AN IRISH website has won a prestigious Webby award for its city video guides.

Hostelworld.com won the People’s Voice Award, voted for by members of the public for online video in the travel category.

The videos are filmed and presented by Hostelworld.com’s Colm Hanratty. Entitled “10 things you need to know about . . .”, they provide travellers with tips on the world’s top cities.

Now in their 13th year, the Webby Awards have been described as the “internet’s highest honour” by the New York Times and, this year, almost 10,000 entries were submitted. More than half a million votes were cast in the People’s Voice Awards.

Hostelworld.com, operated by Web Reservations International, provides online bookings for hostels and budget hotels, with more than 20,000 properties in 170 countries listed on the site. Bookings worth about $500 million (€373 million) are put through the site each year.

Separately this week, Ray Nolan, chairman of Web Reservations International, launched his latest venture, a recruitment site called Worky.com.

Described as a “hiring network”, users create profiles listing skills, desire to change jobs, salary expectations and location preferences, and these details are then matched against a database of jobs uploaded by employers.

Unlike traditional recruitment sites jobseekers do not have to upload a CV, and users can keep their identity hidden so their current employer will not be aware they are job-hunting.

Recruiters do not have to pay to see candidates who match their requirements, but pay €25 to contact each person on the site.

“There are a number of frustrations with existing solutions, particularly with the classified advertising model employed by jobsites,” said Mr Nolan. “The dissatisfaction felt by candidates and hirers alike prompted the creation of Worky.com.”