Australia’s biggest online travel retailers are heading for a showdown after Webjet accused Wotif of pressurising hotels to “change the rates available via Webjet”.
Melbourne-based Webjet said an email chain showed its rival told Auckland hotel SkyCity to “rectify the situation” after telling the property that its rates on Webjet were “being discounted by 12.5%”.
SkyCity subsequently emailed Webjet saying it did not wish to be part of the sale as the rates "undercut our own website”.
“Can you please take us out of your sale immediately,” the hotel said in the email.
Webjet said the email exchange proved Wotif was pressuring hotels.
“[Wotif] are focused on trying to limit the offers that are presented to consumers and are doing so by applying pressure to hotels to change the rates available via Webjet,” it said in a statement.
It said the email chain has been sent to the New Zealand Commerce Commission.
Webjet added the discounted rates were not available to Wotif because it had funded the discounts itself.
A Wotif spokesperson told Travel Today the allegations were “untrue” but declined to comment further.
