TravelRepublic.co.uk is the UK's Fastest Growing Private Company

Online travel agent TravelRepublic.co.uk (http://www.travelrepublic.co.uk) is number one in The Sunday Times Virgin Fast Track 100 list just four years after the company was launched, it was announced today. This news caps an incredible week for the company. Just a few days ago TravelRepublic.co.uk was unveiled as the fastest-growing non user-generated content brand online in the UK - growing 313% over the last year - by analysts at research company, Nielsen Online, a service of The Nielsen Company.

Kingston upon Thames, UK (PRWEB) December 3, 2007 -- Online travel agent TravelRepublic.co.uk (http://www.travelrepublic.co.uk) has topped The Sunday Times Virgin Fast Track 100 list just four years after the company was launched, it was announced today.

The company is the UK's fastest growing privately owned company boasting 284.23% annual sales growth. Offshore services provider Oceanteam 2000 claimed second place in the rankings with annual sales growth of 206.45%.

The Kingston-upon-Thames based business was set up in 2003 and is the brainchild of three university friends - Paul Furner, managing director, Chris Waite, IT director and Kane Pirie, finance and operations director. Furner's brother Peter was also one of the original founders but left the business earlier this year following a management buy-out.

Since its launch, TravelRepublic.co.uk's sales have increased from £2.8 million to £108 million, with the business on track for turnover of more than £200 million in the current financial year. The company now employs more than 150 staff.

Paul Furner, managing director of TravelRepublic.co.uk, said: "We are delighted with this recognition which is an incredible reward for the creativity and hard work of everyone who works for the company.

"Chris, Kane and I met at university but then followed very different careers - Chris in software development, Kane in corporate finance/private equity and me in software quality assurance. These differing backgrounds, all outside of the travel industry, have allowed us to take a fresh new look at the sector and become one of its leading innovators.

"However, equally important has been our commitment, from the outset, to deliver gold standard customer service to our customers. At a time when it is often said that there is no loyalty on the web we would beg to differ. Our levels of repeat and recommended business suggest that we have a real affinity with our customers which we plan to build upon in the coming months."

Sir Richard Branson, founder and chairman of the Virgin Group, sponsors of the Fast Track 100, commented: "For Virgin, a group so steeped in travel and tourism, it is gratifying to see Travel Republic (http://www.travelrepublic.co.uk) claim top spot in this year's table."

This is the first time a travel business has topped the rankings, with the previous best performances coming from Travel Counsellors (fourth in 1998), OctopusTravel.com (fourth in 2004) and Kew Green Hotels (second in 2006). Hotel booking agency Alpharooms is at number 20 in this year's list.

The Sunday Times Virgin Fast Track 100 is now in its eleventh year and ranks Britain's hundred private companies with the fastest growing sales over the last three years.

The mobile phone retailer Carphone Warehouse, chip designer ARM and tiling store Topps Tiles have all graduated to the quoted sector since featuring in the first Fast Track 100 in 1997. Many more companies from the league tables have become household names. The fashion retailers Boden and Fat Face, Cobra Beer, DIY specialist Focus DIY, foreign exchange operator Travelex and shoe designer Jimmy Choo have all featured in past tables.

TravelRepublic.co.uk recently appeared for the first time in the IMRG-Hitwise Hot Shops List which ranks the UK's top 50 most popular internet retailers, across all sectors. In the online travel agency (http://www.travelrepublic.co.uk)sector TravelRepublic.co.uk is now more popular than the likes of Opodo and ebookers.com. Only Expedia.co.uk and lastminute.com rank higher.

Just last week TravelRepublic.co.uk was unveiled as the fastest-growing non user-generated content brand online in the UK - growing 313% over the last year - by analysts at research company, Nielsen Online, a service of The Nielsen Company (see additional information below).

Furner and the team, however, are far from resting on their laurels after these fantastic achievements.

He added: "We're about to head into the peak booking season so there's no time for us to sit back and relax. We've got big plans for 2008 including the launch of city breaks (http://www.travelrepublic.co.uk)and the retailing of package holidays (http://www.travelrepublic.co.uk/holiday/hocriteria.aspx)and cruises. We are also convinced that there is a real opportunity to take the TravelRepublic.co.uk formula into other European markets."

Notes to editors:

For more information, interviews and photographs contact Louise Prior at Prior PR on 07786 227572.

To see the full list of The Sunday Times Virgin Fast Track 100 go to www.fasttrack.co.uk

About Travel Republic:

TravelRepublic.co.uk caters for a broad range of customers including families, couples and groups - mainly taking a hard earned break in the sun. The TravelRepublic.co.uk website offers charter, low-cost and scheduled airlines, powerful rate shopping technology for hotel rooms and apartments, plus hotel reviews and resort guides written by its customers.

Customers can save up to 50% on the price of a comparable package holiday purchased online or on the high street.

TravelRepublic.co.uk works with over 100 different flight operators and offers flights to more than 200 destinations in Europe, the Caribbean, Florida and Canada, plus numerous ski resorts and exotic destinations. The website also offers over 30,000 discounted hotels, apartments and villas plus a wide range of other services such as taxi transfers, airport parking and car hire. The website gives customers complete flexibility with flights, hotels and durations.

TravelRepublic.co.uk was one of the first UK travel agents to offer carbon balanced flights and in addition makes significant charitable donations every month to the World Land Trust to protect Amazon rainforests and the important wildlife they support.

10 fastest growing online brands by UK Unique Audience (UA)*: October 2006 - October 2007

Rank Brand UK Unique Audience

Growth Oct 06-Oct 07 UK UA Oct 07 UK UA Oct 06 UK Active Reach Oct 07 Nature of service

1 RockYou! 2,106% 1,900,189 86,139 5.8% Social network tool

2 Facebook 1,646% 7,825,148 448,211 23.9% Social network

3 Slide 649% 3,164,590 422,445 9.7% Social network tool

4 HOT or NOT 503% 866,300 143,658 2.7% Face rating / dating

5 Veoh 399% 659,877 132,367 2.0% Videos

6 TravelRepublic 313% 557,231 135,007 1.7% Travel agency

7 Metro Lyrics 306% 426,679 105,005 1.3% Music lyrics

8 Bunnyhero Labs 297% 551,305 138,737 1.7% Social network tool

9 LinkedIn 282% 461,212 120,705 1.4% Professional network

10 About.com 265% 582,359 159,673 1.8% Information / reference

Source: Nielsen Online, UK NetView, home & work data, including applications, October 2006-October 2007

*'Minimum requirement: Oct 06 Unique Audience e 85,000. E.g. between Oct 06 & Oct 07, RockYou!'s UK Unique Audience grew by 2,106% from 86,139 to 1.9 million (now visited by 6% of Britons online)

###