China’s State Administration for Market Regulation imposed penalties totaling nearly 5.2 billion yuan ($765 million) on Trip.com Group, the country’s largest online travel platform, on Saturday. The fine addresses allegations of monopolistic conduct, including exclusive partnerships with hotels and prioritized traffic allocation. The regulator also ordered Trip.com to refund 122 million yuan ($18 million) withheld from hotel operators, marking a significant enforcement action in China’s travel sector.
The investigation, which began in January, found that Trip.com had abused its dominant market position since 2020. The company restricted hotels from collaborating with competing platforms and required some hotel operators to offer the lowest online rates exclusively on Trip.com’s platforms, including Ctrip and Skyscanner. The regulator confiscated illegal gains of more than 1.6 billion yuan ($245 million) and imposed a fine exceeding 3.5 billion yuan ($520 million) as part of the penalty, according to the regulator’s statement.
The penalties highlight China’s intensified scrutiny of large internet platforms and their market practices. Trip.com’s conduct was found to have constrained hotel operators’ ability to conduct cross-platform business and infringed on their pricing rights, while also harming consumer interests. This action follows a broader regulatory trend targeting monopolistic behavior in China’s digital economy, similar to measures taken against other major tech companies in recent years.
Trip.com Group operates multiple travel brands, including Ctrip and Skyscanner, which serve millions of users in China and globally. The company has not publicly disclosed plans to appeal the penalty as of the regulator’s announcement on Saturday.