China Fines Trip.com Group $765 Million for Monopoly Abuses

The State Administration for Market Regulation imposed penalties totaling approximately 5.2 billion yuan ($765 million to $770 million) on Trip.com Group on Saturday for violating anti-monopoly laws. The action follows an investigation launched in January 2026 and marks China's first antitrust enforcement in the online travel industry.

Regulators determined that Trip.com, which operates brands including Ctrip, Skyscanner, and Qunar, abused its dominant market position starting as early as 2020. The company used technical tools, platform rules, and traffic allocation mechanisms to force hotels into exclusive cooperation agreements, prohibit the use of competing platforms, and demand the lowest available online rates. These practices were found to have harmed hotel operators and consumers while hindering healthy industry development.

The total penalty includes a fine of 3.52 billion yuan, the confiscation of 1.66 billion yuan in illegal gains, and an order to refund 122 million yuan in withheld booking deposits or reserve funds to hotel operators.

Trip.com Group stated it sincerely accepts the decision and will comply with the regulator's requirements. The company pledged to implement 19 rectification measures and pursue a meaningful reform to abandon inefficient, cutthroat competition.