Over 10,000 European hotels sue Booking.com over pricing practices

More than 10,000 European hotels have joined a class-action lawsuit against hotel booking platform Booking.com over its longstanding pricing policy, according to the DPA news agency.

The lawsuit is linked to a 2024 decision by the European Court, which ruled that the platform’s “parity clause” practice was potentially harmful to competition and unnecessary for Booking.com’s business model. The clause, included in agreements between the platform and hotels, prohibited hotels from offering rooms on their own websites or on competing platforms at lower prices than those listed on Booking.com.

“For years, European hotel owners have suffered losses due to unfair [partnership] conditions and increased costs. Hoteliers can no longer accept these unjust practices on digital platforms,” the agency quoted Alexandros Vassilikos, head of the European hotel, café, and restaurant association Hotrec, as saying.

Booking.com abandoned the use of the parity clause in 2024. The plaintiffs are seeking compensation for losses incurred from the pricing policy during the period from 2004 to 2024. The case is expected to be heard in the Netherlands, where the company’s headquarters are located. The exact date of filing has not been disclosed, but the organisers of the lawsuit have extended the deadline to join the legal action until August 29, citing high interest from hotel owners.

No specific compensation amounts have been mentioned. However, according to the campaign website, preliminary estimates suggest that hotels may be entitled to reclaim 30% of the commission paid to Booking.com since 2004.

By Vugar Khalilov