SHAREHOLDERS of First Choice Holidays are this week expected to reject a merger offer from Kuoni - boosting Rossendale-based Airtours' chances of becoming the biggest tour operator in the country.

Significant numbers of First Choice's major investors want to wait on the outcome of a competition probe into the £950 million hostile takeover bid from Airtours, according to a poll carried out by a Sunday paper.

A Sunday Times tally of big shareholders found 70 per cent planned to vote against the Kuoni move unless further information came to light in the next few days.

The vote is being held on Thursday.

Airtours' rival offer lapsed last month when the European Commission began an in-depth inquiry.

But it had the support of 51 per cent of shareholders, swayed by the high price of the deal.

Airtours has been visiting First Choice investors in recent days to promote its deal and has reportedly won over a number of those who had planned to accept Kuoni's offer.

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