Turkish economy minister to meet Booking.com officials on June 22 after suspension

ANKARA

Economy Minister Nihat Zeybeci has said he will meet Booking.com officials on June 22, nearly three months after the activities of the online reservation website were blocked in the country, as reported by Reuters.

Speaking to reporters during a signing ceremony in the capital Ankara, Zeybekci said the meeting with Booking.com officials will be held on June 22.

The minister’s meeting will come nearly three months after the country blocked access to the website following a suspension of its activities over unfair competition.

An Istanbul court on March 29 ordered the suspension of the activities of Booking.com in the country, citing accusations of unfair competition, following a lawsuit filed by the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TÜRSAB). 

The website, which had around 13,000 hotel members from Turkey, halted selling rooms in Turkey to Turkish users on March 30, one day after the court decided to block the website in the country.  However, it can still be used from foreign countries to make reservations for Turkish hotels.

Dozens of legal and real persons immediately flocked to the courtroom to voice their opposition to the Booking.com ban, citing the losses they have incurred from the decision.

Late in May, an Istanbul court had rejected an objection by the website over its suspension.