You know those counters:
- 32 people are looking at this hotel
- 3 seats left

It turns out many of them are simply Javascript pseudo-random number generators.
https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20191211-the-fantasy-numbers-that-make-you-buy-things-online

Not just travel... but travel is a major offender

QuoteBenefit of the doubt.

a bit over generous wouldn't you say.  Lying b*****ds

Yes. Lying bastards.

I don't actually consider these dark patterns. I consider them lies. Dark patterns, to me, mean something that is telling the "truth" but nudging you away. One classic is the "far-away bill" - when you sign up for paperless billing, they *could* just attach a PDF (as my long-distance phone company does), but instead, they make you log into the website because they know that reduces the chance you will see the bill.

Of course, some places have PCI and HIPAA compliance issues and can't send your info by email... but mostly it is a dark pattern.

The practices in this article are fraud, scam, lies. No need to use a fancy phrase like "dark pattern" for them

Supposed to be being outlawed. The fake urgency. Especially focused on travel.