.travel FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
The purpose of the FAQ is to answer general questions about the
.travel top level domain.
We have broken common questions into categories. You can click on any
category name and you will be taken to the answers for that category.
What is .travel?
What is a Domain Name?
What is a Top Level Domain (TLD)?
What is ICANN?
What is the DNS?
How will .travel be different from other TLDs such as ".com"?
With a .travel domain, would I keep my .com, (.net or .org)
domain name?
What is the .travel Registry
What is a Registrar?
What is an Authentication Provider?
How will consumers benefit from the introduction of a .travel
TLD?
How will the travel industry benefit from this development?
My company currently has a ".com" name; why should I change to
.travel?
What are some of the value-added services offered by Tralliance?
Who is eligible to register a
.travel name?
What are the eighteen industry sectors?
Can I
register any name I want?
What are reserved 'Place Names' and 'Industry Words'?
What is
Authentication?
How will .travel know that I’ve been
authenticated?
Is my authentication valid forever?
Does
authentication let me choose and guarantee a name?
What are the
steps in authentication?
What authentication information will I
have to supply?
Who does the review and what
are they reviewing?
How will I know that the review is
completed?
What if I lose my UIN?
How do I get a .travel name?
When will
.travel domain names be available for registration?
What is the
anticipated price to register a .travel domain name?
Does ATTA recommend a registrar?
Why does the world need Tralliance's
.travel Directory?
Is the .travel Directory a search engine?
What if my data in the .travel Directory has errors in it or needs
updating?
Does my company need a .travel Domain Name to be in the
Travel Directory?
Will consumers pay to access the .travel
directory?
What is Tralliance Corporation's
Mission?
What Is The Travel
Partnership Corporation?
Background to .travel
What is .travel?
.travel is the Internet top level domain
exclusively for businesses, organizations and individuals in the travel
industry. .travel will register domain names with the extension,
“.travel”, for example, “discoveryholidays.travel”.
What is a Domain Name?
A domain name is a label that represents a
string of numbers called an "Internet Protocol (IP) address." Domain
names must be unique. Thus, for example, there can be only one
"majestic.travel".
What is a Top Level Domain (TLD)?
A top level domain is the word
or letters that come after the last "dot" in a domain name or Internet
address. The most commonly known top level domains are ".com", ".net"
and ".org". More recent additions include ".biz", ".museum", or ".info".
There are also country-specific top level domains (ccTLDs), such as
".uk" for the United Kingdom and ".jp" for Japan .travel, then, is a
TLD.
What is ICANN?
Created In 1998 by the U.S. Department of Commerce
to assume responsibility for centralized technical coordination
functions of the Internet, ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned
Names and Numbers) is the global, non-profit, private sector body
responsible for coordinating the Domain Name System (DNS) to ensure that
it continues to function effectively. ICANN'S mission is to protect the
stability, integrity and utility of the DNS and the one authoritative
root on behalf of the global internet community. It is responsible for
development of consensus policies, which include those that allow the
orderly introduction of the new TLDs . The new TLDs are intended to
alleviate issues such as cyber-squatting and trademark infringement, but
also to innovate new methods of search, navigation, and domain names
distribution to add value services. Taken together, these improvements
represent next generation of the Internet. Some examples of the new TLDs
recently authorized by the ICANN in the last round are ".museum"
(exclusively used for museums), and ".coop" (for cooperatives). Further
information concerning ICANN and its governance process can be found at
the ICANN website, www.icann.org.
What is the DNS?
The Internet Domain Name System -- in its
simplest definition--helps users to find their way around the Internet.
Every computer on the Internet has a unique address--just like a
telephone number--which is a rather complicated string of numbers called
its "IP address". The DNS makes locating a server easier by allowing a
familiar string of letters (a domain name) to be used instead of arcane
IP addresses, e.g.,icann.org, instead of 192.84.65.30. It is the
uniqueness of the domain name that makes it possible for your messages
to get to your intended recipients.
How will .travel be different from other TLDs such as ".com"?
Dot-com domain names are registered on a first-come-first-served basis,
with no requirement that registrants meet any registration criteria. By
contrast, eligibility to hold a .travel domain name requires that the
registrant be a verified business or organization operation in the
travel industry. Prior to 2001, the principal alternatives to the “.com” TLD were the country code TLDs e.g., .us (USA) .de (Germany); these
country code TLDs are not suitable for many travel-related businesses
which deal in global markets. Moreover, these TLDs do not apply criteria
to ensure the validity of a business or organization as a precondition
to domain name registration. .travel will be an exclusive space for the
travel and tourism industry on the Internet, with every .travel
registrant being authenticated before it is given a domain name(s).
