Youtravel.com will use the acquisition of Med Hotels by the Thomas Cook Group as an opportunity to strengthen ties with independent agents.
Sales and marketing director Paul Riches said the deal, which comes nearly a year after the group bought hotels4u.com, removes another major bed bank from the independent market.
He added: “There is now a very clear divide in the industry between those bed banks which are owned by a large corporate parent and those who retain their independence.
“For us, as the UK’s largest independent accommodation supplier, Cook’s acquisition of Medhotels represents a great opportunity to work even more closely with independent agents.
“Independent agents are the backbone of the bed bank sector and I don’t believe that they will be happy to push a large proportion of their accommodation-only sales into the hands of one group.
“They will be looking more than ever towards established independent accommodation suppliers to redress the balance of their sales split which will shift as a result of this acquisition.
“Here at youtravel.com we remain fully committed to working with current and future travel trade partners in 2009 and to providing them with the very best accommodation at great value prices.”