The role of Booking.com in the European market
Booking.com, one of the most used online brokerage platforms in Europe, has received the label of ‘gatekeeper’ by the European Commission. This recognition implies that the company must comply with the new regulations established by the Digital Markets Act (DMA), a regulation designed to guarantee a fairer and more competitive digital market. Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager emphasized the importance of this change, stating that Booking.com must now ensure fairer access to accommodation and travel services for businesses and
consumers.
New opportunities for companies
Until now, many accommodation facilities and car rental companies were required to offer the most competitive prices exclusively on Booking.com. With the entry into force of the DMA, these companies now have the ability to differentiate their prices and conditions on any online sales channel. This represents a significant change that could lead to a greater variety of offers for consumers and a healthier competition between brokerage platforms
.
Implications for the tourism sector
The Digital Markets Act not only aims to limit the monopolistic power of large digital platforms, but also aims to promote a more open and accessible ecosystem. Tourism companies, now free to choose how and where to present their offers, can experiment with more diversified marketing strategies. This could translate into an improvement in the customer experience, with more personalized and competitive offers. The regulation of the DMA therefore represents an important step towards the creation of a more dynamic and innovative tourism market
.