Hotel-Booking Sites Agree to Stop Misleading Sales Tactics After UK Investigation
February 06 2019 - 4:06AM
Dow Jones News
By Adam Clark
The U.K.'s competition watchdog said Wednesday that some of the
world's largest online hotel-booking sites have agreed to stop
using pressure-selling tactics and improve transparency.
Sites run by Expedia Group Inc. (EXPE), trivago N.V. (TRVG) and
Booking Holdings Inc. (BKNG) were among those under investigation
by the Competition and Markets Authority for potentially misleading
practices.
The CMA said all the sites under investigation have agreed not
to use pressure-selling tactics such as giving a false impression
of hotel availability or rushing customer decisions. The sites also
agreed to improve transparency over search results, discount claims
and hidden charges, the CMA 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,"
CMA Chairman Andrew Tyrie said.
"Six 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," Mr. Tyrie said.
The CMA said all the changes must be made by Sept. 1 at the
latest and it will monitor compliance. The regulator will also
write to other hotel-booking sites, including online travel agents,
metasearch engines and hotel chains, setting out expectations for
how they should comply with consumer-protection law.
Write to Adam Clark at adam.clark@dowjones.com;
@AdamDowJones
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
February 06, 2019 03:51 ET (08:51 GMT)
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