ROME, March 22 (Reuters) - Italy's antitrust has opened

a probe into Booking.com to establish whether the

travel website is in a potential abuse of dominant position, the

regulator said on Friday.

The watchdog said that the website's handling of the hotels

that are part of its Preferred Partner Programme "seems likely

to hinder effective competition in the market, at least

nationwide, for online hotel brokerage and reservation

services".

This strategy is "to the detriment of other online travel

agents with negative effects on accommodation facilities and,

ultimately, on consumers in terms of higher prices and less

choice.", the authority said in a statement adding that it had

carried out inspection in the Italian offices of the company.

Booking.com was not immediately available for comment.