Minister Ersoy stated that the claims suggesting Booking.com's activities in Türkiye were hindered by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism did not reflect the truth. He mentioned, "In 2015, the Turkish Travel Agencies Association (TÜRSAB) filed a lawsuit against Booking.com, citing non-payment of taxes and creating unfair competition. In 2017, the court issued a preliminary injunction, and the decision on the case was made in 2019. The decision indicated that the company failed to pay taxes, did not obtain the necessary permits to establish a business, and avoided administrative and legal controls by operating through digital and fixed premises. It was emphasized that this prevented their scrutiny."
Ersoy noted that the court's decision stated, "If you agree to operate in compliance with the tax legislation, commercial laws, and consumer laws in Türkiye, you can continue your operations. Otherwise, you cannot conduct your activities."
Ersoy emphasized, "Ultimately, there hasn't been an obstruction by the ministry. There's a lawsuit initiated by the Turkish Travel Agencies Association in 2015, and there's a final court decision. Similarly, in accordance with the court ruling, dozens of foreign-origin global booking engines operate in our country, complying with Turkish tax legislation, laws, and consumer laws."
