In Antalya region, busy tourism season is 5-6 months of the year. Many “pirate” agencies open during the high season of June-July-August, to earn some money and close at the end of August.
Taking service from these kinds of agencies may risk your whole holiday time-wise, money-wise and health-wise. They cannot benefit from any rights (like insurance) government is giving, neither can you!
Legal agencies are open 12 months of the year and here are some tips to see if an agency is legal or not;
1. Ask for their Turkish Travel Agencies Association (TURSAB) Licence
All travel agencies in Turkey has to be registered to TURSAB. Without TURSAB’s permission, they can’t operate and serve to tourists. Keep in mind that people sometimes use other agencies’ licences. So if the name of the agency is A, the name on the licence should be A. Not something else.
2. Look for Tax Documents on the wall.
Legally operationg agencies are registered to government, and it is an obligation to hang their tax documents on the wall, where everyone can easily see. Turkey is normally a cheap country, but if you get incredible discounts from an agency, doubt that it may not be registered to government, which enables it to lower the price because of not paying tax.
3. Make basic observation.
Look at the office. Look at the dressing style of the staff. Look how they are reacting to things like TURSAB licence or Tax Documents. In Turkey and particularly in Kemer, you can have an idea about the agency and the staff, at the moment you enter the office and start to talk with them. Do they look like a solid Corporate or do they look like they can run in any second? Making simple observations and evaluating their services, will save you a lot of money and time.
Go to our Documents Page to see our licenses and certificates.
