WIRED FOR TRAVEL USING THE INTERNET TO AVOID TRAVAILS

0 Comments | Gazette, The (Colorado Springs), Apr 13, 2003 | by JIM BAINBRIDGE

Already the only travel Web site to receive both Webby and People's Choice awards in the same year, Lonely Planet Online now has a chance to become the first to claim back-toback Webbys for its unique mix of commercial independence and comprehensive resources.

Lonely Planet was one of five nominees announced last week along with IgoUgo - its third consecutive nomination - and three first- time nominees, Joe Sent Me, SeatGuru and the New York Times: Travel. People's choice votes will be accepted online through May 23, and the winners in both categories will be announced June 5 at aSan Francisco banquet.

www.webbyawards.com/main

Lonely Planet began in the early 1970s after founders Tony and Maureen Wheeler completed an overland journey from London through Asia and on to Australia.

That trip resulted in the first ever Lonely Planet guidebook, "Across Asia on the Cheap" and led to the creation of the world's leading independent travel publisher, with more than 650 guides in 14 languages.

The Wheelers pride themselves on the integrity of their information - they accept no endorsements, advertising or kickbacks - and their attention to cultural respect, enabling "everyone to travel with awareness, respect and care."

Lonely Planet's nomination is its fourth, breaking a tie with Travelocity.com for the most in the Webby's seven-year history.

www.lonelyplanet.com

IgoUgo bills itself as "a community of real people sharing their travel experiences," and its best thing is the catalog of travel journals, covering more than 2,000 destinations worldwide. Type in "Colorado Springs" and you get 10 travel journals on the wonders to be found here. Of course, if you type in "Paris" you get 176.

IgoUgo also has more than 30,000 photos online, an interactive connection with other travelers and an archived collection of travel articles.

www.igougo.com

Joe Sent Me is the creation of Joe Brancatelli and is directed at business travelers, with a comprehensive collection of news and commentary on the travel industry along with advice on how to find the best deals and even the best places to eat at airports.

Brancatelli has served as executive editor of Frequent Flyer, travel adviser of Travel Holiday and contributing editor of Travel Leisure. The notion for Joe Sent Me occurred after biztravel.com folded on Sept. 21, 2001, just 10 days after the terrorist attacks, because Brancatelli felt "business travelers were being abandoned."

www.zyworld.com/brancatelli

SeatGuru is just about what you might guess from its name, a Web site devoted to being the ultimate source for airline seat information. It provides information on seating for the Big Six airlines on all of their aircraft so you can "always fly in the best seat."

www.seatguru.com

The New York Times has one of the best newspaper travel sections in the country, and it is fully accessible online with stories, forums, destination guides and deals.

www.nytimes.com/pages/trav el/index.html

CONTACT THE WRITER: 636-0126 or bainbird@gazette.com