• by Jeremiah Johnston , March 15, 2010

In today's challenging economic environment, travel companies are exploring new and creative ways to gain new customers. With more consumers turning to the Internet for the best deals and the most convenient services, it isn't surprising to see these companies starting to invest in descriptive and generic domain names to draw in new business.

According to Forrester Research, online leisure and business travel spending will reach $158 billion by 2013. Owning a descriptive domain name -- or a portfolio of these domains -- may help travel companies tap into this revenue pool.

Descriptive or generic domain names present a good opportunity for travel companies to expand their reach and bring more customers to their doorstep. That's because more and more consumers are bypassing the search engine and typing in terms relevant to their searches directly into web browsers -- also known as direct domain navigation. Descriptive domains generate natural type-in traffic that can be redirected to a company's primary website.

A private jet service company recently purchased Jets.com to strengthen its brand. By working with a domain auction site to secure this domain name, the company now has a competitive edge that is powerful for its industry and the service it is offering. Domains like these are considered highly valuable because of the direct navigation traffic they innately offer.

While descriptive domains may be a smart investment for existing businesses, they are crucial for new businesses looking to make their mark on the industry. For example, one hotel deal finder snagged an easy-to-remember domain name and says of it, "It is easy to remember and stands out from the crowd. We have been advertising [our domain name] to build brand awareness, but the name itself has been driving visitors to our competitive hotel rates."

This growing interest in acquiring additional descriptive domain names has been encouraged by newer and easier methods of attaining them. In the past, the process of obtaining a premium domain name sometimes resulted in companies haggling for a fair price and executing risky transactions with private parties, in order to meet their branding goals. Now, with the support of domain marketplaces, organizations can tap into the secondary domain market to find and obtain the name they desire, even if the name is already owned.

What if your desired descriptive domain name is already taken?

If your desired descriptive domain name is already registered by someone else, it's still possible to obtain that name by yourself or with the help of a domain brokerage company, which can help ensure the legitimacy and credibility of the domain seller and help you avoid being overcharged.

By understanding the value of owning the right domain name for their business and harnessing the power of descriptive domains, travel industry organizations can implement an effective online marketing strategy that drives more traffic to their doorstep, save money on search engine marketing and improve their position in search rankings.