Jing Ji Guan Cha Wang·2026-01-14 17:49Core Viewpoint - The National Market Supervision Administration has initiated an investigation into Ctrip Group for suspected monopolistic behavior, particularly regarding its market dominance and practices such as "choose one" and automatic price adjustments [2][3]. Group 1: Investigation and Complaints - The investigation was prompted by complaints from local regulatory bodies and businesses regarding Ctrip's alleged monopolistic practices [2]. - The Yunnan Province Tourism Homestay Industry Association publicly announced its decision to investigate Ctrip and other online travel agencies (OTAs) for unfair competition practices, including "choose one" clauses and unilateral commission increases [2][3]. - The association has received multiple complaints from its members about Ctrip's practices, which they believe violate market rules and antitrust requirements [3]. Group 2: Evidence and Industry Impact - The Yunnan Province Tourism Homestay Industry Association has been collecting evidence of Ctrip's alleged monopolistic behavior, with nearly 7,000 member hotels and homestays as of January 2026 [4]. - Complaints from businesses indicate that Ctrip's practices may hinder smaller platforms and innovative services from gaining market access, as Ctrip controls over 60% of online traffic for certain hospitality businesses [5]. - Ctrip has made adjustments to its display rules in response to regulatory scrutiny, removing visual distinctions between "gold" and "special" merchant listings [5]. Group 3: Pricing Practices - Ctrip's business managers reportedly inform "gold" and "special" merchants that they must not sell on other platforms, with a pricing strategy that requires Ctrip to offer the lowest price compared to competitors [6]. - The company employs a dynamic pricing algorithm that automatically adjusts merchant prices based on competitor pricing, a practice referred to as "price locking" [6]. Group 4: Market Share and Dominance - According to estimates, Ctrip holds a 56% market share in the core travel market as of the end of 2024, and when including its strategic investment in Tongcheng Travel, the "Ctrip system" commands nearly 70% of the domestic OTA market [7]. - This market dominance significantly exceeds that of competitors such as Meituan (approximately 13%), Fliggy (about 8%), and Douyin (around 3%) [7].