Booking Holdings Inc / eTraveli Group AB merger inquiry

The CMA investigated the anticipated acquisition by Booking Holdings Inc of certain activities of eTraveli Group AB (trading under brands such as GoToGate, Flight Network, MyTrip and SuperSaver).

• From: Competition and Markets Authority
• Published: 4 July 2022
• Last updated: 4 November 2022 — See all updates

• Case type: Mergers
• Case state: Closed
• Market sector: Distribution and service industries and Transport
• Outcome: Mergers - phase 1 clearance
• Opened: 4 July 2022
• Closed: 4 November 2022

Statutory timetable

Date	Action
29 September 2022	Phase 1 decision announced
2 August 2022	Launch of merger inquiry
4 July 2022 to 25 July 2022	Invitation to comment

Phase 1

CMA clearance decision

29 September 2022: The CMA has cleared the anticipated acquisition by Booking Holdings Inc. of certain activities of eTraveli Group AB (trading under brands such as GoToGate, FlightNetwork, MyTrip and SuperSaver).

• Full text decision (4.11.22)

Launch of merger inquiry  

2 August 2022: The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced the launch of its merger inquiry by notice to the parties.  

• Commencement notice (2.8.22)

13 September 2022: the CMA has given notice to the parties that, as a result of the Bank Holiday for the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II on the 19th September 2022, the new deadline for the CMA to announce its decision whether to refer the Merger for a Phase 2 investigation is 29 September 2022.

Invitation to comment: closed on 25 July 2022 

  4 July 2022: (CMA) is considering whether it is or may be the case that this transaction, if carried into effect, will result in the creation of a relevant merger situation under the merger provisions of the Enterprise Act 2002 and, if so, whether the creation of that situation may be expected to result, in a substantial lessening of competition within any market or markets in the United Kingdom for goods or services. 

To assist it with this assessment, the CMA invites comments on the transaction from any interested party.    

These comments should be provided by the deadline set out above.

Contact

Please send written representations about any competition issues to:

[email protected]

Published 4 July 2022
Last updated 4 November 2022 + show all updates

1. 4 November 2022

   Full text decision published

2. 29 September 2022

   Phase 1 clearance decision announced.

3. 20 September 2022

   Statutory deadline updated and description on update added.

4. 2 August 2022

   Merger enquiry launched.

5. 4 July 2022

   First published.