Wotif.com

Infobox Website
name = Wotif.com



caption = The Wotif.com homepage on 16 November 2007.
url = http://www.wotif.com/
commercial = Yes
type = Hotel reservation service
language = English
registration = No
owner = Graeme Wood
author = Graeme Wood
launch date = March 2000
current status = Public limited company
revenue =
slogan = 28 days of great deals!
alexa = 14,420 (7 February 2008)

Wotif.com is a website that provides a reservation service for hotels in Australia, as well as some international hotels. It was created in March 2000 by Graeme Wood, and was originally based in Brisbane, Australia. It has since established offices in Canada, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and the United Kingdom.cite web|url=http://info.wotif.com/about_us|title=About us|publisher=Wotif.com|accessdate=2007-11-15] Wotif.com has been listed on the Australian Stock Exchange since 2 June 2006. [cite web|url=http://www.asx.com.au/asx/research/CompanyInfoSearchResults.jsp?searchBy=asxCode&allinfo=&asxCode=WTF |title=Wotif.com Holdings Limited (WTF)|publisher=ASX|accessdate=2007-11-15]

Wotif.com has been ranked by Alexa one of the top 15,000 trafficked websites on the internet.cite web|url=http://alexa.com/data/details/traffic_details/wotif.com|title=Traffic details for Wotif.com|publisher=Alexa|accessdate=2008-02-07]

Unlike many other travel websites, Wotif.com does not provide limitless lists of hotel details. Instead, the website provides information for the next 28 days, the reason being that "as a date gets closer, hotels can often drop their rates". Originally, the website only provided details seven days in advance, this was expanded to 14 days in February 2001, and to 28 in September 2005, around the time it first sought a listing on the ASX. [cite web|url=http://info.wotif.com/about_our_history|title=Our history|publisher=Wotif.com|accessdate=2007-11-15]

On 22 October 2007, Robbie Cooke became CEO of Wotif.com, taking over from founder Graeme Wood, who moved to the position of executive director. Cooke did not receive a seat in the board of directors, however. [cite web|url=http://info.wotif.com/about_our_directors|title=About our directors|publisher=Wotif.com|accessdate=2007-11-15]

In October 2007, Wotif.com placed a $57 million bid for Australian travel website Travel.com.au. This bid defeated Webjet's, causing the company to sell its share in the site. [cite web|url=http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,22762530-15306,00.html|title=Webjet results ready to take off|publisher=News.com.au|work=Australian IT|author=Teresa Ooi|date=15 November 2007|accessdate=2007-11-15] [cite web|url=http://www.etravelblackboard.com/index.asp?id=70380&nav=44|title=Webjet backs down as Wotif.com stands to secure travel.com.au|publisher=e-Travel Blackboard|date=17 October 2007|accessdate=2007-11-15] The takeover bid also gave Wotif.com a share in websites dealing in "online flight, car, cruise and holiday bookings", previously unchartered territory for the company. Wotif.com's CEO, Robbie Cooke, said of the takeover bid that "those brands give us an ability to push into the flights area in particular but we can also improve those brands' hotel offerings".cite web|url=http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/business/robbie-takes-the-reins-at-wotif/2007/10/23/1192941050019.html |title=Robbie takes the reins at Wotif|author=Georgina Robinson|publisher=Brisbane Times|date=23 October 2007|accessdate=2007-11-15]

References