Market research specialist Gartner Group predicts "explosive" growth in online travel services over the next two years - leaving any unprepared leisure or business travel agents wondering where their customers went.

The worldwide online travel market is currently valued at about $5bn. Gartner says this will shoot up to $30bn by the end of next year.

Companies that do not yet have a presence on the internet will face difficult times, researchers say. Dire predictions cover both sides of the industry. For service firms not already successfully operating online, it may be too late, Gartner suggests. And for airlines not able to offer easy-to-use online booking and ticketing, profitability may evaporate.

BAA appears to have some sympathy with this view. It has invested £8M in a stake in lastminute.com, a relative newcomer providing access to travel and entertainment services. The airport operator's thinking is that tickets purchased online will then be collected at any of its facilities as an added service for its customers.

Last year, BA took a large stake in another rapidly expanding online global travel service.

Elliott Chase