That above was the headline in NZ Herald dated 24 January 2020. The article by Grant Bradley went on to say:

The news this week was that Expedia-owned Trivago, the hotel comparison company with a different friendly TV face to Lucy, was in fact doing very unfriendly things to its customers. It turns out that osme of its global revenue of more than $1.4billion a year was derived from rigging rankings.

The Dusseldorf-based company has been found guilty of misleading and deceptive conduct by Austalia’s Federal Court, for suggesting that top listed prices on properties advertised on its site were the best.

Hotels were instead found to have been ranked based on commission – room rate rankings were based mainly on which online hotel booking offered the best return for Trivago.

WOW! This is what TRM have been preaching for yonks. The only surprise it has taken so long to convict them. But will it make any difference? The only way to avoid them is not to use them. Book direct. OK?

Then two pages further is another feature article headed “Online credibility takes a hit” by Damien Venuto. He says “Revelations this week that a major online company had misled and deceived customers weren’t altogether surprising… And he goes on to say:

Trivagoo isn’t the first online travel organisation to contribute to the degradation of trust online. As far back as 2012, Peter Hook, the self-styled former director of propaganda at Accor Hotels, was outed as having contributed 106 reviews in 43 cities on Trip Advisor. The ones he wrote about Accor establishments were glowing, but competitors weren’t quite so lucky under Hook’s critical eye.

There are more subtle examples from the online booking industry that contribute to the growing sense of mistrust. When users are slapped with heavy cleaning fees or taxes, on online hotel or bach booking that seemed affordable at the listed “per night” price suddenly feels like a rip-off. etc…..

So again, to prevent these lying rip offs, do not believe anything from Booking-dot-com, Agoda, Expedia, Trip Advisor, etc. – avoid them all and BOOK DIRECTLY – ph. 07 386 8555..