The Travel Partnership Corporation has approved important new policies that will speed the registration process.

The following is a summary of several policy changes that were approved by the Board of Directors of The Travel Partnership Corporation on November 14, 2007.

These policies will go into effect on December 21 after a 30-day comment period.

Industry Participation

Policy 1.1 of the Registry Policies, and Section 1 of Charter of the Registry will be amended by replacing the words "whose primary area of activity" with the words "who are significant participants."

Name Selection and Use Policy

Section 2.3.1, and other sections of the Registry Policies referring to name selection or name authentication, will be amended by permitting any authenticated industry participant to register any unregistered domain name. The Registry is given the discretion to develop restrictions on use of .travel domain names from time to time, that it determines are in the best interests of the top level domain, provided that such use restrictions shall not affect or be applied to all registrants prior to the date on which such use restrictions come into effect.

NAME USE

The Registry has defined a use policy pursuant to the discretion granted to it by TTPC. Effective January 1, 2008, each such domain name must, within 60 days following the date of registration, and thereafter throughout the term of the domain name, be used as the domain name for a website displaying travel content relevant to the domain name, or in such other manner (such as email) that the Registry may approve after review. Domain names used as contemplated above may resolve directly to the relevant website or be forwarded or redirected to another domain name displaying travel content relevant to the domain name. The .travel Registry will, from time to time, conduct continuing or recurring audits of domain names registered on or after January 1, 2008 to ensure continued compliance with these requirements. Failure to comply will result in a notice providing 30-days to comply. Non-compliance following such a notice period may result in revocation of the relevant domain name, at the discretion of the Registry.

Place Names Program

Sections 2.3.3 and 2.3.4 of the Registry Policies will be amended by the removal of the Place Names reserved list and any registration limitations relating to such names.

New Authentication Procedures

Sections 3.3 and related sections of the Registry Policies will be amended to provide the Registry the discretion to develop authentication procedures that allow for authentication either prior to or after registration of a domain name, provided that any authentication that occurs after registration be completed not later than three days following the first name registration; and that the Registry may pay refunds for revocations that occur as a result of post-registration authentication, such procedures to take effect upon 30-days pubic notice by the Registry.

Industry Names Reserved List

Section 2.3.5 of the Registry Policies will be amended to permit the Registry to register any names found on the Industry Names reserved list and use such name registrations to deliver appropriate online content that will assist in public search for such names.

Refund on Revocation

Section 3.1 of the Registry Policies will be amended to provide that the Registry may, in its discretion, provide refunds to registrars in the event of a revocation of a domain name.

Revised Policy and Comments

These policies will take effect on December 21, 2007. Certain of these new policies give the Registry discretion to implement procedures and rules for authentication or name use. In the event that the Registry puts such procedures and rules in place these changes will be announced in advance with a 30-day comment period prior to their effective date.

The amended Registry Policies document, including these new policy changes is found here.

You may post your comments concerning these policy changes to: comments@ttpc.travel

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