appConfigEntityId

bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

isVideo

articlePageQuery

article

articleSchemaContent

content

hooksArticlePageAdvertisementConfigArticle

hooksArticlePageFloatingButtonConfigArticle

appConfig

filter

json

liveArticle

Wency Chen

Peggy Ye

China’s market regulator has imposed a 5.2 billion yuan (US$765 million) penalty on Trip.com Group, the country’s largest online travel services provider, for “monopolistic conduct”.
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.
In an internal letter issued to staff on Sunday and seen by the SCMP, CEO Jane Sun instructed employees to present a unified message, saying the company would not “deflect or make excuses” when responding to questions about the case.

The regulator said the company’s conduct centred on its traffic-allocation system, platform rules and technical tools. It induced selected “special-tier” hotel partners to sign exclusive agreements by promising greater traffic exposure and marketing support, while barring them from cooperating with rival platforms.
It also required many “gold-tier” and ordinary hotel operators to offer their lowest prices on Trip.com across all online booking platforms.
SAMR also said Trip.com used automated pricing tools and manual intervention to lower hotel prices on its platform whenever it detected cheaper listings elsewhere. It also monitored hotels’ compliance through technical means and penalised merchants by reducing traffic, removing platform labels and deducting order deposits.
SAMR ordered Trip.com to cease the offending practices and fully refund 122 million yuan in order deposits that it had deducted from hotel operators.
The company’s Hong Kong-listed shares slipped 0.8 per cent to HK$342.60 (US$43.69) on Friday ahead of the verdict. The stock has plunged from a peak of over HK$600 at the start of the year.
The investigation, launched in January, marks China’s most significant antitrust action against a major internet platform since the bruising tech crackdown of 2021.
During that period, Alibaba Group Holding was hit with a record 18.2 billion yuan fine, constituting 4 per cent of its 2019 domestic revenue. On-demand delivery giant Meituan was penalised 3.44 billion yuan, representing about 3 per cent of its 2020 domestic sales. Alibaba owns the South China Morning Post.
The probe follows a string of local regulatory warnings and industry complaints over exclusivity demands and algorithmic price manipulation.
Authorities in southwestern Guizhou province and Zhengzhou, capital of the central province of Henan, summoned Trip.com in August and September, respectively, while a tourism homestay association in southwestern Yunnan province accused the company of anti-competitive conduct and threatened legal action in December.
In March, Trip.com quietly took offline its “AI business assistant” – a tool that enabled algorithm-based pricing adjustments which was widely seen as encroaching on merchants’ pricing autonomy.
Trip.com reported revenue of 62.4 billion yuan in 2025, up 17 per cent year on year, while net profit surged to 33.4 billion yuan from 17.2 billion yuan – largely driven by the partial disposal of its stake in Indian online travel group MakeMyTrip.


As Chinese consumption of gold jewellery slumps 34%, sellers look to markets abroad: WGC

In a first, top European design prize awarded to €20 uniform for China’s delivery drivers

China cracks down on big firms delaying payments to cash-strapped SMEs

Veteran investor Fang Fenglei on why the China ‘investibility’ debate is no debate at all

China’s private sector

China hits Trip.com with US$765 million antitrust penalty after 6-month investigation

Trip.com reported revenue of 62.4 billion yuan in 2025, up 17 per cent year on year. Photo: Shutterstock

The logo of Trip.com Group is seen at its headquarter in Shanghai on January 15, 2026. Photo: AFP

Tech

Policy

Business

Companies

China Business

The country’s biggest online travel services provider is accused of abusing its ‘dominant market position’


The country’s biggest online travel services provider is accused of abusing its ‘dominant market position’.


China hits Trip.com with US$765 million antitrust penalty after 6-month investigation

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}The country’s biggest online travel services provider is accused of abusing its ‘dominant market position’

The country’s biggest online travel services provider is accused of abusing its ‘dominant market position’