China’s market regulator has imposed penalties totaling 5.179 billion yuan (approximately US$721 million) on leading online travel platform Ctrip, the parent company of Trip.com, after finding that the company abused its dominant market position in breach of the country’s Anti-Monopoly Law.
The State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) announced on Saturday that the company had been ordered to surrender 1.658 billion yuan (about US$244 million) in illegal gains and pay an additional 3.521 billion yuan fine.
The combined penalties amount to 5.179 billion yuan, making it one of the largest anti-monopoly enforcement actions involving China’s online travel industry.
The regulator said its investigation concluded that Ctrip had abused its dominant market position in violation of China’s Anti-Monopoly Law. However, the brief statement did not elaborate on the specific business practices that led to the enforcement action.
The move underscores Beijing’s continued efforts to strengthen competition within the country’s digital economy and enforce anti-monopoly regulations across major internet platforms.
China has intensified regulatory oversight of large technology companies in recent years as part of broader efforts to promote fair market competition, curb anti-competitive behaviour and safeguard consumer interests.
Ctrip is China’s largest online travel services provider and operates several well-known travel platforms, including Trip.com, Ctrip, Qunar and Skyscanner, offering flight bookings, hotel reservations, holiday packages and other travel-related services across global markets.
