• Remove ads on the forum by becoming a donating member. More here.

Search 74,075 Camino Questions

EU Ruling On Bookings.Com

Time of past OR future Camino
September-October 2021
I did not use Bookings.com during my Camino, but most pilgrims I met did. And from this site it is evident that most people use Bookings at least some of the time.
This article is for those of you who use Bookings.


(Sorry, I do not know how to share the article directly to the Forum in my Android. This is from DW News).
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
...and ship it to Santiago for storage. You pick it up once in Santiago. Service offered by Casa Ivar (we use DHL for transportation).
Seems early to tell the specifics about what this will mean, but I hope the result is that the fees they charge lodgings will be lowered. That would make it more workable for the smaller places on the Camino that can't really afford to give a percentage off the top to Booking.
 
I hope the result is that the fees they charge lodgings will be lowered.
I don’t know what that article means in practical terms and how it is relevant for consumers.

So there is now a Digital Markets Act, and Alphabet (Google), Amazon, Apple, ByteDance (TikTok), Meta (Facebook), Microsoft, and Booking.com have been designated as gatekeepers under this EU law. It is about competition law. It became applicable on 2 May 2023. It aims at ensuring a higher degree of competition in European digital markets by preventing large companies from abusing their market power and by allowing new players to enter the market.

I get the impression that it does not change much if anything for people who use Booking.com during the next six months and little if anything afterwards.

If anyone wants to dive into this:

Not prime Camino Forum discussion material, imho. :cool:
 
Last edited:
Seems early to tell the specifics about what this will mean, but I hope the result is that the fees they charge lodgings will be lowered. That would make it more workable for the smaller places on the Camino that can't really afford to give a percentage off the top to Booking.
Nothing stops those establishments from having multiple rates, like most hotels.

I use booking.com to find lodgings, but will book directly: you often get better prices, or at a minimum the same price when you say you found this rate on booking.com.

When I did use booking.com, a few time the hotelier bribed me with drinks to cancel and book directly, and a few times the booking was cancelled outright by the hotelier and was then asked to pay directly...
 
3rd Edition. More content, training & pack guides avoid common mistakes, bed bugs etc
IMHO, all the intermediate (between pilgrims and hospitaleros) on the Camino should be avoided when possible, because they do business with the Camino.
 
I don’t know what that article means in practical terms and how it is relevant for consumers.

So there is now a Digital Markets Act, and Alphabet (Google), Amazon, Apple, ByteDance (TikTok), Meta (Facebook), Microsoft, and Booking.com have been designated as gatekeepers under this EU law. It is about competition law. It became applicable on 2 May 2023. It aims at ensuring a higher degree of competition in European digital markets by preventing large companies from abusing their market power and by allowing new players to enter the market.

I get the impression that it does not change much if anything for people who use Booking.com during the next six months and little if anything afterwards.

If anyone wants to dive into this:

Not prime Camino Forum discussion material, imho. :cool:
I originally posted this, not because it was of interest to me, but because I felt it might be of interest to those who use Bookings.com.
(I did not use Bookings.com).

I had no idea there was such a thing as "prime Camino Forum discussion material".

In the future, and to alleviate any suffering of the enlightened and educated class of Forum members, I'll strive to uphold the discussion material standards of the Camino Forum--whatever that is.
 
3rd Edition. More content, training & pack guides avoid common mistakes, bed bugs etc
Seems early to tell the specifics about what this will mean, but I hope the result is that the fees they charge lodgings will be lowered
I tried to read up a bit about this topic, especially as it concerns the hostelry sector in Spain. I don't see that the DMA addresses this issue. Here are two relevant articles by HostelTur. HostelTur is a platform for the Spanish tourism sector. The articles can be easily read in a browser's automatic translation mode:

 
I originally posted this, not because it was of interest to me, but because I felt it might be of interest to those who use Bookings.com.
standards of the Camino Forum
We like to keep the forum threads generally on topic about the Camino. If someone is posting a link to another internet site, it is helpful if they make a comment about why it might be relevant to the Camino and pilgrims. Then, if others have trouble accessing the link, or they prefer not to go to websites they are not confident of, they still have an idea of what the article was about.

If you didn't read the article, you wouldn't realize that it was only about a technicality in classifying different internet platforms - specifically Booking and Twitter/X. Nothing about how Booking operates or is used.
 
Last edited:
I did not use Bookings.com during my Camino, but most pilgrims I met did. And from this site it is evident that most people use Bookings at least some of the time.
This article is for those of you who use Bookings.


(Sorry, I do not know how to share the article directly to the Forum in my Android. This is from DW News).
You don't have to like Booking.com or advance bookings at all.
To avoid the bed race at the age of 77, I made most of my 2024 Camino bookings 4-5 months ago via Booking. I can see the advantages:
1) I can always cancel all my bookings free of charge up to 2-3 days before the overnight stay.
2) I don't have to pay anything in advance for 80% of my bookings
3) even if I pay in advance, the cancellation option is not restricted and refunds are not a problem
4) I have a reasonable written agreement with the accommodation provider, which seems a bit safer to me than a WhatsApp or verbal agreement over the phone.
 
3rd Edition. More content, training & pack guides avoid common mistakes, bed bugs etc
I did not use Bookings.com during my Camino, but most pilgrims I met did. And from this site it is evident that most people use Bookings at least some of the time.
This article is for those of you who use Bookings.


(Sorry, I do not know how to share the article directly to the Forum in my Android. This is from DW News).
I could not find this on DW, but try Reuters
https://www.reuters.com/technology/...-strict-tech-rules-investigates-x-2024-05-13/
 

❓How to ask a question

How to post a new question on the Camino Forum.

Most read last week in this forum

Anyone had ever encountered any trouble ot unjust behavior from Hospitaleros? If so, what was it and what to do??
I am not a fan of the Camino Francés, I have never walked it and most probabaly never will. (Please don't discuss the pros/cons of this route on this thread). However, despite my strong opinions...
I AM A PLANNER... I was 10 days in on my last camino before I was able to "relax" - that was when I finally had all of my nights booked. Please, do not make this a discussion about "to book or...
Not sure if this is appropriate use of the forum - but I just completed the Camino Frances last week (yay!!!) and bought a souvenir jet/silver ring for myself in Santiago, and the the jet stone...
My wife and I will finish our third camino next June in Santiago de Compostela. We will have approximately a week before we need to be in Lisbon. We are looking for advice for interesting places...

Featured threads

❓How to ask a question

How to post a new question on the Camino Forum.

Featured threads

Forum Rules

Forum Rules

Camino Updates on YouTube

Camino Conversations

Most downloaded Resources

This site is run by Ivar at

in Santiago de Compostela.
This site participates in the Amazon Affiliate program, designed to provide a means for Ivar to earn fees by linking to Amazon
Official Camino Passport (Credential) | 2024 Camino Guides
Back
Top