The European Commission (EC) prohibited Booking Holdings (Booking.com) from acquiring Flugo Group Holdings AB (eTraveli) citing entrenchment of dominant position in Europe. Booking.com is the leading hotel Online Travel Agency (OTA) while eTraveli is one of the main providers of flight OTA services in Europe. According to EC the acquisition would not only strengthen Booking.com’s position in the Hotel OTA market but, owing to eTraveli’s best-in-class flight OTA market, will open the growth avenue of flight OTA services crucial for Booking.com’s platform.
