Youtravel.com bolsters long haul staffing

Online leisure accommodation specialist youtravel.com has expanded its team in advance of planned long haul expansion and into more international markets.

Malcolm Archbold takes on the new role of long haul contracts and XML business development manager based in the company-¬™s Athens office.

He reports to group managing director Graham Nichols and Vassilis Syngelakis, group hotels and product strategy director.

He joins from Alpha International Accommodation where he was product manager for seven months. He was formerly with Gold Medal Travel for nine years.

The appointment coincides with the expansion of the UK and international sales teams.

The UK team, headed by recently promoted national sales manager Liz Garfield, has two new members. The office-based sales support executives have joined the company in Woking, Surrey. Lucy Franklin joins from Virgin Holidays Retail and Kate Carter from Espirit Holidays.

Jennie Skoglund, a recent graduate of Bournemouth University-¬™s BA Tourism and Business Management, has joined the international sales team as international sales executive. She reports to Sofia Zournatzidi who oversees international sales.

Nichols said: -¬---Now that youtravel.com is 18 months old we-¬™re concentrating on maximising opportunities in the long haul arena as well as forging ahead with our international expansion and Malcolm-¬™s experience makes him a great asset to the team.-¬~

This comes a week after the company signed a deal giving it access to thousands of Chinese travel agents and properties in a partnership with DerbySoft, the operator of China-¬™s Global Distribution Network.

by Phil Davies

Tuesday, August 19, 2008