Headed on a business trip to Istanbul in Turkey soon? Lucky fish - it is such an incredible destination (one of our favourites in fact!). Straddling Europe and Asia across the Bosphorus Strait, Istanbul is a place of cultural diversity that spans many centuries and cultures. It's a magical place where East (quite literally) meets West, filled to the rafters with unparalleled attractions, things to do and places to see. Here you can admire Byzantine mosaic and frescoes alongside remnants of the Ottoman empire, dine on flavoursome mezes and soak up the city's inimitable ambiance at tea gardens, Turkish taverns and more. It's spellbinding, to say the least.
Over the years, the TravelManor team has taken care of the itineraries of many business travelers headed to Istanbul and other major cities in Turkey. As such, we have plenty of insider info on how to make the most of your journey to this sought-after destination. Here are a few top tips that will allow you to make the most of your trip to Istanbul in 2019:
Turkish hosts are very generous, which means they roll out the welcome wagon like you would not believe. If you are joining Turkish colleagues for a meal, take it slowly - eat a small portion of each dish or course offered; there is no way of knowing how many there will be and you can't refuse anything without being rude. As such, your best course of option is to nibble a little of everything you're offered.
TOP TIP: Do not leave without trying proper Turkish coffee (it is out of this world!)
When making polite conversation with your business companions during your time in Istanbul, try to steer clear of politics wherever you can. As a secular state with a Muslim population, there is a lot of emphasis on pride and honour. There are plenty of hot-button issues in the air regarding culture and government, so rather keep your conversation topics light and breezy.
TOP TIP: Read up on the history of Turkey before you head over. It will stand you in good stead if you can hold your own in a conversation about the Seljuks, Mongols, and Ottomans in casual conversation.
At TravelManor, we know it can be hard to create room in your business travel itinerary to see the sights, but we always encourage our clients to do so nonetheless. With our team helping you to streamline your responsibilities, we may very well be able to open up a few pockets of time for you to head out and tick off a few of the must-see attractions in Istanbul. This includes the Hagia Sophia museum, the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace and more.
Following these guidelines on your visit to Istanbul, Turkey will allow you to make the most of your business trip to this exciting part of the world. If you’d like some more insider info on streamlining corporate journeys to some of the world’s foremost global destinations, check back soon - we’ll be sharing more of the good stuff right here. In the meantime, we invite you to contact our team of passionate travel planners if you want to learn more about the services we offer - we look forward to showing you all the tricks we’ve got up our collective sleeve!
