Aegean Exporters Aim to Increase Export Figures

Exporters from the Aegean region, who generated USD 42.6 billion in foreign currency for Turkey during the centenary of the Republic, have developed an intensive marketing activity program for 2024 to increase export figures in the Republic's second century. The first marketing initiative of Aegean exporters in 2024 came from the Aegean Leather and Leather Products Exporters Association. The Turkish footwear sector, which has reached a 65 percent share in leather sector exports through its activities over the past 20 years, is preparing to make a landing in Italy to further strengthen its export position in the Republic's second century. Turkish footwear and leather goods exporters will participate with 37 companies under the national participation organization of the Aegean Leather and Leather Products Exporters Association at the Expo Riva Schuh Garda Bags Fair to be held in Riva Del Garda, Italy on 13-16 January 2024. The Aegean Leather and Leather Products Exporters Association, which has been a leader in digitalization initiatives in world trade and organized the world's first virtual fair, will present its virtual reality project called "See on Foot" with new software to importers at the Garda Fair. Erkan Zandar, Chairman of the Aegean Leather and Leather Products Exporters Association, noting that Turkey's leather and leather products exports declined by 9.5 percent from USD 2.506 billion to USD 1.860 billion in 2023 due to recession in the European Union and high inflation-driven weak currency pressure in Turkey, said they aim to stop the sector's export decline through fairs, trade delegations and buying delegations in 2024. [caption id="attachment_159050" align="aligncenter"] Erkan Zandar[/caption]

We will conduct trade by taking risks

Stating that the sector is going through a difficult period, Zandar said, "The footwear and leather goods sectors, facing sharply rising labor costs and stagnant exchange rates, will quote prices for the 2024/25 winter season at the Garda Fair. A wrong calculation means a six-month loss. Our sector, which is forced to quote prices by calculating the exchange rate as high, will again conduct trade by taking considerable risk." Providing information about the services that the Aegean Leather and Leather Products Exporters Association will offer to participating companies in the Expo Riva Schuh Fair national participation organization, Zandar said, "We will display our participating companies' products with augmented reality technology in the EİB metaverse infrastructure for the third time. The products presented by our companies at the fair will be modeled with realistic texture and reflection using software specially developed for EİB and integrated into the system in three dimensions. EİB Metaverse trend area visitors will be able to examine products in 360 degrees and, with the project developed differently from previous editions, will have the opportunity to try footwear products they select in the digital environment on their own feet through an integrated kiosk with the system. Company logos, price ranges, product codes, technical specifications of products and company contact information will be integrated into the modeled environment, enabling fair visitors to visit the digital stands of our participating companies from wherever they are and examine the products." Mentioning that they plan sectoral trade delegations to Kazakhstan and Saudi Arabia in addition to the Italy Expo Riva Schuh Fair in 2024, Zandar added that they aim to maintain Turkey's overall export figure of USD 1.4 billion in footwear and leather goods sectors through marketing activities they will conduct in 2024.