Turkey Tour Center

What Turkey Tour Center does

Turkey Tour Center is the consumer-facing brand of Vanguard Travel Services (Öncü Turizm ve Seyahat Acenteliği Hizmetleri Ticaret Ltd. Şti.), a privately held Istanbul-based destination management company founded in 1998 by Ferit Kayrak. The firm operates as an inbound DMC serving affluent travelers, travel advisors, tour operators, and cruise lines seeking customized luxury experiences in Turkey and the Eastern Mediterranean. Headcount is reported at 11–50 employees and the company is founder-controlled with no external institutional investors or parent company.

The company's offering is organized around four transaction-based revenue streams: (1) customized tour packages spanning adventure travel, hunting expeditions, land tours, biking/hiking/diving, culinary tours, honeymoons, and pre/post cruise extensions; (2) shore excursions at Turkish and Greek ports for cruise passengers and travel advisors, priced $51–$800 per adult; (3) yacht charters across a fleet of gulets, motor yachts, and sailing yachts along the Turkish Riviera, with per-day rates from $860 to $11,461; and (4) corporate incentive and meeting programs accessed via RFP. Distribution is exclusively B2B2C, routed through travel advisors, tour operators (e.g., Travcoa, Cruise-Connections), cruise lines (e.g., Regent Seven Seas via Excursions Ltd. UK), and direct corporate/MICE accounts.

Underlying technology is non-proprietary: the firm operates TurkeyTourCenter.com as an SSL-secured online catalogue with yacht search filters, login-to-inquire and login-to-cart booking workflows, and an RFP intake form. IT and web operations are outsourced to a boutique digital agency (Sodamedia Interactive). Operational differentiation rests on carefully selected multi-lingual guides, AC Mercedes-Benz vehicles, an inspected yacht fleet, and established supplier relationships with luxury properties across Turkey and Greece rather than on technology. The company name under which it legally contracts is Öncü Turizm ve Seyahat Acenteliği Hizmetleri Ticaret Ltd. Şti., with a registered Istanbul address in Karaköy.

Name

Turkey Tour Center

Legal name

Öncü Turizm ve Seyahat Acenteliği Hizmetleri Ticaret Ltd. Şti.

Website

https://turkeytourcenter.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Turkey Tour Center is the consumer brand of Vanguard Travel Services, an Istanbul-based luxury destination management company founded in 1998 that designs customized land tours, yacht charters, shore excursions, and incentive programs in Turkey and Greece for affluent travelers, travel advisors, tour operators, and cruise lines.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Destination Management Services

NAICS

Tour Operators (56152), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (48721), Travel Agencies (561510)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAKAFAA

Luxury Travel Agencies

Travel & Hospitality/Travel Agencies, Tour Operators & OTAs/Specialty/Niche Travel Agencies (Luxury, Adventure, Honeymoon, etc.)

SECONDARYBPAMAIAJ

Tours, Activities & Experiences Booking Platforms

Business & Public Services/Web, Mobile & Digital Platforms/Travel, Mobility & Booking Platforms

SECONDARYTHAKAOAA

Fee-Based/Independent Trip Planners (No Booking)

Travel & Hospitality/Travel Agencies, Tour Operators & OTAs/Custom Itinerary Planning Services

SECONDARYTHAKAFAL

Island, Beach & Resort Travel Agencies

Travel & Hospitality/Travel Agencies, Tour Operators & OTAs/Specialty/Niche Travel Agencies (Luxury, Adventure, Honeymoon, etc.)

Keywords

• Destination management services
• Luxury travel packages
• Yacht charter services
• Shore excursion programs
• Corporate incentive travel

Headquarters

HQ city

Istanbul

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tour Package Sales: The company sells packaged tours including pre/post cruise extensions, land tours, special interest itineraries, and shore excursions to individual travelers and groups, generating revenue through per-person pricing on multi-day and day-tour programs.
2. Yacht Charter Services: The company charters its fleet of gulets, motor yachts, and sailing yachts along the Turkish Riviera, earning revenue through per-day charter rates. Pricing varies by yacht size, category, and season.
3. Shore Excursions: Custom shore excursion programs are sold to cruise ship passengers and travel advisors, with per-person pricing based on group size, destination, and included services.
4. Incentive & Meeting Services: Custom incentive programs, meetings, and group events are designed and operated for corporate clients, with pricing based on itinerary complexity, group size, and services included.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Turkey Tour Center, operated by Vanguard Travel Services, is a luxury destination management company that designs and operates customized tour packages, shore excursions, yacht charters, and corporate incentive programs in Turkey and the Eastern Mediterranean. It sells to international travel advisors, tour operators, cruise lines, and corporate MICE clients via sales-led B2B relationships, with TurkeyTourCenter.com serving as the consumer-facing online catalogue and booking channel.

