Market Report: Türkiye

The live event market here, for music in particular, remains a challenging landscape for ticketing companies.

Covid left a lasting impact that, along with well-documented sociocultural and political turmoil and a seriously devalued lira, hit the sector hard. Demand to see music’s A-list superstars remains. And while domestic acts, especially Turkish hip-hop, and a number of smaller festivals are doing well, the middle ground, particularly indie, alternative, and rock/pop, is struggling.

“We anticipate that larger production shows from both international and local artists will continue to energise the Turkish live scene”

 

Karaoğlan Taşçı, MD of Ticketmaster Türkiye, is upbeat about the future despite challenging economic conditions. “We anticipate that larger production shows from both international and local artists will continue to energise the Turkish live scene,” he says.

Primary ticketing
The market leader by far is Ticketmaster, which operates as Biletix and has something of a hegemony. But other companies remain significant in their own chosen field. Bugece is an indie ticketing firm that primarily covers electronic music events and parties, while Iticket does its own events.

The market leader by far is Ticketmaster, which operates as Biletix and has something of a hegemony.

Mobilet is an online-only, social-media-led platform, and Passo is one of the country’s most visited e-commerce sites.

Secondary ticketing
Scalping and resale are not such an issue in Türkiye, mainly due to supply outstripping demand for all but the biggest shows. But it remains prevalent for football and large sporting events. Viagogo and TicketSwap are the sites to visit for fans looking to buy or sell.

Cultural analysis
With digital adoption now at 99% according to Taşçı, Ticketmaster have innovated in other ways.

“Our Spotify integration now allows fans to purchase tickets directly within the app, making it super convenient, and we’ve also partnered with major companies like Turkish Airlines, Nestlé, and McDonald’s to include ticket purchases in their reward programmes using our gift cards,” he says.

“Across all events, we’ve introduced Refund Protect, our ticket insurance product. This allows consumers to buy with peace of mind, plan ahead, and secure their tickets early,” he adds.

Country Profile: Türkiye

Türkiye remains an extremely challenging territory for touring and promotion, and if anything, the situation has deteriorated over the last 12 months. “High inflation, high exchange rate, high taxes, and people’s low purchasing power,” says Alp Günal, founder and CEO of GNL Entertainment, of the issues facing promoters.

“Compared to previous years, touring and technical costs have increased dramatically, while the prices of tickets haven’t increased as much. Additionally, event cancellations, which are often the first move made by local authorities in relation to social occasions, create a serious risk to promoters.”

“Under the governance of a conservative government with totalitarian tendencies and no sympathy or support for cultural activities, we face various difficulties,” adds Sinan Yagci of Istanbul’s Analog Productions. “These include issues related to liquor licences, curfews, LGBTQ+ rights, taxes, and more.”

Nick Hobbs, owner of Charmenko, notes that “Customs complications at the borders with Greece and Bulgaria and a general institutional cynicism towards ‘culture’” are further complications; Gönül Gülce Karaarslan, the UK and EU countries director of BWO Entertainment, says “the reluctance of companies to engage in sponsorships and the lack of public support in the sector” is behind increased costs being reflected in ticket prices and causing a slowdown in sales.

“Under the governance of a conservative government with totalitarian tendencies and no sympathy or support for cultural activities, we face various difficulties”

So far so grim for those active in the promoting game. Alongside GNL Entertainment, Charmenko, Analog Promotions, and BWO Entertainment, others include BKM, İKSV, Pozitif, Epifoni Events, Piu Entertainment, Zorlu PSM, and Freebird. There
are also various electronica promoters, mostly club owners, and several other mid-size and smaller promoters who specialise in electronic, metal, and alternative.

Intensive use of social media, artist collaborations, and establishing a strong presence on digital platforms remain crucial to building up artists, as does simply doing the hard yards on the road. “Additionally, television programmes and music competitions provide an important platform for introducing new talents,” adds Karaarslan.

