More than 10,000 hotels have filed a collective lawsuit against the travel platform Booking.com, alleging years of unfair pricing practices.

According to HOTREC, the European umbrella organisation representing the hospitality sector (HORECA), the hotels are seeking damages on the grounds that Booking.com imposed restrictive pricing conditions over an extended period.

The legal action is based on a ruling by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in September last year, which found that so-called “best price” clauses violate EU competition law. These clauses required hotels not to offer their rooms at lower prices on any other platform – including their own websites – than those listed on Booking.com.

Through the platform mybookingclaim.com, hotels are being encouraged to join the collective legal effort against the popular booking site.

HOTREC stated that hotels across Europe have been significantly disadvantaged by these clauses over the past two decades. More than 25 national hotel associations have already joined the initiative, including Luxembourg. However, no specific information is currently available regarding which Luxembourgish hotels are participating. Neither HORESCA (the Luxembourg hospitality federation) nor HOTREC was able to provide details upon request.

The deadline to join the lawsuit has been extended, with hotels now having until 29 August to register via an online form. The proceedings will be heard in the Netherlands, as Booking.com is headquartered in Amsterdam.