.hotel Pre-Register Domain - .hotel Domain Information

The Societe a responsabilite limitee (Limited Liability Company) is defined in the Loi du 10 aout 1915 concernant les societes commerciales of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. http://www.legilux.public.lu/leg/a/archives/1915/0090/index.html. The company register is the Registre de Commerce et des Societes, Luxembourg.

Mission and Purpose

The .hotel top-level domain is intended exclusively to serve the global Hotel Community and is designed to help solving existing challenges in a strongly growing online hotel business. It will provide verified, meaningful and easily recognizable domains to the Hotel Community.

The Community for the .hotel top-level domain (the "Hotel Community") consists of entities that are hotels, operate hotels or represent hotels through an association. This Hotel Community intends to use .hotel domain names for their presentation, communication and commerce, and/or promote the hotel community online.

For this reason, the eligible registrants are limited to the following Hotel Community categories:

- Hotels
- Hotel chains
- Hotel associations

There are two primary challenges the Hotel Community faces which this TLD addresses: discoverability and profitability. The .hotel top-level domain supports the Hotel Community's strengths and enhances its worldwide presentation on the Internet for the benefit of the whole community - from single hotels to their representations - through a clear, identifiable domain. This discoverability leads to direct contacts from potential hotel customers, which will reduce dependence on third-party booking portals and increase direct bookings. This benefit will result in increased margins for the Hotel Community and better prices for hotel customers.

i.

Speciality - An integrally connected namespace

In our vision, the .hotel top-level domain becomes the essential name space for the communication and interaction of all participants of the global Hotel Community with their target groups like Internet users, the media and suppliers. By becoming the essential source for community members and their customers, the .hotel namespace integrally connects them on the Internet.

Reputation - A secure and trustworthy namespace
For hotel customers, .hotel will mean security, reliability, trust and credibility. The verification of each domain name ensures that only eligible entities can register a .hotel domain, therefore Internet users can rest assured that services offered under .hotel domains are only from hotels and not fake services from non-community members. This is a security and service level that is demanded by the global Hotel Community and which will contribute towards a very positive reputation of .hotel.

An intuitive and memorable namespace

Domain names under .hotel are descriptive, precise and create identity for hotels and hotel associations. It enables suppliers and enquirers to come together in a more intuitive manner than today. This is a speciality that has rarely been seen in existing top-level domains, but will become a standard in future top-level domains.

ii.

Competition - Better prices through enhanced options for the Hotel Community

With .hotel, community members will be enabled to choose from a wide pool of contextually relevant domain names and register those which best suit their communication needs. As an addition to gTLDs, ccTLDs and future gTLDs, .hotel will be an ideal supplement to existing and new TLDs. With a bigger choice between TLDs, hotels will experience a more competitive pricing for suitable domain names. Hotels will have numerous options when registering a domain because .hotel opens up a completely vacant namespace where all domain names are still available. Competition also emerges from the fact that .hotel domains offer added values for the target group that no other TLD can offer by the .hotel extension.

Differentiation - The verification makes the difference

The .hotel concept strictly limits the eligible registrants to hotels and their associations, thus creating an exclusive, trusted namespace for the hotel industry worldwide. The .hotel TLD will have a reputation as strong and credible as the hotel brands of the Community it is serving.

Prosperous and promising namespace

This environment creates new business opportunities and fosters the development of innovative services for the benefit of the global hotel community and its participants. With .hotel domains, the global Hotel Community will have the ability to enhance their search engine rankings by delivering more relevant search results. This will benefit in more direct bookings on their respective .hotel websites and increase their position in the global hotel booking market. From a user perspective, potential hotel guests will have a quicker and easier way to find accommodations from legitimate lodging providers.

Innovation

We are planning to support the Hotel Community by innovative domain name connected services such as making websites more easy accessible for mobile devices, offering directory services and search engine optimization.

With a .hotel domain, the Hotel Community has a powerful tool to increase their margins by reducing dependency on external booking portals and increasing their direct bookings. The new .hotel domain names will be suitable for search engines and other forms of communication. Due to verification of domain names, .hotel creates more trust for hotel customers; combined with the ease of search, .hotel offers an innovative approach to supporting the booking needs of its Community.

