Italy Opens Probe Into Booking.com Over ‘Preferred Partner’ Rankings

Overview

• The AGCM, which opened a formal probe Wednesday and ran on-site checks Tuesday with the Guardia di Finanza, is now reviewing Booking.com’s practices.
• The investigation targets the ‘Preferred Partner’ program that may boost search placement for properties paying higher commissions rather than ranking them for quality.
• The authority says the way these listings are labeled and promoted could mislead users into thinking they offer better value and could nudge bookings toward higher average prices.
• Booking.com says it is fully cooperating with the inquiry and argues the partner programs are optional and comply with consumer-protection rules.
• The platform’s global reach — available in 45 languages and citing 6.8 billion customer arrivals since 2010 — raises the stakes for how any findings could shape transparency in travel searches.