Hotrec claims Booking.com fails to comply with DMA

The European umbrella association for hotels insists on a through assessment of the parity clause changes introduced by Booking.com

HOTREC is calling for a thorough evaluation of Booking.com's recent changes to its parity clause. The association argues that several of the platform's updates are either superficial or have not been addressed at all.

A key issue is the mandatory use of Booking.com's prepayment system for hotels, which does not offer consumers an alternative. In addition, the platform has been criticized for failing to make significant improvements to its website interface and for failing to address concerns about its ranking practices. A continued lack of transparency in Booking.com's algorithms remains a major concern.

Marie Audren, Director General of HOTREC, stressed that partial adjustments to terms and conditions are not sufficient to meet the objectives of the Digital Markets Act (DMA). She stressed the importance of full compliance to protect fairness in the market.

European travelers and customers depend on affordability, transparency and a wide range of options for their hospitality needs. Meanwhile, European hotels, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, are relying on the DMA to address Booking.com's alleged unfair practices. HOTREC has called on the European Commission to launch an immediate investigation into Booking.com's possible non-compliance.

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