Another innovation in .hotel is a rights protection mechanism that includes a special focus on securing trademark rights of the Hotel Community.

iii.
Users will understand that in the .hotel namespace only verified hotels can register their names, thus eliminating the potential for fraud and phishing in that area. The verification also provides consumer confidence as they can be certain they are finding and possibly booking with a legitimate hotel, or working with an established hotel association.

iv.

The .hotel top-level domain is designed to serve the hotel industry worldwide.

The term "HOTEL" is clearly defined based on the norm ISO 18513, 2.2.1: "Establishment with reception, services and additional facilities where accommodation and in most cases meals are available." .Hotel policy is based on this definition.

.hotel second-level domain names are initially restricted to the narrow category of hotels and their organizations (Registrants) as defined by ISO 18513. Therefore, the registration of .hotel domains shall be exclusively limited to registrants from a logical alliance of the hotel industry including:

1. Individual Hotels
2. Hotel Chains
3. Hotel Marketing organizations representing members from 1. and/or 2.
4. International, national and local Associations representing Hotels and Hotel Associations representing members from 1. and/or 2.
5. Other Organizations representing Hotels, Hotel Owners and other solely Hotel related organizations representing on members from 1. and/or 2.

Registrant verification will be based on existing, established membership lists and other data in public industry directories.

There will be two types of .hotel domain name selection policies:

1. Domain Name selection restrictions that emerge from ICANN policies and contracts; and
2. Domain Name selection restrictions that emerge solely from the Registry's delegated authority.

The core principle of name selection is that the first registrant eligible for a domain name registration will be entitled to register that domain name. The date and time of completion of all registration requirements and registrant eligibility verification data, following completion will determine the applicant's order of priority. Any domain name that is not registered by reason of the ineligibility of the applicant will be available for registration by any eligible party.

Domain Names available for registration

No Limitation - Any applicant that is eligible will be entitled to register any domain name that is not reserved or registered at the time of their registration submission through an ICANN accredited registrar.

No Limitation in Number - Registrants are not limited in the number of domain names they may register.

Registrant Representations - The registration application and registrant agreement will contain positive representations from the registrant that they are entitled to the domain name(s) they are or have registered. Breach of such representation will allow the Registry to take-down ineligible domain names at any time.

Content and Use Restrictions - The Registry has in its discretion developed restrictions on the content and use of any domain name. Such restrictions apply to any domain name registration that occurs after such restrictions come into effect.

Each domain name must, within one year following the date of registration, and thereafter throughout the term of the domain name registration, be used as the domain name for a website displaying hotel community related content relevant to the domain name, or in such other manner (such as email) that the Registry may approve after review. Domain names used as contemplated above may resolve directly to the relevant website or be forwarded or redirected to another domain name displaying hotel content relevant to the domain name.

Restrictions may include, but are not limited to, a requirement to develop a website that uses the registered domain name, to ensure that each registered domain name resolves to a working website, or to ensure that each website using a registered domain name, or redirected from a registered domain name presents content related to the registered .hotel domain name.

The .hotel Registry will, from time to time in its sole discretion or upon evidence or advice, but at least once a year, conduct continuing or recurring audits of domain names registered to ensure continued compliance with these requirements. Failure to comply will result in a notice providing 20-days to comply. Non-compliance following such a notice period may result in take-down of the relevant domain name, at the discretion of the Registry.

Equivalent Rights

The Registry will accept registration requests on a "first-come, first-served" basis. In the event an application does not meet the requirements of the Registry Policies, then such .hotel domain names will remain in the general pool of available names.

Names including the string "hotel" - Where the applicant's held or used names include a name including the word "hotel" in any position (e.g. ABC Hotel, or ABC XYZ Hotel, or Hotel ABC), the Registry will accept during the Sunrise phase or later registration of a name in which the string "hotel" is formed at the first level and the remainder of the name is formed at the second level (e.g. "Hotel ABC" may register the name "ABC.hotel", subject to limitations that may be placed on the string at the second level as a result of the Registry's policy on ICANN Names and other Names.

