INTERNET RESOURCES Travel on the Web Sites to help you plan your vacation by Brian Coutts The UCLA Internet Re­ For the past four years I have offered a port 2001, published in hands-on community Internet workshop on November 2001, found travel. This guide has benefitted from the in­ that 72.3 percent of put and experiences of many who have at­ Americans were online tended these workshops. in 2001, up 5.4 percent from 2000. On the Where to go other hand, online • Concierge. If you’re trying to decide purchasing at 48.9 percent was down from where to go, this is an excellent place to be­ 50.7 percent the previous year. One of the gin. Sponsored by Conde Nast Traveler, a most popular things people buy online is popular travel magazine, the site lets you travel. The survey found that 11.6 percent of search by place, view poll results from the new users (online less than a year) made a magazine on the best destinations and hotels travel-related purchase in 2001 compared with or find a romantic getaway. For the winter 20.7 percent of experienced users (online five season, the site featured the “Top 50 Ski Re­ or more years). sorts in North America.” The well-heeled can With more than 1,000 commercial travel sites search the 2002 Gold List for the most elite and many more personal ones, it is sometimes a hotels, resorts, and cruise lines in the world. difficult task to select the best, reliable travel The rest of us can check out the 2001 Read­ sources. While the number of visitors to Internet ers’ Choice Awards for cities, islands, hotels, travel sites plummeted after the events of Sep­ resorts, small hotels, cruise lines, and services. tember 11, within three weeks, traffic at the three Access: http://www.concierge.com. largest commercial travel sites, Expedia, Trav­ • The Travel Channel. In addition to elocity, and Orbitz, had already returned to pre­ serving as an online guide to the cable chan­ attack levels, according to one newspaper source. nel of the same name, this is a perfect site for On January 29, 2002, the New York Times an undecided traveler. Click on “explore by reported that Expedia Inc.’s gross bookings destination” to plan a trip. Click on “explore rose to $704 million in the fourth quarter of by idea” for guides to beaches and islands, 2001, exceeding the $630.2 million of rival casinos and resorts, culture and attractions, Travelocity and making it the top online travel and theme parks. You can even watch live agent. The company also reported its first cams in Las Vegas, Times Square, and South quarterly profit, $5.22 million. Beach. Access: http://travel.discovery.com/. About the author Brian Coutts is head of the department of library public services at Western Kentucky University, e-mail: [email protected] C&RL News ■ April 2002 / 271 Travel guides • Maps.com. Founded in 1991, this site • Fodors. Launched in 1996 by the world’s offers a combination of content and commerce largest English-language travel publisher, you and attracts a reported 1.7 million users per can use this interactive site to create your own month. This is a one-stop site for maps of all mini-guide to 200 destinations worldwide, sorts from wall to digital. You can also use complete with recommendations on hotels the site for driving directions or to find an and restaurants, not to mention important sites address. Access: http://www.maps.com. to visit. Under “trip ideas” be sure to check out Fodor’s “10 Underrated Getaways.” Ac­ Travel information cess: http://www.fodors.com. • Tourism Offices Worldwide Direc­ • Frommere. Click a region under “des­ tory. True to its title, this site lists 1,445 offi­ tinations” or type in the name of a country, cial government tourist offices, convention region, state, or city to find information for and visitors bureaus, chambers of commerce, your next holiday. Then you can check out and similar agencies worldwide. Use the drop­ hotels, restaurants, shopping, and nightlife for down boxes at the top to search by country many popular locations. An added bonus at or state. Access: http://www.towd.com. this site is a daily newsletter and hot tips from Arthur Frommer himself. Check the “Block­ A ir travel buster Bargains” for info about discounted • AOW: A irlines o f th e Web. Developed packages, airfares, cruises, lodgings, and car by Marc-David Seidel, a University of Texas rentals. Access: http://www.frommers.com. business professor specializing in Internet • Lonely Planet. This Australian travel marketing, this site allows consumers to shop guide publisher was founded in the early on more than 500 airlines worldwide. Click 1970s by Tony and Maureen Wheeler after on “cyberfares” to get the latest “hot deals,” an overland journey from London through or check