Booking.com Probed by Spanish Competition Watchdog

Spain’s competition watchdog said on Monday it was initiating disciplinary proceedings against Booking.com for possible anti-competiton practices affecting hotels and online travel agencies.

The proceedings stem from two complaints filed by the Spanish Association of Hotel Managers and the Mardid Hotel Business Association, the watchdog known as CNMC said.

The complaints argued the booking website had imposed unfair conditions on hotels located in Spain and implemented policies that could lead to exclusionary effects on other online travel agencies and online sales channels.

(Reporting by Joao Manuel Mauricio in Gdansk, editing by David Latona)

Skift Update: Reacting to the news, Booking.com told Skift — “We have and will continue to partner with the CNMC on their questions regarding Booking.com Spain.  Booking.com has always and will continue to work collaboratively with our accommodation partners in the travel ecosystem, which has only recently seen signs of recovery as we enter a further uncertain future with the global economic environment.  We continue to work tirelessly to secure and deliver much needed demand for our accommodation partners, helping them fill their rooms every day.”

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