Booking.com wins long battle to trademark name

Monday, 01 Jul, 2020 0

Booking.com’s long fight to protect its brand name has finally been successful.

The OTA first tried to trademark the name nine years ago but was repeatedly denied by the US Patent and Trademark Office, which claimed it was too generic.

The US Supreme Court overruled that, contending it is sufficiently unique with the dot com suffix and merits trademark protection.

The judges found for Netherlands-based Booking.com by 8-1.

They said consumers understand that Booking.com refers to a particular company and not just a generic booking service.

A US Patent and Trademark Office tribunal rejected Booking.com’s applications in 2016, saying ‘booking’ is too generic and adding a dot com does not make it unique enough for a trademark.

The ruling ‘demonstrates that the US legal system has the capacity to evolve in order to reflect the digital world we are all living in’, said Booking.com spokesperson Kimberly Soward.

The case is also notable as it was the court’s first-ever oral argument by teleconference due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

below social share icons

TravelMole Editorial Team

Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.

Greater Fort Lauderdale’s assortment of adventures awaits you. Whether you want to relax on the beach as the sound of...

Air Transat is Canada’s number one leisure airline. It flies to some 60 international destinations in more than 25 countries...

Philippine Airlines (PR), also known as PAL, is the Filipino flag carrier. The company started their operations in February 1941,...

ECOMMPAY is an international payment service provider and direct bank card acquirer, engineering bespoke payment solutions for clients worldwide. Our...

Travel Outlook, the premier hotel call center™ Travel Outlook is an innovative, custom off-site central reservations office (CRO) service that...

Via Croatia is a concierge-type, full-service luxury DMC working exclusively with travel agents and luxury tour operators. With 20 years...

The Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau (DMCVB) is the only organization that promotes metro Detroit regionally, nationally and...

Since 1932, P&O Cruises has offered Aussies and Kiwis the opportunity to take to the seas and have the holiday...

The Paris 2024 Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games is responsible for planning, organising, financing and delivering the...

Our leadership is bold. Our agility thrives on open innovation and we embrace the new, whether it’s diversity, trends, challenges....

We are the UK’s leading Canada travel experts Canadian Affair Company Information Founded in 1995, Canadian Affair offers an...

ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES Mabuhay! Welcome to our archipelago of 7,641 islands where there are endless beaches, lively and fashionable cities,...

Traveltek is the world-leading provider of online solutions for the travel trade, from consumer-facing websites to call centre applications. We...

Family-owned Olympic Holidays has been arranging holidays to Greece, the Greek islands and Cyprus for more than half century. The company is unrivalled...

Discover Sarawak Revealing a side of Asia unlike anywhere else, Sarawak offers an alternative for those seeking humble authenticity far...

SAINT LUCIA IS NO ORDINARY ISLAND Equal parts beauty and mystique, Saint Lucia captivates anyone who sets foot on her...

Hilton is a leading global hospitality company with a portfolio of 22 world-class brands comprising nearly 7,300 properties and more than 1.1 million rooms, in...