Skyscanner has increased revenues in 2014 by 42% to £93 million, with EBITDA of £20 million.
The company said in a press release that its financial results were underlined by record visitor numbers to Skyscanner, with over 35 million people around the world planning their travel each month on the site, and a 77% global increase in visitors on mobile devices alone.
Skyscanner hotel and car hire mobile apps available in over 30 languages
Mobile growth continues to be key to Skyscanner’s strategy. In 2014, its first hotel and car hire apps were launched globally, while the company also acquired leading Budapest-based app developer, Distinction, to accelerate the growth of its in-house mobile development team.
Skyscanner has also further diversified its business in the past 12 months away from flights to travel, with the launch of hotel and car hire apps as well as the establishment of Skyscanner for Business to deliver data-led tools to the travel industry. As a result, the non-flights contribution to overall revenues increased by 47% in 2014.
The third significant area of focus in 2014 was in China, where Skyscanner acquired Chinese metasearch company Youbibi to establish its own product development team for China. Over 2014, there has been a 61% increase in unique monthly visitors from China as well as a 162% increase in mobile visitors. China continues to be a key part of Skyscanner’s growth strategy.
Key milestones in 2014 included:
- Launch of the Skyscanner hotel and car hire mobile apps in over 30 languages – helping travellers book flights, hotels and car hire on the go
- Skyscanner for Business launch to serve the data needs of the travel industry. High profile customers signed globally and Travel Insight launched in Q3
- Acquisition of Chinese travel metasearch company, Youbibi, to establish an engineering team within China to develop our product for Chinese travellers, with the creation of a new office in Shenzhen to support significant growth in 2014 in China.
- Additional acquisition of Budapest-based mobile development company Distinction
- Ninth global office opened in Sofia, with expansions to existing offices in Glasgow, Singapore and Beijing
Shane Corstorphine, Skyscanner’s chief financial officer, said: “It has been a transformational year for Skyscanner and we’ve seen record numbers of people using our website and apps. These additional visitors are the result of an increase in our market share within existing markets, which is pleasing to see.
Travel drives Skyscanner’s global growth. (Image credit: PainterSaba/iStock)
“Our primary focus for the year has been investing for future growth, and this approach has been making an impact for us sooner than anticipated. While our revenues continue to be led primarily by flights, the addition of new hotel and car hire products, as well as the creation of our Skyscanner for business team, has had a key role to play in our growth, which we anticipate will increase over the next year.
“We also escalated our product development in China, and our mobile development capabilities globally through the acquisitions of Youbibi and Distinction. Thanks to effective integration and hard work from a talented team, we are already delivering our new website to travellers in China, while mobile will continue to be central to our strategic plans this year.”
Gareth Williams, Skyscanner’s CEO and co-founder added: “With over 80% of visitors to Skyscanner coming from outside our home market, a focus on delivering to the different needs of travellers wherever they are in the world will remain central to everything we do.
“Despite our progress, we still see ourselves as being in the early stages of our development as a company, as well as an industry. There is so much more we want to achieve in online travel and we’ve some exciting plans for the year ahead. If we can really change the way that we solve the questions that travellers need to answer, then we will genuinely be able to achieve significant impact in online travel globally.”
