Booking announced its bid for peer Etraveli, owner of the brands Gotogate and Mytrip and operator of airline content distribution services provider TripStack, in November 2021.
The European Commission said last month the deal will make it harder for rivals to compete with market leader Booking, by reinforcing its position in hotels and further expanding its reach into travel services like flights and car rentals.
Booking will attempt to address regulators' concerns at a closed hearing in Brussels on Friday, Booking told Reuters via email.
Senior officials from the EU competition watchdog and national antitrust agencies, as well commission lawyers, will participate in the hearing.
Booking may have to offer remedies following the hearing to prevent a veto on the deal.
Persons:
Foo Yun Chee, Emma Rumney
Organizations:
Holdings, European, Sweden's, Booking, TripStack, Capital, European Commission, EU, Thomson
Locations:
BRUSSELS, Brussels