Why Your Tour Agency Website Must Show Its License Number
A travel agency's license number and trade name must be visible online, both under the regulation and for guest trust. Where, how, and the usual mistakes.
A TÜRSAB license number is the number of the operating license a Turkish travel agency receives from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and it proves the agency is trading legally. This article explains why the license number and trade name must be shown on a tour agency's website, where on the site they belong and the mistakes agencies often make. It is general information, not legal advice.
The legal background in brief
Under Law No. 1618 on Travel Agencies and the Association of Travel Agencies, travel agencies must hold an operating license from the Ministry and be members of TÜRSAB. Working as an agency without a license can lead to sanctions.
How the license is shown online is covered separately. Under the Ministry's regulation, the operating license number and trade name should appear on the home page and in the footer of every other page. TÜRSAB has also published a notice (in Turkish) to agencies whose online sales channels are missing this information. We recommend checking it for the current wording and any changes.
Why it is more than a legal box to tick
The license number is a trust signal. A guest visiting Turkey for the first time, about to enter card details on an unfamiliar site, asks "is this company real?". A license number and a clear trade name answer that quickly.
- You stand apart from fake listings. Holiday areas have their share of unlicensed pages and social media accounts. The number helps guests tell you apart.
- You can be verified. Guests can check your number in the agency search on TÜRSAB's website.
- Hotels and partners look for it too. Hotel receptions and guides check that an agency is licensed before sending guests.
- It reassures guests at checkout. People want to know who they are dealing with before they pay.
Where it should appear
| Place | What to show | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Home page | License number and trade name | In a visible spot on the page |
| Footer of every other page | License number and trade name | The same on every page |
| Contact page | Trade name, license number, address, phone | Recommended |
| Booking and payment step | Trade name and license number | Recommended, for trust |
| Confirmation email | Trade name and license number | Recommended |
The first two rows are the minimum the notice asks for. The others are good practice that builds trust, not legal requirements.
How to write it
- As text. Do not bury the number inside a logo or image. Text in an image is hard to read on a phone and invisible to search engines and screen readers.
- With the full trade name. Alongside your brand, use the full trade name on your operating license, not just "Blue Sea Tours".
- In every language. English, German and Russian pages need the same details. Translate the label ("TÜRSAB License No.") and keep the number and trade name as they are.
- Managed in one place. If the details are typed into each page by hand, one page will eventually fall out of date. Managing them from a single field in the panel, shown automatically on every page, is the safest route.
We describe a setup where you enter these details once and they appear on the home page and in the footer in every language on our page about tour websites that manage your TÜRSAB number from the panel.
Common mistakes
- Putting the number only on the "About us" page.
- Showing the brand name but not the trade name.
- Hiding the number inside a small TÜRSAB logo in the footer.
- Showing it on Turkish pages and forgetting the other languages.
- Not updating the site after the trade name changes.
- Showing it on desktop but hiding it on mobile.
- Showing another agency's license number on your own site because you "work together".
The last point matters: even if you resell tours run by another agency, it must be clear who is making the sale. Ask your lawyer or TÜRSAB how that should be set up.
Think about the other legal details too
The license number is not the only legal information on an agency site. A site that takes online bookings usually also carries:
- A privacy notice under Turkey's data protection law (KVKK) and cookie information
- Distance sales terms and cancellation and refund conditions
- The company address, tax details and contact channels
What these say depends on your business, so have them reviewed by your legal adviser. For the KVKK side of your website, see our KVKK compliance article.
Checklist
- [ ] License number and trade name on the home page
- [ ] The same details in the footer of every page
- [ ] Written as text, not an image
- [ ] Trade name exactly as on the operating license
- [ ] Present in every language version
- [ ] Readable on mobile too
- [ ] Included in the booking confirmation email
Summary
The license number and trade name are only a couple of lines, but they matter both under the regulation and for guest trust. Set them up properly once and they appear on every page by themselves, leaving you free to sell tours. If you think your current site is missing them, get in touch.
Frequently asked questions
Where should the TÜRSAB license number appear on my website?
Under the Ministry's regulation, as announced by TÜRSAB to its members, the operating license number and trade name should appear on the home page and in the footer of every other page.
Is the license number enough on its own?
No. The notice asks for the trade name as well. Write the trade name exactly as it appears on your operating license, without shortening it.
Can I add the license number as an image?
Plain text is better. Text inside an image may not be read by screen readers or search engines, and it can be too small to read on a phone.
Does it apply to my social media accounts too?
The TÜRSAB notice refers to online sales channels. Check the current notice and ask TÜRSAB whether the other online channels you sell through are covered.
What should I do if my trade name changes?
Update the trade name and license details on your site straight away to match your new document. If they are managed from one field in the panel, every page changes at once.
Is this article legal advice?
No, it is general information. Check the current regulation and the TÜRSAB notice, and ask your lawyer or TÜRSAB about your own business.
