''Assessment and Informational Meeting of 2013-2014'' of the Turkish Federation of Shopping Centres and Retailers (TAMPF ) was organized. The representatives of the associations found under the umbrella of this federation and about 200 members participated in the meeting where data related to the sector and the most recent developments were addressed.
Vahap Küçük, the Chairman of TAMPF, expressed in the speech he delivered at the opening ceremony of the meeting that the stable improvement of the Turkish economy has been appreciated by locals and foreigners in the last 10 years but developments that may jeopardize the stability of this improvement have been experienced particularly in the second half of the year. Pointing out to the developments that may hinder the stable recovery process that Turkey had been maintaining for the last 10 years took place in the second half of 2013, Küçük stated that: “None of us has the opportunity of saying that the stability of the economy and the developments that will affect this stability are not of particular concern to us. On the contrary, economic stability is an essential requirement as much as air and water for each individual wishing to take steps forward. All of us stand shoulder to shoulder, work hard to carry this beautiful country a step further and strive at contributing to its position. I want to emphasize once more that the one and only concern of us is to carry this beautiful country, the trust of our children to us, steps forward.”
South-eastern and Eastern Regions Provide Unique Opportunities
Stressing that contribution to the country is the highest honour and in this direction, unity and integrity of the country is the most significant priority for them, Küçük continued by saying: “South-Eastern and Eastern Regions provide unique opportunities. The ready firms should expand to foreign countries. I hope that we will not experience the negative events of the previous year in 2014. In 2014, a new trade and employment area covering 1,5 million square meters will be created. The modern retail sector will reach a record turnover of $ 115 billion in 2014 with a growth of 15 %. Total retail market which closed the year 2013 with an amount of $ 215 billion will reach $ 250 billion in 2014. In modern retail sector, about 800 thousand individuals will be employed. By the end of 2014, the total number of the branches of the Turkish brands in foreign countries will reach 4 thousand.”
Stating that modern retail sector recorded a turnover of $ 100 billion in 2013 and increased the number of employees to about 700 thousand in 2013, Küçük added that they provided employment for a new 100 thousand individuals in the previous year and the number of employees reached to 700 thousand individuals in the modern retail sector. Expressing that the enterprises should focus on how to survive in 2014, Vahap Küçük said that: “We need to postpone higher amounts of profit and growth to upcoming years. Cash management is the top priority. It gets ahead of both profit and growth.”.
