What is .travel?
It is a domain name exclusively for businesses, organizations and individuals in the travel industry. .travel is an exclusive space for the travel and tourism industry on the Internet.
How is it different from .com, .ca and other domain extensions?
Almost anyone can purchase a .com, .ca name even if the name is not relevant to the products/services they offer. This can create confusion among consumers and frustration for legitimate businesses/organizations.
To hold a .travel name the registrant must be a verified business, organization or individual in the travel industry. Upon registration an authorized “Authenticating Agent” reviews the application to ensure the information is valid.
Why does the world need .travel?
The travel industry is one of the largest worldwide and its continued rapid growth on the Internet makes it difficult for consumers to locate accurate travel info online.
.travel is unique because it is more than just a search engine. It is an industry directory containing detailed information on all products and services being offered by .travel participants. This info is provided by, and updated by, the travel businesses themselves so it will be comprehensive and accurate, making any search far more efficient.
How will consumers benefit?
- Access is free – consumers do not pay for access to the directory.
- Consumers will have greater confidence in the validity of the information they find knowing that those in the .travel directory have met certain published standards and criteria.
How will the travel industry benefit?
- You are instantly seen by consumers as a recognized travel business
- It enables .travel businesses to safely and confidently do business with other .travel businesses.
Some Value-added services:
- Alphabetical (and by country) directory of travel providers and suppliers featuring their key products and services, contact and other relevant information
- A “WHOIS” directory, providing information about who owns a particular domain name ie. Who is hotelassociationofcanada.travel
- Easy access, e.g. typing www.directory.travel into your browser takes you to the directory.
Because only bona fide travel companies may purchase a .travel domain name, the process for obtaining a .travel domain name is unique.
Obtaining a .travel name
Step 1: Pre-authentication
To Pre-Authenticate your eligibility for a .travel domain name(s), you must complete an information form and forward the Hotel Association of Canada (HAC) some supporting documents. Visit the "authentication data" link below, click the "get started" link and follow the instructions. HAC will review your data and confirm your eligibility based on the information you supply. Once you have been authenticated you are sent an email confirming your eligibility.
Step 2: Name Validation
HAC will then review the "Additional Names", or Names List, you have selected to ensure that they meet the following criteria (we strongly recommend you provide us with supporting documentation to ensure prompt validation):
- Incorporation (legal) Name/Partnership Name/Individual Name
- Doing Business As; Trade Name; or Usual Business Name; or Usual Business Name as currently used in an active URL
- Trade Mark
- Service Mark
- Club or Association Name
- Vessel Name
- Competition/Event Name
- Division Name
- Subsidiary Name
- Acronym (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.
Click Here for Pre-Authentication
Step 3: Purchasing your .travel Names
Once you are authenticated and your names have been validated you are then ready to proceed with the purchasing of your .travel domain names. The official .travel registrar for the Hotel Association of Canada is EnCirca. Your .travel name registration fee includes not only the cost of your Pre-Authentication, but also your Directory listing. Please note that the policy for registering any .travel domain name is first-come, first-served, therefore we urge you to get authenticated and register your chosen domain name(s) as quickly as possible.
The Hotel Association of Canada offers members a competitive 5% discount. This means that to purchase a .travel name for a 1 year period you’ll only pay about $95 USD.
If you have any questions regarding the processes outlined above, please contact us (613) 237-7149 or send us an email.
