Is online travel the way to go?

Gathering travel information is the No. 1 use of the Internet. Users looking for travel information search in two ways -- as travel planners or as travel bookers.

Travel Web sites are purposely designed for these two separate audiences. The Travel Industry Association of America (TIA) has identified the travel planners as Baby Boomers who are employed full-time, married with children, above-average income and college educated. TIA research identified the travel bookers as Generation X and Generation Y mostly men with a high income and high level of education.

Where do you fit in? Do you browse for trip planning information on your next vacation destination or do you browse for the best deal? Most Internet users are searching for information for their next leisure or business trip.

Alaskans are savvy travelers and also have good high-speed Internet access, so I believe there are a higher percentage of bookers in Alaska than in other regions of the country.

Before I go any further, I need to make a disclaimer. There is no substitute for a good travel agent in planning and purchasing a vacation. Yes, you can find detailed information and research destinations right down to the brand of soap distributed at the hotel on your home computer. But, your travel agent can intervene when your flight is cancelled or your hotel is overbooked and save you and your vacation in ways a Web site cannot.

Following is a list of trip planning Web sites I have found that have good content. Sites you can easily browse for gathering information (like the Mat-Su CVB Web site www.alaskavisit.com). Next is a list of e-commerce web sites, those sites you can book a flight or hotel room or a complete package in real-time (like www.hawaiianvacations.com).

www.lonelyplanet.com

Known for their popular printed travel guides, Lonely Planet continues to guide travelers on its web site. You will find destination overviews, advisories, briefings, travel news, travel tales and forums.

www.etravel.org

This site is for the very independent traveler. Someone who is "not looking for a comfy hotel, swimming pool and pink gin." Lots of advice on traveling abroad and a forum for sharing experiences.

www.petswelcome.com

The site with all the information about traveling with your pets. The internets largest pet/travel resource.

Others

Other good sites include www.travelocity.com , www.expedia.msn.com , www.orbitz.com, and our favorite, www.alaskaair.com. This is the world of e-commerce travel. Book and purchase in real-time and off you go with your confirmation code and paperless ticket.

Whether you are just planning and researching a trip, or booking and purchasing your flights and hotels online, travel at your own risk. Again, there is no substitute for a good travel agent when you are stranded in an unfamiliar city.