TRAVEL AGENCY OPERATING CERTIFICATE APPLICATION
TRAVEL AGENCY OPERATING CERTIFICATE APPLICATION
PROCESS TIME
The legal person who wishes to obtain a travel agency operating license is expected to apply to the T.R. Ministry of Culture and Tourism with a petition and a document regarding trademark registration to obtain the title of the travel agency. For information about the application, the address you need to visit is: https://yigm.ktb.gov.tr/
If the agency title is approved by the T.R. Ministry of Culture and Tourism, an application is made to TÜRSAB with the relevant postal notification document and the following documents within 30 (thirty) days from the date of approval.
The application file includes an examination and evaluation by TÜRSAB. Then, workplace compliance inspection is carried out by our Association at the notified address. After the examination, evaluation, and inspection of the application file to comply with the relevant legislation, the "member registration fee" and "annual subscription fee" are requested from the applicant for the termination of his membership to our Association.
TÜRSAB conveys its opinion on the result of the application to the relevant Ministry. On the other hand, for applications that are not found appropriate, the applicant is informed about the reason why the application is not suitable. If any deficiency is found as a result of the examination carried out by the T.R. Ministry of Culture and Tourism, this deficiency is reported to TÜRSAB.
If the application is deemed appropriate by the relevant Ministry, Authority Approval is issued for the preparation of the "Travel Agency Operating Certificate". After the Authority Approval, the Travel Agency Operating Certificate is prepared and forwarded to TÜRSAB. This business license is forwarded to the Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism, to which it is affiliated, to be delivered to the applicant by the relevant Ministry.
DISCONTINUATION
If no application is made to TÜRSAB within 30 (thirty) days from the Ministry's notification of the eligibility of the Agency title, or if the missing documents or transactions notified by TÜRSAB after the application to TÜRSAB is not completed within 30 (thirty) days from the notification date, the application is removed from the process. In addition, if false documents are submitted or statements are made, the application is removed from the process.
MEMBERSHIP CANCELLATION AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION
If the "Travel Agency Operating Certificate" application, which is notified to the relevant Ministry after being approved by TÜRSAB, is not approved by the relevant Ministry, the membership application is canceled. Member registration fee is refunded by TÜRSAB.
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
1. Application Petition
2. Original Certificate of Trade Registry
The current Trade Registry Certificate containing the address and representation authorities of the applicant's legal entity
3. (Appendix-2) Original Judicial Registry Statement
T.R Identity Number and Judicial Registry Statement in Annex-2 of the members of the board of directors and the person or persons authorized to represent the company in joint stock companies, managers and authorized person or persons in limited companies
4. Signature Circular Original or Notarized Copy
5. Travel Agency Establishment Guarantee Original
- The original of the letter of guarantee to be issued under the 29th article of the Travel Agencies and Travel Agencies Association Regulation and the amount of the 30th article, or
- From the applicant's legal entity account to account number 350 154 021-9 of the Central Accounting Office of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism at the Ankara Branch of the Central Bank (IBAN NO: TR 890 000 100 100 000 350 154 021), the original of the transaction receipt with the title deemed appropriate by the Ministry in the explanation part. It is obligatory to be submitted (stamped and signed by the relevant bank).
6. (Appendix-1) Agency Title Commitment Original
It is an undertaking stating that changes can be made in the agency title if deemed necessary by the Ministry.
7. Personnel document required to be employed in a Travel Agency
At least one staff member with one of the following qualifications is employed in Travel Agency headquarters and branches:
- The original or certified copy of the certificate of graduation belonging to persons who have completed vocational high school, associate degree, or undergraduate education in hotel management and tourism
- Information officer foreign language certificate of achievement
- The original or certified copy of the guiding document issued by the Ministry
(Those who have an information officer certificate of achievement in C group travel agencies can be employed instead of personnel with the qualifications specified in the first paragraph.)
8. SSI Recruitment Statement showing that the employees whose documents are submitted works within the company or SGK Insured Service List of the applicant legal entity for the last period
9. (Appendix-3) Statement regarding the personnel to be employed.
10. Travel Agency Information Update Form Original
11. (Appendix-4) Trade Registry Gazette Original Statement
A statement containing the date and number of the Trade Registry Gazette showing the Articles of Association and its Partners and Managers if it is a Legal Entity Limited Company, the Articles of Association and the Information of the Board of Directors and Representation Authorities if it is a Joint Stock Company.
