The time the Booking platform had to adapt to the new regulations in force in the European Union has just expired. As they limit the possibilities of exploiting a dominant position in the market, it should be easier for hoteliers and customers to get good deals. Here’s what exactly has changed.
6 months ago, the European Union recognized the Booking platform as the dominant platform on the market of online travel intermediaries. This means that the entrepreneur had just the above-mentioned six months to implement appropriate practices to protect competitors and consumers. They concern in particular one controversial rule that has just become history. It was thanks to it that both customers and hoteliers became so dependent on Booking.
Booking had to abandon its controversial policy
Until now, entities advertising on the Booking platform were obliged to act in ways that were not always most beneficial to consumers. If a given entrepreneur providing accommodation services or e.g. car rental wanted to be present on Booking, had to commit to offering the best price on this platform.
What did this mean in practice? Even if another, competitive intermediary platform offered better conditions, Booking had to be the cheapest. Moreover, this also concerned the website run by the entrepreneur himself.
Since one day I experienced first-hand what being dependent on Booking means for a hotel, I would like to say a few words about how this mechanism worked from the perspective of a tourist.
We’ll come to an agreement, just don’t tell Booking
One day I was organizing a family trip for the May weekend. Before I booked my stay on Booking, I called the selected facility. The person serving me told me that he could offer me a much better price, but outside the Booking platform and website. We’re doing a promotion, just so that Booking doesn’t know about it. Now the time has finally come to end this not very tourist-friendly practice.
Well, it seems that the European Union does come in handy sometimes.
Source: antyweb.pl
