Is Wotif owned by Expedia Group?

Yes. Wotif is wholly owned by Expedia Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: EXPE), a publicly traded online travel company headquartered in Seattle, Washington. Expedia Group acquired Wotif Group in October 2014 for approximately US$657 million (AU$703 million), following approval by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. Wotif operates as a distinct brand within Expedia Group's B2C segment.

Is Wotif publicly traded?

Wotif is not separately listed on any stock exchange. The brand was previously listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) as Wotif Group before being acquired by Expedia Group in 2014. Its current parent company, Expedia Group, Inc., is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol EXPE.

When was Wotif founded?

Wotif was founded in 2000 by Graeme Wood in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The brand was built around last-minute hotel deals, allowing hotels to sell unsold rooms at discounted rates close to the date of stay. Wotif grew rapidly through the 2000s to become one of Australia's leading online travel platforms before being acquired by Expedia Group in 2014.

What is Wotif's market position in Australia?

Wotif competes in the Australian online travel agency market as part of Expedia Group's B2C segment, focusing primarily on domestic Australian hotel bookings. The brand competes against global platforms including Booking.com (Booking Holdings) and Airbnb, as well as Expedia Group's own Expedia.com brand. Wotif's local heritage and brand recognition among Australian consumers provide a competitive advantage in the domestic travel segment.

Has Wotif changed ownership?

Yes. Wotif was independently founded in 2000, listed on the ASX in 2006, and acquired by Expedia Group in 2014 for approximately US$657 million (AU$703 million). Since the acquisition, Wotif has operated as a wholly-owned subsidiary within Expedia Group's portfolio, retaining its own brand identity while integrating with Expedia Group's global technology platform.

Travel & Hospitality

Who Owns Wotif?

Q: Who founded Wotif?

Graeme Wood founded Wotif in 2000 in Brisbane, Queensland. Wood identified an opportunity in the Australian hotel market where hotels had unsold rooms close to the date of stay. The original concept allowed hotels to sell empty rooms at discounted rates. Wotif Group listed on the ASX in 2006 and was acquired by Expedia Group in 2014.

Wotif is owned by Expedia Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: EXPE), a publicly traded online travel company headquartered in Seattle, Washington. Expedia Group acquired Wotif in October 2014 for approximately US$657 million (AU$703 million), following approval by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. Wotif operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary within Expedia Group's B2C segment, serving Australian and New Zealand travelers alongside Lastminute.com.au and other regional travel brands.

Parent Company

Expedia Group

Acquired

2014

Status

Publicly Traded

Headquarters

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Wotif Timeline

1996

Expedia Group

Parent company established in Seattle, Washington, USA

Company Founded

2000

Wotif

Founded by Graeme Wood

Founded

2014

Acquired by Expedia Group

Expedia Group acquired Wotif

Acquired

mid rangemass marketGlobalOfficial Website

Who Owns Wotif?

Parent Company: Expedia Group
Ownership Type: Wholly owned
Acquisition Year: 2014
Company Type: Publicly Traded
Stock Ticker: NASDAQ: EXPE

Brand	Parent Company	Ownership Type
Wotif	Expedia Group	Wholly owned

History of Wotif

Founded: 2000
Founders: Graeme Wood
Acquired by Expedia Group: 2014

Wotif was founded in 2000 by Graeme Wood in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Wood saw an opportunity in the Australian hotel market where hotels frequently had unsold rooms close to the date of stay. The original Wotif concept was built around last-minute hotel deals, letting hotels sell empty rooms at discounted rates and giving consumers access to short-notice accommodation at competitive prices.

The platform launched when online travel booking was still in its early stages in Australia. Wotif quickly became one of the country's most recognized travel websites. The brand's name, a play on "what if," reflected its original positioning around spontaneous, last-minute travel decisions.

Through the early 2000s, Wotif expanded its hotel inventory and geographic coverage across Australia and New Zealand. The platform grew alongside the broader shift from travel agents to direct online booking platforms in the region.

Wotif Group listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) in 2006, giving the company access to public capital markets and providing an exit mechanism for early investors including founder Graeme Wood. In October 2007, Wotif Group acquired the Australian travel website Travel.com.au for AU$57 million, expanding its portfolio beyond hotels.

The company grew its revenue and profitability through the late 2000s, becoming one of Australia's most successful internet businesses of its era. By the early 2010s, however, Wotif faced increasing competitive pressure from global online travel agencies including Expedia, Booking.com, and Agoda, which were investing heavily in the Australian market. Wotif's financial performance came under pressure as these well-capitalized global competitors expanded their Australian hotel inventory and marketing spend.

