UK CMA orders hotel booking websites to end misleading practices
Six major hotel booking websites have been ordered to end misleading practices after an investigation found some of them guilty of pressure selling and giving prominence to properties which paid a commission.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said the websites had been giving false impressions of a hotel's popularity, and pressuring consumers with claims that there availability was reducing swiftly.
Its investigation pinpointed Expedia, Booking.com, Hotels.com, Trivago, ebookers and Agoda.
"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," said CMA chairman Andrew Tyrie.
"These have been wholly unacceptable."
The CMA said not all of the six sites were guilty of using the tactics, but have still committed to the changes which must be implemented by September 1.
It added that the companies had now all agreed to make it clearer how hotels are graded, including whether hotels paying the ranking sites more have received a position higher up the list
They also pledged to not give a false impression of a hotel's popularity to rush customers into making a booking.
For example, when saying that when customers were looking at the same hotel, it should be made clear it they were searching different dates. Some sites were also placing sold-out hotels within search results to put pressure on people to book more quickly. Sites had now committed not to do this, the CMA said.
The CMA also said it found sites comparing a higher weekend room rate with a weekday rate or comparing the price of a luxury suite with a standard room. The sites have also agreed to show charges such as taxes, booking or resort fees in the price.