Who is The Internet Traveler? Well, evidently you as you have found this website in your search for reliable information on how to plan and buy travel online. The number of travelers like you who are booking travel online is staggering – more than 91 million made a travel reservation online in 2005, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.  Half of all travelers now use the Internet to buy – not just research – travel, according to a November 2006 survey from market research firm J.D. Power and Associates, up from 46% in 2005. Online travel spending in the U.S. in 2006 will be $68 billion, up about 15% over the previous year, according to comScore Networks.  Yet there are precious few resources to guide the growing ranks of do-it-yourself travel planners. The Internet Traveler aims to change that. It is a column dedicated to providing guidance and direction to consumers using the Internet as a travel resource written from a consumer’s point of view by James Gilden, an internationally published travel journalist who is also a veteran Internet traveler. Below are links to recent columns: Cell phones tips: Staying in touch while traveling abroad States taking an interest in "green" hotels Got your passport? You sure it's OK? Keep summer storms and hurricanes from spoiling your trip Airfares turning into a fee-for-all European discount airlines may - or may not - be going your way Europe's trains may be your ticket to fighting global warming Check that cancellation clause or bookings could be costly With websites' aid, groups can have their trips made to order Online businesses take a page from the old media's playbook It may be hard to hold hotels to their best-rate guarantees Routes to the best deal may not always be direct Upgraded map sites do more than route you from A to B Cost of air travel measured in terms of pollution, not dollars Amateurs' talent: Giving us a local perspective on the world When flight trouble looms, travel sites spread the word How a 34 cent ticket adds up to a $70 bill Sites stake out, capture that elusive beast: the fare deal Savings look minimal at best as AARP links with Travelocity Check out the Web check-ins When searching, remember what goes on behind the scenes Your assignment: fly free with frequent-flier miles Unlike Priceline, these sites name names Did someone flub a fact? TripAdvisor lets you fix it Looking for your true calling? Try broadband telephone service Act fast, but act smart, when searching eBay for bargains Remember that trip Maui? Soon your travel site will too Price guarantees: Marketing gimmicks or the real deal? Time to meet? Sites get e-daters from here to e-ternity Planning to see Europe by rail? Get rolling online first No room at the inn? Maybe, but keep banging on the door Expedia glitch proves that the Web is one powerful grapevine Click, pick and park: How to steer clear of airport chaos Sure, that e-mail looks legit, but is it from a 'phisher'? Tracking down a website's home can be a tricky business Consumers' fact-finding mission: Locate the total fare A feast of hotel guest reviews, but watch out for bad apples On a high-tech hunt for fall's most glorious displays of color Some sites zoom in on the lucrative gay tourism market That fare you see may not be the fare you get - here's why Audio tours on iPod that could be music to a tourist's ears What's in a star? That depends on the hotel rating service Brick by brick, click by click, a supply catalog firm grows Group sites may offer boons to those needing multiple rooms Sharing vacation photos is as easy as aim, shoot and upload Alcohol figures into some young Americans' European plans Idealist.org can help you arrange a vacation from apathy Online hotel reservations are still subject to human error Students: Do your homework to get European summer deals Looking for a place to pitch the tent? Start the search online Is that great offer legit? Before buying, do some research Mouse cliques may help you maximize your Disney dollar                         Hotels' special offers sometimes outdo their own 'best' rates Baggage check: In search of better luggage prices on the Web Read the fine print before booking on overseas websites When the chill is on, crowds flock to snow sports websites Making the Web more accessible for visually impaired users Websites take the hassle out of researching, booking hostels New search tools help bargain hunters cut their shopping time There are no cancellations and no refunds -- no kidding For good deals on cruises, your main port of entry is the Web 'Dynamic' packages allow versatility while they save money Decoding hotel ratings: What's a star-crossed traveler to do? To get the best rates, use all the resources at your fingertips Short of cash and need a place to flop? Try couch surfing Coming up with a quicker route to landing a good airfare deal Find a drivable destination and then calculate your fuel costs The mixing link between consumers and low-fare carriers The Web can have a calming effect on summer turbulence Hotel chains want websites to separate fees and taxes on bill Special military websites stand ready to deliver discounts 'Best rate' is often not, so take advantage of that guarantee Travelocity's new site design cuts clutter to ease navigation The low-cost route to riding the rails starts by surfing the Net In a Web search, some hotels pop to the top -- here's why Website tools can help pry out new ways to find lowest fares Internet maps can guide you or give you the runaround Hotels doing their part to beat the online rate competition Picks and pans for 2003 Spanish-language option may give sites jump on competition Fraud crackdown highlights fears over booking trips on Web Procrastinators, prepare to snatch a fare and run out the door More snow sports enthusiasts are surfing before they ski A behind-the-screens look at fleeting airfare availability A little espresso, a pastry and Web access in Europe Passengers aren't lining up yet for Web check-in Mercy for the mercenary Cost-conscious bidders can get burned on auction sites such as Priceline and Hotwire, but there is recourse. For frequent fliers, a Web of useful resources Leafing through a Web of fall color A Web of low European airfares How two Web sites' search tools stack up  Booking hotels online is more than just about prices  Contact The Internet Traveler NOW in the New York Times! Waiting in Style The Internet Traveler is your trusted source for reliable information on using the Internet to research and book travel. Useful: Practical hints, tips and guidelines to help ease the traveler’s burden and anxiety about using the Web. Comprehensive: The Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today and New York Times are monitored daily for trends and news about the World Wide Web that affect travelers, in addition to press releases, local newspapers, magazines and other media outlets. Completely independent: No freebies or press junkets. All trips are paid out of Gilden's personal funds to maintain complete objectivity. Current: Timely topics taken right out of the news and given a consumer’s slant using personal insight into the psyche of the travel consumer. Concise: The complex issues facing travelers are explained in a clean, crisp, easy-to-understand style. Trustworthy: Gilden has published dozens of high-profile travel consumer pieces in major newspapers including the Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune. Accurate: The top travel experts in the world are consulted and all facts are double-checked. Knowledgeable: Gilden has traveled hundreds of thousands of miles around the world using the Internet as a travel resource for booking flights, hotels and gathering information about destinations. This experience helps bring a consumer’s perspective and added authority to the reporting as well as a firsthand observation of the current issues facing travelers.   Listen to me on NPR Morning Edition. Travel Conditions Likely to Deteriorate in 2007