as the 50th edition of Marble Trend was being distributed. In the meantime, our little readers proved that our magazine appeals to the whole sector and has no age.