CCI wanted to include direct hotel websites alongside search, discover and book or SCB platforms like Google. They used screenshots from a report published by MMT Go to prove that the tech giant wasn't a threat. People who book hotels online are distinctly different from those who talk to a Rickshaw driver to find a hotel. Most hotels listed on OTAs don't have their own websites. So direct website bookings were unlikely to form a major chunk of the relevant market.
In today’s episode for 25th October 2022, we discuss why the CCI (Competition Commission of India) took MakeMyTrip and OYO to task.