Two contrasting websites offering weekend breaks were launched last week. One - www.webweekends.co.uk - claims to be the first interactive website dedicated to the weekend break market and has a database of 2,000 weekends from 50 leading tour operators. The other - www.weekenderplus.com - allows direct booking at 320 Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn and Express by Holiday Inn hotels throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Webweekends is the classic example of a website acting like a new-age travel agent, offering a search facility for holidays from various operators in different categories - such as luxury, spa/health, sports to stag - and matching the choices. Searches can be refined by specifying the budget, location or time of year. Booking is still by phone or email but some of the weekends should be available for online purchase by the end of the year.

Weekenderplus illustrates how suppliers - in this case a hotel chain - can drum up their own business in the net. Savings of up to 60 per cent are offered on this site from Bass Hotels and Resorts, just the ticket for those already booking their own flights on other websites. Bookings can be made online or through a call centre.