out “air tips” to get the most out of Asia to Australia. Their first guide, Across Asia your travel. Access: http://flyaow.com. on the Cheap, became a bestseller. This site • Microsoft Expedia. One of the oldest, provides virtual travel guides, complete with most valuable travel sites on the Web. New gorgeous pictures, features include online maps and vacation for many tourist packages. Try their “express search” fare finder destinations. Click for a quick estimate on your next trip. You “worldguide” and can also check their “traveler tools” for spe­ find an interactive cial information. Access: http://expedia.com. world “destina­ • Orbitz. This is the newest of the “big tions” map. You can search by country or re­ three” travel Web sites founded less than a gion to find info about attractions, off the year ago by five airlines: American, Conti­ beaten track, history, environment, and get­ nental, Delta, Northwest, and United. You can ting around. You can even sign up for one of use the Orbot Quick Flight to book a trip, their several newsletters. They donate a por­ check out flight deals, and locate a weekend tion of their profits to organizations benefit- Webfare. They even give warnings about ting the people they cover. Access: http:// possible travel delays. Access: h ttp :// www. lonelyplanet. com. www. orbitz.com. • Travelocity. Now six years old, having Travel bookstores/maps merged with Preview Travel, Travelocity pro­ • Adventurous Traveler Bookstore. vides access to 47,000 hotels, 50 car rental Stocking more than 10,000 books, magazines, agencies, and 6,500 tour and cruise packages. and gadgets, this online store boasts one of A unique feature is their “fare watcher pro­ the largest collections for outdoor adventure gram,” which allows you to monitor changes anywhere. Use the drop-down menu on the in prices for selected destinations. Access: left to search for books or maps that are http:// www. travelocity. com. shipped from Burlington, Vermont. You can also check out their bargain basement sales. Train travel Access: http://www.adventuroustraveler. • Amtrak. Listing more than 500 destina­ com. tions available on Amtrak, this site allows 272 / C&RL News ■ A pril 2002 you to make reservations and purchase tick­ driving directions, locate addresses, and de­ ets online. Check “advertised specials,” “sav­ velop personalized maps. Access: h ttp :// ings and promotions,” or “rail sale” for bar­ www.mapquest.com. gain travel opportunities. This is a great place • Moto Europa. Provides a one-stop to browse if seeing the United States by rail guide to car travel in Europe with informa­ is your goal. A free password is needed to tion on highways, fuel costs, and road signs. complete reservations. Access: http://www. Under logistics check “documents and $$” for amtrak.com. driving particulars for each country. They also • Rail Europe. Provides information on promote short-term leases with Renault. Ac­ the 17-country Eurailpass, 5-countiy Europass, cess: http://www.ideamerge.com/motoeuropa. and Brit Rail passes, as well as single-coun­ • Rental Cars. Breeze.Net’s guide to try passes for France, Switzerland, and Italy. more than 90 major airport auto rental com­ From here you can book all types of Euro­ panies and franchises at more than 170 air­ pean rail passes and tickets online. For point ports. Look for the 11th Hour Specials if to point tickets, check out “fares and sched­ you’re hunting for a bargain. Access: http:// ules.” Access: http://www.raileurope.com/us. www.bnm.com. • Rocky Mountaineer. Billing itself as • Roadside America. From the world’s “The Most Spectacular Train Trip in the largest sycamore tree to a tour of the Crayola World,” this private railroad offers spectacu­ factory, you can find it here. Use the “electric lar trips from Vancouver through the Rockies map” to find the strange and unusual attrac­ to Alberta and back. The number of depar­ tions along the road for your next trip. Ac­ tures has grown from 40 to 148 in just 12 years. cess: http://www.roadsideamerica.com. Access: http://www.rockymountaineer.com. • VIA Rail Canada. With a motto of Hotels and motels “Discover Canada with VIA,” this is the • all-hotels. While the title of this site Web site for Canada’s national rail service, overstates its comprehensiveness, it does pro­ which operates 460 trains weekly serv­ vide links to more than 60,000 hotels in 9,600 ing 450 Canadian localities. Under “ways locations. Beautifully designed, this is one of to save” check out the very affordable the oldest online guides to hotels. Type in “CANRAILPASS.” Access: http://www. your location at the top and click “go.” Ac­ viarail.ca/enjndex.html. commodations are organized by price range from discount to luxury.