AMSTERDAM, March 4, 2026 — Today the Amsterdam District Court upheld key elements of Booking.com’s position, concerning the company’s past use of price parity clauses in Germany before 2016 relating to a number of counterclaims brought by a group of German hotels. This ruling finds that the hotels have still not provided evidence proving that Booking.com’s past parity clauses restricted competition, despite the case having already run for over five years. The court has also raised concerns about the narrow market definition previously applied by both the German Competition Authority and German courts, finding that the substitutability and competitive threat of other sales channels has not been taken into account as required by the European Court of Justice’s 2024 ruling. In Germany, this position is also under review following the German Supreme Court’s judgment last week which found that an appellate court needs to reconsider its position on market definition in light of the same ECJ decision.“We are pleased the Amsterdam Court has upheld many of our key arguments in this interim ruling today,” said Maria Barros, Chief Legal and Public Affairs Officer at Booking.com. “We maintain that our past use of parity clauses, which we have not used in Germany since 2016, did not infringe competition law – and the court has found the hotels in this case have yet to provide evidence proving otherwise. We are also incredibly pleased that the European Court of Justice’s 2024 ruling relating to market definition is being taken into account, with the full substitutability of all sales channels on both sides of our marketplace being considered.”“We remain proud of our role enabling a vibrant European tourism sector. With our headquarters in the Netherlands, we help support millions of jobs across Europe by connecting our more than 2.3 million accommodation partners in the region with global demand that drives growth in local economies across the continent.”The decision from the Amsterdam Court today is limited to legal questions about Booking.com’s past parity clauses’ compliance with competition law and the specific counterclaims from German hotels in this case. With regards to any question around damages, if the hotels fail to prove that Booking.com’s past parity clauses restricted competition, there can be no question of damage being suffered. Growing together with the industryAs one of Europe’s most successful home-grown digital innovators, Booking.com has continuously leveraged technology over the past three decades to help the travel industry grow and thrive. Through its strong, long-standing partnerships, the company plays a meaningful role in the continued success of Europe’s tourism sector. Millions of hospitality entrepreneurs — from major hotel groups to independent bed-and-breakfasts — use the platform every day to promote and grow their businesses. By connecting them with a global audience, accommodations of all sizes benefit from the visibility the Booking.com platform offers, improving their chances of succeeding in an increasingly competitive market. This includes:Increased Visibility and Transparency: With Europe attracting a large share of international travellers, 52% in fact, Booking.com enables even the smallest providers to reach global audiences through advanced technology and multilingual customer service.Stronger Business Performance: 74%2 of hoteliers say Booking.com makes their business more profitable, with many reporting higher occupancy rates and lower customer acquisition costs.Risk-Free, Flexible Model: Partners only pay a fee when a booking is made and a guest has stayed at their accommodation. They retain control over prices, availability, and terms they set, and can decide how and when to use the platform.Tools for Growth: Beyond bookings, partners benefit from access to additional insights, analytics, and online training — helping them operate more efficiently and grow sustainably. Find out more about how accommodations succeed by partnering with Booking.com.Read more about the facts on legal claims, class actions, Booking.com and parity. 1UN 2025 World Tourism Barometer 2Statista 2024 Study of EU Accommodation BusinessesAMSTERDAM, March 4, 2026 — Today the Amsterdam District Court upheld key elements of Booking.com’s position, concerning the company’s past use of price parity clauses in Germany before 2016 relating to a number of counterclaims brought by a group of German hotels. This ruling finds that the hotels have still not provided evidence proving that Booking.com’s past parity clauses restricted competition, despite the case having already run for over five years. The court has also raised concerns about the narrow market definition previously applied by both the German Competition Authority and German courts, finding that the substitutability and competitive threat of other sales channels has not been taken into account as required by the European Court of Justice’s 2024 ruling. In Germany, this position is also under review following the German Supreme Court’s judgment last week which found that an appellate court needs to reconsider its position on market definition in light of the same ECJ decision.“We are pleased the Amsterdam Court has upheld many of our key arguments in this interim ruling today,” said Maria Barros, Chief Legal and Public Affairs Officer at Booking.com. “We maintain that our past use of parity clauses, which we have not used in Germany since 2016, did not infringe competition law – and the court has found the hotels in this case have yet to provide evidence proving otherwise. We are also incredibly pleased that the European Court of Justice’s 2024 ruling relating to market definition is being taken into account, with the full substitutability of all sales channels on both sides of our marketplace being considered.”