Product overview

Turkey Tour Center, operated by Vanguard Travel Services, is a luxury destination management company offering a comprehensive portfolio of travel products centered around Turkey and the Eastern Mediterranean. The core offering consists of three main service lines: Tour Packages (customized land tours, adventure travel, culinary tours, and special interest itineraries), Shore Excursions (guided tours for cruise passengers at Turkish and Greek ports), and Yacht Charters (a curated fleet of gulet mega yachts and motor yachts for cruising the Turkish Riviera). The company also provides Incentives & Meetings services for corporate clients. The products are delivered through the TurkeyTourCenter.com online catalog, with all services operated by Vanguard Travel Services using handpicked guides, AC Mercedes Benz vehicles, and meticulously inspected yacht vessels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tour Packages Customized multi-day tour packages covering destinations across Turkey and Greece, including adventure travel, hunting expeditions, land tours, biking-hiking-diving programs, culinary tours, honeymoons, and pre/post cruise extensions, designed and operated by Vanguard Travel Services for travel advisors and individual travelers.
• Shore Excursions Curated shore excursions for cruise passengers visiting Turkish and Greek ports such as Istanbul, Ephesus, Bodrum, Kusadasi, Corfu, and Crete, offered in private and small-group formats and distributed through travel advisors and cruise lines including Regent Seven Seas.
• Yacht Charters Luxury yacht charter services along the Turkish Riviera featuring a fleet of gulets and motor yachts, with routes covering Bodrum, Marmaris, Fethiye, Gocek, Kas, and Antalya, available as multi-day charters with per-day pricing for individuals, families, and groups.
• Incentives & Meetings Corporate incentive travel programs and meeting services for businesses, associations, and alumni organizations, including private cruise and jet charters, thematic itineraries, interactive games, and community engagement activities, with custom pricing based on itinerary complexity and group size.
• Gulet Mega Yachts High-end traditional wooden gulet vessels ranging from 29m to 50m in length, offering luxury accommodations with multiple cabins, water toys, and professional crews for charter along the Turkish Riviera under the yacht charter program.
• Motor Yachts Modern motor yachts equipped with state-of-the-art technology and luxurious interiors offered for premium yacht charter experiences along the Turkish Riviera under the yacht charter program.

Named customers13 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Jacada Travel: Luxury tailor-made travel company specializing in bespoke itineraries to destinations including Turkey and the Eastern Mediterranean. Comparable on private-guide experiences, premium pricing, and DMC-style ground handling.
• Abercrombie & Kent: Global luxury DMC and tour operator with deep Turkey programming including custom FIT, private guides, and yacht charters. Directly comparable to Vanguard as a luxury travel brand operating bespoke itineraries in Turkey for affluent clients via travel-advisor distribution.
• Kensington Tours: B2B-tailored luxury tour operator offering custom private-guided tours worldwide, with significant Turkey coverage. Closely comparable to Vanguard's custom-FIT model, premium pricing, and travel-advisor channel focus.
• Audley Travel: UK-based tailor-made travel specialist with deep Turkey country programming and a country-expert model. Comparable on custom-FIT, premium pricing, and reliance on handpicked local guides.
• Burgess Yachts: Global luxury yacht charter broker with a substantial Mediterranean fleet. Directly comparable to Vanguard's yacht-charter business along the Turkish Riviera, especially on motor-yacht and mega-yacht categories.
• Scott Dunn: Luxury tour operator offering private-guided itineraries including Turkey and the Eastern Mediterranean, with a strong travel-advisor and direct-to-consumer channel. Comparable on premium positioning, custom FIT, and curated local experiences.
• Trufflepig Travel: Boutique luxury travel company offering experiential, tailor-made trips including Turkey and the Mediterranean. Comparable as a small specialist operator competing for the same affluent traveler and travel-advisor segment.
• TCS World Travel: Luxury private-jet tour operator that partners with Vanguard on National Geographic 'Legendary Places' and competes for ultra-high-end Turkey and Mediterranean programming. Comparable on luxury positioning, custom itineraries, and corporate incentive channels.

Broad incumbents

• Viator (Tripadvisor): Global experiences marketplace with extensive Turkey shore excursions and tours. Competes with Vanguard's online catalogue for travel-advisor and consumer bookings, though most inventory is third-party supplied rather than operator-controlled.
• Trafalgar (The Travel Corporation): Large global escorted-tour brand offering Turkey group tours. Overlaps with Vanguard on Turkey programming but operates at much larger scale via fixed-departure group tours rather than bespoke FIT.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/turkeytourcntr
• Facebookfacebook.com/turkeytourcenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/turkey-tour-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Turkey Tour Center