Booking sites agree to major changes after probe

Expedia, Booking.com, Agoda, Hotels.com, ebookers and trivago have agreed to make major changes after an investigation.

The have been the subject of CMA enforcement action due to serious concerns around issues like pressure selling, misleading discount claims, the effect that commission has on how hotels are ordered on sites, and hidden charges. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) took action last year because it was concerned that practices such as giving a false impression of a room’s popularity or not displaying the full cost of a room upfront could mislead people, stop them finding the best deal and potentially break consumer protection law. All companies under investigation by the CMA have co-operated with its work and voluntarily agreed to the following: CMA Chairman, Andrew Tyrie, said: "The CMA has taken enforcement action to bring to an end misleading sales tactics, hidden charges and other practices in the online hotel booking market. These have been wholly unacceptable. "6 websites have already given firm undertakings not to engage in these practices. They are some of the largest hotel booking sites. The CMA will now do whatever it can to ensure that the rest of the sector meets the same standards." Published: 06/02/2019 by Radio NewsHub