Hotel online booking investigation

The CMA investigated suspected breaches of competition law relating to discounting restrictions in arrangements between hotels and online travel agents.

Case reference: CE/9320-10

Case timetable

Date Action
16 September 2015 Case closed on the grounds of administrative priorities
October 2014 to August 2015 CMA consideration of next steps in the investigation in light of the CAT judgment and market developments, including developments in the investigations of other European competition authorities
26 September 2014 CAT judgment on appeal quashes final decision on commitments and remits case back to CMA
31 January 2014 Final decision on commitments and case closed
20 December 2013 to 17 January 2014 Consultation period on revised commitments
20 December 2013 Consultation opened on revised commitments proposed by Booking.com, Expedia and IHG and European Commission officially informed of the OFT’s intention to accept revised commitments
9 August to 13 September 2013 Consultation period
9 August 2013 Consultation opened on commitments proposed by Booking.com, Expedia and IHG
31 July 2012 Statement of objections issued
October 2010 to July 2012 OFT analysis and review of parties’ responses to information requests
October 2010 to July 2012 Issue of further information requests
September 2010 to June 2012 Information gathering, including issue of formal or informal information requests and parties’ responses
10 September 2010 Investigation opened

Case information

16 September 2015: The CMA reconsidered the matter in the light of the Competition Appeal Tribunal’s Skyscanner judgment. Following a fresh look at the case, the CMA decided to close the investigation into discounting restrictions on administrative priority grounds.

See the OFT case page for further details and related documents.

This case closure decision doesn’t affect the CMA’s ongoing monitoring of developments in the hotel online booking sector. See separate project page for further details.

Contacts

Team leader

Amanda Partridge (020 3738 6309, amanda.partridge@cma.gsi.gov.uk)

Project directors

Gaucho Rasmussen (020 3738 6497, gaucho.rasmussen@cma.gsi.gov.uk) James MacBeth (020 3738 6958, james.macbeth@cma.gsi.gov.uk)

Senior responsible officer

Ann Pope (020 3738 6786, ann.pope@cma.gsi.gov.uk)

Published 16 September 2015