REQUESTED FORM AND APPLICATIONS
1. Appendix – 1
2. Appendix – 2
3. Appendix – 3
4. Appendix – 4
5. Travel Agency Information Update Form
6. New Document Application Petition
7. Example of Letter of Guarantee
8. Signature Circulars
The original or notarized copy of the document including the signature samples of the representative of an institution or organization.
9. Trade Certificate of Registry
Registry Certification Prepared According to Article 16 of the Trade Registry Regulation,
MERSIS number, Trade name, in real person commercial enterprises, the name and surname of the business owner, place of residence and identity number, head office of the business, the address of the branch in the branches, the business area of the business, the capital allocated to the business, authorized to represent the business at the time of issuing the document that shows what happened.
10. Guarantee
• If it is to be given as a letter of guarantee, the title of the agency and the trade name must be present in the letter of guarantee.
• Guarantees other than letters of guarantee; The original receipt deposited in the "Tahsilat Hesabı TR89 0000 1001 0000 0350 1540 21 IBAN" account of the T.R. Ministry of Culture and Tourism's Central Accounting Office or is deposited to the Central Accounting Unit of the Ministry through the accounting units of the relevant Ministry's Central Accounting Unit or provincial or districts general budget offices. (Original receipt must be stamped and signed. In addition, the commercial title of the sender (provided that there is no personal name in any way) in the receipt, the agency title obtained from the T.R. Ministry of Culture and Tourism must be written in the explanation part.
• For Group A: 7,000,00.-TL (Seven thousand Turkish Liras)
• For group B: 6,000,00.-TL (Six thousand Turkish Liras)
• For group C: 5,000,00.-TL (Five thousand Turkish Lira)
and these amounts should be 25% for each branch.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. What are the Travel Agencies groups and their differences?
Travel agencies are divided into 3 main groups according to the services they provide:
Group A Travel Agencies: Provides all travel agency services.
Group B Travel Agencies: International land, sea and air vehicles
Group C Travel Agencies: They organize domestic tours only for Turkish citizens.
(B) and (C) group travel agencies cannot apply other travel agency services other than their services. However, they can offer the services of (A) group travel agencies.
2. What are the member registration fee and annual subscription fee paid to the association, how are these amounts determined?
Member registration fee and annual subscription fee are determined under Article 298, which reiterates the Tax Procedure Law No. 213 for that year, valid from the beginning of each year. It is applied by increasing the rate of re-evaluation announced.
Member entrance fee determined for 2023 is 226,856.51 TL.
(Member registration fee is collected for once during this membership process. In case the membership to the Association is finalized by issuing the operating certificate by the Ministry, it is not refunded.)
The annual fee for 2023 is 11,342.83 TL. (It is determined under Article 298, which reiterates the Tax Procedure Law No. 213, including the year the operation certificate was approved by the Ministry. It is collected every year at the announced re-evaluation rate.)
3. What are the collateral amounts to be ordered by the Ministry?
7,000,00 TL for A group travel agency
6,000,00 TL for B group travel agency
5,000,00 TL for C group travel agency
and 25% of the aforementioned price must be issued for each branch.
4. If the collateral is in cash, what are the Ministry account information to which the amount will be deposited and what are the points to be considered regarding the payment?
Transferring the payment from the company account to the account number 350 154 021-9 (IBAN NO: TR 890 000 100 100 000 350 154 021) at the Ankara Branch of the T.R. Central Bank, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Central Accounting Office of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism by writing the title deemed appropriate by the Ministry in the explanation part and transferring the payment to the relevant bank. It must be submitted with a stamped signature by the bank.
5. At which stage of the business license application can the Travel Agency activities be started?
The title of Travel Agency is obtained by becoming a member of TÜRSAB and receiving the business license issued according to the relevant Ministry. For this reason, Travel Agency activities to be carried out until the certificate is received are defined as “operation without a certificate of operation” under the law numbered 1618 and there are criminal sanctions.
6. If the application for a business license is not approved by TÜRSAB or the relevant Ministry, how is the Member Registration Fee, Annual Fee and Guarantee deposited to TÜRSAB or the Ministry refunded?
When the application file is withdrawn from the process, the membership registration fee and annual fee deposited to the Association are returned. For the return of the Ministry guarantee, the applicant must apply directly to return.
7. Who can submit the application file?
The applicant can be delivered by persons authorized by the legal entity. During the application, the person must submit the document regarding the said authorization.