To check a Turkish travel agency, search two registers: the TÜRSAB member search and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism registry. Enter the document number as digits only, then confirm that the status reads valid. Use only the official domains, because lookalike sites such as tursabsorgulama.com are not TÜRSAB.
Check the TÜRSAB member list
The official search is on the TÜRSAB site, under Üye Seyahat Acentaları (registered travel agencies). The page loads, but its search form was not tested for this article. If the form returns nothing, use the Ministry registry in the next section.
Enter the document number correctly
The document number (“Belge No”) is a plain number, such as 12116 or 15746. Enter digits only. If a search fails, first try the plain digits again, then ask the agency to confirm the number in writing. Agencies often print it with the group letter in front, as in “A-16887”. According to Coloridotours, a search for “A-12116” returns nothing. Sunway Tour Adana gives the same letter-prefixed example.
Check the Ministry registry
The Ministry keeps a second registry at yatirimisletmeleruygulama.kultur.gov.tr. It shows the agency’s group (Grubu) and its status (Belge Durumu). GEÇERLİ means valid, and İPTAL means cancelled. A 141journeys guide describes these fields. The registry itself was not opened for this article, so the field names come from that guide.
What the group letter means
Under Article 7 of the travel agency regulation, group A agencies provide all travel agency services. Group B agencies sell transport tickets and group A tours. Group C agencies sell domestic tours to Turkish citizens only. The regulation is on mevzuat.gov.tr.
Watch for lookalike sites
Sites such as tursabsorgulama.com are not TÜRSAB. The official domains are tursab.org.tr and kultur.gov.tr, as Coloridotours notes. Check the domain before you type a document number or any payment details. If a page asks for payment on a domain you did not reach from the official site, stop and start again from tursab.org.tr.
If the checks do not match
A mismatch between the two registers, a cancelled status (İPTAL), or a name that differs from the one on your contract is a reason to stop before you pay. Ask the agency for its document number in writing, then check it again on both registers.
Search the name exactly as it appears on the agency’s documents, then search by the number. Keep screenshots of both results with your booking records, so you have them if a dispute starts.
Quick checklist
| Check | Where | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Member search | tursab.org.tr, acenta-arama page | The agency is listed under its name |
| Document number | Digits only | The number matches the one on the agency’s documents |
| Ministry registry | kultur.gov.tr registry | Status GEÇERLİ and a group letter that fits the service |
| Domain | Address bar | tursab.org.tr or kultur.gov.tr, with no lookalike spelling |
How Tubos Travel checks out
Tubos Travel is a TÜRSAB member based in Ürgüp, and it runs private tours with licensed guides. This page does not print a document number for Tubos Travel. Find its number in the TÜRSAB search and match it with the Ministry registry, the same way as for any other agency.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I search for a TÜRSAB-licensed agency?
Start with the member search on the official TÜRSAB site, tursab.org.tr. Then confirm the agency in the Ministry of Culture and Tourism registry, which shows its group and whether its status is valid (GEÇERLİ) or cancelled (İPTAL).
Do I type the group letter into the document number?
No. The document number is plain digits, such as 12116. Agencies often print it with the group letter, as in A-16887, but one guide reports that a search for A-12116 returns nothing.
What does group A mean?
Group A agencies provide all travel agency services. Group B agencies sell transport tickets and group A tours, and group C agencies sell domestic tours to Turkish citizens only, under Article 7 of the travel agency regulation.
What if an agency is missing from the search?
Treat that as a warning. Check the spelling of the agency name and the document number, then search the Ministry registry. If neither shows a valid record, do not pay in advance, and choose a licensed agency instead.
Sources: tursab.org.tr, yatirimisletmeleruygulama.kultur.gov.tr, 141journeys.com, coloridotours.com, sunwaytouradana.com, mevzuat.gov.tr
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