THE Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched an investigation of hotel comparison websites yesterday to make sure consumers are not being ripped off.

It has asked firms about

• How hotels are ranked in online searches, including whether results are influenced by commission a destination pays to the website.
• Pressure selling, where websites can create a false impression of the number of rooms available to rush customers into making a decision.
• Whether the discounts advertised for a hotel are accurate, for example if a higher weekend room rate is being compared with the weekday rate.
• Hidden charges such as taxes or booking fees, which may not be covered in the advertised price.

CMA chief executive Andrea Coscelli said: “Sites need to give their customers information that is clear, accurate and presented in a way that enables people to choose the best deal for them.

“But we are concerned that this is not happening and that the information on sites may be making it difficult for people to make the right choice.”