Multicom FindandBook Users Grow at Four Times Industry Average

Despite the deepening recession and its impact on the travel sector, software specialists Multicom are reporting growth of 38% in the first quarter of this year.

Their forecast comes on the back of an estimated 9.5% growth in the UK online travel market for 2009 identified in research carried out for EyeforTravel, showing Multicom outperforming the market with growth four times faster than the rest of the industry. 

The Bristol based firm has also secured 16% of the air travel market through intermediaries that are using its "FindandBook" (FAB) software according to the Centre for Regional and Tourism Research (www.crt.dk). 

"FindandBook" is now handling a peak of 520,000 searches per hour and it is forecast that FAB will have processed more than 150 million searches per month with bookings of 2.5 million passengers during 2009. 

Multicom Managing Director John Howell said: "Naturally we are delighted that 'FindandBook'  is proving such a popular and valuable tool for the many agents that use this system.

"In an increasingly competitive market place and with holidays considered by many consumers to be a luxury item in a recession, we are bucking the trend with our growth of over 37% for the first quarter of 2009. 

"The benefits of FAB are underpinning that success, providing agents with a search facility second to none and driving our market share of the air travel booked through intermediaries to a market leading 16%. 

"But we are not complacent and we will continue to invest in research and development to ensure FAB maintains its edge and Multicom retains its advantage in a busy marketplace," added Howell.