Duff on Hospitality Law

Important OFT Update: OFT Issues Notice to Accept Proposed Booking Commitments

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The U.K.’s Office of Fair Trade (OFT) is currently evaluating and accepting public comments on whether formal commitments proposed by Booking.com B.V. (Booking.com), Expedia Inc (Expedia) and InterContinental Hotels Group plc (IHG) sufficiently address its competition concerns regarding the online offering of room only hotel accommodations by Online Travel Agents. The OFT is soliciting feedback on whether the proposed commitments offer an immediate and effective means of injecting meaningful competition into the online bookings.

Read full Press Release and Notice

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What these commitments will mean for pricing parity in the future remains to be seen. Stay tuned for more updates in the weeks ahead.