The hotels are seeking compensation for policies they say restricted competition and cut into their revenues. The legal action is backed by HOTREC, the umbrella organization representing the European hospitality industry, along with more than 30 national hotel associations.
"European hoteliers have long suffered from unfair conditions and excessive costs. Now is the time to stand together and demand redress," HOTREC Chairman Alexandros Vassilikos said in a statement on the organization's official website. "This joint initiative sends a clear message: abusive practices in the digital market will not be tolerated by the hospitality industry in Europe."
Central to the dispute are the "best price" or parity clauses, which Booking.com enforced for years. These clauses barred hotels from offering lower prices on their own websites or through other booking platforms.
According to HOTREC, the legal action remains open to all eligible hotels. "Following overwhelming demand from hoteliers across Europe, the deadline to register for the collective action against Booking.com has been extended until Aug. 29, 2025," the statement said, adding that the lawsuit is expected to be filed in a Dutch court.
This collective claim follows a similar initiative by the Dutch consumer advocacy group Consumentenbond, which announced in June that it was preparing a mass lawsuit on behalf of Booking.com customers. The group accuses the platform of inflating prices through "illegal agreements and deceptive practices."
Booking.com has rejected the allegations of price manipulation, saying it is reviewing the claims and will respond formally in due course.
The company is already facing legal scrutiny in Europe. In July last year, a Spanish court fined Booking.com 413 million euros (478 million U.S. dollars) for similar practices. The European Court of Justice later ruled that such parity clauses violate EU competition laws.
Xinhua
