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www.OfficialTravelInfo.com has a new name, a new look in development, and new content upgrades in progress. Now named OfficialTravelGuide.com, the site is geared as a one-stop travel Internet portal for consumers who want travel information from official unbiased sources. All content on the new OfficialTravelGuide.com will be derived from Official travel and tourism organizations around the world, bringing travel information back to the people's original source. Official travel and tourism organizations such as Convention & Visitors Bureaus, state tourism offices, destination marketing organizations are generally not for profit and work for the benefit of the local community. OfficialTravelGuide.com presents an opportunity to take online travel back to the source, away from sites only motivated by sales, and give consumers official, unbiased, and accurate travel information that actually, in turn, supports their local communities. The International Association of Convention & Visitor Bureaus (IACVB) has entered into an agreement with USDM.net to manage and market the OfficialTravelInfo.com website. The OfficialTravelInfo.com website is a travel Internet portal for consumers who want travel information from official unbiased sources. "USDM was selected based on their extensive Internet and destination marketing knowledge and will be responsible for driving traffic and business to member CVB websites," stated Michael Gehrisch, IACVB President & CEO. As before, the goal of the site is to be a one-stop travel shop for consumers worldwide. USDM.net plans to redesign and enhance the OTI website. The first change will be to rename the site as the OfficialTravelGuide. Based on extensive research and analysis, Leah Woolford, USDM.net CEO states, "The new name more accurately reflects the fact that CVBs and DMOs serve as official guides for providing local travel information about their destinations." Planned design enhancements include: Online branding and streamlined navigation, leading edge Customer Relationship Marketing technology, and robust eCommerce and Revenue Generation models. Selected technology and media companies will assist in providing a comprehensive technology and marketing program that will drive traffic to CVB destinations. IACVB members will have an opportunity to take part in co-op promotions that target activity-based travel, feature destinations, seasonality and email as well as online video promotions for their destination. Leah Woolford, CEO of USDM.net said, "Marketing OfficialTravelGuide.com is extremely exciting for us in that it allows us to further demonstrate the power of internet destination marketing with leading edge online travel tools." The redesigned site will be unveiled at the IACVB Annual Convention in July 2002. During this meeting in Vancouver, IACVB members will receive briefings about the site as well as learn about online and traditional marketing and media that will increase traffic and drive business to their respective destinations. Bonnie Carlson, IACVB Chairman of the Board said, "We are excited about the redesigned website and new enhancements that will be offered to destination management organizations worldwide." For more information contact: Leah Woolford - - Woolford@usdm.net Donovan Shia - - dshia@usdm.net Jeff Hungate - - hungate@iacvb.org For more information, please contact: Diane Vail Usdm.net www.usdm.net 361-653-6310 dvail@usdm.net
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