With a .travel domain, would I keep my .com, (.net or .org) domain
name?
You may want to continue to maintain your current domain name(s)
for a period of time because it is generally useful to have multiple
channels for users to find your web site. The size of your business will
dictate how many .travel and other domain names you will ultimately
want. Technically it is a simple matter to "point" your current domain
addresses to your new .travel name (in the same manner as physical mail
is forwarded from your old address to your new one). However, over time
your customers and contacts will become familiar with your .travel
domain (brand) name. Therefore, once the transition has been made, your
.travel address could become your single home address.
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What are the Roles of the Main Organizations Involved in .travel?
What is the .travel Registry?
The .travel Registry is the body
responsible for the registration of domain names in the .travel TLD. The
Registry is Tralliance Corporation.
What is a Registrar?
A Registrar is a business that is approved by ICANN to accept applications for registration of domain names by
consumers. Registrars communicate registration requests to the
applicable registry and, if the requested name is available, they
compete the name registration with the registry. Registrars take contact
and administration data from a registrant and are responsible for
renewing name registrations for a registrant. .travel will approve a
list of Registrars for the registration of .travel domain names. Only
registrars approved by .travel will be permitted to register .travel
domain names.
What is an Authentication Provider?
All registrants in .travel
must be verified as eligible to hold a .travel domain name according to
criteria established by .travel. Verification of eligibility is referred
to as “Authentication”. Authentication will be carried out by the
Registry with the support of industry associations or an independent
authenticating organization. These supporting bodies are referred to as
“Authentication Providers.” Authentication Providers will carry out
authentication for all .travel registrations. All registrants must
select an Authentication Provider. In the case of industry associations
that are acting as Authentication Providers a registrant must be a
member of the association in order for them to carry out authentication.
In all other cases the independent Authentication Provider will be able
to carry out authentication, ensuring that any party can be
authenticated.
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.travel Benefits for the Industry and Consumers
How will consumers benefit from the introduction of a .travel TLD?
Consumers will know that the operators of .travel web sites meet
clear, standard and objective criteria. They will know that names
registered in the .travel TLD have met published standards as
established organizations. Thus, consumers can have greater confidence
purchasing travel over the Internet through .travel web sites.
How will the travel industry benefit from this development?
Businesses that register .travel domain names will be found in one
location and will be instantly seen by consumers as recognized travel
businesses with regard to conducting e-commerce transactions. This will
serve the industry as well, since .travel enables the trade to
confidently conduct business with other .travel domain name holders that
they may not know.
The .travel TLD will also enable the .travel Directory, permitting
both travelers, and the travel and tourism trade, to more efficiently
locate precise and detailed information about any travel or tourism
offerings of .travel registrants, via the Internet. The .travel
Directory will provide a precise catalog of virtually every product or
service offered by .travel registrants to a degree of detail that has
never before been available. Acting as an advanced sales and marketing
tool, the Directory will distribute company, product and service
information to prospective business partners and consumers alike, based
on each query made.
The .travel TLD and the .travel Directory are a means to increase
revenues for all registrants across the full spectrum of travel
providers and purveyors, through efficiently matching buyers and
sellers.
My company currently has a ".com" name; why should I change to
.travel?
Unlike “.com”, “.org”, “.co.uk” or the other top level domains
available on the Internet today, .travel will be an industry-sponsored,
industry-restricted top level domain which ensures that all .travel web
sites will be held only by legitimate travel organizations. In addition
to protection against cyber-squatting, name selection requirements will
eliminate speculative purchases of registrations.
What are some of the value-added services offered by Tralliance?
Tralliance will offer a number of directory, search and navigation
services to all .travel domain name holders and directory subscribers.
Some of the value-added services will be:
- An alphabetical (and by
country) directory of travel providers and purveyors featuring their key
products and services, contact, and other relevant information
- A
"Whois" directory, providing information about who owns a domain name
e.g., Who is Tralliance.travel?
- Consumers' information access, e.g.,
typing www.directory.travel into your browser bar will take you to the
directory.
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Eligibility and Name Selection
Who is eligible to register a .travel name?
