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Background
to .travel |
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- 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
create innovative 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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