Spanish multinational technology giant in the travel industry Amadeus held an opening ceremony for its new R&D center in Istanbul. Attended by government officials, customers, and other stakeholders, the ceremony provided guests with insights into Amadeus's vision, strategy, and achievements in Türkiye, while also underscoring its commitment to investment, job creation, and technological innovation in Türkiye.
Keynote speeches were delivered by the Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır; Investment Office President A. Burak Dağlıoğlu; and Amadeus Travel Unit President and Executive Committee Member Decius Valmorbida.
Minister Kacır praised Türkiye's robust technology ecosystem built over the past two decades, citing key facts and figures in Türkiye's R&D market: “Today, we have 102 technoparks hosting over 10,000 tech companies, more than 1,600 R&D and design centers in the private sector, and 272,000 R&D employees. They constitute the core of Türkiye's technology ecosystem." Kacır promised support for Amadeus' efforts to leverage Türkiye's value proposition and defined the recent investment as a potential accelerator for driving the technological transformation of Türkiye's vital aviation and tourism sectors.
Acknowledging Amadeus' commitment to establishing the R&D center, Dağlıoğlu thanked the Amadeus team for their dedication. He highlighted Türkiye's ambitious goal to become one of the world's top 10 economies in the Türkiye Century, emphasizing Istanbul's strategic importance as a global meeting point. Touching on bilateral relations with Spain, Dağlıoğlu said, "Spain and Türkiye share unique ties, with over 700 companies operating in Türkiye with Spanish capital and a trading volume of around USD 20 billion. This sizable community reflects a total FDI stock in the country exceeding USD 13 billion."
Valmorbida shared Amadeus's success story in Türkiye, noting that it started with only 84 people before growing into the recently built R&D center, which happens to be the company's third-largest center globally. He also highlighted Türkiye's importance as a global player, stating, “Türkiye is a world reference, not just for its remarkable history and cultural heritage and its economic relevance both in Europe and Asia, but also for its increasing economic openness and collaboration with different countries."
Amadeus has been operational in Türkiye since 1994, serving various segments including travel agencies, airlines, hotels, airports, and destination management organizations. The company currently employs approximately 500 people.