FLIGHTBOOKERS is to float its on-line travel service in either Europe or the US Stock Exchange later this year.
The consolidator has raised $5m from private investors to expand the company in preparation for a float.
Its directors are considering whether to float the company in the UK, Nasdaq in the US or Neuer Market in Germany.
Flightbookers became the first travel company to establish an interactive Web site in the UK when it launched its on-line service in 1996. In the last year, the on-line service has achieved $10m in revenues, compared to $7m the previous year.
The $5m raised will be spent on implementing new Web site software and marketing the Flightbookers on-line service branding to a new name of ebookers.com
Flightbookers founder and chairman and chief executive of ebookers.com Dinesh Dhamija said the on-line service has seen steady growth of 20% a month.
“The Internet is the fastest growing sector,” he said.
He said ebookers.com will expand its number of staff from 18 to 45 by the end of the year. The division, which is currently based at Flightbookers’ office in Tottenham Court Road, London, will relocate to its own premises in the same area within the next few weeks.