The Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (Türsab) has initiated legal proceedings to block 10 major foreign online booking platforms from the Turkish market, citing unfair competition and risks to consumer rights. The move targets some of the biggest names in global travel tech, including Airbnb, GetYourGuide, Viator, and Expedia.
The Push for Fair Competition
Türsab’s lawsuit argues that these international platforms operate in Turkey without the required local licenses and do not pay domestic taxes. This, the association claims, creates an unbalanced playing field that significantly disadvantages local travel agencies that comply with national regulations.
Turkish law mandates that only registered travel agencies are authorized to conduct sales, marketing, and booking services within the country.
Firuz Bağlıkaya, president of Türsab, clarified the association’s stance. “We have no problem with these companies,” he stated. “However, they need to establish agencies in Turkey and pay taxes, just like us. We cannot allow tax-free and unfair competition.”
The association also raised concerns about consumer protection, noting that without local registration, customers have no formal recourse to address complaints or seek refunds for unsatisfactory services.
A Call for Regulation Over Restriction
Not everyone in the local tourism industry agrees with Türsab’s legal approach. Erdoğan Altındiş, owner of short-term rental firm Manzara Istanbul, believes a ban is a counterproductive move in the digital age.
“This is a negative move, in this day and age one does not build barriers,” Altındiş told AGBI. “How can one block the digital world? People will always find a way.”
He advocates for a collaborative process where authorities work to regulate and integrate these foreign platforms into the market rather than attempting to shut them out completely.
A Contentious History
This is not the first time Türsab has taken legal action against a major global booking platform. In 2017, the association successfully won a case against Booking.com, which resulted in the platform being banned from the Turkish market for failing to meet the requirements of a licensed travel agency.
Despite the legal grey areas, foreign-based booking platforms remain widely used in Turkey, particularly by international tourists visiting the country.
About The Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (Türsab)
The Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (Türsab) is a professional organization established by law in 1972. Its primary objectives are to contribute to the development of the tourism industry, protect the professional ethics and solidarity of travel agencies, and address issues related to their operations. It represents the interests of thousands of travel agencies across Turkey.
Source: agbi.com
