Ctrip Unveils 19 Rectification Measures, Vows to Firmly Prevent Big-Data Price Discrimination

On July 25, the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) issued an administrative penalty decision against Trip.com Group (Ctrip) in accordance with the law and put forward related rectification requirements. In response, Ctrip fully accepts the decision, resolutely complies with it, and will strictly implement all rectification requirements.

This penalty serves as a profound warning and lesson for Ctrip. Under the guidance and supervision of the SAMR, Ctrip will earnestly fulfill its principal responsibilities as a platform, actively respond to concerns from all sides, and has now formulated the relevant rectification plan while consciously accepting public oversight.

The measures across five areas, totaling 19 items, are announced as follows:

I. Immediately Halt Exclusive Cooperation Practices and Safeguard Hotel Operators' Right to Independent Operation

1. Fully take offline the first-tier commissioned distribution (Premier-badge) cooperation model: eliminate any forced or disguised-forced exclusive cooperation imposed on merchants.

1. Comprehensively revise related cooperation agreements: no longer implement first-tier commissioned distribution agreements, and establish an entirely new tiered cooperation model for merchants.

1. Cancel related traffic arrangements: eliminate unreasonable traffic arrangements and establish a new traffic-allocation mechanism.

II. Immediately Halt Unreasonable "Lowest Price Across the Entire Network" Requirements and Safeguard Hotel Operators' Right to Independent Pricing

1. Fully take offline the second-tier commissioned distribution (Gold-badge) cooperation model: eliminate demands that merchants offer the "lowest price across the entire network."

1. Comprehensively revise related cooperation agreements: no longer implement second-tier commissioned distribution agreements, and establish an entirely new tiered cooperation model for merchants.

1. Cancel related traffic arrangements: eliminate unreasonable traffic arrangements and establish a new traffic-allocation mechanism.

1. Take offline hotel price-adjustment tools: Ctrip fully took its "AI Business Assistant" (formerly the Price Adjustment Assistant) function offline in March 2026; effective immediately, it will completely stop Badge Manager price adjustments and take the Badge Manager function offline, and will no longer use technical tools to unlawfully adjust prices.

1. Strictly regulate the conduct of business staff: without a merchant's explicit consent, business staff may not adjust prices without authorization, and internal management of business operations will be continuously strengthened.

1. Refund related order reserve funds: in accordance with the requirements of the Administrative Penalty Decision, Ctrip will fully refund to the relevant second-tier commissioned distribution partner hotels the order reserve funds deducted due to Badge Manager price adjustments, totaling RMB 122,781,0[00].

III. Protect Hotel Operators' Legitimate Rights, Continuously Listen to Merchants' Opinions and Demands, and Keep Improving the Business Environment for Merchants

1. Cancel badge-listing fee arrangements: no longer apply the original fee standards for first- and second-tier commissioned distribution cooperation, and establish a fair and reasonable new commission model.

1. Optimize platform rules and enhance rule transparency: fully remove contract terms allowing the platform to adjust merchant prices, continuously optimize platform rules to ensure they are open and transparent, and effectively protect merchants' right to know and right to fair transactions.

1. Respect merchants' wishes: uphold mechanisms of voluntary choice and equal consultation, refrain from forcing merchants to join promotional campaigns, further unblock feedback channels and merchant appeal mechanisms, regularly solicit merchants' opinions, and respond to their trust and expectations with concrete actions.

1. Streamline promotions and ease merchants' operating pressure: take offline promotional categories such as "Smart Selection Deals" to proactively reduce merchants' burdens.

1. Promote healthy competition for high-quality development: open Data Center VIP services free of charge, continue investing in building an international marketing network, strengthen AI empowerment and merchant operations training, and keep helping merchants improve service quality and operating efficiency for mutual benefit.

IV. Strengthen Consumer Rights Protection and Continuously Raise the Level of Service Assurance

1. Continuously provide high-quality service: listen to consumers' opinions, promptly and properly resolve consumers' reasonable demands, and continuously improve the consumption experience and service satisfaction.

1. Strengthen personal information protection and data security compliance: strictly implement relevant laws and regulations to effectively protect consumers' personal information and data security.

1. Guard against the risk of big-data price discrimination: always practice "algorithms for good," comprehensively and resolutely prevent "big-data-enabled price discrimination against loyal customers," and effectively safeguard consumers' legitimate rights.

V. Strengthen Compliance Building and Improve Long-Term Mechanisms

1. Strengthen the antitrust compliance management system: establish and improve antitrust compliance systems, reinforce the compliance committee's organizational leadership over antitrust compliance, build sound mechanisms for antitrust compliance consultation, review, reporting, and rewards and penalties, and consolidate the principal responsibility for antitrust compliance.

1. Strengthen awareness of antitrust-compliant operations: continuously conduct antitrust compliance training, refine antitrust compliance guidelines, raise all employees' awareness of law-abiding and compliant operations, and integrate antitrust compliance requirements into the entire process of daily operations.

We will advance all rectification work in a steady and orderly manner, communicate and coordinate well with merchants, strive to minimize the impact on all parties, and seek win-win outcomes within a compliance framework.

Ctrip will take this penalty as a profound warning, continuously improve platform governance, operate in accordance with the law, and participate fairly in market competition. Ctrip will consciously accept the oversight of regulators and all sectors of society, internalize this as a routine benchmark for corporate governance, and continuously enhance its management.

Trip.com Group Co., Ltd.

July 25, 2026