The Federal Trade Commission is implementing a new rule requiring hotels, vacation rental platforms, and live event promoters to disclose all fees upfront when listing prices. This aims to combat hidden fees and promote transparency for consumers.
The Federal Trade Commission ( FTC ) announced on Tuesday that it will soon require hotels, vacation rental platforms, and live event promoters to disclose any fees upfront when listing prices. The FTC stated that consumers often encounter advertised prices for hotel rooms, short-term rentals, and tickets to sporting events and concerts only to be surprised later by hidden fees.
'People deserve to know upfront what they’re being asked to pay without worrying that they’ll later be saddled with mysterious fees that they haven’t budgeted for and can’t avoid,' said FTC Chair Lina Khan. Ticketmaster expressed support for the mandate, stating, 'Ticketmaster has long advocated for all-in pricing as a nationwide industry standard, and we’re pleased to see the FTC mandate the necessary changes to make ticket-buying more transparent for fans.' The rule mandates lodging and ticketing businesses to clearly and conspicuously disclose the true cost, including all mandatory fees, when displaying any pricing. Businesses that exclude taxes or shipping fees from advertised prices must also disclose them before customers enter any payment information. The FTC estimates the rule will save U.S. consumers 53 million hours per year spent searching for the true price of lodging or events. The FTC initiated the rule-making process in 2022, seeking public input on whether a fee-disclosure rule could address unfair and deceptive pricing. The agency received over 12,000 comments. This move comes amidst ongoing concerns about junk fees and deceptive pricing, as evidenced by the Department of Justice's lawsuit against Ticketmaster and its parent company, Live Nation Entertainment, earlier this year. The government seeks to separate the companies, alleging they hold a monopoly on concert promotion and ticketing, leading to inflated prices for consumers
FTC Fee Disclosure Hotels Vacation Rentals Live Events Transparency Consumer Protection
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