Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the potential implications of the "choose one from two" (二选一) accusation against Ctrip, highlighting the risks of monopolistic behavior in the OTA (Online Travel Agency) sector and its impact on market dynamics [4][5][19]. Group 1: Market Dynamics and Competition - Ctrip is currently facing scrutiny after being questioned by the Zhengzhou Market Supervision Bureau, with media focusing on its pricing strategies and potential monopolistic practices [5][19]. - The OTA industry is more complex than the food delivery sector, involving higher consumer decision costs and a longer supply chain, which could lead to greater risks if monopolistic behavior is established [9][10]. - Ctrip's market dominance is significant, with projections indicating it will hold a 56% market share in 2024, far surpassing competitors like Tongcheng (15%) and Meituan (13%) [16][18]. Group 2: Pricing Strategies and Merchant Impact - Ctrip's commission structure places significant financial pressure on hotel merchants, with basic commissions ranging from 12% to 15%, and total costs potentially nearing 30% [11][12][13]. - Merchants have reported that Ctrip's "price adjustment assistant" and "golden card" system may effectively force them into a "choose one from two" scenario, limiting their pricing autonomy and market choices [22][34]. - The article suggests that Ctrip's operational strategies may create a closed market where it dictates terms, impacting the competitive landscape for merchants [34][35].

Core Viewpoint - The article highlights the regulatory scrutiny faced by travel platforms like Ctrip due to their pricing algorithms that manipulate hotel prices, impacting merchants' profits and raising concerns about unfair competition [1][11][12] Regulatory Actions - On September 17, 2025, the Zhengzhou Market Supervision Administration conducted an administrative interview with Ctrip, citing unreasonable restrictions on platform operators through service agreements and technical means [1] - This was the second regulatory interview for Ctrip within 43 days, indicating a pattern of scrutiny from authorities [1] - The Guizhou Market Supervision Administration previously addressed similar issues with Ctrip and other travel platforms, pointing out practices like "choose one from two" and price manipulation [3] Pricing Algorithm Concerns - Ctrip's "Pricing Assistant" tool, designed to help hotels remain competitive, has been criticized for forcing merchants to lower prices below those on other platforms or face reduced visibility [5][9] - Merchants report that the tool modifies prices without prior notification, leading to operational disruptions [6][9] - Some larger hotel brands have implemented systems to counteract these price changes, while smaller hotels lack the resources to resist algorithmic control [6][11] Impact on Merchants - The pricing strategies employed by platforms create a dilemma for hotel operators, who must choose between granting access to their pricing tools or risking reduced exposure on the platform [5][6] - Merchants express frustration over being used as promotional tools for platforms, often leading to unprofitable pricing [9][11] Industry Implications - The ongoing regulatory pressure reflects a broader issue of profit redistribution between platform economies and traditional businesses, where platforms gain excessive bargaining power at the expense of merchants [11][12] - The article emphasizes the need for a fair and transparent platform economy that respects the rights of all parties involved to ensure sustainable development [12]

"我从暑假开始就关注国庆假期的酒店房价，结果一查就变，一查就变，感觉像被大数据'杀 熟'。"广州市民罗女士说，同一家酒店在不同平台的价格不一样，有时这家低，有时那家低，有时几个 平台一起涨，就像"商量好似的"。 国庆中秋长假来临，消费者在旅游预订平台订房时发现价格"忽高忽低"，猜测可能有"猫腻"；一些 入驻平台的商家察觉自家房价被"莫名调整"，却又无可奈何…… 记者调查发现，平台上诡异的价格波动背后，存在一只"算法之手"。在旅游预订高度依赖网络平台 的当下，平台通过这只"算法之手"削弱了以中小商家为代表的经营主体的自主获客能力，并通过一款名 为"调价助手"的工具拿走了定价权，从而进一步巩固自身的市场支配地位。 平台"忽高忽低"的价格藏"猫腻" 为了"少花钱"，不少消费者预订酒店时都会"刷"优惠房源，但平台页面上飘忽不定的价格成了他们 的心病。 罗女士的遭遇并非孤例。在社交平台上，吐槽旅游预订平台价格变动的声音不绝于耳：有人直言价 格波动与市场需求不符，有人抱怨花了钱却没得到相应体验，还有人怀疑有"神秘力量"在背后调价。 有意思的是，消费者"没捡到便宜"，商家也觉得"亏了钱"。 "我的客房价格被携程'莫名'从每 ...

