Over 18,000 European hotels have taken Booking to court in Amsterdam

Brussels – 18,135 European hotels are taking part in the class action against Booking Holdings, the parent company of Booking.com, before the Amsterdam District Court. This was announced in a statement by the Stichting Hotel Claims Alliance (SHCA), the non-profit foundation under Dutch law leading the case, following the submission of the third and final group of signatories. In January 2026, when the proceedings began, there were 3,087 establishments involved, a figure that rose to 10,783 by July: a 68 per cent increase in three months, making the initiative one of the largest competition-related compensation claims ever brought in Europe against a single company.

At the heart of the case are the price parity clauses applied by Booking.com between 2004 and 2024, which prevented hotels from offering lower prices on other sales channels, including their own websites. According to the claimants, these clauses reinforced the platform’s dominant position, distorted competition and caused significant financial losses. The SHCA estimates that the total damages could amount to several billion euros, plus interest, with a potentially significant impact on the group’s balance sheet. The first hearing is expected in 2027.

“The scale of the walkouts in recent months reflects the erosion of trust amongst Booking Holdings’ European hotel partners following decades of anti-competitive practices,” said Volker Soyez, who is leading the appeal. “While artificial intelligence is transforming the travel sector and offering guests new ways to find accommodation, losing the favour of hotels could pose a significant risk to Booking Holdings’ business.”

The action is supported by HOTREC, the European association of hotels, restaurants, bars and cafés, and by over 30 national industry associations. “Thousands of hotels across Europe have joined this action to seek compensation for the damage caused by Booking.com’s anti-competitive practices,” said HOTREC’s president, Alexandros Vassilikos. “Their participation sends a clear message: fair competition and the freedom to set their own prices are essential for European hotels. Securing compensation is an important step towards restoring fairness and building more balanced commercial relationships with online travel agencies.”

Amsterdam was chosen because Booking.com’s contractual terms confer exclusive jurisdiction on Dutch courts for disputes involving hotels. According to the organisers, legal proceedings in other countries would risk protracted jurisdictional disputes.