The activities of the Netherlands-based online reservation portal Booking.com in Turkey were suspended after the Turkish Travel Agencies Association (TÜRSAB) filed a lawsuit against the leading online travel agency. Ministry of Culture and Tourism's Assistant General Manager of Promotions Ahmet Temurci recently announced the start of negotiations with Booking.com. Temurci stated that Booking.com, which has agreed to pay the necessary fines, can soon resume its operation in the Turkish market.

Hosted by the Turkish Independent Industrialists and Businessmen Association's (MÜSİAD) Antalya branch, the "Turkey Consultancy Meeting" was organized by the MUSİAD Services Sector Council under the main theme of "Tourism Trends in Turkey." Temurci, who attended the said meeting, later announced the start of negotiations with the leading online travel agency.

Noting that the restrictions on Booking.com solely covers reservations in Turkey, Temurci said it is still possible for users to make reservations in Turkey from abroad and vice versa via the company's website.

Temurci said the company will resume its operations in Turkey after renewing the website. "This is not a problem that Booking.com has faced in Turkey alone. Similar lawsuits are ongoing in France and Germany, as well," Temurci said.