Core Viewpoint - The automatic price adjustment feature of Ctrip has caused significant frustration among hotel operators, leading to regulatory scrutiny and potential changes in the online travel industry landscape [2][10][18]. Group 1: Ctrip's Automatic Price Adjustment - Hotel operators have reported that Ctrip's "automatic price adjustment" feature frequently alters room prices without their consent, often resulting in prices that do not even cover costs [2][6]. - The process to disable this feature is complicated and time-consuming, leading to further dissatisfaction among hotel managers [10][12]. - Regulatory bodies have taken notice, with the Zhengzhou Market Supervision Administration recently addressing Ctrip for violating e-commerce laws by unreasonably restricting merchants' pricing rights [11][18]. Group 2: Regulatory Actions and Industry Response - Ctrip has faced multiple regulatory meetings, indicating a growing intolerance from authorities regarding its practices [3][5]. - The regulatory body has mandated Ctrip to rectify its practices, including revising contract terms and optimizing its pricing tools to protect merchant rights [11][18]. - New competitors like JD.com and Douyin are entering the market, offering favorable terms to hotel operators, which could shift the balance of power away from Ctrip [13][14][17]. Group 3: Market Dynamics and Future Outlook - The entry of new players is seen as a positive development for hotel operators, providing them with more options and reducing reliance on a single platform [17][20]. - The competitive landscape is expected to evolve, focusing more on service quality, technological innovation, and ecosystem development [18][20]. - As the market transforms, consumers may benefit from more transparent pricing and improved service quality, marking a shift away from the previous dominance of platforms like Ctrip [20].

1 刚刚公布第二季度财报，净利润狂赚48亿元的携程，被郑州市市场监管局约谈了。 官方通报显示，携程违反《中华人民共和国电子商务法》第三十五条及《网络反不正当竞争暂行规定》第二十四条的规定，存在利用服务协议、交易规则 和技术手段对平台内经营者的交易及交易价格进行不合理限制的问题。 对于通报中的问题，目前携程官方暂无任何公开回应。 这也是45天内，携程第二次因价格操控问题被约谈。此前，8月5日，携程曾被贵州省市场监督管理局约谈。 同时，郑州市场监管局对携程提出三项整改要求也值得玩味：合同条款修订意味着平台需放弃部分规则制定权；调价工具优化实质是剥离算法强制性；建 立长效合规机制则预示运营成本结构将重构。 携程被约谈，限期整改，最开心的是酒店从业者。 为啥？ 因为大家觉得酒店的钱都被携程赚走了。 仅仅今年二季度，携程净利润就有48亿元，去年同期的净利润是38亿元，同比增长了26%。平均每天净利润是5333万。 二季度携程所有业务版块中，增速最快的还是"住宿预订"，收入62亿元，同比增长21%。 而实体酒店们呢，行业前两大酒店集团利润加一起，也只有18.3亿，跟携程的利润差距不是一星半点儿。 还有更夸张的。北京统计局 ...

Regulatory Developments - The Cyberspace Administration of China has penalized Weibo and Kuaishou for damaging the online ecosystem, citing issues such as the promotion of celebrity gossip and a tendency towards sensationalism [2][3] - The Zhengzhou Market Supervision Administration has conducted an administrative interview with Trip.com, addressing violations of the E-commerce Law and unfair competition practices, particularly regarding price manipulation of hotel listings [4][5] AI and Technology Innovations - Kuaishou's Keling AI has launched a new digital human feature that can generate 1080p videos up to one minute long, allowing users to create videos using a character image and audio [8] - Zhejiang University and Huawei have released the DeepSeek-R1-Safe foundational model, which boasts a nearly 100% success rate in defending against harmful content and maintains a performance loss of less than 1% compared to its predecessor [9] - Meta has introduced its first consumer-grade smart glasses, the Meta Ray-Ban Display, featuring a color display, camera, and various interactive capabilities [10] - Apple is expected to enter the smart glasses market within the next 12 to 16 months with a non-display model, aiming to compete with Meta's offerings [11] User Engagement Insights - OpenAI's ChatGPT has reported over 700 million weekly active users, with 73% of conversations unrelated to work, highlighting a diverse range of usage topics [12]

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the ongoing issues between hotels and Ctrip regarding the platform's pricing intervention, highlighting complaints from multiple hotels about unauthorized price adjustments and the challenges faced in canceling the pricing assistant feature [1][3][6]. Group 1: Issues Faced by Hotels - Multiple hotels in Zhengzhou and Wuhan reported that Ctrip's pricing assistant was interfering with their pricing strategies, leading to forced price reductions without prior consent [1][6]. - Hotel managers expressed frustration over the inability to effectively communicate with Ctrip to resolve these pricing issues, often leading to a cycle of temporary cancellations of the pricing assistant that would be reinstated shortly after [3][7]. - One hotel manager noted that the platform had previously reduced room prices by over 50%, significantly impacting their revenue during peak holiday periods [3][7]. Group 2: Actions Taken by Hotels - After persistent communication, one hotel manager was able to cancel the pricing assistant, but expressed uncertainty about how long this would last, indicating a lack of trust in the platform's practices [3][6]. - Another hotel manager decided to delist their hotel from Ctrip after repeated unsuccessful attempts to negotiate pricing, citing excessive and frequent price adjustments as the primary reason [6][8]. - The article mentions that hotels are now exploring alternative platforms to reduce reliance on Ctrip, indicating a shift in order sources from a previous 4:6 ratio to 3:7 in favor of other platforms [8].

