China penalises Trip.com with US$770 million fine for online hotel-booking monopoly

China's antitrust regulator has imposed a hefty $770 million fine on online travel giant Trip.com. The penalty stems from monopolistic practices identified in the country's online hotel-booking market.

The regulator stated that Trip.com leveraged its market position through various means. These included manipulating traffic allocation, enforcing specific platform rules, and employing technology to secure exclusive agreements with hotels. The company also allegedly pushed for the lowest possible prices, further cementing its dominant position.

This significant fine underscores China's ongoing efforts to regulate its booming tech sector and ensure fair competition. The move targets monopolistic behavior, aiming to create a more level playing field for smaller players and ultimately benefit consumers through greater choice and potentially more competitive pricing.

“

Trip.com used traffic allocation, platform rules and technology to secure exclusive deals with some hotels while pushing for the lowest prices.