The online reservation portal Booking.com announced plans to resume operations in Turkey, after access to the website was suspended by Turkish authorities in March. The travel agency's activities in Turkey were halted after a lawsuit citing unfair competition, filed by the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies, went to court on March 29. The fifth case hearing will be held on Oct. 23, according to company officials, Daily Sabah reported. Booking.com representatives issued a hopeful statement about the upcoming hearing, stating: "We aim to keep on offering our service to travelers coming from all over the world to visit Turkey and to discover its unique culture with its eye-catching natural beauties." The company also said Turkish customers would also have the opportunity to benefit from online services for both domestic and international travels. The suspension negatively affected the business of numerous small hotels across Turkey, particularly in Anatolia, which relied on Booking.com over other tour operators and travel agencies. As a result, Turkish Hoteliers Federation and Turkish Small Hotels Association requested the ban on the company be lifted.
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