Any business,
organization or individual whose primary activity is within one of
eighteen business sectors of the travel industry is eligible to register
a name.
What are the eighteen industry sectors?
They are:
Airlines
Attractions/Theme Parks
Bed & Breakfast Houses
Bus/Taxi/Limousine
Operators
Camp Facility Operators
Car Rental Companies
Computer
Reservation/Travel Technology Provider
Convention & Visitor's Bureaus
Cruise Lines
Ferries
Hotels/Resorts/Casinos
National Tourism Offices
Passenger Rail Lines
Restaurants
Tour Operators
Travel Agents
Travel
Media
Travel-Consumer and Market Research Organizations
Can I register any name I want?
No. You can only register a name
that is publicly used by, or associated with, your organization. The
names that can be registered are:
- Incorporation (legal) Name/Partnership
Name/Individual Name
- Doing Business As; Trade Name; or; Usual Business
Name ; or Usual Business Name as used in a URL
- Trade Mark
- Service Mark
- Club or Association Name
- Vessel Name
- Competition/Event Name
- Division
Name
- Subsidiary Name
- Acronym (Acronyms must be only the first letter of
the primary words of the name, not including words such as: the (unless
the first word of the name), and, as, of, &, or. Contractions or short
forms of words , such as “Chas” for “Charles” or “Bros” for “Brothers”
are not permitted as acronyms.
What are reserved 'Place Names' and
'Industry Words'?
.travel has reserved a large number of names that no one can register,
at this time. There are primarily two types of reserved names. These are
“Place Names” and “Industry Words”.
“Place Names” are cities, states, countries, areas, etc.
These names will be held in reserve until spring of 2006. Please go
ahead and include these names in your application. They can still be
authorized, but will remain unavailable for registration until
released. Also, be sure to notify us directly of your interest in
these names. There are some possibilities for obtaining the right to
register these names early.
“Industry Words” are general travel industry terms that we
have been told will not be released for registration.
You will have the ability to check your names during the application
process, but you can also search the registry found at the following
link:
http://www.tralliance.info/PlaceNames/index.aspx
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Authentication and the Data Required
What is
Authentication?
All holders of a .travel name must be approved to
hold a .travel name by having their eligibility reviewed. That review of
eligibility is called “authentication”. .travel is giving members of
selected travel associations the chance to have their authentication
reviewed by their association prior to registration.
How will .travel know that I’ve been authenticated?
All
authentication will be confirmed by .travel. You will be sent a
Unique Identifying Number (UIN) by .travel. You will use that number
when you register any .travel names in the future. Your UIN is permanent
and will not change. It may be revoked if your eligibility changes.
Is my authentication valid forever?
No. Organizations can change.
Your organization might merge, be sold or sell assets during the time
you hold a .travel. For that reason, you will be required to confirm
annually that your authentication information has not changed.
Does authentication let me choose and guarantee a name?
No.
Authentication gives .travel the information to determine that you
are eligible. At the same time, you will be asked to indicate any names
that you currently use other than your legal name. These other names
might be a trade name, or a usual business name, and so on. If you list
a name other than your legal name you will also have to supply your
Authentication Provider with a document that supports identification of
that name as one you are eligible to register.
What are the steps in authentication?
There are just four
steps:
- Collect the information you need.
- Go to the authentication data form.
- Fill in the form and click the “submit” button.
- When ATTA
completes its review and confirms your eligibility you will
automatically receive the UIN by email or fax.
What authentication information will I have to supply?
You are required to supply your legal name and your contact information.
Optionally, you may supply any names that you use, other than your legal
name. These might be trademarks or your usual business name, if it is
other than your legal name. If you enter these optional names you will
be required to send supporting documents to the association to confirm
your use of the name.
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The Authentication Review Process
Who does the review and what are they reviewing?
ATTA does the review. Reviewers are
called Authentication Providers. Your data is
private and confidential and will be received on a secure server of
.travel. ATTA reviews to confirm that your
authentication information matches the membership information we hold.
In addition, if you enter names other than your legal name, you will be
required to send supporting documents to ATTA.
ATTA will check that these documents match the name(s) you have
entered in your authentication form.
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Confirmation and UINs
How will I know that the review is completed?
When the review is
completed you will receive a UIN if you are confirmed as eligible to
hold a .travel name. If you are not eligible you will receive notice
that you have been denied and you will have an opportunity to request a
review of your denial within 30 days. Tralliance carries out the review.
What if I lose my UIN?
