The Italian Competition and Market Authority (AGCM) has started an official investigation into Booking.com (specifically Booking.com, Booking.com International and Booking.com Italia) for alleged unfair business practices.
At the heart of the file are the visibility programs called «Preferred Partners» e «Preferred Partner Plus».
The Antitrust Charge: Quality or Commissions?
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According to the Authority's findings, the hotel booking portal presents accommodations participating in the "Preferred Partner" programs as selected based on objective criteria of service quality and value for money. However, the investigation hypothesizes that:
The entry requirements are not quality-related: Participation in the programs would appear to be based mainly on the willingness of the facility to pay higher commissions to Booking.com.
Deceptive positioning: Properties that pay higher commissions receive priority placement in search results, more prominent graphics, and claims that suggest superior quality.
Damage to the consumer: This practice could lead users to mistakenly believe that properties marked as “Preferred” are the best available options in terms of convenience and quality, pushing them to make choices that may turn out to be less convenient.
Inspection and context
The Antitrust action had an intense operational phase on 21 April 2026, when the Authority's officials, with the support of the Special Antitrust Unit of the Guardia di Finanza, have carried out inspections at Booking.com's Italian offices.
The goal is to gather documentary evidence to verify the validity of allegations regarding the transparency of the platform's ranking algorithms and marketing strategies.
What implications for hoteliers?
For hospitality professionals, this investigation raises fundamental questions about the transparency of the online intermediation market (OTA).
The main concern, which has long been fueling debate in the hotel industry, concerns the growing weight of commissions in determining digital visibility.
If search engine rankings—vital for disintermediation and direct bookings—were not based on a property's actual performance (reviews, services, efficiency) but solely on its ability to sustain high commissions, a competitive asymmetry would arise that penalizes properties unable or unwilling to adopt these models.
What to monitor: Hoteliers will need to closely monitor the investigation. A potential ruling by the Italian Competition Authority (AGCM) could require greater transparency in OTA ranking criteria, forcing Booking.com to clearly separate paid promotions from results based on user ratings and scores.
To read the details, you can consult the official press release from the Antitrust
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