ACCOMMODATION INDUSTRY – AUSTRALIA

Wotif shareholders approve $703m Expedia takeover deal

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Original article by Jamie Freed
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 16 : 10-Oct-14

Healthscope is set to replace Wotif.com in the S&P/ASX 200 Index after the latter’s acquisition by US-based Expedia was approved by more than 99 per cent of shareholders. Expedia is likely to have a 45 per cent share of Australia’s online hotel booking market following the acquisition, which is still subject to approval by the Foreign Investment Review Board and the New Zealand Commerce Commission

CORPORATES
WOTIF.COM HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX WTF, EXPEDIA INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIA. FOREIGN INVESTMENT REVIEW BOARD, NEW ZEALAND. COMMERCE COMMISSION, WEBJET LIMITED – ASX WEB, PRICELINE.COM, BOOKING.COM BV, AGODA COMPANY PTE LTD, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN HOTELS ASSOCIATION, CIMB SECURITIES INTERNATIONAL (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, HEALTHSCOPE LIMITED – ASX HSO, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL INDICES

Expedia buyout spares shareholders of ‘lucky’ Wotif

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Original article by Jamie Freed
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 18 : 13-Aug-14

Wotif.com has posted a 2013-14 net profit of $A43.2m, which is 15.4 per cent lower than previously, while booked room nights were down by 10.8 per cent. CEO Scott Blume expects the decline in room bookings to continue as a result of competition in the sector, and he concedes that Wotif.com would find it challenging to turn this around if the takeover bid from US-based Expedia does not succeed

CORPORATES
WOTIF.COM HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX WTF, EXPEDIA INCORPORATED, PRICELINE.COM, BOOKING.COM BV

A way to spend a night in jail, without breaking the law

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Original article by Carolyn Webb
The Age – Page: 2 : 25-Jul-14

The National Trust will turn some of its properties into hotels. A trial at the Old Melbourne Goal will be conducted between December 2014 and February 2015. Up to 30 people will be allowed to spend a night in the historic prison, paying up to $A250 per night. There are plans to expand the accommodation scheme to other properties of the National Trust, including the ship "Polly Woodside", and mansions "Como", "Barwon Park" and "Labassa"

CORPORATES
NATIONAL TRUST OF AUSTRALIA (VICTORIA)

Expedia told: lift rates, cop a backlash

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Original article by Larry Schlesinger
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 42 : 10-Jul-14

A takeover offer worth $A703m has been made for Australian online travel bookings group Wotif.com by US-based Expedia. Local accommodation operators say they will increasingly turn to direct reservations via upgraded in-house web sites, if Expedia attempts to raise commission rates after the acquisition. At present Wotif charges about 12% and the Australian unit of Expedia 18%. Industry expert Dean Dransfield likens the warning by the hotel businesses to the revolt against increased fees at property classifieds portal REA Group by real estate agents

CORPORATES
WOTIF.COM HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX WTF, REA GROUP LIMITED – ASX REA, EXPEDIA AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, EXPEDIA INCORPORATED, MANTRA GROUP LIMITED – ASX MTR, ACCOR SA, DRANSFIELD HOTELS AND RESORTS PTY LTD