Hellenic Chamber of Hotels President Alexandros Vassilikos. Photo © Greek Travel Pages (GTP)
Over 1,000 Greek hoteliers have now joined the escalating legal battle against the Booking.com platform, Hellenic Chamber of Hotels (HCH) President Alexandros Vassilikos announced during the body’s 13th General Assembly, held during the Xenia 2025 exhibition in Athens.
The action is part of a wider EU-level lawsuit challenging long-standing rate-parity clauses that hoteliers argue distort competition and undermine their ability to price their own rooms freely.
More than 15,000 hospitality businesses across Europe have taken legal steps against Booking.com following a landmark ruling by the European Court of Justice, which determined that parity clauses – contract terms that prevent hotels from offering lower prices on their own websites than on platforms of online travel agencies (OTAs) – are not necessary to ensure the economic viability of booking platforms. The decision opened the door for individual hotels and national hotel associations to pursue damages and contest practices viewed as restrictive or unfair.
Photo source: Hellenic Chamber of Hotels
Vassilikos said the scale of the joint action reflects the urgency felt across the sector.
“We worked with our European partners to put a stop to the unfair practices of the major digital platforms so that every hotelier who invests and bears all the costs is also the true owner of their product,” he said. “It is extremely significant that over 15,000 hoteliers across Europe have joined their voices. Europe must provide protection for the SMEs that form the backbone of its identity.”
He added that ensuring compliance with the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) is now a central concern for the industry. OTA dominance and algorithmic control over visibility, he warned, continue to disadvantage smaller independent hotels. Vassilikos recently raised these issues in Brussels, in his capacity as HOTREC President, during a meeting with European Parliament President Roberta Metsola.
Hatzis: Hotels need access to financing
Hellenic Hoteliers Federation President Yannis Hatzis. Photo © Greek Travel Pages (GTP)
Hellenic Hoteliers Federation President Yannis Hatzis also addressed the General Assembly, stressing that the sector’s challenges extend beyond digital market imbalances.
He said access to financing remains severely constrained, with “nine out of ten hotel businesses unable to secure bank loans” at a time when the costs of digital and green upgrades are rising.
Hatzis described hotels as “a national shield” for the economy and called on policymakers to support investments that generate long-term value, rather than view the industry as a source of easy revenue.
Karamanli: Special Spatial Framework for Tourism near completion
Deputy Minister for Tourism Anna Karamanli. Photo © Greek Travel Pages (GTP)
Speaking during the General Assembly, Deputy Minister for Tourism Anna Karamanli noted that Greece continues to record solid tourism performance and reiterated that long-term sector planning must prioritize sustainability, fairness and resilience.
Karamanli also highlighted the importance of the upcoming Special Spatial Framework for Tourism, noting that it is in the final phase of completion.
In parallel, the Environment Ministry recently announced that public consultation is now open on the Appropriate Impact Assessment study linked to the framework. Stakeholders and interested parties are invited to submit feedback electronically until December 29, as part of the process that will define the key principles, rules and priorities guiding tourism development in Greece.
Follow GTP Headlines on Google News to keep up to date with all the latest on tourism and travel in Greece.