The Travel Industry Association hopes to launch DiscoverAmerica.com--the country's official travel and tourism Web site -- next February in an effort to attract international tourists and business travelers. It initially will target the five biggest sources of visitors: United Kingdom, Japan, Canada, Germany and Mexico. The U.S. has lost $94 billion in visitor spending as inbound traffic from abroad declined 17% between 2001 and 2005, according to the Commerce Dept. As the only industrialized country without a national tourism brand, Uncle Sam is competing against countries that spend much more and in many instances have government-subsidized campaigns. The …

Howard Johnson International is launching a marketing campaign with the slogan "I Go HoJo" as part of a five-pronged strategic plan focused on enhancing the guest experience. Online and print ads will feature the slogan, as well as the brand's Guaranteed Best Available Rate program, free high-speed Internet access, Rise and Dine continental breakfast and a TripRewards program. The new tagline "leverages a catchphrase that has been a significant part of our brand culture," say Dan Hughes, Howard Johnson senior marketing manager. Serta or Simmons mattresses are mandated for installation at all properties by year's-end, and Arcs and …

With some analysts predicting that the mobile-search market could grow to be even bigger than the desktop variety, Google, Microsoft and Yahoo are spending tens of millions and using armies of programmers to develop tools that people on the move can actually use. In recent months, the three search giants have introduced a new breed of search services that emphasize quick answers to urgent questions: Where is the best local pizzeria? What's the fastest way to get to the airport? The services are beginning to carry small ads related to searches, like those that have turned desktop Internet …

Microsoft will sell a software suite containing Windows, Office and other programs for $3 to government initiatives that distribute subsidized PCs to students in India, China and elsewhere. It will also be available to government programs that supply computers to low-income students in developed nations, including the U.S. The company describes the effort as a way to boost global access to computing. Analysts say it also demonstrates Microsoft's desire to maintain its dominant position against stiff competition from free and inexpensive alternatives, such as the Linux operating system. Founder Bill Gates is announcing the "Microsoft Student Innovation Suite" …

Putting in an appearance on the cheerleading circuit is becoming mandatory for marketers hoping to connect with teens through word-of-mouth marketing. These marketers--including Procter & Gamble and PepsiCo--recognize cheerleaders can be among the most popular people in high school, able to influence opinions on deodorant, shampoos or other products. P&G has been showing up at events run by Varsity Spirit--a Memphis, Tenn., concern that organizes cheerleading camps and competitions--since 2004. It ramped up its efforts recently when it signed a sponsorship pact allowing it to create multiple promotions at Varsity-organized events. Promotions include sending makeup artists affiliated with P&G's …

A Senate bill being put together by Edward M. Kennedy (D., Mass.) and Michael Enzi (R., Wyo.) would prohibit the advertising of new pharmaceuticals to consumers until they have been on the market for two years. Supporters of the legislations say the goal is to ensure that medicines are safe in real-world use before the industry tries to drive up prescriptions and generate higher sales from patients' requesting new drugs from doctors. The drug industry says pharmaceutical ads are an important tool for patients, giving them information about diseases and treatment options. Consumer advocates stress that the …

No. 1-ranked Hewlett-Packard beat No. 2-ranked Dell by about 4% percentage points in the hotly contested worldwide personal-computer market during the first quarter. HP, which supplanted Dell as the leader in PC shipments in the third quarter of 2006, gained momentum in the retail and consumer segments. IDC and Gartner announced slightly different results on vendor rankings yesterday, but both showed that industry shipments continued to grow in the first quarter, and that HP beat Dell. Under IDC's measure, China's Lenovo Group tied Taiwan-based Acer for third place in worldwide shipments, each achieving a 6.7% slice of the market. …

Blockbuster, which has struggled for years to find its niche online, is finally seeing a turnaround in its business. And in announcing its disappointing quarterly earnings yesterday, Netflix admitted that Blockbuster's cutthroat competition was slowing its growth. Netflix founder Reed Hastings acknowledges that the fight for new subscribers has intensified, with some preferring the variety of options provided by Blockbuster, which supplements its retail network with an online business. But he maintained that Blockbuster's approach is a money loser that cannot be sustained. Both Netflix and Blockbuster offer online services for $17.99 a month. But late last year, …

Aficionados of PowerPoint repositioning presentations will have another arrow in their quiver: a new online presentation program from Google. Google Chairman and CEO Eric Schmidt demonstrated the software yesterday at a conference for Internet entrepreneurs. Google would not release more details about the software, though product manager Rajen Sheth says users will be able to store documents online and let anyone with a free Google account view the slides, spreadsheets or documents. It will give away two versions of the presentation software starting this summer -- and will sell a "Premier" version with extra storage for $50 per year. …

Discover is rolling out a new credit card today that will offer high frequent-flier miles rewards and few restrictions to small business owners. MasterCard and Visa are also targeting small businesses -- and for good reason. Less than 5% of the $4.9 trillion that small-business owners spent in 2006 was with the aid of a credit or debit card, according to Visa USA research. The competitions is checks, says Raghav Lal, senior vice president of small-business products for Visa USA. "That's what we are trying to dislodge from the small-business owner's wallet." Discover's new products, its first commercial …