Core Viewpoint - The Yunnan Provincial Tourism Homestay Industry Association has initiated collective legal action against online travel platforms (OTAs) like Ctrip for alleged abuse of market dominance, raising concerns about unfair competition practices in the homestay industry [1][4]. Group 1: Allegations Against OTAs - The association has received multiple complaints from its members regarding OTAs using their market power to impose unfair practices, including "choose one from two" clauses, arbitrary commission increases, unfair trading conditions, and traffic blocking [1][4]. - These practices are said to severely infringe on the legitimate rights of homestay operators, disrupt fair market competition, and hinder the healthy development of the industry [1][4]. Group 2: Association's Response and Actions - The association's president, He Shuangquan, emphasized the need for fair competition and criticized the notion that platforms should dictate which apps users must use or force homestays to align with specific platforms [1][4]. - The first step in their action plan involves collecting evidence from affected homestays to support a collective lawsuit to be submitted to the market supervision administration [1][4]. Group 3: Commission and Fee Concerns - He Shuangquan noted that while commissions typically range from 8% to 15%, hidden platform fees can lead to total commission rates as high as 30% to 40%, raising questions about the market and profit space for homestays [1][4]. - The president pointed out that the revenue generated by homestays is often viewed as a source of income for the platforms, resulting in platforms earning more than the service providers themselves, which he described as "blood money" [1][4].
云南民宿协会直播回应对在线旅游平台启动反垄断维权工作:平台在挣整个行业的“血汗钱”