But even here, there are issues. “The Turkish market is exceptionally slow in its turnover of new artists and even slower when it comes to new genres,” says Hobbs. “There’s also precious little support for niche music of any kind and relatively little interest in local innovation of any kind.”

“Unfortunately, I expect the market to shrink over the next two years due to economic stagnation”

Opinions are also divided regarding the immediate future and when promoters will see a return to more favourable conditions. “Unfortunately, I expect the market to shrink over the next two years due to economic stagnation – we are beginning to see a decrease in spending due to efforts to lower the inflation rate,” says Yagci. “Generally, we assume more of the same,” adds Hobbs.

But Günal is more optimistic. “We believe that improving economic conditions – assuming it can’t get worse – will bring an opportunity for the worldwide touring artists. And Istanbul will again become an essential city on international acts’ tour programmes.”

“The market has the potential to become bigger and better over the next 12 to 36 months, due to the increasing interest in music among the young population and the ease of access to international artists through digitalisation,” adds Karaarslan. “As a country with a growing young population – and with new concert venues opening in metropolitan areas like Istanbul – this is a significant opportunity for promoters to strategise their future plans.”

Arena Market: Türkiye

Straddling Europe and Asia, Türkiye has long been a tourist hotspot and a somewhat unique destination for live music. But with ongoing political tension, a devasting earthquake in ’23, and an inflation crisis in ’22 – at one point, it reached an astonishing 85.5% – it’s been a tough few years for the sector and the venues that host international events and artists.

The largest indoor arena in Istanbul, Fenerbahçe Ülker Sports and Event Hall (13,500), is heavily invested in sport but occasionally hosts gigs. It’s more likely though that music stars will head to the Volkswagen Arena, on the European side of the Bosphorus Strait. Equipped with an “amplified” live performance infrastructure, the customisable arena can host various events, with capacities ranging from 100 to 6,500.

It’s hosted the likes of Dream Theater, Bob Dylan, and Steve Vai; with Fuerza Bruta Wayra and Plácido Domingo due later this year. “The number of events we’ve hosted throughout the years is increasing, and the content is diversifying,” says venue director Talia Esra Tezel. “We predict that occupancy will be even higher for the following 12 months.”

Located in Zincirlikuyu, in the heart of Istanbul, Zorlu Performing Arts Center is one of Europe’s largest and most well-equipped performing arts centres, with more than 55,000 sq m of space. It includes multiple stages and spaces, ranging from 120- to 6,000-cap, that can host all kinds of events.

“The number of events we’ve hosted throughout the years is increasing, and the content is diversifying”

 

“We hold over 1,000 events annually – around 35% of our programme is dedicated to foreign events – and in 2023 alone, we welcomed almost 600,000 guests,” says Filiz Ova, the centre’s general manager. “About 10-15% of cultural and artistic events in Türkiye take place at Zorlu PAC, and our team consists of over 100 experienced experts in their respective fields.”

It has hosted the prestigious Sónar Istanbul electronic music festival for nine years and has Black Pumas, Blonde Redhead, and Fontaines D.C. on this summer’s lineup.

As elsewhere, economic uncertainties and intense competition are among the biggest challenges. “We try to overcome these difficulties by filling the calendar as early as possible and controlling costs,” says Tezel. And Ova highlights a somewhat unique challenge, specific to Türkiye. “According to the Turkish Statistical Institute, one out of every ten people here does not attend cultural and artistic events,” she says. “There are several reasons behind this, such as financial, communication, and transportation barriers.”

Yet, the market continues to recover despite a tumultuous few years. Ova notes a growing interest in international events, particularly in Istanbul, and that the country’s cultural diversity is expanding, as various genres, such as jazz, electronic music, and metal, grow in popularity. “This trend creates a dynamic cultural atmosphere where young artists have the opportunity to showcase their talents,” she says.

“Considering the live entertainment market has not yet reached its saturation point, we believe that growth will continue, and both the number and diversity of events will increase,” adds Tezel. “And the most important power behind the live event industry is young people. This is why the sector is vibrant and has a positive outlook for the future.”