European hotels have filed a class action lawsuit against an online travel portal due to forced pricing policies between 2004 and 2024.
UNN reports with reference to RTL Television.
Details
Over 10,000 European hotels have filed a class action lawsuit against the online travel portal Booking.com to seek compensation for the period from 2004 to 2024, during which hotels were not allowed to offer rooms on their own websites cheaper than on Booking.com.
The lawsuit is based on a 2024 ruling by the European Court of Justice, according to which the best price clause is illegal; platforms can operate without such rules.
By court decision, "best price" clauses were removed in Europe after the adoption of the European Digital Markets Act 2024.
Comment
European hoteliers have long suffered from unfair conditions and excessive costs
Addition
The case will be heard in the Netherlands, where Booking.com's headquarters are located. The lawsuit was supported by over 30 national hotel associations, including the German IHA.
Recall
According to a Deutsche Bank report, rent for a three-room apartment in the centers of European cities continues to rise, with only five cities having an average cost below 2000 euros.