China Opens Antitrust Probe Into Travel Giant Trip.com
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A Trip.com travel agency outlet inside a shopping mall in Beijing on Jan. 14, 2026. Photo: VCG
China’s market watchdog has launched an antitrust probe into Trip.com Group Ltd., signaling broader regulatory scrutiny of the country’s digital economy.
The State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) said Wednesday that it opened a formal investigation into Trip.com for suspected abuse of market dominance, following a preliminary review under China’s Anti-Monopoly Law.
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- China’s SAMR launched an antitrust investigation into Trip.com Group for suspected abuse of market dominance, mainly in hotel operations.
- Trip.com controls over 60% of China’s online travel market; its Q3 2025 hotel bookings reached 8 billion yuan ($1.1 billion), up 18% year-on-year.
- The probe follows earlier crackdowns on Alibaba and Meituan, which faced fines of 18.23 billion and 3.44 billion yuan, respectively.
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Who’s Who
- Trip.com Group Ltd.
- Trip.com Group Ltd. is China's leading online travel agency, operating with affiliates like Qunar.com and a stake in Tongcheng Travel, dominating over 60% of the online travel market. The company is currently facing an antitrust investigation by China's market watchdog for suspected abuse of market dominance, particularly concerning its hotel operations. This regulatory scrutiny has led to a significant drop in its stock value.
- Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.
- Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. faced regulatory scrutiny, receiving a record 18.23 billion yuan fine in April 2021, equivalent to 4% of its domestic sales. This was part of a broader crackdown on China's tech sector for monopolistic behavior. Alibaba's Fliggy platform, along with Meituan, holds under 30% of China's online travel market.
- Meituan
- Meituan is a Chinese tech company that, along with Alibaba's Fliggy, holds less than 30% of China's online travel market, with Meituan specifically accounting for about 20%. The company has faced regulatory scrutiny in the past, receiving a 3.44 billion yuan penalty in 2021 for monopolistic behavior.
- Qunar.com
- Qunar.com is a fully-owned subsidiary of Trip.com Group Ltd., China's leading online travel agency. Along with Trip.com and its 24% stake in Tongcheng Travel, Qunar.com contributes to the group's dominance in China's online travel market, collectively commanding over 60% market share.
- Tongcheng Travel
- Tongcheng Travel is mentioned as an affiliated company of Trip.com Group. Trip.com holds a 24% stake in Tongcheng Travel. Together with Trip.com and its fully-owned subsidiary Qunar.com, they command over 60% of China's online travel market.
- Fliggy
- Fliggy is Alibaba's online travel platform. It holds less than 30% of China's online travel market when combined with Meituan, with Meituan accounting for about 20% of that share. This makes Fliggy a distant competitor to Trip.com, which, with its affiliates, commands over 60% of the market.
- JD.com
- JD.com was involved in a legal case where it won a 1 billion yuan ($137 million) court case against Alibaba. This victory was due to Alibaba's abuse of market dominance. This example is cited in the context of potential follow-up lawsuits against Trip.com if it faces regulatory penalties for similar monopolistic behavior.
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What Happened When
- 2020 (Late)：
- China’s tech sector came under tightened oversight, with the campaign beginning with an investigation into Alibaba.
- 2021-04：
- Alibaba received a record 18.23 billion yuan fine, equivalent to 4% of its domestic sales.
- 2021：
- Meituan received a 3.44 billion yuan penalty.
- 2025-08：
- Regulators in Guizhou province summoned Trip.com and four other travel platforms to address alleged malpractices.
- 2025-09：
- Similar regulatory meetings regarding alleged malpractices were held in Zhengzhou.
- 2025-12：
- Yunnan province’s tourism association initiated a consumer rights campaign to curb unfair practices.
- 2026-01-13：
- The State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) announced a formal antitrust investigation into Trip.com.
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