Thousands of hotels demand compensation from Booking.com, writes DPA

More than 10,000 European hotels have joined a class action lawsuit against online accommodation booking service Booking.com, demanding compensation for price restrictions they were forced to adhere to when using the service, DPA reported today.

Rome/Berlin/Brussels/Prague August 4 - More than 10,000 European hotels have joined a class action lawsuit against the online service Booking.com, which mediates accommodation reservations. The hotels are demanding compensation for price restrictions they were forced to adhere to when using the service. The DPA agency reported this today.

The Czech Association of Hotels and Restaurants (AHR) has also joined the lawsuit against the Booking service, it reported on its website at the end of May. "This is primarily an important step towards fairer conditions on the digital market. Hoteliers have the opportunity to stand up for their rights," said AHR President Václav Stárek. ČTK is investigating the association's current statement.

The lawsuit is based on a decision by the Court of Justice of the European Union from last autumn. According to it, so-called best price clauses are contrary to competition rules. These clauses prohibited hotels from offering rooms outside the Booking.com platform, for example on their own websites, at lower prices.

Booking.com has already removed these clauses due to the European Union's Digital Markets Regulation. The hotels are seeking compensation for the damages caused by the clauses between 2004 and 2024, DPA reported.

"European hoteliers have had to endure unfair conditions and excessive costs for a long time," said Alexandros Vasilikos, president of the European hotel alliance Hotrec. The lawsuit, he said, shows that European hoteliers will not tolerate similar practices in the digital market.

The lawsuit will be heard in a court in the Netherlands, where Booking.com is headquartered. "The class action is meeting with enormous interest," said Markus Luthe, head of the German hotel association IHA. Due to this great interest, the deadline for joining the lawsuit has been extended to August 29, DPA reported.

WT.24