Antalya is about to get very busy. From November 9-20, the Turkish resort city hosts COP31, the 31st UN climate summit, and this year's agenda leans heavily on money: climate finance, green investment and how to actually fund the transition to a low-carbon economy.
Thousands of delegates are expected, drawing in development banks, think tanks and the business community alongside the usual diplomatic contingents. Big names on the participant list include the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the Asian Development Bank and Türkiye's own Investment and Finance Office, plus leading Turkish banks and energy groups.
The headline event within the event is a dedicated Business & Investment Summit on November 12-13, coordinated by TOBB, Türkiye's union of chambers and commodity exchanges. Organisers are calling it the largest business summit in COP history, pulling in international chambers of commerce, global corporations, investment funds, financial institutions and tech companies. The idea is to move beyond pledges and match climate goals with real capital and delivery capacity, with sectors from energy and industry to food and infrastructure on the guest list.
Türkiye's Presidency Investment and Finance Office is running its own parallel programme on green investments, sustainable finance and international partnerships, aiming to position the country as a hub for sustainable investment. Topics on the wider agenda include electrification, the role of digital technologies in climate finance, green industrialisation, adaptation and resilience, and zero waste. EBRD President Odile Renaud-Basso has publicly backed the host's Action Agenda, tying it to the bank's Green Economy Transition Strategy for 2026-30.
For travellers, the practical takeaway is simple: if you were dreaming of an autumn escape to Antalya in mid-November, expect a city operating at summit tempo. Hotel availability, restaurant tables and transport around the conference zone will be under pressure for those two weeks, especially around the November 12-13 business summit. On the flip side, Antalya in November still offers mild Mediterranean weather outside the conference bubble, and travellers who shift dates slightly either side of the summit can enjoy the coast without the crowds or the security cordons. It's also a rare chance to see a major international event transform one of Türkiye's most visited holiday cities.