Third-level Names

All registrants will have the right to use any name at the third level, where they hold the right to the second level name (e.g. where aaa.hotel is held, the registrant will be entitled to use bbb.aaa.hotel, ccc.aaa.hotel etc.), with the exception of 2-letter country codes. Such third level usage is not managed by the Registry.

Registrants are entitled to sell or allocate third level names to entities that are not owned or controlled by the registrant, as long as they fulfil the requirements of eligibility. For example, a hotel chain is entitled to allocate third level names to its local hotels.

It is the role of the .hotel Registry to assure and control the registrant's eligibility to register a domain name to guarantee the community aspect and integrity of the .hotel name space and to avoid disputes. The .hotel Registry anticipates that disputes over the registrant's eligibility will be minimal within the Hotel Community. Nevertheless it has put in place an adequate procedure to assist the hotel community's registrants in dealing with denials of registrant's eligibility in a way that supports community needs and values. The .hotel Registry's informal denial procedures will not super-cede any formal dispute procedures.

Registrant Eligibility Verification

Any domain name registered under the terms set out above is subject to a subsequent registrant eligibility verification process which will start immediately after the registration process begins. Registrant eligibility verification will occur after domain name registration but before the registered domain name can be used for web services and protocols like email, website, and FTP. This is to avoid mass fraudulent domain name registrations.

Registrant data supplied for registrant eligibility verification purposes will be held and used by the Registry for eligibility verification purposes only, based on European data protection laws. Registrant eligibility verification requires a review by an applicable organization or by the Registry (reviewer).
The registrant eligibility verification process starts with the Registry evaluation of each domain registration request. For evaluation purposes, industry databases will be used, like hotel association databases or other electronically available databases. Within 48 hours after registration begins, the registry will provide the evaluation result to the registrar.

In the event the registry cannot verify eligibility with the .hotel requirements, the potential registrant may be required to provide further evidence supporting their eligibility. Once reviewed, the registry will confirm or deny the registration. Confirmation will be conveyed to the registrar by email. In the event of denial of the registrant's registration, the domain name is taken-down in the Registry's discretion. A denial of registrant's eligibility will be recorded against the registrant's domain name and they will not be entitled to register a domain name until their circumstances have changed such that their registrant eligibility is confirmed in the required manner.

Registrant eligibility verification reviews may occur following domain name registration and where a registrant is found to be ineligible subsequent to registration of a domain name(s), and such ineligibility is due to mistake or error on the part of the registrant.

The registry confirms registrant's eligibility for up to one year and the registrant may be reviewed annually or at any other time by the Registry to ensure that registrant's eligibility data have not changed in the prior period and that they continue to be eligible. If any change has occurred the registrant at any time may re-submit their registrant's eligibility data and it may be reviewed and confirmed as for initial registrant eligibility verification.

v.
The use of proxy and privacy services to protect the privacy or confidential information of registrants or users will be not allowed. Reasons are legal entities such as a the eligible registrants cannot demand privacy under most legislation and that proxy and privacy services would not allow a proper validation and a public visibility of accurate Whois data inline with the eligibility criteria.

vi.
Our concept for .hotel has been carefully developed in close cooperation with the global Hotel Community and its most important trade associations. Among those are many individual hotels, hotel chains, the International Hotel & Restaurant Association (IH&RA) which is the only representative of the hotel industry today accredited by the United Nations and the only global hotel association; HOTREC, which is the European hotel association based in Brussels; the American Hotel & Lodging Association in Washington, D.C.; and China Hotel Association (CHA). Managing Director Johannes Lenz-Hawliczek is also a member of the Board of Directors of the IH&RA.

