Over 10,000 Hotels in Europe Launch Collective Lawsuit Against Booking
Hotels from across Europe have jointly filed suit against Booking.com, alleging unfair pricing practices and loss of revenue due to the platform’s 'best price' policies.
More than 10,000 hotels from various regions across Europe have launched a mass lawsuit against Amsterdam-based online booking platform Booking.com. The hotels claim that the website’s ‘best price’ requirements have resulted in significant revenue losses and restricted healthy competition. At the heart of their complaint is Booking’s policy prohibiting hotels from offering lower prices on their own websites compared to those listed on Booking.com.
A ruling by the European Court of Justice on September 19, 2024, found that such pricing policies by Booking could potentially limit competition. Following the implementation of the European Union’s Digital Markets Act, Booking removed the related pricing clauses from its agreements. Despite this change, hotel representatives argue that Booking has enforced unfair and costly conditions on their businesses for many years.
Alexandros Vasilikos, from the hotel association HOTREC, emphasized that hoteliers are determined to stand together in protecting their rights. The collective lawsuit is seen as a significant step in addressing the influence of digital platforms on the European tourism sector. European hoteliers describe this initiative as a call to end unfair practices and demand greater fairness within the digital marketplace.
