Monday, October 22, 2007

NZ - Expedia In, Zuji/Travelocity out

Hot on the heals of Expedia announcing its entry into the New Zealand market, the NZ Herald is reporting that Zuji (the Travelocity operation in Asia) is shutting down its New Zealand site. Zuji.co.nz was being operated under a franchise style relationship with Stella Travel Services. Site will shut down on November 30. There is a chance that Travelocity may try and re-launch Zuji New Zealand with their own team but I think they have more issues to face in growing the Australian business first.

UPDATE - received an email from Phang Shueh Chyan, Zuji's Singaporean based Head of Business Development. Tells me that in while the Zuji/Stella relationship is coming to an end, Zuji will retain the NZ site and operation. We wait to see what resources/team will be used to operate the business when the Stella deal ends on 30 November (assuming that date is still correct).

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't what is worse. EXPEDIA has a really bad reputation lately. Its rank in Alexa is deteriorating daily and they have so many complaints from customers: http://www.expedianews.com

Anonymous said...

ZUJI IS STUFFED, DON'T BOTHER.

Im soooo pissed off. Despratley trying to make a date change. just got put on hold for over 30 mins after I told someone twice that I couldnt understand them; at 815pm I thought I should check online what time they closed - they closed at 800 and I was still on hold. Now im fuming - cant even find an address to make a complaint. this is the second time ive called since they were outsourced to India. The first was a nightmare too. I always felt for Indians working in call centres - now I feel like I want to strangle one.

Lily said...

same here... Very dissapointed with ZUJI, don't forget the famous motto among travellers "Better safe than SORRY, avoid ZUJI"; and it rhymes too... :) Want to know how bad their service is? Think of your worst nighmare; and times that to 100x...

Anonymous said...

Zuji Trvel to bad if you have to cancel your flight you did not get the money back.

Anonymous said...

Warning to people thinking about using ZUJI or Travelocity.
I have been ripped off....although I tried to cancell
two nights out of four, my email was returned 3 x's
with the message "Delivery failed permanently"...
tried calling but no answer after8PM...when I finally did reach them (in India) I was told cancellation
was now too late and I would be charged the full
two days!
Avoid them at all costs!

Anonymous said...

Had the worse time with zuji, found some cheap flights to NZ and they took my money twice without making my and I had to go through so many ph calls betweem zuji and my bank. Also spoke to some indian call centre where there seemed to be a language barried - neither of us could understand each other. So angry and have emailed 2 complaint letters to customer care and no response.

Anonymous said...

It usually takes more than 20 mins to get to talk to an operator...
I sometimes takes more than 40 mins...

Anonymous said...

Zuji, omg, never again, my worst nightware. Cancelled flights to UK and tried to re-book to Perth and they want to charge me A$350 extra difference. How can a flight to Perth cost $350 more than to the UK. Not to mention the additional costs for cancellation ALSO. I will NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER use them again. 4 grand down the drain. I feel robbed.