As the impact of the bankruptcy of FTI Group, Europe's third-largest tour operator, continues to resonate through the tourism industry, Schmetterling International has issued a significant warning to hotels in Türkiye.
Ömer Karaca, CEO of Schmetterling International, claimed that some hotels, including major chains in Türkiye, especially along the Antalya coast, are attempting to cut agencies out of the process.
"We are receiving increasing reports that some hotels in Türkiye are trying to exploit FTI's bankruptcy," said Karaca, adding that these hotels are offering additional discounts to encourage travel agency customers to book directly.
While Karaca acknowledged that hotels have the right to sell directly, he emphasized that this should be done under fair sales conditions without undercutting prices. "It is unethical for hotels to offer discounts to attract customers brought to them by our travel agencies and tour operators," he stated.
Karaca stressed that actions taken for short-term gains could harm long-term Turkish-German tourism relations. He issued the following warnings:
"Hotels seeking short-term benefits may have to endure long-term consequences. This could mean risking removal from our travel agencies' sales portfolios. The cost of disrupting the long-standing cooperation between hotels and agencies could be significant. At Schmetterling International, we are taking measures on this matter. Should we detect such actions from hotels in our sales network, we will start blacklisting and removing them from our portfolio."
Schmetterling International, which places great importance on tourism relations between Türkiye and Germany and has organized numerous events in this regard, is also signaling its readiness for cooperation on this pressing issue.
The company calls on those wishing to maintain strong relations with travel agencies during this challenging period, stating that they are open to dialogue to find sustainable solutions. "Our door is open to everyone. You can contact us at [email protected]," says CEO Ömer Karaca.
