News & Analysis as of September 18, 2024

Online Travel Vendors

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The European Union is an economic and political partnership comprised of 27 nations within the Eurozone. The EU was established in 1948 to promote stability and cooperation among member states in the aftermath of WWII. The EU maintains a common currency as well as several intranational institutions, including the European Parliament and the European Commission. less -

Online Travel Update: Turbulent Times for Booking.com Amid EU Regulations

Foster Garvey PC on 6/24/2024

Good Sunday morning from somewhere over Colorado . . . Our weekly Online Travel Update for the week ending Friday, June 21, 2024, is below. It was another relatively quiet week in the online travel space, except, that is, if...more

Online Travel Update: Expedia Group launches One Key, Booking.com potentially impacted by EU "Gatekeeper" Designation

Foster Garvey PC on 7/13/2023

This week’s “vacation edition” Update features only two stories, the subjects of which have been featured in prior Updates. We will be back with our regular Updates next week!...more

Online Travel Update: Legal Developments in the U.S. and EU, Growing Concerns with Generative AI, Chargeback Challenges, and EU...

Foster Garvey PC on 7/5/2023

For those of you in the U.S. and Canada, happy Independence Day. This week’s Update features a number of important legal updates – both in the U.S. and in the EU. The next 6-9 months should prove to be interesting as the EU...more

Online Travel Update: AirBNB Summer Update & Evolutions, EU Gatekeeper Process Begins, American Airlines Cracks Down on...

Foster Garvey PC on 5/9/2023

Our weekly Online Travel Update for the week ending Friday, May 5, 2023, is below. We hope you enjoy...more

Online Travel Update: Expedia Integrates ChatGPT, EU Commission's 2022 Policy Initiatives, Lufthansa's Cloopio, and Kayak's Change...

Foster Garvey PC on 4/11/2023

This week’s Update features the obligatory Expedia / ChatGBT story as Expedia garnered most of this past week’s industry headlines with its announced integration of ChatGBT into its iOS application. For those of you following...more

Online Travel Update: Antitrust Updates from the European Union and South America

Foster Garvey PC on 3/28/2023

This week’s Update features two anti-trust / competition law updates from the EU (the Netherlands) and South America (Chile). Enjoy....more

Online Travel Update: Biden Administration Announces Plan to Tackle “Surprise Fees”

Foster Garvey PC on 11/10/2022

This week’s Update delves back into resort fees and includes a story detailing planned future regulation of the fees by the FTC. While resort fees may not technically be an “online issue,” potential federal regulation will...more

Online Travel Update: India’s MakeMyTrip Fined for Anti-Competitive Behavior

Foster Garvey PC on 11/10/2022

Three of the four stories we feature in this week’s Update detail recent or ongoing examinations by competition regulators of the trade practices of several online travel platforms. Relatedly, we also include again a link to...more

Online Travel Update: Booking Holdings Presses Ahead With Etraveli Acquisition

Foster Garvey PC on 11/8/2022

It was another relatively quiet week in the online travel world, as evidenced by the stories below. The one obvious exception was the European Commission’s final publishing of the much-discussed Digital Markets Act (DMA),...more

Online Travel Update: An Update on Hotel Distribution and Vacasa’s Change in Leadership

Foster Garvey PC on 9/6/2022

The last unofficial week of summer was relatively slow in the online travel world, though last week did see the release of the European Commission’s report on its recent study into the current status of hotel room...more

Online Travel Update: EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) Moves Forward, and Online Business Models Continue to Evolve

Foster Garvey PC on 8/8/2022

This week’s Update features a story detailing recent progress with the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA). As the EU prepares for the full implementation of the DMA (and its sister legislation, the Digital Services Act), expect...more

Online Travel Update: Agoda adds installment payments, and Expedia scales back its non-core businesses while its competitors press...

Foster Garvey PC on 12/31/2020

We end 2020 with a heavy dose of antitrust/competition stories (which is a theme likely to continue into 2021), including updates from Russia, Croatia and the European Union. Those of you with properties in those markets may...more

Online Travel Update: VResorts launches first virtual reality booking platform; Lufthansa and Sabre settle differences; EU...

