Overview
- The State Administration for Market Regulation launched a formal investigation under the Anti-Monopoly Law after preliminary checks.
- Ctrip said it received the notice, pledged full cooperation with regulators, and reported that all services continue to operate normally.
- A case filing is an evidentiary step that does not constitute a finding of wrongdoing or indicate impending penalties.
- Commentary suggests regulators are likely to examine potential hidden exclusivity, differential treatment of partners, and opaque data or algorithm advantages.
- Analysts highlight Ctrip’s closed-loop structure—covering traffic distribution, pricing display, transactions, and reviews—as a factor that could confer de facto rule-setting power.