New online travel brand launches

Youtravel.com, a new travel website, is hoping to rival major online travel brands such as Expedia with a new accommodation service. It launches this weekend.

Youtravel, which is backed by Barclays Ventures, will only offer accommodation and has over 2,500 hotels in a variety of destinations including the Mediterranean and Dubai. It is planning to add a further 1,500 properties over the next six months.

The brand is being launched by John Kent, former retail management director of Lastminute.com, and the former Libra Holidays sales and marketing director Paul Riches.

Riches, who is sales and marketing director of Youtravel, says that it will target travel agents as well as independent travellers.

He says: "We will offer motivating commissions and incentives, and with our unique, simple, easy-to-use system, we can offer agents access to some of the best hotels and resorts in popular destinations around the world."

Youtravel, which has offices in London, Milan and Trieste, is planning to hit turnover of £45m by the end of its first year.

Barclays Ventures recently purchased a minority stake in the business in a deal worth more than £15m.