Booking.com to Amend Parity Provisions Throughout Europe

PR60993

AMSTERDAM, June 25, 2015 /PRN=KYODO JBN/ --

     Today Booking.com, an operating business of The Priceline Group [NASDAQ:

PCLN], announced it will amend its parity terms with all accommodations

partners in Europe by 1 July 2015 to be consistent with the binding commitments

given to the French, Italian and Swedish National Competition Authorities

("NCAs") in April, and in line with its commitment to a new Europe-wide

standard to keep competition healthy, driving value for consumers and hoteliers.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140115/NY46887LOGO-b )

    Since agreeing to the commitments with the French, Italian and Swedish

NCAs, Booking.com announced its intent to implement these commitments

throughout Europe. Booking.com's decision today is a direct result of feedback

from many European NCAs indicating that they would welcome Booking.com

implementing the commitments in their jurisdiction.

    Under the new provisions, Booking.com will abandon its price, availability

and booking conditions parity provisions with respect to other online travel

agencies. This will create an environment that supports increased transparency

and competition among online travel agencies which will ultimately benefit

consumers, as well as hoteliers, by encouraging properties to offer different

pricing and booking policies (e.g. free cancellation, WIFI, breakfast) through

different online travel agencies.

    Booking.com will retain its "narrow MFNs" for prices and booking conditions

which will ensure hotels offer the same rates and booking conditions on

Booking.com as they do through their own direct website, in order to ensure

Booking.com can continue to be a cost-effective marketing channel for partners

and deliver transparency, choice and great prices for consumers. Under these

new conditions, Booking.com can continue to provide a valuable service to

consumers that delivers transparency, access to information, choice, value and

a seamless experience, and a valuable service to hotels by providing highly

cost-effective marketing to help hotels promote their properties around the

world, reach new subsets of travelers and fill their rooms to keep their

businesses growing.

    Today's announcement means that Booking.com's standard terms will be the

same for all of its European partners - helping to build a single European

digital economy.

    "The commitments agreed with the French, Italian and Swedish NCAs promote

competition in a way that supports innovation and investment. We think that all

of our European partners and consumers booking at European hotels should

benefit from the commitments agreed to with the French, Italian and Swedish

NCAs which is why we have decided to amend voluntarily our parity provisions

right throughout Europe to be consistent with those commitments," said Gillian

Tans, President of Booking.com. "We welcome and encourage fair competition and

hope that our fellow online travel agencies follow Booking.com's lead as part

of a shared commitment to support best pricing for consumers."

    With the implementation of the new parity provisions, Booking.com will

continue its Best Price Guarantee and match any lower price that may be found

on another booking website. Booking.com will also continue to innovate in the

way it works with its accommodations partners to highlight and promote to its

global customer base the best deals on the Internet.     "The Internet has

revolutionized the travel experience for people all over the world who seek

transparency, access to better information, great value and a better booking

experience, as well as for hoteliers looking to grow their business by

expanding their global customer base through new digital marketing channels,"

said Federico J. Gonzalez Tejera, CEO - NH Hotel Group. "Booking.com has been

an important partner for us and we look forward to continuing this partnership

under the new terms."

    Booking.com trusts that these changes will set the tone for an industry

wide solution.

    About Booking.com

[http://www.booking.com/?aid=354544&utm_source=PR&utm_medium=email_pr&utm_campaign=22_01_2013 ] :

    Booking.com is the world leader in booking hotel and other accommodations

online. It guarantees the best prices for any type of property - from small

independents to five-star luxury. Guests can access the Booking.com website

anytime, anywhere from their desktops, mobile phones and tablet devices, and

they don't pay booking fees - ever. The Booking.com website is available in 42

languages, offers over 675,000 hotels and accommodations including more than

290,000 vacation rental properties and covers over 75,000 destinations in 212+

countries and territories worldwide. It features over 50 million reviews

written by guests after their stay, and attracts online visitors from both

leisure and business markets around the globe. With over 19 years of experience

and a team of over 9,300 dedicated employees in 165+ offices worldwide,

Booking.com operates its own in-house customer service team, which is available

24/7 to assist guests in their native languages and ensure an exceptional

customer experience.

    Established in 1996, Booking.com B.V. owns and operates Booking.com(TM),

and is part of The Priceline Group (NASDAQ: PCLN). Follow us on Twitter,

Google+ and Pinterest, like us on Facebook, or learn more at

http://www.booking.com .

Source: Booking.com