Türkiye Dismisses Rumors of Mass Hotel Closures
Claims of mass hotel closures in Türkiye are unfounded, industry experts say, calling the situation a standard administrative process rather than a crisis.
Orhan Sancar, a senior figure at one of Türkiye’s leading tourism holdings, clarified that recent actions targeting hotels were aimed at addressing technical and administrative compliance issues. He emphasized that this is not indicative of a tourism crisis.
The controversy was sparked by Turkish lawyer Abide Saral’s claims that around 4,000 hotels had been sealed due to lack of tourism facility certification. However, Sancar explained that since 2021, many hotels have been operating temporarily with local permissions and were required to obtain official certificates within six months — a deadline some missed.
“These are temporary measures. The hotels are actively working to correct the issues,” Sancar said, adding that agencies are being notified in cases where reservations might be impacted.
He advised travelers to check their hotel’s certification status and confirm bookings before departure, stressing: “There is no crisis. No tourist will be left without accommodation, but for peace of mind, it’s best to reconfirm your reservation.”
Authorities and tourism professionals urged the public to rely only on official sources and avoid spreading unverified information.
