Booking.com poised to resume hotel bookings in Turkey after nine‑year ban

Turkey's Grand National Assembly is preparing to consider a nine‑point tourism bill drafted by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) at the request of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The draft, slated for submission to the TBMM Presidency tomorrow, includes a provision to lift the restriction on Booking.com’s ability to accept reservations for hotels located inside Turkey.

Since 2017, Booking.com has been barred from processing bookings for Turkish accommodation due to accusations of unfair competition and failure to meet sectoral obligations. The platform still permits Turkish users to book abroad, but domestic hotel listings have been inaccessible. If the legislation is approved, the ban will be removed and the global online travel agency can operate fully in the Turkish market, a change closely watched by the hospitality industry.