Booking.com to be more transparent about available listing offers

Booking.com to be more transparent about its offers, moving forward, as the company has reached an agreement with the European Commissioner for Consumer Affairs, Didier Reynders.

The website often uses tricks to encourage people to book a room more quickly, like adding “Only 1 room left like this” to its offers. In the future, the website will have to make it clear that they mean one room left on Booking.com, as rooms could still be available via other websites, or through the hotel itself.

The company will have to communicate more correctly and honestly, from now on. “Booking.com must not create a false sense of scarcity,” Reynders said, reports VRT.

Discounts should also be communicated more transparently. Lower prices are not always the result of discounts, and are sometimes simply due to different packages being offered, or clients trying the book accommodation for or during different periods in the year.

The company has also agreed to present the total price to be paid by the client for their stay, meaning with all additional charges and taxes. It has negotiated with the European Commission and with national organisations and has promised improvement, according to Reynders. “The company is committed to being clearer and more transparent,” he said, reports De Morgen.

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