Booking.com Under Investigation by Italian Antitrust

Roberto Rustichelli, the President of the Italian Competition Authority (AGCM), pictured in his official capacity

ROME - The Italian Competition Authority has launched a formal investigation into Booking.com over alleged unfair commercial practices. At the centre of the case are the platform's 'Preferred Partners' programmes and how properties are ranked and promoted. Authorities suspect that visibility and positioning may be influenced more by commissions than by genuine quality criteria. The probe raises serious questions about transparency in online travel booking and its impact on consumer choice. Antitrust officials have already carried out inspections as part of the ongoing inquiry.

Investigation Launched by the Competition Authority

The Competition Authority has launched an investigation into Booking.com for unfair commercial practices. According to the Italian Competition and Market Authority (AGCM), Booking.com presents accommodation providers participating in the ‘Preferred Partners’ and ‘Preferred Partners Plus’ programmes as having been selected on the basis of service quality and value for money, although the eligibility criteria for these programmes do not appear to guarantee these characteristics on the part of participating providers.

Alleged Unfair Commercial Practices

The AGCM has launched an investigation into Booking.com B.V., Booking.com International B.V. and Booking.com (Italia) S.r.l. for unfair commercial practices. In particular, Booking.com is alleged to grant accommodation providers participating in the Preferred Partners programme (and its extension, Preferred Partners Plus) a higher ranking in search results within the platform, more prominent visual elements and claims designed to emphasise the quality of their service and value for money, despite the fact that the admission requirements for these programmes are not sufficient to justify the advantages granted to those providers.

Selection Criteria and Commission-Based Advantage

According to the Authority, in fact, the selection of establishments participating in the Preferred Partners programmes is largely based on criteria that favour those paying higher commissions to Booking.com, rather than on the basis of their qualitative characteristics. Consequently, the way in which properties are presented and the claims used by Booking.com to highlight their qualities could lead consumers to make purchasing decisions based on the mistaken belief that these properties offer better value for money than non-participating properties, all other things being equal.

Potential Impact on Consumers

This could even lead consumers to choose properties that are, on average, more expensive.

Inspections Conducted by Antitrust Officials

On Tuesday 21 April 2026, Antitrust officials carried out inspections at the premises of Booking.com (Italia) S.r.l. with the assistance of the Special Antitrust Unit of the Guardia di Finanza.

Potresti anche leggere