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Username: Days Off Travel
Date/Time: Sat, November 4, 2000 at 12:55 AM GMT
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Subject: Days Off Travel opposes IATA's proposal to control .travel domain

Message: 		 

 
                Days Off Travel opposes IATA's proposal to have control over the .travel domain.  Allowing IATA to control the .travel domain will
create multiple problems: conflict of interest, unfair competition in the workplace, revenue generation for IATA, and consumer deception.

While IATA claims there is no conflict of interest, the perception and
possibility exists.  Example, would IATA allow a travel agency to register the url "airlines.travel" or what that privilege go to the highest bidding airline?  Similarily, with the url "cruises.travel" the perception is that the highest bidding cruise line will be allowed to register that url vs a travel agency.

Secondly, with ASTA's recent support of IATA's proposal allowing for only ARC approved agencies to register and be approved for urls with the .travel domain, cruise only agencies (most of whom are are non ARC approved as you don't need ARC approval to sell cruises only airline tickets) are effectively eliminated from registering a url.  Thereby, creating a significant disadvantage in the marketplace against cruise only agencies. 

Cruise only agencies who wish to register a .travel domain will be forced to apply for ARC approval or a TIDS number.  Both of which result in increased costs to said agencies for something they don't need for their businesses and are soley doing so to compete in the marketplace.  Fees for such applications are paid to IATA.

Costs to register a .travel domain have not been mentioned and causes one to wonder, if all those who seek to have a .travel domain will pay the same fees or if there will be higher costs for some urls vs others and if there will be more cost borne to some people vs others because of association with IATA. 

Additionally, the possibility exists that the costs to register a .travel domain will be so excessive that it effectively eliminates those whom could not afford to register a url.

Finally, when the .travel domain becomes available, the consumer will be lead to believe that only those sanctioned and consumer trustworthy travel suppliers, partners, agencies, etc. will be those with a .travel url.  All other urls (.com, .org, .net etc.) will be avoided and thought to be suspect.  Thereby, shifting all traffic away from other domains to the .travel domain.

We ask that you deny IATA's proposal to maintain control over the .travel domain.

Thank you for your time. 

Debra Schroeder
Days Off Travel
http://www.daysofftravel.com
     
     
     
 
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