Foster Garvey PC on 12/28/2020

This week’s Update features a variety of stories – short-term rental, airlines, resort fees and antitrust developments in both the United States and the EU. Enjoy....more

Online Travel Update: Accor and Marriott’s interest in short-term rental interest grows; new tax claims filed against OTAs in...

Foster Garvey PC on 12/15/2020

This week’s Update features a heavy dose of short-term rentals as the long-awaited Airbnb IPO finally arrives and many hoteliers seek to capitalize on growing (COVID-induced) traveler demand in this segment. Enjoy....more

OTA & Travel Distribution Update: Expedia abandons rate parity in Australia; Sabre and Farelogix terminate merger agreement;...

Foster Garvey PC on 5/5/2020

This week’s Update features a number of updates on previous stories, including our recent story on Expedia’s apparent abandonment of indirect and direct channel rate parity provisions in Australia. Enjoy....more

OTA & Travel Distribution Update: Marketing investments by OTAs increase again; short-term rentals platforms' landmark...

Foster Garvey PC on 3/16/2020

While this week’s Update does not include stories about Coronavirus and its potentially disastrous effects on the lodging and travel industries, I’m sure it will only be a matter of time. We are already hearing stories of...more

OTA & Travel Distribution Update: Google adds travel rivals’ direct links within search results due to mounting pressure from the...

Foster Garvey PC on 2/24/2020

Both Google and Expedia are featured prominently in this week’s Update, particularly Barry Diller and his many colorful statements made during last week’s Expedia earnings call. Enjoy....more

OTA & Travel Distribution Update: The Impact of EU online sales rules on the lodging industry; OTAs under Korea Fair Trade...

Foster Garvey PC on 2/11/2020

Luxury-Goods Makers Making the Case for Permissible Distribution Controls - (“New EU online-sales rules should step up fight against free-riders, luxury-goods makers say,” MLex Insight on Jan 31, 2020) Why, you might...more

OTA & Travel Distribution Update: Booking.com agrees to EU demands to change travel offers, also signs deal with Google Nest;...

Foster Garvey PC on 12/31/2019

Our holiday-abbreviated OTA & Travel Distribution Update is below. Happy Holidays....more

OTA & Travel Distribution Update: Ettsa demands tighter EU standards on hotel booking rules; scalability is key for new...

Foster Garvey PC on 9/10/2019

Ettsa demands Europe-wide harmonisation of hotel booking rules - Travel Weekly (UK) - News on Aug 30, 2019 - The European technology and Travel Services Association (Ettsa) has demanded EU regulators enforce tighter...more

Short-Term Rental Update: Airbnb poised for a reprieve in the EU; Guesty offers innovative and more streamlined tools for property...

Foster Garvey PC on 5/20/2019

Airbnb poised for a reprieve in the EU - ("Why Airbnb Could Escape the Uber Trap in Europe," Fortune Magazine on Apr 30, 2019) The Court of Justice of the European Union is considering whether Airbnb was breaking the...more

OTA & Travel Distribution Update: EU antitrust's probe into airline ticketing technology companies; Marriott expands its...

Foster Garvey PC on 5/14/2019

While Marriott’s entrance into the vacation rental business garnered most of the attention this week (we’ve included one of the many stories written this week about Marriott’s move), a few other stories warranted inclusion in...more

OTA & Travel Distribution Update: Sabre's previously announced acquisition runs into regulatory trouble; enforceability of...

Foster Garvey PC on 4/29/2019

This week’s Update features a number of stories on important developments in the EU. Enjoy....more

OTA & Travel Distribution Update: French authorities to examine travel platforms' pricing practices; tour operators' cooperation...

Foster Garvey PC on 12/17/2018

Is it just my generally biased view of online travel platforms or are regulators finally taking a hard look at the sometimes questionable practices of these channels? Enjoy....more

OTA & Travel Distribution Update: Global distribution systems become latest EU target; Booking.com & Agoda under Korean...

Foster Garvey PC on 12/10/2018

Following last week’s holiday break, we are once again sharing each week what we feel are the most noteworthy stories in the distribution, loyalty program and (occasionally) short-term rental fields/industries. We hope you...more

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