Dick Smith is running a campaign calling on Australians to book direct with motels rather than online travel sites offering the best deals, saying they are “draining the money” out of country towns.

The entrepreneur-turned consumer campaigner claims millions of dollars are being “extorted” out of Australian family businesses, instead propping up the US billionaires who run the online booking sites.

In a video posted online, he says it’s an outrageous scenario.

He’s urging Australians to book direct with the smaller, family-run operators.

“These booking sites are owned by two billionaires in the US, basically, and around about $1 billion a year gets shipped off to the US which comes out of the normal income of these family businesses,” he said.

“Please if you scan down, you’ll find the direct website, give the motel a phone call.

“Don’t push them down for nothing because we want to help.”

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