Unfair competition claims against 10 platforms, including Airbnb and Expedia

Türkiye’s leading tourism organization filed a lawsuit seeking to block access to several foreign travel and booking platforms, including Airbnb and Expedia, citing unfair competition and a lack of regulation.

The Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TÜRSAB) said that it had applied for access restrictions on 10 international platforms that it claims operate in Türkiye without proper registration, operating licenses or tax compliance.

In a statement, TÜRSAB argued that global sales, marketing and reservation portals dominate the market while operating informally and outside Türkiye’s legal and regulatory framework, despite presenting themselves as consumer-friendly services. (By the way I have a story here about the Turkish tourism industry)

Lawsuit targets 10 platforms, including Airbnb, Expedia and Hotels.com

The association claimed the platforms leave consumers without a clear legal counterpart in Türkiye in the event of disputes and are not subject to the same oversight, documentation or obligations as licensed travel agencies.

TÜRSAB said this brings unfair competition for domestic agencies, which operate under strict regulatory authority and legal responsibilities.

The lawsuit targets Airbnb, Expedia, GetYourGuide, Viator, Isango, ToursByLocals, Agoda, Trip.com, Hotels.com and Musement.