缤客控股因FTC行动录得10亿美元冲击：三季度营收减记9亿美元，另计提1亿美元损失
缤客控股（Booking Holdings）11月3日公布第三季度业绩时披露，该公司当季录得9亿美元的营收减记，并另行计提了1亿美元损失，两项均与美国联邦贸易委员会（FTC）的一项行动有关；受此影响，公司第三季度营收同比下降1%。据路透社报道，这项行动涉及缤客旗下品牌Priceline与第三方订房网站Guest Reservations的关系，后者被指以误导性广告冒充酒店官方渠道。
缤客是全球最大的在线旅游公司之一，旗下有Booking.com与Priceline等五个面向消费者的品牌。Priceline通过其合作伙伴解决方案业务向Guest Reservations供应酒店客房库存。FTC正在调查这段合作关系是否违反禁止冒充其他企业的规则以及与费用有关的其他潜在违规。
Guest Reservations已收到消费者向美国商业改进局（Better Business Bureau）提出的1,000多起投诉，许多消费者称自己以为是在直接向酒店订房，结果遭遇意外收费、客服也联系不上。旧金山方面另有一宗针对这两家公司的诉讼在进行中。
缤客表示，与此事项相关的累计冲击已达10亿美元，目前尚未与FTC达成和解，仍有可能进入诉讼。公司称，若达成和解，方案很可能包括Priceline直接向FTC付款，并向部分美国消费者提供赔偿。路透社10月曾报道，此案潜在罚则可能超过5亿美元。
FTC发言人对置评请求未予回应。缤客表示，公司正与FTC商谈以解决此事，并警告称其他司法管辖区就类似指控展开的诉讼与监管程序也可能损害其业务。
（来源：缤客控股季度业绩披露）
Booking Holdings Records $1 Billion Hit From FTC Action: $900 Million Off Q3 Revenue Plus a $100 Million Accrued Loss
Booking Holdings disclosed in its third-quarter results on November 3 that it recorded a $900 million reduction in revenue and accrued a further $100 million loss, both related to an action by the Federal Trade Commission, which pulled the company's third-quarter revenue down 1 percent year over year. According to Reuters, the action involves Priceline, one of Booking's brands, and its connection to Guest Reservations, a third-party booking website accused of using deceptive ads that impersonate hotels.
Booking Holdings is one of the world's largest online travel companies, with five consumer-facing brands including Booking.com and Priceline. Priceline supplies hotel room inventory to Guest Reservations through Priceline Partner Solutions. The FTC is investigating that relationship and whether it violates the rule against impersonating other businesses, along with other potential violations regarding fees.
Guest Reservations has been the subject of more than 1,000 consumer complaints to the Better Business Bureau, many from people who said they believed they were booking directly with hotels and then faced surprise fees and unresponsive customer service. A separate lawsuit against the two companies, filed by San Francisco, is also under way.
Booking said the cumulative hit related to the matter has reached $1 billion, that no settlement has been agreed, and that litigation remains possible. A settlement, the company said, would likely include Priceline paying a sum directly to the FTC as well as providing monetary restitution to certain U.S. consumers. Reuters reported in October that the case could carry more than $500 million in potential penalties.
An FTC spokesperson declined to comment. Booking said it is in discussions with the FTC to resolve the matter and warned that litigation and regulatory processes in other jurisdictions over similar claims could also harm its business.
(Source: Booking Holdings quarterly results disclosure)
来源：缤客控股季度业绩披露
发布：GSM·美国（发布链接）
图片来源：酒店前台（资料图）。Basile Morin 摄，CC BY-SA 4.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / A hotel reception desk (file photo). Photo by Basile Morin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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