A new domain name extension, “.travel”, is now ready for travel industry. Airlines, restaurant, tourism offices, theme parks, and others in travel and tourism business can now take the advantage of this new domain extension. According to Yahoo! News, the new domain could give consumers confidence that they are dealing with a legitimate travel business or group, though the mantra of “buyer beware” applies: Operators of the domain won’t be performing any credit or criminal background checks or offering any guarantees.

Earlier this year, New York-based Tralliance Corp., a unit of Internet communications company Theglobe.com, won approval to run “.travel”. Since July 1, industry groups such as the Adventure Travel Trade Association and the International Hotel and Restaurant Association have been verifying that companies and organizations belong to one of 18 eligible industry sectors. Those approved were allowed to register and use “.travel” names starting Monday.

Individual can also qualify as a travel media and get the “.travel” domain if they offer a travel service, such as advice on how to get there, said Cherian Mathai, Tralliance’s chief operating officer. Personal site, such as travelling photo gallery, won’t qualify, he said.

Many of the qualify travel sectors are in transportation business, such as: airlines, bus operators, cruise lines and passenger rail lines. Also eligible are hotels, casinos, camp facilities, travel agents and providers of travel technologies. Airports and aerospace companies are not qualify to prevent overlap with “.aero” domain.

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