Since 2008 our cooperation with the global hotel industry included numerous talks, presentations and discussions with leading representatives of the global hotel industry. Our outreach efforts took us to Malaysia, Thailand, China, Singapore, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Germany, Luxembourg, Belgium, the United States, Austria, Nepal, India, Serbia and Bulgaria. We also networked with representatives from Argentina, Spain, Italy, Macedonia, Montenegro, Greece, Croatia, India, Turkey, Jordan, Syria, Peru, Australia and South Korea. We attended important industry events to liaise and present the concept for .hotel to our partners from the global hotel industry.
In the 4th quarter of 2010 we started to invite Hotel Community members to join the .hotel Advisory Board, which we finally set up in March 2011. The role of Advisory Board is to advise, support and make recommendations to HOTEL Top-Level-Domain Sarl and its management. The international composition of the .hotel Advisory Board is designed to ensure that the interests of the global hotel community are being represented in a balanced way.

The board members each represent significant parts of the global hotel community, with one member representing the domain name business. Its members are Dr Ghassan Aidi, President of the International Hotel & Restaurant Association IH&RA; Joe McInerney, President and CEO of the American Hotel & Lodging Association AH&LA; Nancy Johnson, Executive Vice President of Carlson Hotels Worldwide and Chairperson of AH&LA; Markus Luthe, member of the executive committee of the European hotel association HOTREC (Hospitality Europe), and Philipp Grabensee, Chairman of the Board of Afilias for the domain name industry.

In 2012 we will continue and intensify our communication efforts to our community, with planned attendance of the most important industry events and an increase in media releases.

One example is a comment the CEO of the German hotel association, Markus Luthe, submitted to the major industry news site TNOOZ in January. In it, he laments the dependence on third party sales channels such as Expedia or booking.com hotels have gotten themselves into, bringing about an increasing loss of sales margins across the industry due to the commissions that have to be paid to these actors. One way to improve this situation for hotels is in Mr Luthe's view for hotels to increase their share of direct bookings with the aid of "industry initiatives such as .hotel", among others.

Registry Reserved capital cities names

The Registry will set aside all capital cities' names. These names can be released by the Registry upon consultation with the community and the Advisory Board and registered by eligible community members.

Registry Reserved geographic names

The Registry will set aside certain geographic names. These names will be released by the Registry and can be registered by eligible community members.

Registry Reserved Domain Names for the Hotel industry associations and duties

The Registry will set aside a group of domain names that will be used by the hotel industry associations including their names, abbreviations of names and duties. These names can be released by the Registry upon request and registered by eligible community members.

Community Reserved Domain Names for major Hotel industry brands

The Registry will set aside a list of domain names that will be reserved for the 325 major hotel industry brands including sub-brands. Cut-off date for this list is September 2011. These names can be released by the Registry upon request of the brand concerned and registered by eligible community member brand. This list was decided upon in close cooperation with the Advisory Board of .hotel and is based on the annual ranking of the 325 largest hotel companies worldwide.

Registry Reserved generic Domain Names

The Registry will set aside a group of generic domain names that will be reserved for the hotel industry and can be registered by eligible community members.

Disputed Domain Names

The Registry may set aside during regular operations domain names that are being reviewed under dispute resolution procedures. These domain names may become available for registration after the dispute is concluded.

i.

All available .hotel domain names will be registered on a "first-come, first-serve" basis. Reserved names may be allocated on a "first-come, first-served" basis or via other mechanisms like auction or tender.

ii.

HOTEL Top-Level-Domain Sarl will have fair and reasonable wholesale prices that have been vetted with the Community and Registrars worldwide.

iii.

.Hotel domains will be available through accredited registrars who will be provided non-discriminatory access to registry services. The initial domain registrations for .hotel domain will be for periods of one to ten years at the discretion of the registrar.

The reserved names for auction will have discreet pricing.

HOTEL Top-Level-Domain Sarl reserves the right to reduce pricing for promotional purposes in a manner available to all accredited registrars. Registry Operator reserves the right to work with ICANN to initiate an increase in the wholesale price of domains if required. Registry Operator will provide reasonable notice to the registrars of any approved price change.