Your association will also receive a copy
of the UIN and you can get it from them. Tralliance will also hold a
permanent database of UINs and you can get your UIN from Tralliance at
any time.
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Name Registration
How do I get a .travel name?
Registering a .travel domain name is
a two step process. All registrants must first be authenticated by an
Authentication Provider. Once their eligibility is confirmed the
registrant will be sent a Unique Identification Number, which is their
proof of eligibility. The registrant will next go to the website of an
approved Registrar and by entering their UIN with the Registrar they
will be permitted to register a .travel domain name.
When will .travel domain names be available for registration?
Tralliance is currently completing contracting with ICANN. When
contracting is completed registration will begin shortly thereafter. Tralliance is currently developing the directory and registration
technology to test the name registration, data collection and searching
processes in order to initiate all services at the planned date, which
is the end of the second quarter of 2005.
What is the anticipated price to register a .travel domain name?
There will be one fee for both a .travel domain name and all registry
and directory services, including eligibility authentication. The final
price will be determined when the .travel top level domain has been
approved and ICANN accredited registrars have been contracted.
Tralliance anticipates that the price for a .travel domain name will be
around $100 per domain.
Does ATTA recommend a registrar?
Yes. ATTA has signed an agreement with EnCirca to provide a streamlined
registration process for ATTA members, which includes a 5% discount off
the already competitive $99/year per domain registration.
Learn more about pre-registration
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The .travel Directory
Why does the world need Tralliance's .travel Directory?
The
travel industry is the largest e-commerce segment on the Internet and
the largest industry in the world. It accounts for more than 11% of the
world's economy—one out of every twelve workers—and since the inception
of the commercial Internet has been one of its fastest growing segments.
The size of the travel industry and its rapid growth on the Internet
have made it difficult to locate accurate travel information and to
develop broad-based and effective e-commerce to its full potential. Tralliance's travel directory will improve industry efficiency on the
Internet as travel information will be aggregated in one public
directory, making it a single and definitive source for consumers and
the travel trade.
Is the .travel Directory a search engine?
It is more than a
search engine. A search engine is as valuable as the data that is
available to it. The prevalent consumer search engines are reliant
solely on web site data, which is incomplete, changeable and chaotic.
The .travel Directory will have data detailing all products and services
that are being offered and such data will be provided by the travel
businesses themselves. This data will be accessible through a
custom-made taxonomy or controlled vocabulary, developed specifically
for travel Industry. Tralliance's extensive industry data and indexing
technology will enable sophisticated search capabilities to deliver very
specific information to each query.
What if my data in the .travel Directory has errors in it or
needs updating?
Each registrant will be able to update and amend their
own data at will by logging on to the .travel Directory web site and
accessing their data via password with other appropriate security
measures.
Does my company need a .travel Domain Name to be in the .travel
Directory?
Yes. Domain name registration and "loading" of directory data
by travel trade members will happen at the same time through a simple
web based interface.
Will consumers pay to access the .travel Directory?
No. Directory
access is free. Consumers will not pay for access to your directory
information, nor will Tralliance charge industry members for order of
placements in the list of responses from a search query.
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About Tralliance Corporation
What is Tralliance Corporation's Mission?
Tralliance's mission is
to develop the .travel top level domain, a segment of the Internet
devoted exclusively to the travel industry. The .travel domain will give
members of the travel industry improved visibility and, by implementing
an innovative directory system utilizing product and service information
provided by those members, will enable travelers and the travel and
tourism industry to more effectively locate travel information that
precisely match customer needs, thereby facilitating travel
transactions. Tralliance have been approved to operate the .travel TLD
and is now completing contract negotiations with ICANN. Tralliance
anticipates launching .travel in 2005.
Tralliance Corporation is a New York corporation and it is not
affiliated with any travel provider or travel association. It is
therefore able to discharge its responsibilities to the travel community
in a fair, equitable and transparent manner.
Further information concerning Tralliance can be found at,
www.tralliance.info.
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About The Travel Partnership Corporation
What Is The Travel Partnership Corporation?
The Travel
Partnership Corporation (TTPC), is a District of Columbia non-profit
corporation formed for the purpose of determining eligibility policies
for the .travel TLD. Membership in TTPC is fully open to any bona fide
travel industry associations, organizations and entities. TTPC's rules
of operation are set out in its by-laws, a copy of which is available
along with additional information at,
www.ttpc.org.
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