Regulatory and Legal Affairs

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  • 2 min

M&A activity in travel ‘taking longer’ amid…

🏨 Amid market volatility and US President Donald Trump's tariffs, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in the travel sector are experiencing delays, as seen with 3i Group postponing the sale of Audley Travel. Despite these hurdles, interest remains high, with transactions subject to more extensive due diligence, according to Martin Alcock and Henry Wells. The deal-making environment is challenging, with a surplus of sellers over buyers, yet opportunities exist for committed investors, per Christopher Jones. Nicola Sartori notes persistent deal activity, especially in the small to mid-sized market, even as timelines extend beyond pre-Covid norms.
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EU hoteliers unite against Booking.com

🏨 French and Spanish hoteliers, supported by Eskariam and Geradin Partners law firms, are suing Booking.com for unfair practices and seeking billions in damages. They encourage participation via actioncollectivehotel.fr for affected hotels from 2015–2024. Independent hotels could claim tens to hundreds of thousands of euros, while chains could claim millions, with France's damages estimated at €1.5 billion. Legal fees are funded for 25-30% compensation share. Booking.com held a major market share in 2024, with only 33% of direct hotel bookings. Expansion of legal actions to Italy, Portugal, and more aims to rebalance the power in online bookings.
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Peachtree secures USCIS approval for four regional centers

🏦 Peachtree Group received U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services approval for four regional centers to structure and sponsor EB-5 projects across the continental U.S. Peachtree plans to integrate EB-5 capital into its investment strategy and has already secured three I-956F approvals for hotel projects, including Home2 Suites by Hilton in Boone, N.C., TownePlace Suites by Marriott in Palmdale, Calif., and SpringHill Suites by Marriott in Bryce Canyon City, Utah, since launching its EB-5 program in 2023. The EB-5 visa program requires a minimum investment of $800,000, creating at least 10 full-time jobs for U.S. workers. Peachtree aims to expand EB-5 projects and foster investor relationships.
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Fraud Hiding in Plain Sight: How Fake Hotel Sites Are Stealing Billions

🛒 A systemic fraud issue in the hotel booking industry affects consumer trust and costs billions, as fake sites use brand keywords in Google Ads, driving up marketing costs for legitimate hotels. Europe's CMA launched an investigation into OTAs in 2018, but the issue persists. The U.S. Senate's Stop Online Booking Scams Act of 2019 failed to pass. In 2024, the London-based roomangel Foundation introduced the "Verified by roomangel" stamp, allowing hotels to verify their websites at no cost to combat fraud and reassure consumers.
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Trump’s America and the tourism slump

🚩 Nearly half (46%) of survey respondents from five countries are less inclined to travel to the U.S. due to Trump’s presidency. International visits to the U.S. saw an 11.6% decline in March 2025 from the previous year, with Western European travel dropping 17.2% and German tourism by 28.2%. The main deterrent is the political climate (63%), followed by safety and trade policy concerns. Travel advisories in Germany and Canada highlight risks of detentions and device searches. Despite this, Trump claims the U.S. remains the tourism capital and suggests a weaker dollar could attract visitors.
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Expedia Group becomes latest OTA to add…

✈ Expedia Group now offers Ryanair flights in the US and Europe, following a partnership announced in mid-last year. The integration, which includes over 230 Ryanair destinations, allows Expedia customers to book holiday packages or standalone flights. Additionally, Expedia Group travellers can access myRyanair accounts and flight updates. This collaboration comes after Ryanair's partnerships with Trip.com, On The Beach, and TUI, aiming to provide customers with full price transparency and a vast network of low-fare options.
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UK government policies sabotaging tourism recovery, WTTC warns

🏖️ International visitor spending in the UK was £40.3 billion in 2024, 5.3% less than 2019. The World Travel and Tourism Council blames UK Government policies for the £2.2 billion shortfall from pre-pandemic levels. Despite this, tourism contributed £286 billion and supported 4.2 million jobs, a 3.9% increase from 2019. VisitBritain suffered over a 40% budget cut, impacting regional tourism promotion. The UK Government aims for 50 million international visitors by 2030, countering criticism with a promise of a new strategy and investment in the "GREAT Britain" campaign.
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German tourists deported from US for not booking hotel

🛑 On March 18, German teenagers Maria Lepère and Charlotte Pohl were detained in Honolulu and deported for not having accommodations booked for their five-week Hawaii trip. Under Trump's strict immigration policies, lacking pre-booked accommodations triggered their deportation. They experienced invasive searches and were held with long-term detainees. CBP cited suspected intentions to work illegally as the reason for denial of entry, not deportation. Germany's Foreign Ministry advises travelers to have complete documentation, and the Foreign Office is considering diplomatic action due to the incident.
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The Trump administration is moving to ban artificial food dyes

🧪 The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced a phase-out of synthetic food dyes under Trump's administration. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary will provide details on Tuesday. Before 2025, FDA approved dyes like Blue 1, Blue 2, and Red 40. In January, the FDA decided to ban Red No. 3 by 2027. California and West Virginia passed laws restricting synthetic dyes. Kennedy met with food manufacturers without pushback on removing dyes. A 2021 study linked synthetic dyes to ADHD in children.
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Ireland cracks down on short-term rentals

🏠 Ireland, from May 2026, will mandate a national register for short-term lets, managed by Fáilte Ireland. Properties letting for up to 21 nights must register. Non-compliant platforms like Airbnb could incur fines up to 2% of annual income. New rules, aiming to alleviate urban housing pressure, are expected to revert 10,000 homes to long-term rentals, reducing the current 32,000 online short-term listings. Urban areas with over 10,000 population will generally see short-term let planning permissions denied.
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