Market study on the distribution of hotel accommodation in the EU

Abstract:

This study provides the European Commission with up-to-date facts on the sale and marketing of hotel accommodation in the EU, including on changes that have occurred in the period 2017-2021 and the impact of national laws prohibiting the use of parity clauses by hotel booking platforms. The study covers the sales and marketing practices of independent hotels, hotel chains, Online Travel Agents (‘OTAs’) and metasearch/price comparison websites (‘PCWs’) in six EU Member States.

Based on information gathered from stakeholders and a review of relevant literature, the study addresses four research questions. First, the study presents the key features of hotel distribution practices, focusing on indicators such as the relative size and costs of sales channels; the commercial relationships between OTAs, PCWs and hotels; offer differentiation between sales channels, and OTA commission rates. Second, the study provides an analysis of differences in distribution practices between the study countries, as well as possible reasons for these. Third, the study analyses changes that have occurred in the period since the European Competition Network carried out a monitoring exercise in the hotel sector in 2016. Fourth, the study examines the impact of laws adopted by Austria and Belgium prohibiting the use of OTA parity clauses. Finally, in view of the exceptional context in which the study has been conducted, it also addresses the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on hotel distribution arrangements.

• Primary Source

• Alternative Source

Official

European Commission: Press Release, 26/08/2022: Antitrust: Commission publishes market study on hotels' distribution practices https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_22_5045

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