Chinese Regulators Crack Down on Travel Booking Platforms

The State Administration for Market Regulation, alongside the Cyberspace Administration of China and the National Railway Administration, issued the summons on Thursday. Beyond Trip.com and Tongcheng Travel, the list of platforms under investigation includes Qunar, Alibaba-backed Fliggy, Meituan, Zhixing Train Tickets, and Gaotie Guanjia. Officials stated that these agencies used misleading language to push unnecessary paid features on unsuspecting passengers.

Regulators pledged to intensify enforcement and pursue legal penalties for any confirmed violations. This action follows a separate regulatory push in Beijing, where officials summoned major e-commerce players—including Taobao, JD.com, and Pinduoduo—to address concerns over false advertising and opaque promotional conditions. As of the announcement, representatives for Trip.com, Tongcheng Travel, Qunar, Fliggy, and Meituan had not provided comments regarding the investigation.