Tourism season begins with a crisis

With a regulation that came into effect in 2021, it became mandatory for all accommodation facilities to obtain a tourism operation certificate. However, many facilities wishing to obtain this certificate are unable to complete the process due to staff shortages at the Ministry. Even those that have received licenses from municipalities are being shut down without Ministry approval.

This situation has caused many hotels to miss the season. According to a report by Birgün, international investment expert and lawyer Abide Gülel Saral stated that the closed hotels are leading to losses in employment and foreign currency, noting that the hope for tourism to alleviate the economic crisis is disappearing.

The Constitutional Court annulled the certification requirement on October 17, 2024, and granted the Ministry 9 months to amend the law. However, during this period, the sealing operations have not stopped; on the contrary, they have accelerated.

Serdar Karcılıoğlu, Honorary Founding President of the Bodrum Professional Hotel Managers Association (BOYD), stated that the crisis is the result of wrong decisions made behind closed doors. Karcılıoğlu said that only 200 out of 4,000 hotels have been able to obtain the certificate, and the others will either open illegally or remain closed. Furthermore, stating that this summer will be even worse than last year's poor season, he called for the urgent establishment of a solution desk.

Hotels that have been sealed are not under an obligation to provide refunds to their guests. Hotels without a tourism operation certificate cannot be listed on agency platforms. For reservations made through agencies, customers must be placed in an equivalent facility. However, those who make reservations through the hotel's own website or call center must verify the validity of the hotel's certificate in writing.

News Source: 12punto