
InterContinental Hotels Group, along with online travel websites Booking.com and Expedia, has been accused of anti-competitive behavior by the UK’s Office of Fair Trading (OFT).
Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG) has been accused of setting minimum prices and limiting discount deals, thus breaching competition laws. In a statement the hotel group denied the allegations, saying it considers its arrangements with online booking agents "to be compliant with competition laws and consistent with the long-standing approach of the global hotel industry."The OFT’s provisional findings follow an investigation commenced in 2010. IHG will have the opportunity to formally respond to the statement before any decision is made. If found guilty, the companies could face penalties of up to 10% of turnover. Such a decision could have wider implications for the industry, in which the alleged practices are believed to be widespread.