Edinburgh business case study - Skyscanner
What do they do?
Skyscanner provides an instant
flight price comparison service, encompassing more than 670,000
routes worldwide and more than 600 airlines. The site also enables
travellers to search for the best deals on car hire and hotel
accommodation. It now offers flight searches in 20 different
languages and 64 different currencies.
Why are they worth watching?
In today’s cost conscious
marketplace, consumers are becoming increasingly savvy when it
comes to searching for cheap air fares and finding a bargain.
Demand for international travel remains high, yet people want to do
more for less. Skyscanner helps them to do just that. The business
has witnessed rapid expansion in 2009, with projected revenue of £9
million in the year to May 2010 compared with £3.5 million in the
previous 12 months. They have recorded growth of over 80 per cent
year-on-year.
Where have they come from?
Gareth Williams started the
business in Edinburgh with fellow IT professionals Barry Smith and
Bonamy Grimes in 2001. They had a vision to create a single website
that could collect and compare prices for every commercial flight
in the world. Year on year, via word of mouth, the business has
established itself as a must-have in the travel planner’s
toolkit.
What does it mean for the area?
Today, Skyscanner employs 58
people, 48 of them based in Edinburgh. With plans to increase its
activities in North America, the future looks bright for the
business. It already receives more than seven million visits to its
site each month, with a January TV campaign in Scotland helping to
boost their profile even further.
Skyscanner Ltd
The Stamp Office
10 Waterloo Place
Edinburgh EH1 3EG
F urther information: www.skyscanner.net
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