New Framework for Booking and Similar Platforms: 17% Commission Cap for Hotels on the Agenda

A comprehensive proposal that could reshape the working conditions of hotels in Turkey with foreign digital platforms such as Booking.com, Airbnb, and similar platforms is on the agenda of the Turkish Grand National Assembly.

The Foreign Digital Accommodation Platforms Law Proposal was submitted to the Speaker of the Assembly on August 10, 2026, with the signatures of AK Party deputies. The proposal, numbered 2/3803, is currently in the Public Works, Transport, and Tourism Commission as of August 20; the Digital Media Commission and the Industry, Trade, Energy, Natural Resources, Information, and Technology Commission are in a secondary commission position. Therefore, the regulation has not yet come into force.

One of the most notable provisions of the proposal for hotel businesses is the limitation on the total amount that foreign digital accommodation platforms can collect from sales.

According to the draft, the total amount received by the platform, regardless of the name under which it is charged, including commission, service, and brokerage, cannot exceed 17% of the sales price excluding VAT. If this limit is exceeded, an administrative fine of up to 10 times the unfairly collected amount is foreseen. Repeated violations may lead to the cancellation of the permit.

Permit and Representative Requirement in Turkey

The proposal does not only regulate commissions.

It is planned that foreign digital accommodation platforms must obtain a two-year valid permit from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism to operate in Turkey. The initial fee for the permit has been set at 5 million TL; it is anticipated that this amount will be increased annually according to the revaluation rate and can be changed within certain limits by the President.

Platforms will also need to appoint an authorized representative in Turkey. If the representative is a natural person, they must be a Turkish citizen and reside in Turkey; if a legal entity is chosen, at least one of the authorized representatives of the company must meet these conditions.

Conditions such as being liable for digital services tax, having no tax debt, and having a contact address suitable for notification in Turkey are also included in the proposal.

Hotels Can Change Their Prices on Other Channels

Another section of the proposal that is as important as the minimum commission limit for hotel operators is the provisions limiting the interference of platforms in commercial relationships.

According to the text, foreign platforms cannot prevent accommodation businesses from selling rooms or advertising at the same or different prices on other channels. Additionally, they cannot use contract provisions that force hotels into unilateral price changes or campaigns.

This regulation could be significant for hotels to develop different sales strategies through their own website, call center, travel agency, or alternative OTAs.

However, the real impact of the commission cap and pricing freedom on businesses will depend on the implementation regulations to be prepared if the proposal becomes law and how the platforms will change their business models.

Only Documented Facilities Can Be Sold

The proposal also imposes new responsibilities on platforms in the fight against unregistered operations.

It is foreseen that foreign digital platforms must verify the Ministry document numbers of the accommodation facilities and tourism rental properties they market and display these numbers during sales or promotions. This aims to make it more difficult to market undocumented facilities through international digital channels.

Platforms are also expected to pay a 0.075% tourism share to the Turkish Tourism Promotion and Development Agency. The calculation will be based on the digital services tax base.

Mehmet İşler: Should Be Included in the System Instead of Being Banned

Mehmet İşler, President of ETİK and Vice President of TÜROFED, stated that they support the regulation provided that some articles of the proposal are developed in line with industry opinions. İşler's fundamental approach is to include foreign OTAs in Turkey's financial and legal system rather than keeping them away from the market.

İşler particularly views the 17% commission cap positively for hotels. He argues that accommodation businesses bear personnel, energy, renovation, and other operational costs, and that high online sales commissions create additional pressure on profitability.

However, the second part of his statement is not only about restricting foreign platforms. İşler emphasizes that TÜRSAB and travel agencies also need to strengthen their capabilities in technology, data, artificial intelligence, online sales, and global marketing.

What Could Change for Hotels?

If the proposal becomes law in its current form, three areas will stand out for accommodation businesses.

The first is distribution cost. The 17% cap could reduce cost pressure for businesses that currently pay higher total commissions.

The second is channel freedom. Preserving hotels' rights to implement different prices and campaigns on their own websites or other platforms may increase the importance of direct booking strategies.

The third is registered facility competition. The obligation for platforms to verify document numbers could create a new control mechanism in the competition between licensed and documented facilities and unregistered accommodation supply.

On the other hand, it is impossible to predict how the 17% commission limit will reflect on other service fees, advertising models, or visibility packages based solely on the proposal text. Therefore, it would not be correct to finalize its economic impact before the implementation begins.

Stafflink's Opinion

According to Stafflink, the most important aspect of the proposal for the industry is broader than whether Booking.com will return to Turkey.

The real question is how much control hotels will have over their digital distribution channels.

Accessing international OTAs provides visibility and attracts foreign customers for a hotel; however, as distribution costs increase, each additional reservation does not necessarily generate the same level of profit. Therefore, the 17% commission cap alone is not a solution. Businesses need to monitor their website conversion rates, direct booking costs, OTA commissions, and net income by channel together.

If the regulation becomes law, the winning businesses will not only be those that pay lower commissions; hotels that can establish a balanced distribution strategy by removing OTAs as the sole sales channel may also benefit.