Italy watchdog probes travel giant Booking.com

ROME, Italy — Italy's AGCM competition authority said Wednesday it was investigating online travel giant Booking.com for allegedly offering more visibility for accommodation providers that pay them higher commission.

AGCM officials and members of Italy's Guardia di Finanza financial crimes police carried out inspections on Tuesday at the premises of Booking.com Italy, the authority said in a statement.

"The Italian Competition Authority has launched an investigation into Booking.com, Booking.com International, and Booking.com (Italia) for engaging in unfair commercial practices," it said.

It said the platform appeared to offer accommodation providers belonging to its Preferred Partner Programme greater visibility in its search results, including highlighting quality and value for money.

Yet "in the Authority's view, selection for the Preferred Partner Programme appears to be driven largely by criteria that favour accommodation providers paying higher commissions to Booking.com, rather than by the quality of what they offer," the statement said.

"As a result, the way those providers are presented, together with claims by Booking.com highlighting their quality, may mislead consumers into believing that, all else being equal, they offer better overall value for money than providers not in the program."

This could even lead consumers to book accommodation that was on average more expensive, it said.

AFP requested a comment from Booking.com.

The platform and website is available in 45 languages and claims to have facilitated 6.8 billion guest arrivals since 2010.

It also provides flights and car rental.