Hotels Vs. Booking.com, Travel and Politics and AI Chauffeurs

Today’s podcast looks at the ongoing conflict between Booking and hotels, the seven travel-related U.S. congressional projects, and the AI plans of the U.S. largest biz travel limo service.

Good morning from Skift. It’s Friday, June 6. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.

Hotels have long complained about Booking.com’s contract terms related to pricing, and their effort to earn financial compensation appears to be gaining momentum, writes Hospitality Reporter Luke Martin.

Twenty-six national hotel associations recently argued that rate parity clauses prevented them from offering lower rates on their own websites or rival platforms than what they charged on Booking.com between 2004 and 2024. Booking.com dropped the clauses last year in Europe.

Martin notes some hotel industry leaders believe their chances of winning damages have improved due to recent court decisions. A court last September rejected Booking.com’s argument that rate parity clauses were essential business practices exempt from competition law.

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Next, Contributor Dave Levinthal takes a look at seven bills Congress is discussing that would impact the travel industry.

Levinthal notes the Senate is looking at a bipartisan measure that would require pricing transparency for hotels and short-term rentals. Another bipartisan bill, the No Tax on Tips Act, would establish a new income tax deduction of up to $25,000 for tips. If it becomes law, the act stands to increase the net pay of hotel employees and airport workers.

Levinthal also highlights the Traveler Privacy Protection Act of 2025, which aims to limit the use of facial recognition technology in airports.

Finally, the new CEO of chauffeured services company Carey is betting on AI to revive the company against competition from rideshare rivals and the looming threat of self-driving cars, writes Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O’Neill.

Alex Mirza told Skift his plans to transform Carey from what’s been called a “brand for just special occasions” into a service that can compete for younger customers and everyday executive travel. Carey plans to launch a tech platform that will use algorithms to match customers with specific chauffeurs based on passenger profiles and trip purposes.

Mirza said the platform would be like “the Airbnb superhost concept on steroids,” where customers could see and choose their preferred drivers rather than simply booking a car.