In July 2014, Expedia Group announced an agreement to acquire Wotif Group for approximately US$657 million (AU$703 million). The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission approved the acquisition on October 1, 2014. The deal gave Expedia Group control of Wotif's established Australian brand, its hotel supplier relationships, and its customer base, while providing Wotif with access to Expedia Group's global technology platform and supplier network.

Following the acquisition, Wotif continued to operate as a distinct brand within Expedia Group's portfolio. The brand retained its own website, marketing identity, and customer-facing presence, while its technology infrastructure was progressively integrated with Expedia Group's global systems.

In 2025 and 2026, Wotif continued to serve the Australian and New Zealand travel markets as part of Expedia Group's B2C segment. The brand published its Unpack '26 travel trends report, which identified rising demand for Australian holiday parks, with demand up 13 percent year-on-year. The report also highlighted the "Slow Down Towns" trend, with 50 percent of Australians saying they would swap over-planned trips for peaceful escapes in smaller towns. Wotif's Aussie Town of the Year Awards program continued to promote domestic tourism and support regional Australian communities.

About Expedia Group

What does Expedia Group own?
Expedia Group owns a portfolio of online travel brands including Expedia, Hotels.com, Vrbo, Orbitz, Travelocity, Hotwire, and Wotif. The company also holds a majority stake in Trivago, a hotel metasearch platform headquartered in Germany. In addition to its consumer brands, Expedia Group operates Expedia for Business, a B2B division that provides technology infrastructure, inventory access, and booking capabilities to over 60,000 travel agency and corporate partners.

Is Expedia Group publicly traded?
Yes, Expedia Group, Inc. is listed on NASDAQ under ticker EXPE. The company was first spun off from Microsoft in 1999 and became an independent company separate from IAC in 2005. Barry Diller retains significant voting control through a dual-class share structure. Major institutional shareholders include Vanguard Group and BlackRock. Ariane Gorin serves as CEO.

Who founded Expedia Group?
Expedia was founded in 1996 as a division of Microsoft by Rich Barton and Lloyd Frink. The service was one of the first online travel booking platforms. Microsoft spun off Expedia as an independent company in 1999. IAC/InterActiveCorp, led by Barry Diller, acquired a controlling stake in 2001 and built the company into a multi-brand online travel group. Expedia was spun off from IAC as an independent company in 2005.

Where is Expedia Group headquartered?
Expedia Group is headquartered in Seattle, Washington, USA. The company moved its headquarters from Bellevue, Washington to a new campus in Seattle in 2019. Expedia operates globally with significant operations in the United States, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America, though approximately 63% of its revenue is generated from US point of sale.

How many brands does Expedia Group own?
Expedia Group owns seven or more travel brands, including Expedia, Hotels.com, Vrbo, Orbitz, Travelocity, Hotwire, and Wotif. The company also holds a majority stake in Trivago. The three core consumer brands are Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo, all of which participate in the One Key loyalty program. The remaining brands operate as secondary consumer-facing platforms.

Who owns Expedia Group?
Expedia Group, Inc. is publicly traded on NASDAQ under ticker EXPE. Barry Diller retains significant voting control through a dual-class share structure that gives his shares disproportionate voting power. Major institutional shareholders include Vanguard Group, BlackRock, and State Street Global Advisors. No single institutional shareholder holds a controlling stake independent of the Diller voting structure. Ariane Gorin serves as CEO.

What is Expedia Group's revenue?
Expedia Group reported full-year 2025 revenue of $14.7 billion, up 8% from $13.7 billion in 2024. Gross bookings reached $119.6 billion, and adjusted EBITDA was $3.5 billion, up 19% year over year. In Q2 2026, revenue grew 14% to $4.3 billion, and the company raised its full-year 2026 revenue guidance to $16.05 to $16.22 billion.

What is the One Key loyalty program?
One Key is Expedia Group's unified loyalty program, launched in 2023, that allows members to earn and redeem OneKeyCash across Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo. The program replaced the separate loyalty programs that previously operated independently for each brand. The consolidation was part of a broader technology migration that moved all three brands onto a single shared platform.

Founded: 1996
Headquarters: Seattle, Washington, USA
Company Type: Publicly Traded
Stock: NASDAQ: EXPE
Revenue: $14.7B (FY2025)
Employees: ~17,000

Visit Expedia Group website

View full company profile for Expedia Group

Where Is Wotif Made / Based?

Headquarters: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Wotif Categories & Tags

Online Travel Hotel Booking Australian Travel Expedia Group Travel Platform

Wotif Sustainability & Ethics

Wotif operates under Expedia Group's sustainability framework. As an online platform, Wotif's direct environmental impact is limited, but the brand participates in broader industry sustainability efforts.

