Priceline’s planned investment in Ctrip is a smart move for both companies - the investment makes it that much more unlikely for Ctrip to do a deal with players not affiliated with Priceline. Aside from the obvious implication for Expedia, Tnooz lists five other players who could be affected by this deal: - Hotels: With Booking.com’s meteoric rise in Asia (as well as Priceline’s other brand, Agoda) and its existing dominance in Europe, both companies could further increase their commission rates as more hoteliers depend on the two companies to deliver both Chinese and non-Chinese travelers. Get the full story at Tnooz Read also "Priceline to invest $500m in Ctrip, cross-promoting their hotel portfolio"