Greek hoteliers are exploring the possibility of launching a collective lawsuit against the online booking giant Booking.com. The legal action would target the platform's pricing-policy restrictions, which the hoteliers argue are financially damaging, costing the industry millions of euros.
This initiative is being spearheaded by the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels, following a pivotal European Court of Justice decision last year. The court ruled that Booking.com's pricing policies are disadvantageous to hoteliers.
The controversy is based on the platform's demand for rate parity, which prevents hoteliers from offering lower room rates through other channels or their own websites than those listed on Booking.com. For instance, if a room is advertised for €100 per night on Booking.com, the hotel cannot offer a discounted rate elsewhere, even to fill vacant rooms.
Commissions to Booking.com range between 15% and 27%, with higher fees linked to participation in promotional programs.
Alexandros Vassilikos, President of the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels and HOTREC, confirmed that a specialized law firm has been contracted to handle the case. However, it remains uncertain how many Greek hoteliers will join this class action.
Experts estimate that the online hotel booking market in Greece is valued at roughly 2 billion euros annually. Out of this, Booking.com is estimated to earn about 200 million euros, holding a dominant market position with a 70% market share.