In April 2024, Expedia Group launched sustainable travel programs called Destinations that promote environmentally responsible travel and support economic advancement in local communities. Wotif participates in these programs as part of Expedia Group's Australian portfolio.

Wotif's annual Aussie Town of the Year Awards program, launched in 2024, promotes domestic tourism and supports local Australian communities. The 2025 winner, Port Stephens, saw a 75 percent increase in accommodation searches, demonstrating how the program drives economic benefits to regional destinations.

Wotif works with a diverse range of accommodation providers across Australia, including independent hotels, regional properties, and international chains. This diversity supports local tourism businesses and helps distribute tourism economic benefits more evenly across communities.

Wotif operates under Expedia Group's ethical business guidelines, including transparent pricing, accurate property descriptions, and fair customer service practices. The platform's review system allows travelers to share authentic experiences, helping maintain quality and accountability in the travel booking ecosystem.

Awards & Recognition

Wotif has earned recognition primarily through its annual Aussie Town of the Year Awards program and its long-standing presence in the Australian travel market.

Wotif's flagship recognition program, the Aussie Town of the Year Awards, was launched in 2024. The 2025 awards named Port Stephens as the winner, with the destination seeing a 75 percent increase in accommodation searches on Wotif.com. The program has been recognized by tourism organizations and state tourism bodies, including Destination NSW, for its positive impact on regional communities.

Wotif is consistently recognized as one of Australia's most trusted and well-known travel brands. The brand's 25-plus year heritage in the Australian market, combined with its evolution from a last-minute deals platform to a comprehensive travel booking service, demonstrates sustained market presence. Wotif's successful integration into Expedia Group's technology platform while maintaining brand identity has been noted as an example of effective post-acquisition brand management.

Wotif Recalls & Controversies

Wotif has faced customer service controversies and operational challenges, particularly related to payment processing and customer support.

Multiple customer complaints on platforms like Trustpilot and Reddit report unauthorized charges being debited from customer accounts despite Wotif's stated policy that customers do not have to pay until the booking date. In March 2025, customers reported that total amounts were debited well before the scheduled payment date, creating cash flow issues and requiring dispute resolution.

Wotif has received criticism for customer service responsiveness, particularly when issues arise with bookings or payments. Customers report difficulty reaching support representatives and lengthy resolution times, with some cases requiring escalation to Expedia Group's customer service for resolution.

Some customers express confusion about Wotif's relationship with Expedia Group, particularly when customer service issues are redirected to Expedia's support systems. This has led to frustration among customers who expect Wotif to operate as an independent Australian brand rather than part of a global corporation.

The online travel industry faces ongoing scrutiny regarding pricing transparency, hidden fees, and fare structures. Wotif, like other booking platforms, must navigate these concerns while maintaining competitive pricing and clear communication about total costs to consumers. As an online platform handling sensitive customer data and payment information, Wotif faces ongoing challenges related to data privacy, cybersecurity, and compliance with international data protection regulations.

Despite these challenges, Wotif maintains its position as a leading Australian online travel booking platform with strong brand recognition and customer loyalty.

Wotif Ownership: Pros & Cons

Advantages

+Access to Expedia Group's global hotel inventory of over 3 million properties strengthens Wotif's booking options for Australian travelers
+Expedia Group's technology investment in search, pricing, and mobile platforms benefits Wotif's product capabilities
+Parent company's 2026 revenue guidance of $16.05 to $16.22 billion provides financial stability and marketing resources
+Integration with Expedia Group's global supplier relationships improves pricing competitiveness for Australian consumers
+Retained brand identity preserves Wotif's local recognition among Australian consumers

Considerations

-Operates in a highly competitive Australian online travel market against Booking.com, Airbnb, and direct hotel booking channels
-Dependence on Expedia Group's strategic priorities means Wotif's investment levels are determined at the group level
-Brand differentiation from Expedia Group's own Expedia.com brand in the Australian market requires ongoing management
-Travel industry revenue is highly sensitive to economic conditions, health crises, and geopolitical events
-Global platform competitors such as Booking.com have significant resources to invest in the Australian market

Frequently Asked Questions About Wotif

Sources & Further Reading

Competitors to Wotif

These competing brands operate in the same categories and provide similar products or services. Compare key attributes to understand market positioning and competitive landscape.

Brand	Parent Company	Country	Founded	Market Position	Primary Market	Gender Target
Agoda	Booking Holdings	Singapore	2005	Mass market	Asia pacific	All Genders
Booking.com	Booking Holdings	Netherlands	1996	Mass market	Global	All Genders
Hotels.comSister Brand	Expedia Group	USA	1991	Mass market	Global	All Genders