Webjet Limited (ASX: WEB) is a digital travel business spanning both global consumer markets (through B2C) and wholesale markets (through B2B). The company has operations in Australia, New Zealand, North America, Singapore and Hong Kong. Webjet Ltd's Registered Office is located in Melbourne, Victoria (Australia).
Video Webjet
Brands
Webjet
Established in 1998, Webjet is an online travel agency (OTA) in Australia and New Zealand. Webjet offers customers travel products across domestic & international flights, hotel accommodation, holiday package deals, cruises, car & motor-home hire and travel insurance.
Online Republic
Webjet acquired the online travel booking group, Online Republic, in May 2016 for $NZ85 million. Online Republic is a global e-commerce group based in New Zealand, specialising in online bookings of rental cars, motorhomes and cruises. The move was said to be "a unique opportunity to leverage Webjet's core capabilities into the attractive online car rental, cruise and motorhome segments", by Webjet's Managing Director, John Guscic.
WebBeds
WebBeds is Webjet's global portfolio of B2B travel providers, established in February 2013. WebBeds currently operates under the brands, Lots of Hotels, Sunhotels, Fit Ruums and JacTravel and Totalstay depending on geography.
Lots of Hotels (Middle East & Africa and North America)
The WebBeds business was first launched with the establishment of Lots of Hotels in Dubai, during late 2013. Lots of Hotels is said to "offer the most extensive inventory in the region with over one million hotel rooms on sale world-wide, every night". In November 2015, Lots of Hotels North America was launched.
Sunhotels (Europe)
Webjet acquired European online hotel provider Sunhotels in September 2014, another move said to help the company expand its accommodation portfolio. In August 2016, it was announced Sunhotels (as a subsidiary of Webjet Limited) was set to assume control of over 3,000 hotel contracts owned by European tour operating group, Thomas Cook. The transition of this partnership deal is expected to be complete by January 2019.
FIT Ruums (Asia)
Launched in November 2016, FIT Ruums focuses on B2B travel distribution for worldwide hotel accommodation and transfers in Asia. FIT Ruums has offices in Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, Indonesia, Taiwan, Malaysia, India, Thailand, China and Japan. In November 2016, FIT Ruums announced an exclusive alliance partnership with Dida Travel Technology, the largest travel aggregator in China.
JacTravel
Acquired in September 2017, JacTravel is a global hotel accommodation supplier, specialising in inbound group travel services to the UK, Ireland and Europe. JacTravel is headquartered in London and has offices throughout the UK, Europe, Asia, the Middle-East and North America.
Totalstay
Previously known as Exclusively Hotels, Totalstay.com was launched in Europe in 2006. Totalstay is a hotel booking tool available exclusively for travel agents.
Maps Webjet
Awards
- In 2005, Webjet was ranked No.1 by visits in the Travel Agencies category, by Hitwise, for the quarter ended 30 June 2005.
- In 2010, Webjet was ranked 49 in the "Deloitte Technology Fast 50 Australia 2010", a program that recognises fast growing technology companies in Australia. Webjet was listed with a growth rate of 56.75% in the Internet sector, under CEO Richard Noon, and recognised as a multiple year winner (consecutive and non-consecutive) in its sixth year.[5] In the same year, Webjet also was awarded No. 1 in the Hitwise Travel Agency category for the second time.
- In 2011, Webjet Australia was ranked in Forbes Asia's "Best Under A Billion", a list which highlights the 200-high performing Asia-Pacific companies with revenue under $1 billion. Webjet was shown to have Sales valued at US $47M, Net Income valued at US $12M and a Market Value valued at US $158M.
- In 2014, Webjet was ranked #468 in the "Deloitte Technology Fast 500 Asia Pacific", an annual ranking of the 500 fastest growing technology companies in the Asia Pacific region. Webjet was listed with a 65% growth rate in the Internet industry sector.
History
1998
Webjet was established by former Jetset Travel Chief Executive David Clarke, Allan Nahum and John Lemish in 1998.
2000-2002
The company was publicly listed on the ASX in 2000 through a reverse takeover deal with Roper River Resources NL.[8] Roper River Resources NL became Webjet NL on 18 April 2000 and was later changed to Webjet Limited on 15 June 2000. On 31 May 2001, Webjet became 100% automated, allowing customers to fully complete their bookings online. Webjet launched a WAP website in May 2002 for mobile phones and offering SMS customer support.
2007-2009
In 2007, Webjet made a bid for the website Travel.com.au valued at approximately $42.3 million. The deal failed following a bid from Wotif.com which valued Travel.com.au at approximately $49.8 million. In December 2008, Webjet expand its business and launches Webjet.co.uk for customers in the United Kingdom. On 17 September 2009 Webjet announced their plans to commence operations in North America (Webjet.com) through a Joint Venture with Mathias Friess, formerly General Manager Global Sales and Distribution of the Virgin Blue Group of Airlines, and Head of Sales North America for Lufthansa. The focus of Webjet.com was on long haul leisure travel from North America to Australia and the Pacific, Europe, Latin America and Asia.
