Two developments in the domestic and European tourism markets are escalating the long-standing dispute between hoteliers and the Booking.com platform.
The Hellenic Competition Commission has put the proposed commitments submitted by Booking.com to a public consultation following an ex officio investigation into suspected abuses of its dominant market position. It remains unclear what it will decide after the consultation, though much stricter measures are not out of the question.
At the same time, the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels (HCC) is moving ahead with a judicial escalation of the confrontation, inviting hoteliers to participate in a mass European compensation action being heard in the courts of the Netherlands and Germany. To this end, the HCC has extended the deadline for free participation in the action until September 11..
These two initiatives coincide in timing, signaling a coordinated effort to overturn the existing commercial model, market circles comment.
The competition watchdog’s intervention focuses on specific commercial practices of the platform, which force hotels to provide more favorable prices and terms to Booking.com compared to third-party platforms. Stakeholders have until July 20 to submit their comments on the proposed commitments.
