Despite the accolades TripAdvisor has given Maltese tourist attractions, Italy’s competition watchdog is looking into the influential holiday review website to see if it takes appropriate measures to avoid publishing fake opinions.
The antitrust authority is also probing online booking websites Expedia and Booking. com, saying their agreements with hotels may prevent consumers getting a better deal.
Last week the watchdog said it had received complaints about TripAdvisor from consumers as well as hotel and restaurant owners.
TripAdvisor gathers readers’ reviews of hotels and restaurants. The authority said it may have published opinions of people who had not actually been to the places they rated.
It also said the site did not make clear enough the distinction between information provided independently by travellers and paid-for business profiles.