Core Viewpoint - Ctrip (9961.HK) is facing regulatory scrutiny from the Zhengzhou Market Supervision Administration due to allegations of unreasonable price manipulation through its "Price Adjustment Assistant" tool, which has been reported to force hotels to comply with price changes without consent [1][2][3] Regulatory Actions - The Zhengzhou Market Supervision Administration conducted an administrative interview with Ctrip on September 17, following a report from multiple hotels regarding forced price adjustments [1] - Ctrip has been ordered to respect merchants' autonomy and rectify issues related to forced activation of the "Price Adjustment Assistant" tool, which modifies hotel prices without consent [1][3] Business Operations - The "Price Adjustment Assistant" is an automated pricing tool that lowers hotel prices on Ctrip if they are higher than competitors, which has raised concerns about its unilateral nature [2][3] - Ctrip's response to the allegations has been to claim that the tool is intended to help hotels adapt to local market prices and enhance competitiveness [3] Financial Performance - Ctrip has shown strong financial performance, with projected revenues of 445 billion yuan and 533 billion yuan for 2023 and 2024, respectively, and net profits of 99 billion yuan and 172 billion yuan [4] - In Q2 2025, Ctrip's revenue reached 148.43 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 16%, with net profit rising by 26% to 48.46 billion yuan [4] Market Position - Ctrip holds a dominant position in the domestic OTA market, with a GMV market share of 56% in 2024, providing significant exposure and traffic for hotels [6] - The company has been criticized for squeezing hotel profit margins while maintaining a low-price image to attract users [3][6] Industry Dynamics - The hotel industry is experiencing challenges, with a 11.8% year-on-year increase in total hotel supply, while demand is undergoing structural adjustments, leading to intensified competition [7] - Major hotel chains like Jinjiang Hotels and others have reported declines in revenue and net profit, indicating a tough operating environment [7][8] Competitive Landscape - Competitors like JD.com are seizing the opportunity to expand their presence in the hotel industry by offering lower commission rates and alternative supply chain services [9] - Ctrip has initiated changes in response to industry backlash, including a "de-involution" campaign aimed at restructuring its review system and optimizing recommendation logic [10]

Core Viewpoint - Ctrip has been summoned for an administrative interview by the Zhengzhou Market Supervision Administration due to complaints from multiple hotels regarding the platform's interference in hotel pricing through a tool called "Price Adjustment Assistant" [1][3] Group 1: Issues Raised - Multiple hotels reported that Ctrip unilaterally modified their room prices on the platform without consent, using the "Price Adjustment Assistant" tool [2] - Hotel managers indicated that Ctrip monitors pricing on other platforms and automatically lowers prices on Ctrip if discrepancies are found, often without notifying the hotels [2] - Instances were reported where Ctrip's adjustments led to significant price reductions, affecting hotel revenues, especially during peak periods [2] Group 2: Regulatory Actions - Ctrip's actions were found to violate the Electronic Commerce Law of the People's Republic of China and related regulations, prompting the Zhengzhou Market Supervision Administration to issue a correction notice [3] - The administrative interview emphasized the need for Ctrip to revise contract terms, optimize pricing tools, and establish a long-term compliance mechanism to prevent similar issues in the future [3] - Regulatory authorities outlined three key requirements for Ctrip: enhancing legal awareness, correcting unreasonable restrictions, and ensuring the protection of merchants' pricing autonomy [3]

Core Viewpoint - The Zhengzhou Market Supervision Administration has conducted an administrative interview with Ctrip Travel Network due to violations of e-commerce laws, specifically regarding unreasonable restrictions on platform operators' transactions and pricing [3][4]. Regulatory Actions - Ctrip was found to have violated Article 35 of the E-commerce Law of the People's Republic of China and Article 24 of the Interim Provisions on the Prohibition of Unfair Competition in the Network by using service agreements and technical means to impose unreasonable restrictions on transaction prices [3][4]. - The Zhengzhou Market Supervision Administration issued a "Notice of Correction" on September 4, 2025, requiring Ctrip to rectify its practices and ensure compliance with market regulations [3][4]. Compliance Requirements - Ctrip is required to revise contract terms and optimize pricing tools within a specified timeframe, establish a long-term compliance mechanism, and enhance internal supervision to prevent similar issues in the future [4]. - The administration emphasized the importance of fair competition and urged internet platform companies to strengthen their legal awareness and actively cooperate with regulatory authorities [4]. Complaints and Investigations - Multiple hotels have complained about Ctrip's "Price Adjustment Assistant" feature, which was allegedly activated without permission, automatically scanning competitor prices and forcing price reductions [5]. - The Zhengzhou Market Supervision Administration initiated an investigation into the "Price Adjustment Assistant" in July, following complaints from hotel operators regarding forced participation in discount activities [5]. Financial Performance - In Q2 2025, Ctrip reported revenue of 14.8 billion RMB, a year-on-year increase of 16%, and a net profit of 4.8 billion RMB, up 26% from the previous year [6]. - Ctrip's financial services, including consumer loans and supply chain finance, have shown significant growth, with Ctrip Small Loan's net profit increasing by 132.58% in the first half of 2025, reaching 4.429 million RMB [6].