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New Zealand: Watchdogs push Expedia, Wotif merger forward

By  |  November 4, 2014

Authorities in New Zealand extended their approval for travel booking giant Expedia.com to acquire Australia’s Wotif, leaving just one regulatory hurdle for the deal.

According to reports, the New Zealand Competition Commission has cleared the $610 million merger, and Wotif announced in a statement that the Supreme Court of Queensland is expected to sign off on the deal early Wednesday.

Now, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission will have to approve of the takeover. The watchdog said in September that it is reviewing concerns raised by competitors that the deal would allow Expedia to hike commissions and leave only Priceline as its competitor.

Expedia, the world’s second-place travel booking site, announced plans to acquire Wotif as it looks to expand in Australia and the Asia-Pacific, say reports.

Full content: Reuters

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