TURSAB makes every endeavour to promote its relations and co-operation with international organisations as well as associations; federations, unions and trade organizations of other countries. TURSAB is efficiently represented on international platforms on every occasion. It is always prepared to exchange views, information and open to cooperation.

TURSAB is an affiliate member of,

• The World Tourism Organization - WTO

• The Group of National Travel Agencies’ and Tour Operators’ Association within the EU –ECTAA

It is also the member of

• Universal Federation of Travel Agents’ Association – UFTAA

• International Federation of Tour Operators - IFTO

• Pacific Asia Travel Association – PATA

• Japan Association of Travel Agents – JATA

In order to further promote relations and to prepare grounds for exchange of views and information amongst members and the colleagues of the industry, TURSAB hosted several major conventions including;

• The Association of Netherlands Travel Agencies – ANVR

• The Association of German Travel Agencies – DRV

• The Association of Israel Travel Agencies – ITTA

• American Society of Travel Agencies – ASTA

• SKAL World Congress

• Universal Federation of Travel Agents’ Association – UFTAA

• The Association of British Travel Agents – ABTA

• The Association of Spanish Travel Agencies – AEDAVE

• The Group of National Travel Agencies’ and Tour Operators’ Association within the EU – ECTAA

TURSAB also supported organizations of several international events as one of the main sponsors such as; WTO 12th General Assembly, SITE European University and ICCA Annual Congress. Talks continue for hosting other major events in the near future.

Visitors from the EU member countries to Turkey, constitute nearly 60 percent of the annual total. Since December 1999 Turkey has been a candidate to the EU membership and indeed achieved noticable progress towards accession to the EU. TURSAB has become the affiliate member of ECTAA following the approval of Turkey’s candidacy to the EU membership in December 1999 while its statue in ECTAA was observer member. TURSAB naturally places much emphasis on issues related to the accesion process, and makes every effort to further promote its already existing favorable relations with its counterparts as well as other organizations and travel trade entities in the EU member countries.

Turkey occupies a unique strategic position bridging Europe and Asia. It is a member of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation, while on the other hand it is a Mediterranean country. TURSAB, attaches great importance to the idea of regional cooperation in tourism, in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean regions as well as in the Balkans. Therefore it endeavours to promote its bilateral relations with its neighbors, and with the countries in its region as well as the multilateral relations and regional cooperation. With this approach, TURSAB has made attempts towards the formation of the Black Sea Tourism Cooperation B.S.T.C. and the Federation of Eastern Mediterranean Travel Agencies’ Associations FEMTA. The idea is shared and supported by several associations of the BSEC countries. Initial works were carried out for the B.S.T.C. project but organization has not yet materialised. So is the situation for FEMTA. The significance of cooperation among the Balkan countries travel associations has also been a topic of discussion on a number of occasions, in the meetings between TURSAB and its counterparts. TURSAB keeps its desire for an efficient cooperation which is also shared by its counterparts who participated in the meetings and believes that this can well produce very fruitful results though achievement of success in concrete terms needs lenghty decisive efforts.

TURSAB is represented in a considerable number of international events such as meetings, symposiums, fairs and others special events every year. In 2002 it participated in 25 international fairs, at the stands of the Ministry of Tourism of Turkey.

TURSAB maintains a consistent policy within the country and on international platforms sharing the universal values and principles in common with associations, federations of many countries and international organizations for the promotion of tourism and its proper management.

Considering contributions of tourism to the welfare of people, to international understanding and to the world peace process, TURSAB is determined to co-operate with all organizations concerned throughout the world.