These clauses had prohibited hotels from offering cheaper rates on other platforms or their own websites. The European court held that such practices restricted competition and violated antitrust laws. The clauses have since been scrapped within the European Economic Area following the enforcement of the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) 2024.
The Hotel Claims Alliance is leading the lawsuit, which is being heard in the Netherlands, where Booking.com is headquartered. The effort is backed by over 30 national hotel associations, including Germany’s IHA and Italy’s Federalberghi, and coordinated by the European Hotel Alliance Hotrec.
“European hoteliers have long suffered from unfair conditions and excessive costs,” said Alexandros Vassilikos, President of Hotrec. “Abusive practices in the digital market will not be tolerated by the hotel industry in Europe.”
The lawsuit seeks damages for the years 2004 to 2024. Hoteliers argue that Booking.com’s former pricing clauses restricted competition and undermined their ability to attract guests through direct channels. According to IHA Executive Director Markus Luthe, “The class action lawsuit has received overwhelming support.” As a result, the registration deadline has been extended to August 29.
Despite the friction, many hotels still rely on Booking.com for visibility and bookings. A joint study by Hotrec and the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland Valais found that Booking Holdings controlled 71% of Europe’s online hotel booking market in 2023, rising to 72.3% in Germany. Over the same decade, direct bookings in Germany fell by more than eight percent.
