By Cory Doctorow (GPG 0xBF3D9110957E5F4C) @doctorow.pluralistic.net · 23hBut to *really* stay in business on Expedia, hotels have to use the VIP program, which is even *more* expensive. And - one more time - hotels in the VIP program have to jack up their prices *everywhere else, INDEFINITELY*. 1834
By Cory Doctorow (GPG 0xBF3D9110957E5F4C) @doctorow.pluralistic.net · 23hThis means that, throughout the economy, hotel prices are rising at a superinflationary rate, because Expedia - who command 80% of the market - are pushing those prices up. 19014
By Cory Doctorow (GPG 0xBF3D9110957E5F4C) @doctorow.pluralistic.net · 23hThis goes a long way to explaining why US hotel rates rose *58%* from a 2020 average of $103/night to a 2025 average of $162/night. It explains why hotel prices rose by 5% *last year*, which is *double* the rate of inflation. 110722