The .hotel namespace will exclusively serve the global Hotel Community. The string "Hotel" is an internationally agreed word that has a clear definition of its meaning: According to DIN EN ISO 18513:2003, "A hotel is an establishment with services and additional facilities where accommodation and in most cases meals are available." Therefore only entities which fulfil this definition are members of the Hotel Community and eligible to register a domain name under .hotel. .hotel domains will be available for registration to all companies which are member of the Hotel Community on a local, national and international level. The registration of .hotel domain names shall be dedicated to all entities and organizations representing such entities which fulfil the ISO definition quoted above: 1. Individual Hotels 2. Hotel Chains 3. Hotel Marketing organizations representing members from 1. and/or 2. 4. International, national and local Associations representing Hotels and Hotel Associations representing members from 1. and/or 2. 5. Other Organizations representing Hotels, Hotel Owners and other solely Hotel related organizations representing on members from 1. and/or 2. These categories are a logical alliance of members, with the associations and the marketing organizations maintaining membership lists, directories and registers that can be used, among other public lists, directories and registers, to verify eligibility against the .hotel Eligility requirements. The Hotel Community is clearly delineated, well organized, and pre-existing. This can be demonstrated by many Hotel Associations which organize the representation of hotels' interests towards their target groups (businesses, administration and customers). Among those associations the International Hotel and Restaurant Association (IH&RA) is the oldest one, which was founded in 1869/1946, is the only global business organization representing the hotel industry worldwide and it is the only global business organization representing the hospitality industry (hotels and restaurants) worldwide. Officially recognized by United Nations as the voice of the private sector globally, IH&RA monitors and lobbies all international agencies on behalf of this industry. Its members represent more than 300,000 hotels and thereby the majority of hotels worldwide. Among community activities international and national congresses play an important role. In addition, many hotel associations and their members use online communication tools such as newsletter, blogs, Facebook and their own websites to communicate with members, customers and industry partners. The biggest gathering of the global Hotel Community is the annual trade show (Internationale Tourismus Boerse - ITB) in Berlin with over 10,000 exhibitors from 180 countries. Hotel Top-Level-Domain S.a.r.L. participates regularly at national and international congresses, trade shows, is invited speaker and cited in relevant media. The string ".hotel" has no other significant meaning, it only stands for Hotels according to the ISO definition. Including the IH&RA, the majority of the Hotel Community support the initiative by Hotel Top-Level-Domain Sarl, including the definition of the community, the Eligibility Requirements, Content Policy and other related domain policies.

HOTEL Top-Level-Domain S.a.r.l. is a member of several hotel associations, e.g. - International Hotel & Restaurant Association (IH&RA), Lausanne, Switzerland - American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA), Washington, DC, USA - Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), Bangkok, Thailand - Deutscher Hotelverband IHA, Berlin, Germany The Managing Director of HOTEL Top-Level-Domain S.a.r.l., Johannes Lenz-Hawliczek, serves on the Board of Directors of the IH&RA. The board of IH&RA consists of XX members, they represent Hotels, Hotel Chains, … HOTEL Top-Level-Domain S.a.r.l. is supported by these organizations as well as by - International Hotel & Restaurant Association (IH&RA), Lausanne, Switzerland, - American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA), Washington, DC, USA, - HOTREC (Hospitality Europe), Brussels, Belgium (European Hotel Meta-Association), - China Hotel Association (CHA), Beijing, China, - Global Hotel Alliance, Geneva, Switzerland, and many more including support letters from leading hotel associations from other continents such as from the Argentinian and South African Hotel Association. The support letters are provided in #20f. * Accountability to the Community * The Advisory Board of HOTEL Top-Level-Domain S.a.r.l. was set up to advise, support and make recommendations to the Directors of HOTEL Top-Level-Domain with respect to: - matters within the areas of their experience and expertise - the scope of the approval of the .hotel top-level domain - its subsequent operation. In addition, the .hotel Advisory Board provides assistance and guidance in - governing the organization by establishing policies and objectives; - supporting and reviewing the performance of the management team; - supporting and reviewing the company's strategy; - broadening the multi-stakeholder approach and networking of the .hotel top- level domain; - accounting to the stakeholders for the organization's performance; - developing domain name registration policies (allocation and administration of domain names). The members of the .hotel Advisory Board are: Dr. Ghassan Aidi, President & CEO, International Hotel & Restaurant Association (IH&RA), Lausanne, Switzerland, as a representative of the global hotel association estimated to comprise 300,000 hotels and 8 million restaurants, employ 70 million people and contribute 950 billion USD annually to the global economy. Markus Luthe, Member of the Executive Committee, Hotels, Restaurants and Cafés in Europe HOTREC, Brussels, Belgium, as representative of a continental hotel organization. HOTREC is the trade association of hotels, restaurants and cafes in the European Union. It is the Voice of Hotels, Restaurants, Cafés and similar establishments in Europe, bringing together 43 national associations representing the hospitality sector - which is composed mainly by SMEs - in 26 countries across Europe, from Portugal to Estonia and from Ireland to Cyprus. Joe McInerney, President and CEO, American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA), Washington, DC, USA, as representative of a national hotel organization. Serving the hospitality industry for more than a century, AH&LA is the sole national association in the US representing all sectors and stakeholders in the lodging industryI and partnered with 41 state associations to provide local representation. Nancy Johnson, Executive Vice President, Carlson Hotels Worldwide, Minnetonka, MN, USA, as representative of an International Hotel Chain. Mrs. Johnson is also the current chair (2011/2012) of the AH&LA. In her role with Carlson, Johnson oversees business development efforts for Carlson Hotels' select service hotel brands in the Americas including, Country Inns & Suites By Carlson and Park Inn. Philipp Grabensee, Chairman of the Board, Afilias Ltd, Dublin, Ireland, as representative of the Domain Name Industry. Afilias is a global provider of Internet infrastructure services that connect people to their data. Afilias' reliable, secure, scalable, and globally available technology supports a wide range of applications including Internet domain registry services and Managed DNS. Accountability The Accountability mechanisms of the applicant to the Hotel Community include - A multi-stakeholder staffed Advisory Board that also acts an ombudsman - A Globally protected Hotel Marks' List as reserved names to protect community interests - Distribution of annual reports of the HOTEL Top-Level-Domain Sarl about the .hotel top-level domain within the Hotel Community (planned) - Educational papers, speeches and other public awareness on the .hotel top-level domain (already on-going)

