Over 10,000 European hotels have launched a collective legal action against the Amsterdam-based platform Booking.com, seeking compensation for losses caused by the use of "best price" clauses.
These clauses prohibited hotels from offering lower rates on their websites, aiming to prevent customers from booking directly after finding a hotel on Booking.com.
The hotels cite a European Union Court of Justice ruling from 19 September 2024, which declared the "best price" clause illegal.
The Court determined that such platforms could operate without these kinds of rules. Booking.com removed these clauses in Europe following the adoption of the EU Digital Markets Act in 2024.
"European hoteliers have long suffered from unfair conditions and excessive costs," said the president of the hotel industry association HOTREC, Alexandros Vassilikos. "It’s time for us to unite and demand compensation."
The aim of this collective action, supported by more than 30 national hotel associations, is to secure compensation for damages incurred between 2004 and 2024.
The case will be handled by a Dutch court and coordinated by the Hotel Claims Alliance foundation.
