Major airlines, hotels, and retailers in Europe are worried about how Google’s search changes will impact their businesses under the new Digital Markets Act (DMA) regulations. These industries fear being sidelined by large intermediaries that may receive preferential treatment from Google. Lobby groups representing various sectors such as Airlines for Europe, hotel groups, and retail organizations have raised concerns about the potential negative impact on their revenue streams.
The DMA aims to improve user choice and create competitive opportunities for rivals, but these industry groups are worried that the changes may disadvantage them. In a joint letter to EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager and EU industry chief Thierry Breton, the groups expressed dissatisfaction with the solutions and requirements proposed for implementing the DMA. They are concerned that the changes could lead to discrimination and reduce direct sales revenue for companies like airlines, hotels, merchants, and restaurants.
The letter emphasized that the changes could benefit powerful online intermediaries and aggregators while disproportionately affecting airlines, hotels, merchants, and restaurants. The European Commission is currently investigating Google for possible violations of the DMA, but has not yet commented on the matter. Google acknowledged in a blog post that its search changes could drive more traffic to intermediaries and aggregators, potentially harming direct sales for various businesses.
The industry groups also raised concerns about the focus of the investigation on fair treatment of third-party services, overlooking European companies that offer services on Google. They urged EU regulators to consider the interests of all stakeholders and ensure a more balanced approach.
Overall, these industries are seeking reassurance that Google’s search changes will not unfairly impact their businesses and revenue streams. They are calling on EU regulators to consider their perspectives and ensure a level playing field for all businesses involved. As Google adapts to comply with the DMA, there are concerns about the potential consequences for airlines, hotels, retailers, and other businesses across Europe. The outcome of the ongoing investigation and the implementation of the DMA will be crucial for these industries and their digital presence in the future.
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https://www.pymnts.com/cpi-posts/airlines-hotels-and-retailers-raise-concerns-over-googles-search-changes/
