BEIJING, China – China’s top market regulator said Saturday it had imposed nearly 5.2 billion yuan ($765 million) in penalties on Trip.com Group after concluding that the country’s largest online travel platform engaged in monopolistic practices that restricted competition in the hotel booking market.
The State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) said its investigation found that Trip.com abused its dominant market position by signing exclusive agreements with hotels, limiting their ability to work with competing booking platforms, and requiring some properties to offer their lowest online room rates through Trip.com’s services.
The decision represents one of China’s largest recent antitrust penalties against a major internet platform and highlights Beijing’s continued enforcement of competition laws in the digital economy.
Regulator Details Alleged Anti-Competitive Practices
According to SAMR, Trip.com’s conduct dated back to at least 2020 and involved several practices that regulators said harmed market competition.
The regulator said the company entered exclusive partnerships with selected hotels while providing those businesses with preferential traffic and visibility on its platform. Some hotel operators were also prohibited from cooperating with competing online travel agencies.
SAMR further alleged that Trip.com required certain hotels listed on multiple booking platforms to ensure that room rates offered through Trip.com remained the lowest available online.
The regulator concluded that these practices restricted market competition, limited hotels’ ability to conduct business across multiple platforms, interfered with independent pricing decisions, and harmed consumer interests.
Investigation Results in $765 Million Penalty
SAMR, which opened its investigation in January, said it confiscated more than 1.6 billion yuan ($245 million) in what it described as illegal gains.
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The regulator also imposed an additional fine exceeding 3.5 billion yuan ($520 million) and ordered Trip.com to refund approximately 122 million yuan ($18 million) that authorities said had been improperly withheld from hotel operators.
Combined, the measures total nearly 5.2 billion yuan, or approximately $765 million.
Trip.com Says It Will Comply
Trip.com said it accepted the regulator’s decision and would fully implement the required corrective measures.
In a statement, the company said it “sincerely accepts and will resolutely comply” with the ruling and pledged to carry out each rectification measure in a systematic manner.
Trip.com operates several travel brands, including Ctrip and Skyscanner, making it one of China’s largest online travel companies with a significant presence in both domestic and international travel markets.
China Continues Tightening Oversight of Digital Platforms
The case forms part of China’s broader campaign to strengthen antitrust enforcement across the country’s digital economy.
In recent years, Chinese regulators have increased scrutiny of major internet companies over concerns that dominant platforms may use their market positions to limit competition, disadvantage business partners, or reduce consumer choice.
The Trip.com ruling signals that competition enforcement remains a priority as authorities continue monitoring business practices across China’s technology and online services sectors.
This report is based on reporting by The Associated Press.
