The Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TÜRSAB) has filed a lawsuit seeking access blocking against 10 global travel portals, including Airbnb, Expedia, and Agoda, on the grounds that they cause unfair competition in the tourism sector and operate unlawfully.
Emphasis on Unregistered Activity and Lack of Oversight
In a statement issued by TÜRSAB, it was noted that the platforms in question operate in Türkiye without establishing any company, without being subject to taxation, and outside official regulatory and supervisory mechanisms. The Association argued that this situation creates unfair competition for travel agencies and lays the groundwork for consumer grievances.
The 10 Global Travel Platforms Subject to the Lawsuit
The platforms against which lawsuits seeking access blocking have been filed are listed as follows:
Airbnb, Expedia, GetYourGuide, Viator, Isango, ToursByLocals, Agoda, Trip.com, Hotels.com, Musement
“Authority Belongs to TÜRSAB Member Agencies”
Drawing attention to Law No. 1618 on Travel Agencies and the Association of Travel Agencies, TÜRSAB emphasised that sales, marketing, promotion, and reservation services in Türkiye may only be carried out by travel agencies that are members of TÜRSAB.
The statement added that global portals have taken control of the market under the perception that they “provide convenience to consumers”, yet consumers face difficulties in finding a legal counterpart when problems arise.
TÜRSAB: “We Are Determined Against Unfair Competition”
The Association included the following statements in its announcement:
“Global travel portals operating in Türkiye without establishing any company, without licences, without paying taxes, and without oversight constitute unfair competition against travel agencies.
For this reason, a lawsuit has been filed seeking access blocking to the said portals in order to prevent unfair competition, halt unlawful activities, and avert consumer grievances.”
TÜRSAB also underlined that it will resolutely continue its legal struggle against all unregistered structures in the tourism economy, regardless of the size or global power of the platforms.
