Under the deal, Ian Allan Travel will become the first and only female-friendly accredited travel management company through maiden-voyage.com.

It will provide online flight and hotel bookings to maiden-voyage.com members, with accredited female-friendly hotels being highlighted within the site.

"We wanted to do something unique to support our growing number of female travellers," says Simon Dugan, director of sales at Ian Allan Travel.

"The partnership with maiden-voyage.com provides us access to an audience already seeking to operate in a female friendly environment, and we want to give them the peace of mind that a reputable travel management company is behind the technology."

Ian Allan Travel will also promote maiden-voyage.com to its female customers who are looking to share experiences and meet new fellow female travellers whilst travelling for business.

Carolyn Pearson, founder and director of maiden-voyage.com, added: "When speaking to corporate travel buyers it became clear that many of them were looking for a travel management company that made provision for the safety of lone female travellers.

"As we were looking for a travel partner to help us expand our services to the corporate market it was important therefore to work with an organisation that had real empathy towards the female business traveller.

"Many of our members have told us about their bad and sometimes outright dangerous travel experiences even when they have used a professional travel management company."