Izmir enters the radar of international investors more than ever as it increasingly becomes a shining star among the prominent cities of the world due to its logistical superiority, thanks to investments such as highways and ports that further strengthen land and marine connections to Europe.

“Future European Cities and Regions 2022/2023 Report" by fDi Intelligence, a journal that conducts research on investment incentives and economic development solutions around the world, compares the most promising investment destinations in Europe and shows Izmir among the top 10 major cities and regions of Europe in the business-friendly and cost-effectiveness categories and evaluates it as one of the attractive locations in Europe in terms of investment. The fact that the number of foreign capital companies operating in Izmir increased by 90 percent in 10 years and increased from 1502 in 2010 to 2822 companies in 2020, proves that the city is an attractive location in terms of foreign capital investments.

The need to respond to the interest of investors, which will increase in parallel with these emerging advantages, has brought a new free zone to Izmir and the feasibility studies have pointed to Bergama, which is the intersection point of land and sea connections, as the most accurate location in this regard.  With the approval of the central government, Türkiye's 19th free zone was established in Bergama by the Western Anatolia Free Zone Development and Operating Co.

When the Western Anatolia Free Zone, which has an area of 2.5 million square meters, reaches full capacity, it will provide direct employment to 20 thousand people, will boost the economy of Izmir and the country by realizing an annual trade volume of over $ 4 billion and exports over $ 2 billion, and will change the fate of the North Aegean Region. Western Anatolia Free Zone, which has the shortest and fastest highway connection to Europe by bypassing Istanbul with the Dardanelles Bridge, is also connected to the world by sea with the ports in Aliağa Nemrut Bay. With the completion of the North Aegean Port to be built in Çandarlı, the Western Anatolia Free Zone will have a great advantage in transporting its production to global markets with huge container ships operating in transit. This will provide a great advantage to global companies that are looking to sell their products to the world by using the production advantages of the Aegean Region. 

We will continue to strive to achieve the best business results to reach our goals in Western Anatolia Free Zone in Bergama. I would like to extend my gratitude for the trust that has been placed on us in establishing a new center of excellence in Bergama.