Booking.com set for return after 9 years

ANKARA

Two tourists walk at Istanbul’s popular İstiklal Street in Taksim.

Nine years after being blocked from offering domestic bookings in Türkiye, online travel giant Booking.com may soon return as the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) begins collecting signatures for a new Culture and Tourism Ministry-backed regulation.

Suspended in 2017 following court rulings over tax evasion and unfair competition, the platform had been restricted to handling foreign travel for Turkish users. The proposed law will clear the way for the travel giant to fully restart domestic and international booking services across Türkiye.

The platform, widely preferred by travelers for holiday planning, currently serves users in Türkiye solely for international reservations. The new framework will clear the path for the platform to re-establish domestic operations, addressing previous legal objections regarding unpaid taxes and unfair commercial advantage.

The legislative initiative follows a legal campaign by the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TÜRSAB) seeking court orders to block access to 10 foreign-based online platforms, including Airbnb, Expedia, Hotels.com, Agoda, GetYourGuide, Viator, Isango, ToursByLocals, Trip.com and Musement.

TÜRSAB initiated proceedings against the companies for operating without local registration, licenses or tax compliance, creating severe competitive disadvantages for domestic travel agencies. Under Turkish law regarding travel agencies, only registered entities are authorized to perform booking, sales, marketing and promotion services.

Unlicensed global platforms operate without regulatory oversight under the guise of customer convenience, leaving travelers with no legal recourse while undermining the country’s tourism industry, according to TÜRSAB.