Fraud probe into web hotel bookings

THREE internet hotel booking sites are to be investigated by fraud squad detectives after being accused of wilfully misleading customers on the availability, promotions and facilities of hotels.

Tourism secretary Frédéric Lefebvre has called on the Direction Générale de la Concurrence, de la Consommation et de la Répression des fraudes (DGCCRF) to halt such practices on the sites Expedia, TripAdvisor and Hotels.com

The three sites are owned by Expedia, a former Microsoft start-up, and Mr Lefebvre asked the DGCCRF to investigate them in January. He has accused them of conduct prejudicial to both consumer and hotelier.

Investigators have said they have evidence of hotels being classed as “full” when they still had rooms, prices claimed to be promotional when they were normal rates, hotels classed above their real rating; four-star instead of three-star, and hotel phone numbers being inaccurate.

They also had screen-grabs showing that after hotels were flagged as being “full” customers were being directed to another hotel which had a financial link with the internet site.

French hotels association Synhorcat has already started legal action against the three sites and Mr Lefebvre has linked the DGCCRF investigation to its court case. A hearing has been set at the Tribunal de Commerce de Paris for July 6.

DGCCRF agents are continuing investigations into claims of false advice to travellers and the contracts between the sites and the hoteliers.