* Intended registrants * Intended registrants of the .hotel domain names are hotels and their organizations worldwide. The .hotel namespace will be exclusive for the Hotel Community. Registrations will be validated for their eligibility according to the .hotel Eligibility criteria: .hotel domains will be available for registration to all companies which are a member of the Hotel Community on a local, national and international level. The registration of .hotel domain names shall be exclusively limited to the following Hotel Community categories: 1. Individual Hotels 2. Hotel Chains 3. Hotel Marketing organizations representing members from 1. and/or 2. 4. International, national and local Associations representing Hotels and Hotel Associations representing members from 1. and/or 2. 5. Other Organizations representing Hotels, Hotel Owners and other solely Hotel related organizations representing on members from 1. and/or 2. Each of these Hotel Community members will benefit from a .hotel domain. As presented in response #18, a .hotel domain will increase visibility, be easily discoverable via search engines, provide increased margins through more direct booking options, and have a positive reputation as a namespace to find legitimate hotels. * Intended Users * Users of the .hotel domain names will be the members of the global Hotel Community (mainly as suppliers) and all Internet users globally (mainly as consumers and users). * Related activities * HOTEL Top-Level-Domain Sarl has carried out global outreach and educational activities within the Hotel Community and its stakeholders at national and international hotel related events such as the Annual Congresses of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) in New York, since 2010, theAnnual Congresses and Meetings of the International Hotel & Restaurant Association (IH&RA) in Washington, Geneva, Barcelona, Kathmandu, Belgrade, Burgas since 2009, the Annual Congress of the Pacific Asia Travel Association PATA, 2011 in Beijing, the National congresses of German Hotel Association, since 2010, the Meetings of the European Hotel Association HOTREC, since 2011, the Meetings with Hotel Community stakeholders at the world largest tourism fair ITB in Berlin, since 2008. In conjunction with international press activities, we are maintaining a comprehensive website with articles on .hotel and related topics. In the past, dotHotel has provided extensive guidelines of digital marketing strategies for Hotels; these efforts will continue in the future. * Lasting nature * The .hotel top-level domain and its purpose are of a long-lasting nature since digital marketing and distribution and individual digital addresses (domain names) have become an integral component of a hotel's general business practices and thereby also for the Hotel Community as a whole. It is foreseeable and anticipated that digital strategies including .hotel domain names will play an ever increasing role for hotels within the next decade and beyond. The .hotel top-level domain will thereby serve the Hotel Community and its members in a lasting nature and will fulfil its purpose of providing verified, meaningful and easily recognizable domains.

