Overview
- Italy’s competition authority opened a formal case into Booking.com, Booking.com International and Booking.com Italia, with Tuesday inspections at the company’s Italy offices by the Guardia di Finanza’s antitrust unit.
- The watchdog says the “Preferred” and “Preferred Plus” programs are marketed as picks for quality and value even though entry rules may not support those claims.
- Investigators report that properties in these programs get higher placement in search results, eye‑catching badges, and marketing lines that suggest better service and price.
- The probe centers on whether the selection favors hotels that pay higher commissions to Booking.com rather than objective quality or price‑performance metrics, which could nudge users toward pricier options.
- The case remains open with no penalties announced, and potential remedies include clearer disclosures, changes to ranking or labels, or administrative fines if violations are found.