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Europe: More than 10,000 hotels across Europe have now joined the collective legal action against OTA Booking.com.
The claim, coordinated by the Stichting Hotel Claims Alliance and backed by HOTREC, challenges the platform’s long-standing “best price” clause, which required hotels to display the lowest rates on Booking.com compared to their own websites or rival OTAs.
The clause was removed in 2024 to comply with the EU’s Digital Markets Act, but damages are being sought for the period between 2004 and 2024. Proceedings are taking place in the Netherlands, where Booking.com is headquartered.
The case was initially filed by more than 25 national hotel associations and is supported by a September 2024 European Court of Justice ruling, which found that parity clauses may reduce competition. Booking.com has previously argued that the clauses help ensure fair competition and prevent “free-riding” by travellers.
Highlights:
• Over 10,000 hotels are now part of the collective legal action against Booking.com.
• The case challenges the OTA’s “best price” clause, in place from 2004 to 2024.
• The clause was removed last year following the EU’s Digital Markets Act.
• The action was first filed by more than 25 national hotel associations in June.