“We remain proud of our role enabling a vibrant European tourism sector. With our headquarters in the Netherlands, we help support millions of jobs across Europe by connecting our more than 2.3 million accommodation partners in the region with global demand that drives growth in local economies across the continent.”The decision from the Amsterdam Court today is limited to legal questions about Booking.com’s past parity clauses’ compliance with competition law and the specific counterclaims from German hotels in this case. With regards to any question around damages, if the hotels fail to prove that Booking.com’s past parity clauses restricted competition, there can be no question of damage being suffered. Growing together with the industryAs one of Europe’s most successful home-grown digital innovators, Booking.com has continuously leveraged technology over the past three decades to help the travel industry grow and thrive. Through its strong, long-standing partnerships, the company plays a meaningful role in the continued success of Europe’s tourism sector. Millions of hospitality entrepreneurs — from major hotel groups to independent bed-and-breakfasts — use the platform every day to promote and grow their businesses. By connecting them with a global audience, accommodations of all sizes benefit from the visibility the Booking.com platform offers, improving their chances of succeeding in an increasingly competitive market. This includes:Increased Visibility and Transparency: With Europe attracting a large share of international travellers, 52% in fact, Booking.com enables even the smallest providers to reach global audiences through advanced technology and multilingual customer service.Stronger Business Performance: 74%2 of hoteliers say Booking.com makes their business more profitable, with many reporting higher occupancy rates and lower customer acquisition costs.Risk-Free, Flexible Model: Partners only pay a fee when a booking is made and a guest has stayed at their accommodation. They retain control over prices, availability, and terms they set, and can decide how and when to use the platform.Tools for Growth: Beyond bookings, partners benefit from access to additional insights, analytics, and online training — helping them operate more efficiently and grow sustainably. Find out more about how accommodations succeed by partnering with Booking.com.Read more about the facts on legal claims, class actions, Booking.com and parity. 1UN 2025 World Tourism Barometer 2Statista 2024 Study of EU Accommodation Businesses
AMSTERDAM, March 4, 2026 — Today the Amsterdam District Court upheld key elements of Booking.com’s position, concerning the company’s past use of price parity clauses in Germany before 2016 relating to a number of counterclaims brought by a group of German hotels. This ruling finds that the hotels have still not provided evidence proving that Booking.com’s past parity clauses restricted competition, despite the case having already run for over five years. The court has also raised concerns about the narrow market definition previously applied by both the German Competition Authority and German courts, finding that the substitutability and competitive threat of other sales channels has not been taken into account as required by the European Court of Justice’s 2024 ruling. In Germany, this position is also under review following the German Supreme Court’s judgment last week which found that an appellate court needs to reconsider its position on market definition in light of the same ECJ decision.
“We are pleased the Amsterdam Court has upheld many of our key arguments in this interim ruling today,” said Maria Barros, Chief Legal and Public Affairs Officer at Booking.com. “We maintain that our past use of parity clauses, which we have not used in Germany since 2016, did not infringe competition law – and the court has found the hotels in this case have yet to provide evidence proving otherwise. We are also incredibly pleased that the European Court of Justice’s 2024 ruling relating to market definition is being taken into account, with the full substitutability of all sales channels on both sides of our marketplace being considered.”
“We remain proud of our role enabling a vibrant European tourism sector. With our headquarters in the Netherlands, we help support millions of jobs across Europe by connecting our more than 2.3 million accommodation partners in the region with global demand that drives growth in local economies across the continent.”
The decision from the Amsterdam Court today is limited to legal questions about Booking.com’s past parity clauses’ compliance with competition law and the specific counterclaims from German hotels in this case. With regards to any question around damages, if the hotels fail to prove that Booking.com’s past parity clauses restricted competition, there can be no question of damage being suffered.
Growing together with the industry
As one of Europe’s most successful home-grown digital innovators, Booking.com has continuously leveraged technology over the past three decades to help the travel industry grow and thrive. Through its strong, long-standing partnerships, the company plays a meaningful role in the continued success of Europe’s tourism sector. Millions of hospitality entrepreneurs — from major hotel groups to independent bed-and-breakfasts — use the platform every day to promote and grow their businesses.
By connecting them with a global audience, accommodations of all sizes benefit from the visibility the Booking.com platform offers, improving their chances of succeeding in an increasingly competitive market. This includes:
- Increased Visibility and Transparency: With Europe attracting a large share of international travellers, 52% in fact, Booking.com enables even the smallest providers to reach global audiences through advanced technology and multilingual customer service.
- Stronger Business Performance: 74%2 of hoteliers say Booking.com makes their business more profitable, with many reporting higher occupancy rates and lower customer acquisition costs.
- Risk-Free, Flexible Model: Partners only pay a fee when a booking is made and a guest has stayed at their accommodation. They retain control over prices, availability, and terms they set, and can decide how and when to use the platform.
- Tools for Growth: Beyond bookings, partners benefit from access to additional insights, analytics, and online training — helping them operate more efficiently and grow sustainably.
Find out more about how accommodations succeed by partnering with Booking.com.
Read more about the facts on legal claims, class actions, Booking.com and parity.
1UN 2025 World Tourism Barometer
2Statista 2024 Study of EU Accommodation Businesses
