Booking targeted by an EU investigation: "Europeans should be able to book their holidays without fearing being scammed"

The European Commission has launched an investigation into Booking.com to assess its measures against misleading advertisements and online scams. Concerns include potential transparency issues regarding 'boosted' listings, which enhance visibility for a fee. This marks the first EU procedure against the Dutch-based platform under the Digital Services Act (DSA). The Commission emphasizes the need for consumer protection in travel bookings. Booking.com claims to cooperate fully with the investigation and prioritizes user safety. The inquiry will examine the platform's effectiveness in combating fraudulent listings and phishing attempts, as well as the clarity of paid advertisements. Numerous complaints from consumers and hotel associations have prompted this action.