Trip.com – operator of its namesake international platform, China-focused siblings Ctrip and Qunar, and global site Skyscanner – had “abused its dominant market position”, the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) said on Saturday.
The penalty includes the confiscation of 1.658 billion yuan in illegal gains and a fine of 3.521 billion yuan, the latter equivalent to 7.5 per cent of the company’s domestic sales of 46.958 billion yuan in 2025.
The South China Morning Post reported on Monday that the investigation’s verdict was expected this week.
According to the announcement, Trip.com had engaged in anticompetitive practices since 2020 by leveraging its traffic-allocation algorithms, platform rules and technology. These tactics included forcing certain hotel partners into exclusive deals and demanding some of them offer their lowest online rates on the platform.
“We accept the ruling sincerely and resolutely,” Trip.com said in a statement on WeChat on Saturday, adding that it would reform its business model, foster healthy competition and implement rectification measures.
China hits Trip.com with US$765 million antitrust penalty
