What happened
China's State Administration for Market Regulation fined Trip.com $770 million for abusing its dominant position in hotel bookings on the mainland. The company's market share there exceeds 50%. Hotels were left with almost no room to negotiate fees, and Trip.com could steer prices on its platform.
Hotels that wanted special brand status had to sign exclusive deals. Those that listed on rival platforms risked visibility cuts. The order requires Trip.com to end unreasonable trading conditions and to stop blocking hotels from other platforms.
Trip.com rates frequently undercut Expedia and Booking.com, and air tickets charged through it typically code as travel-agency spend. The same search can return different prices by device, with unpublished hotel rates sometimes shown to logged-in users. Inventory mix and pricing could change if exclusive hotel arrangements unwind.
Watch hotel listings and rates on Trip.com after the order and keep booking there when it is cheaper.
- Numbers
- $770M: antitrust fine against Trip.com
- 50%: Trip.com mainland market share
- Where
- mainland China
- Takeaway
- Nothing to book or register; keep using Trip.com when it is cheaper and watch whether hotel listings or rates shift after the order.