2010
In April 2010, Webjet.com officially launched and the brand made its entrance into the United States online travel agency market. On 30 June 2010 it was announced that Webjet had entered into a Joint Venture with Westminster Travel in Asia to initially cover the establishment of Webjet in Singapore (Webjet.com.sg) and Hong Kong (Webjet.com.hk). The Joint Venture included David Clarke as chairman, Larry Lo as Managing DIrector and Henry Chu, Finance Director of Westminster Travel as local directors. This was later followed by the launch of Webjet in Canada (Webjet.ca) in December 2010. In August 2010, Webjet launches their first iPhone app, available on iOS devices. In the same month, it was announced that the board of Webjet would be restructured, with the chairman, Allan Nahum, stepping down from his role but continuing as a non-executive director. Webjet said the restructuring was to help "the best possible balance of executive and non-executive directors.
2011
In February 2011, John Guscic was appointed as Webjet's Managing Director, after serving on the Webjet board since 2003. In the same month, Webjet announced the launch of Lots of Hotels, a B2B international hotel aggregation platform operating in the Middle East and Africa. Webjet reported record profits in their "Annual Results 30 June 2011" published on 11 August 2011, displaying a 17% growth in total transaction value to $592 million, a net profit before tax growth of 8% to $15.7 million, as well as net profit after tax up 5% to $11 million . The record profits were realised in the same period as an operating loss of $700,000 for Webjet's markets in the United States and Asia. Due to the record profits, a dividend of six cents per share was paid to investors in October 2011, taking the yearly payout overall to eleven cents per share.
2012
On 8 February 2012, the company announced in their "Half Year Results Ended 31 Dec 2011" that TTV for the half-year had grown 29% to $369 million, and that NPAT was up 17% to $5.9 million, marking sixteen consecutive half-years of growth. In April 2012 Webjet signs as a major sponsor of the Melbourne Football Club, with players sporting the Webjet.com.au logo on their the front of the club guernsey less than 24 hours after the deal was struck. In the same month, Webjet also partnered with Australian loyalty program flybuys . Later that year in July, Webjet.com.au enters into its first international franchise agreement with BidTravel in South Africa . In October 2012, Webjet expands its on-site offering by launching holiday packages, combining flights and hotel bookings in one. In December 2012, Webjet announced it had entered agreements to acquire Zuji in Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore.The deal was described as allowing Webjet to "substantially expand" its presence in Asia, with Webjet required to raise $25 million in order to complete the purchase. The acquisition was completed on 22 March 2013.
2013
On 21 August 2013, Webjet announced a profit of $11.4 million and NBAT of $6.5 million, for the year ended 30 June 2013. During the year the company experienced a growth in total transaction values of $110 million from $768 million to $884 million. In November 2013, Webjet signed a two-year deal as the principal sponsor of Sydney Thunder for the 2012/203 and 2013/2014 seasons.
2014
In February 2014, Webjet and Sydney FC agreed to a new major commercial partnership which renewed their status as the principal partner of the team since the beginning of the 2012/2013 Hyundai A-League season. In June 2014, Webjet launched an extension of its Australian business with the launch of Webjet Exclusives. Webjet Exclusives offers directly contracted travel products, including: hotels, resorts, land & air packages, tours & cruises. On 14 July 2014, Webjet announced it entered into a binding Heads of Agreement to acquire the SunHotels Group in Europe , and was fully acquired by September 2014. In August 2014, Webjet announced the official launch of its cruises product on its Australian and New Zealand site, further expanding its online travel offering. On 20 August 2014, Webjet announced record results in their Annual Results 30 June 2014, with $19.1 million NPAT and total revenues of $98.6 million, up 31.9% over the previous corresponding period. On December 16, 2014 Webjet announced the release of its new travel app for Android.
2015
In February 2015, Webjet began accepting Bitcoin on holiday package bookings, making it one of the first Australian retailers to accept the electronic currency in their payment process.
2016
In May 2016, Webjet formally disclosed its acquisition of former rival Online Republic through the airing of a video in national TV, showing the Airport Rentals (Australia) brand. This was a move to strengthen Webjet's presence in the car rentals and cruise industry (via the Cruise Republic brand). At the same time, this allowed the company to expand its offering to motorhome rental deals through the Motorhome Republic brand, a major business unit of Online Republic. On November 9 2016, Webjet formally announced the sale of ZUJI Hong Kong and ZUJI Singapore to Hong-Kong based travel technology group, to Reckon Holdings Limited and Sharp Focus Pacific Limited, subsidiaries of Uriel Aviation Holding Limited, for $56 million. Webjet, who originally acquired the business in March 2013, made a gain of $26 million from this sale.
2017
In June 2017, Webjet announced the conclusion of its joint venture with Mathias Friess, by selling its remaining interest in Webjet in North America. Webjet re-acquired the rights to Webjet.com, with the remaining brand and operations transitioning over to 'Flyus.com'.
References
External links
- Webjet Limited
- Webjet Australia
- Webjet New Zealand
- Webjet US
Source of article : Wikipedia
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