Marble İzmir is held for the 31st Time

One of the world’s most important gatherings of the natural stone industry, Marble İzmir – 31st International Natural Stone and Technologies Fair, is taking place for the 31st time at Fuarizmir between 14–17 April 2026.

Hosted by İzmir Metropolitan Municipality and organized by İZFAŞ, Marble İzmir brings together all components of the natural stone industry—from production and design to technology and trade. Türkiye’s strong potential in natural stone reserves and diversity is once again presented to international markets through Marble İzmir with companies from across the country and participants from around the world taking part in the fair.

Strong international participation, expanded hosted buyer program

Despite global developments and the impact of increasing uncertainties in the Middle East on trade, Marble İzmir continues to stand out as a reliable and sustainable meeting point for the industry. Built on long-term commercial relationships, the natural stone sector maintains its momentum even in such periods, while the fair ensures the continuity of commercial dialogue by bringing together stakeholders from different regions.

As part of the hosted buyer program carried out with the support of the Ministry of Trade and in cooperation with the Aegean Mineral Exporters’ Association, along with İZFAŞ’s international initiatives, qualified buyers and industry professionals from various regions—particularly the United States, China, India, Mexico, Russia and European countries—are welcomed in İzmir. In addition, 110 hosted buyers from 38 countries have registered via online channels, along with more than 1,300 visitors from across Türkiye and over 50 countries, while tens of thousands of industry professionals are expected to visit the fair. With this strong international participation, Marble İzmir offers a key platform for direct business engagement.

Spanning over 150,000 square meters

Marble İzmir spans more than 150,000 square meters of indoor and outdoor exhibition space. The outdoor area features block marble and heavy machinery, while natural stone companies exhibit in Halls A and B, as well as machinery and technology companies are located in Hall C.

D-ESIGN Arena: a focus on design and experience

Hall D stands out as one of the most dynamic areas of the fair, redesigned this year under the “D-ESIGN Arena” concept. Bringing together design, art and commerce, the area hosts Marble Talks sessions with architects, academics and industry professionals, along with scheduled business meetings and special events.

The Sculpture Workshop, highlighting the artistic dimension of natural stone, showcases works created by artists from different cities of Türkiye. These works are exhibited throughout the fair at the D-ESIGN Arena and are planned to be placed in various locations across İzmir after the event, contributing permanently to the city’s cultural life. The 8th International Natural Stone Design Competition continues to represent one of the most concrete examples of value-added transformation in natural stone. This year, 724 projects from students representing 67 universities in 8 countries were submitted, with 19 finalist designs produced and exhibited in the same hall.

Strengthening international collaborations

One of this year’s highlights is the strengthening of international collaborations. The partnership with the Italian Marble Machinery Manufacturers’ Confederation paves the way for new commercial and technical opportunities with Europe, particularly in machinery and technology, while further reinforcing the fair’s international position. This collaboration aims to enhance knowledge and technology sharing within the sector and strengthen the global competitiveness of the Turkish natural stone industry.

Contribution to the economy and exports

The impact of Marble İzmir extends beyond the exhibition grounds. Hosting tens of thousands of visitors each year, the event generates significant economic activity across sectors such as accommodation, transportation, food and beverage, and as well as logistics. While this creates short-term momentum for the city’s economy, it also strengthens İzmir’s position as an international trade and exhibition hub in the long term.

The export performance of the natural stone sector has developed in parallel with Marble İzmir, increasing from approximately 77 million dollars in its early years to over 2 billion dollars today. With the fair being included in the “prestigious fairs” category by the Ministry of Trade, participating companies can benefit from support of up to approximately 1,292,800 TL. Additional square meter-based support provided by the İzmir Chamber of Commerce also contributes to stronger participation.

In its 31st year, Marble İzmir continues to serve as a powerful platform where the global natural stone industry comes together, bringing trade, design and technology under one roof.