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Travel Web Sites Benchmarked in New Internet Study:
Score Highest in Design, Content, and Ease of Use
According to the 2006 Internet Standards Assessment Report (ISAR) released by the
Web Marketing Association, travel industry Web sites rank in the middle
of the pack, as compared to other industries measured by the ISAR Index.
Travel Web Sites Benchmarked in New Internet Study
Boston, MA � April 2006 � According to the 2006 Internet Standards Assessment Report (ISAR) released by the Web Marketing Association, travel industry Web sites rank in the middle of the pack, as compared to other industries measured by the ISAR Index. The ISAR study provides industry benchmarks for Web site development and is based on data collected from nearly 10,000 Web site evaluations in more than 80 industries over the past decade. A copy of the full report can be downloaded at www.webaward.org/isar_report.asp.

The travel-specific Web sites, along with their counterparts scored 7.1 out of a possible 10 points. The other travel-related categories, hotel and lodging, regional and travel, all scored an average 7.0 for the 3-year time period.

�Best of Industry� WebAward winners in travel-related categories include:

Best Travel Web site
2005 YellowstonePark.com
2004 Seabourn Cruise Line 
2003 Excalibur Las Vegas Resort Hotel and Casino

Best Airline Web site
2005 We Know Why You Fly: American Airlines
2004 AirTran Airways - E-Annual 2003 
2003 Jetsgo.net

Best Hotel and Lodging Website
2005 Warwick International Hotels
2004 The New York Palace Web Site
2003 Le Meridien Hotels & Resorts

Best Regional Website
2005 Knoxville Tourism and Sports Corporation
2004 Official Tourism Site of the Land of Valencia 
2003 Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau

A complete list of past winners can be found at travel.webaward.org.

Travel companies and organizations wishing to have their Web sites evaluated against the ISAR Index and be considered for a WebAward, which can help boost a Web site�s credibility and marketing efforts, can nominate their site at www.webawards2006.org.

�Of course, as in every industry, there are travel Web sites that stand out and others that don�t make the grade,� concluded Rice. �Our goal has always been to be more than just a popularity or beauty contest that rewards brand names and good design. Instead, this ISAR study is designed to return some value to every entrant with input as to what Internet professionals should strive for in their Web site development efforts in an objective, empirical and constructive way.�

About the WebAwards
The 10th annual international WebAwards competition sets the standard of excellence in 96 industry categories by evaluating Web sites and defining benchmarks based on the seven essential criteria of successful Web site development. The goal of the Web Marketing Association, sponsor of the WebAwards, is to provide a forum to recognize the people and organizations responsible for developing some of the most effective Web sites on the Internet today. Entrants benefit from a Web site assessment by a professional judging panel and the marketing opportunities presented to an award-winning Web site. For more information, visit www.webawards2006.org. 

Note to Editors: If you would like to receive a chart comparing two or more of the industries within the travel-related categories within the 2006 ISAR Study, please contact William Rice.

Contact:
William Rice
Web Marketing Association, Inc.
860-558-5423

Hospitality Newsmaker Alert�
Placement Dates: 04/07/06 � 06/07/06
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