The company is currently under scrutiny by Italy's competition watchdog (AGCM) for potential abuse of its dominant position in the market.
The investigation comes amidst concerns that Booking.com's practices may hinder fair competition and lead to higher prices and reduced choices for consumers.
According to Reuters, AGCM has started a probe to examine Booking.com's handling of hotels participating in its Preferred Partner Programme. The watchdog suspects that Booking.com's actions could restrict effective competition in the online hotel booking sector, particularly on a national scale in Italy.
The authority believes that such practices could negatively impact accommodation facilities and ultimately harm consumers by limiting options and driving up prices.
(source)
