Who Owns Wotif?

Wotif was founded in 2000 by Graeme Wood in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Wood identified 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, allowing hotels to sell otherwise empty rooms at discounted rates and giving consumers access to short-notice accommodation at competitive prices.

The platform launched at a time when online travel booking was still in its early stages in Australia, and Wotif quickly established itself as 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's growth reflected the broader expansion of online travel booking in the region, as consumers increasingly shifted from travel agents to direct online booking platforms.

In October 2007, Wotif Group acquired the Australian travel website Travel.com.au for AU$57 million, expanding its portfolio and strengthening its position in the Australian online travel market. The acquisition added a complementary brand with a broader travel offering beyond hotels.

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. 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, Wotif faced increasing competitive pressure from global online travel agencies including Expedia, Booking.com, and Agoda, which were investing heavily in the Australian market. The company'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 1 October 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 Australian 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.