Booking Holdings boss Glenn Fogel has voiced concerns on the current regulatory environment in Europe, saying it could stifle innovation and investment.
Decisions from European lawmakers have gone against the company in recent months, from its blocked acquisition of Etraveli to the threat of being tagged a digital gatekeeper under the looming Digital Markets Act.
“They look at you and say, ‘We’re not so sure we like that so much,’ and I say, ‘Why? This is better for everyone. What is the issue?’ And I’ve yet to get a real answer on this.”
Speaking to Phocuswright senior vice president of research and product strategy Charuta Fadnis at ITB Berlin Tuesday, Fogel conceded that the company’s size was a factor in regulators scrutinizing its deals more closely but added it’s small in terms of the total size of the market.
The argument did not appease regulators when it came to the Etraveli decision, and Booking has said it will appeal.
“The decision…
