TRAVEL company Airtours has been boosted by demand for holidays abroad for the Millennium celebrations.

The firm, which employs more than 1,000 people at its Helmshore and Accrington sites, said bookings for its winter 1998/99 season were six per cent ahead of last year and like-for-like sales for summer holidays, stripping out new acquisitions, were five per cent ahead.

Sales for the millennium celebrations are 20 per cent ahead of last year's New Year period, even with higher selling prices. The company said it continued to see particularly strong growth in the short breaks market and had very pleasing results from Bridge Travel Group and Cresta Holidays. Overall turnover for the rapidly expanding company was up 40% to £708 million in the three months to December 31, compared with £504 million in the first quarter of 1997.

Most of the increase reflected new acquisitions made by the company and strong winter sales in Scandinavia, the company said.

Airtours made a seasonal loss before tax of £19.4 million, compared with a loss of £17.3 million the previous year. This was normal as winter is Airtours' quietest period and most of its income comes from the summer months.

Last year, Airtours added Direct Holidays, Bridge Travel Group, Cresta Holidays and Panorama Holidays to the group.

David Crossland, chairman of Airtours, said: "These results reflect the continued long growth of the Airtours group. During the quarter we have seen an improvement in the results from our underlying businesses compared with the prior year and the successful integration of the acquired businesses into the group."

The company's retail operations, which include its high street booking offices, had seen a particularly strong performance from Travelworld.

With the new expansion programme, the company now has 800 high street booking outlets and employs 20,000 people worldwide.

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