Fest Travel

What Fest Travel does

FEST Travel (legal entity: FEST Turizm Ticaret A.Ş.) is a privately held Istanbul-based cultural tour operator founded on August 13, 1985. The company sells packaged guided tours directly to end consumers through its website (festtravel.com), a call center (0850 622 33 78), WhatsApp, and email — no third-party resellers or OTAs are used. Its product portfolio spans international tours to more than 40 countries across all inhabited continents (Libya, Vietnam, Cambodia, India, Faroe Islands, Galapagos, Switzerland, Papua New Guinea, Antarctica, Arctic Norway), domestic tours across all regions of Turkey, registered trademark walking tours under the 'Adım Adım İstanbul®' brand (launched 1988, ~300 routes), budget tours under the 'Oeconomica®' sub-brand, bespoke private itineraries under 'FEST Özel', and cruise tours with partners including Amadeus, Ponant, Hurtigruten, and Princess Cruises.

The operating model is that of a traditional tour operator with limited proprietary technology: the digital stack consists of a content website, blog ('Gezi Kültürü'), email newsletter, Instagram, YouTube, and WhatsApp, with no booking platform, no app, no APIs, and no AI/ML components. Revenue is generated entirely through one-time tour purchases, with international tour prices ranging from approximately €1,725 to $20,450 (Trans-Siberia Express flagship) and domestic tours from ₺28,275 to ₺55,560. FEST's competitive position rests on a 40-year brand, a content library of ~300 Istanbul routes, exclusive supplier partnerships (Rovos Rail, Turkish Airlines, Amadeus, Ponant, Hurtigruten, Princess Cruises), and senior expert guides led by founder Faruk Pekin. The company is registered with TÜRSAB (Turkish Travel Agencies Association) and is founder-operated with no disclosed external investors, parent company, or subsidiaries.

Name

Fest Travel

Legal name

FEST TURİZM TİCARET A.Ş.

Website

https://festtravel.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

FEST Travel is a privately held Istanbul-based cultural tour operator, founded in 1985, selling direct-to-consumer packaged guided tours to Turkish and international travelers across domestic Turkey, ~40 countries, and cruise/rail itineraries, leveraging a 40-year brand and expert-guide talent.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Tourism Services

NAICS

Tour Operators (561520), Tour Operators (56152), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation (487)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Cultural, Heritage & Arts Travel Agencies (THAKAFAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bespoke Multi-Day Itinerary Planning & Custom Tour Design (THAJALAB), Culture, Heritage & Arts Itinerary Planning (THAKAOAK), Luxury Multi-Day Tour Operators (THAKADAE)

Keywords

• Cultural tour packages
• Guided international tours
• Domestic travel tours
• Luxury cruise tours
• Private custom tours

Headquarters

HQ city

Istanbul

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Guided Cultural Tours: FEST Travel generates revenue through packaged cultural tours covering international destinations (Libya, Vietnam, Cambodia, India, South Africa, Faroe Islands, Galapagos, Switzerland, Papua New Guinea) and domestic Turkey destinations (Istanbul, Artvin, Karadeniz, Kapadokya, Şanlıurfa). Tours include international tours ranging from 2,750€ to 20,450$, domestic tours from 28,275₺ to 55,560₺, and specialty cruise/train tours up to 624,660₺.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

FEST Travel is a Turkish cultural tour operator that designs, packages, and sells guided group and private tours to international and domestic destinations, including UNESCO heritage sites, luxury train journeys (Trans-Siberia, Rovos Rail), expedition cruises (Ponant, Hurtigruten, Amadeus, Princess), and bespoke itineraries. Founded in 1985, it runs six branded tour lines: international tours, domestic Turkey tours, "Adım Adım İstanbul" city walking tours, "Oeconomica" budget tours, private/custom tours, and cruise tours. Tours are sold directly to individual travelers via its own website, call center, and email.

Product overview

FEST Travel is a Turkish cultural travel company offering a portfolio of tour products including Yurtdışı Gezileri (international tours), Yurtiçi Gezileri (domestic tours), Adım Adım İstanbul (city tours), Oeconomica Gezileri (budget tours), Kişiye Özel Geziler (private/custom tours), and Gemi Gezileri (cruise tours). Founded on August 13, 1985, with over 40 years of experience, the company operates from Istanbul and provides cultural, nature, and adventure-oriented travel experiences ranging from day trips to multi-week international expeditions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Adım Adım İstanbul: A branded cultural walking tour of Istanbul, FEST Travel's original tour product launched in 1988, covering hidden gems of the city for lifelong Istanbul residents.
• Oeconomica
• FEST Özel

