Regulatory and Legal Affairs

💸 Switzerland's price watchdog, on May 22, 2025, mandated Booking.com to cut hotel commission fees by nearly 25% under national pricing laws. This decision, applicable for three years once enacted, comes amidst a broader European trend for greater OTA pricing transparency. Booking.com, planning an appeal, has three months to comply. The commission rates remain unchanged during the appeal. Swiss law already forbids OTAs from enforcing price parity clauses, aligning with recent European Court of Justice support for hotel price flexibility.

💰 U.S. Senate unanimously passed the "No Tax on Tips" Act aimed at allowing hospitality workers to keep more of their earnings. Rosanna Maietta, President and CEO of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), praised this bipartisan effort. The Act benefits hundreds of thousands of hotel employees, including housekeepers, valets, food service workers, and bellhops. Key supporters include Senators Ted Cruz and Jacky Rosen, highlighting their leadership in this initiative.

🛑 May 21, 2025, UK. Since April 6, 2024, the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act mandates full upfront pricing in travel bookings, including fees. An investigation by Which? Travel indicates major companies like Trivago and Loveholidays might be violating this by not listing mandatory fees upfront. While Booking.com, Expedia, and Hotels.com comply, others do not, creating discrepancies. BA Holidays is criticized for not disclosing true prices until late stages, citing “availability changes.”

💼 Location: Brussels, Belgium. HOTREC seeks a Public Affairs Manager for digital and economic policy advocacy at the EU level. The role involves working with EU institutions, stakeholders, and HOTREC’s 47 member associations. Applicants need 5+ years of relevant experience. Deadline: 2 June 2025. Apply with a CV and cover letter to Sergey Golyshin at [email protected]. More details on the Euractiv JobSite.

🏨 This week, over 250 American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) members met with U.S. Senate and House lawmakers in Washington to discuss hospitality sector priorities amid Budget Reconciliation and tax talks. Key issues included tax and trade policies affecting hotel costs and travel demand. AHLA advocated for tax provisions like the Small Business Tax Deduction, Bonus Depreciation, and "No Tax on Tips." Discussions also covered workforce expansion and the H-2B visa program.

🛬 Business travellers exhibit risky behaviour on work trips, with 79% engaging in activities like gambling and ignoring safety advice. World Travel Protection's survey reveals younger travellers (under 34) are almost four times likelier to ignore health and safety advice compared to those over 55. Only 20% maintain their usual behaviour while travelling. The data highlights the need for companies to uphold duty of care obligations, emphasizing pre-trip education on local risks.

🏖️ U.S. travel and tourism industry may lose $12.5 billion in 2025, a 22.5% drop from its 2019 peak, due to Trump administration immigration policies. Projected international spending to decrease to $169 billion from $181 billion in 2024. Border cities and tourist hubs are most affected, with the U.S. Travel Association calling for actions to reassure international visitors of a welcoming U.S. Some domestic destinations might gain from increased local travel.

📈 SAN FRANCISCO, 12 MAY – A new Hospitable report reveals 47.7% of independent short-term rental hosts feel unaffected by large property management companies (PMCs), while 74.8% highlight personalized guest experience as their edge. Despite increased competition noted by 65.4%, hosts remain optimistic, with 56.7% planning to expand portfolios in 2025. Only 10.4% feel PMCs dominate their market, and 38.3% would consider PMC collaboration for marketing and visibility improvements.

📑 UK, 12 May 2025: The Labour government unveiled immigration reforms, including raising the skilled worker threshold to RQF 6 (graduate level) and increasing salaries. The Immigration Skills Charge will rise by 32%, and the settlement period extends to 10 years. New English language requirements will apply broadly. Less than 10% of hospitality roles qualify for skilled visas, impacting sectors like care and hospitality. Temporary Shortage List roles must meet specific criteria for visa access.