the Parity Story Every Hotelier Needs to Know

The end of the ‘best price’ parity clauses?

Probably not just yet, but this could spell the beginning of the end. 

For over a decade, the relationship between hotels and Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) has been governed by the controversial rule of rate parity.

These best-price clauses effectively prevented hoteliers from offering better deals on their own websites than those found on platforms like Expedia or Booking.com. 

But the legal landscape may have just shifted.

In a December 2025 ruling, the Berlin Regional Court found Booking.com liable for damages to over 1,000 German accommodation providers, declaring these parity practices a violation of competition law. 

What does this mean for your hotel in 2026? We sat down with a Lighthouse expert to analyze the ruling, the ongoing appeals, and the future implications.

Watch the 2-minute video at Lighthouse.

Reclaiming your distribution strategy

The Berlin ruling could be a global wake-up call for the hoteliers.

As the industry moves away from restrictive parity clauses, the opportunity to drive more profitable direct bookings comes back into play (especially with the advent of AI-search).

For the first time in years, hoteliers may have the legal backing to pass commission savings directly to the guest, offering lower rates and exclusive deals that OTAs simply can’t touch.

However, this is only possible with the right data. At Lighthouse, we help you master this rate parity across all channels by providing real-time insights into rate disparity and distribution health.

Ready to take back control of your distribution? Learn more here.

About Lighthouse

Lighthouse (formerly OTA Insight) is the leading commercial platform for the travel & hospitality industry. We transform complexity into confidence by providing actionable market insights, business intelligence, and pricing tools that maximize revenue growth. We continually innovate to deliver the best platform for hospitality professionals to price more effectively, measure performance more efficiently, and understand the market in new ways.

Trusted by over 65,000 hotels in 185 countries, Lighthouse is the only solution that provides real-time hotel and short-term rental data in a single platform. We strive to deliver the best possible experience with unmatched customer service. We consider our clients as true partners – their success is our success.

This article originally appeared on Lighthouse.