Products and services

• Yurtdışı Gezileri (International Cultural Tours) Packaged guided cultural tours to international destinations (Libya, Vietnam, Cambodia, India, South Africa, Faroe Islands, Galapagos, Switzerland, Papua New Guinea, Australia, etc.), offered with or without flights, with visa-free or visa-required options, ranging from approximately €1,725 to $20,450. Includes accommodation, meals, transfers, expert guides, and entrance fees.
• Yurtiçi Gezileri (Domestic Turkey Tours) Packaged guided cultural tours within Turkey, covering Aegean, South, Central East Anatolia, Black Sea, GAP, and Southeast Anatolia regions, offered with or without flights for weekday or weekend travel, ranging from ₺28,275 to ₺55,560. Includes accommodation, meals, transfers, guide services, and entrance fees.
• Adım Adım İstanbul (Step-by-Step Istanbul) Branded cultural walking-tour product covering approximately 300 day-trip routes in Istanbul and surrounding areas, targeting Istanbul residents wanting to discover hidden parts of the city.
• Oeconomica Gezileri (Budget Cultural Tours) Budget-friendly cultural tour program using modified accommodation and transportation options while maintaining FEST Travel's guide quality and tour experience standards. Includes tours to destinations such as Montenegro, Slovenia, Macedonia, Albania, Azerbaijan, Spain, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan, starting from approximately €1,725.
• Kişiye Özel Geziler / Özel Butik Geziler (Private / Custom Boutique Tours) Customized private tours designed to individual preferences, dreams, and adventure requirements, including luxury train journeys such as the Golden Eagle Silk Road Express and other exclusive itineraries not offered by other agencies.
• Gemi Gezileri (Cruise Tours) Packaged cruise tours offering comfortable accommodation, unique views, and daily port exploration across Mediterranean, Caribbean, Norwegian fjords, and Far East destinations, including exclusive FEST charters on Amadeus, Rovos Rail, Ponant, Hurtigruten, and Princess vessels, with prices ranging up to ₺624,660 for specialty cruise/train tours.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• TÜRSAB (Türkiye Seyahat Acentaları Birliği)minorOthersTÜRSAB verification badge displayed on website confirming FEST Travel is a registered member of the Turkish Travel Agencies Association.
• Princess CruisesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership for luxury cruise tours including 5-star Majestic Princess British Isles voyages. FEST offers exclusive group bookings on Princess vessels.
• Rovos RailcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive partnership for Rovos Rail luxury train journeys including Victoria Falls, Safari tours across Southern Africa, Mozambique, Eswatini, and Zimbabwe. FEST offers 'FEST Özel' exclusive departures.
• Amadeus Cruise LineminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFEST Travel operates exclusive cruises on Amadeus vessels including Rhone River Burgundy tours and Christmas markets on the Rhine with Amadeus Silver II.
• Ponant Yacht CruisesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership for Ponant luxury expedition cruises including Dakar and Bissagos Islands itinerary.
• HurtigrutenminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership for Hurtigruten's 'World's Most Beautiful Sea Voyage' Arctic Norway itineraries including the postal ship route.
• Turkish AirlinescoreOthersPrimary airline partner for international flights. Turkish Airlines is recommended for most tour itineraries including Istanbul departure/arrival flights.
• Oeconomica®coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProprietary budget-friendly tour brand developed by FEST Travel. Oeconomica programs offer cultural travel experiences with modifications to accommodation and transport to reduce costs while maintaining quality standards.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Insight Vacations: Premium escorted tour brand within a larger travel group, focused on cultural and historical sightseeing across Europe, North America and beyond. Comparable to FEST on premium guided cultural touring with deep local guiding.
• Abercrombie & Kent: Long-established luxury cultural tour operator offering guided itineraries, private journeys and expedition cruises worldwide. Comparable to FEST in premium, expert-led cultural travel and exclusive partnerships with high-end carriers.

Direct peers

• Jolly Tur: Major Turkish tour operator with broad domestic and outbound tour packages including cultural/seasonal itineraries. Direct domestic competitor with overlapping Turkish cultural-tour customer base.
• Intrepid Travel: Global small-group tour operator with a portfolio of cultural, heritage and adventure trips across 100+ countries. Comparable to FEST on product mix (cultural, adventure, expedition) and on direct-to-consumer model.
• G Adventures: Small-group experiential and cultural tour operator with global itineraries including expedition cruises. Comparable to FEST on product breadth, group-tour packaging and multi-region cultural content.
• Cox & Kings: Heritage tour operator with strong cultural and history-focused itineraries (including India, Central Asia, Africa). Closely comparable to FEST's India/Uyghur/Silk Road cultural programming and guided heritage trips.
• Setur (Seyahat): One of the largest Turkish travel agencies, offering packaged cultural and leisure tours (domestic + international) and a national retail network. Domestic Turkish competitor to FEST serving similar culturally curious Turkish travelers.
• Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT): Small-group cultural and adventure tour operator with global itineraries including Africa, Asia, Antarctica and expedition cruises. Mirrors FEST's emphasis on heritage/educational content and a broad geographic span.

Emerging players

• Select Italy / Select Vacations (premium heritage DMC): Boutique heritage/cultural DMC specializing in curated cultural experiences and small-group itineraries. Comparable to FEST on premium cultural content and tailored group/private tour design, particularly for FEST Özel custom tours.
• Wild Frontiers: Boutique adventure/cultural operator focused on off-the-beaten-path destinations (Central Asia, Africa, Middle East). Directly comparable to FEST's roster of niche itineraries such as Libya, Uyghur region, Sudan, Papua New Guinea and the Bissagos Islands.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@FestTVV
• Instagraminstagram.com/festtravel
• Xx.com/FESTTRAVEL
• Facebookfacebook.com/festtravel
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fest-travel

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Fest Travel