* Relationship "Name and Community" * The proposed top-level domain name, "HOTEL", is a widely accepted and recognized string that globally identifies the Hotel Community and especially its members, the hotels. Therefore there is a very strong relationship between the applied-for string and the name of the community. According to the International Standardization Organization, "A hotel is an establishment with services and additional facilities where accommodation and in most cases meals are available." (ISO 18513:2003). Another definition states that "A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis" (Wikipedia). Hotel operations vary in size, function, and cost. Most hotels and major hospitality companies that operate hotels have set widely accepted industry standards to classify hotel types. * Relationship "Name and Community members" * The global Hotel Community consists of more than 500,000 hotels and their associations, all being members of the Hotel Community. There is a very strong relationship also between the members of Hotel Community and the applied-for string, as the string "HOTEL" is the word that is uniting them all. Community members can be clearly identified if they fulfil the requirements of ISO 18513:2003. * Other connotations * The word hotel has no other significant meaning and is being understood worldwide to mean establishments of the type described above.

* Eligibility * .hotel second-level domain names are initially restricted to the narrow category of hotels and their organizations (Registrants) as defined by ISO 18513. Therefore the registration of .hotel domains shall be exclusively limited to registrants from a logical alliance of the hotel industry including: 1. Individual Hotels 2. Hotel Chains 3. Hotel Marketing organizations representing members from 1. and/or 2. 4. International, national and local Associations representing Hotels and Hotel Associations representing members from 1. and/or 2. 5. Other Organizations representing Hotels, Hotel Owners and other solely Hotel related organizations representing on members form 1. and/or 2. It is the role of the .hotel Registry to assure and control the registrant's eligibility to register a domain name to guarantee the community aspect and integrity of the .hotel name space and to avoid disputes. The .hotel Registry anticipates that disputes over the registrant's eligibility will be minimal within the hotel community. Nevertheless it has put in place an adequate procedure to assist the hotel community's registrants in dealing with denials of registrant's eligibility in a way that supports community needs and values. The .hotel Registry's informal denial procedures will not super-cede any formal dispute procedures. Any domain name registered according to the eligibility criteria described above is subject to a subsequent registrant eligibility verification process which will start immediately after the registration process starts. Registrant eligibility verification will occur after domain name registration but before the registered domain name can be used for web services and protocols like email, website, and FTP. This is to avoid mass fraudulent domain name registrations. Registrant data supplied for registrant eligibility verification purposes will be held and used by the Registry for eligibility verification purposes only, based on European data protection laws. Registrant eligibility verification requires a review by an applicable organization or by the Registry (reviewer). The registrant eligibility verification process starts with the Registry evaluation each domain registration for eligibility. For evaluation purposes industry databases will be used, like hotel association databases or other electronically available databases. Within 48 hours after registration started, the registry will provide the evaluation result to the registrar. In case the reviewer will review the registered domain name and can not validate the domain name he may require further material supporting the registrant's eligibility. Once reviewed the reviewer will confirm or deny the registration. Confirmation will be conveyed to the registrar by email. In the case of denial of the registrant's domain name registration is taken-down in the Registry's discretion. A denial of registrant's eligibility will be recorded against the registrant's domain name and they will not be entitled to register a domain name until their circumstances have changed such that their registrant eligibility is confirmed in the required manner. Registrant eligibility verification reviews may occur following domain name registration and where a registrant is found to be ineligible subsequent to registration of a domain name(s), and such ineligibility is due to mistake or error on the part of the registrant, their registration fee may be refunded. The registry confirms registrant's eligibility for up to one year and the registrant may be reviewed annually or at any other time by the Registry to ensure that registrant's eligibility data have not changed in the prior period and that they continue to be eligible. If any change has occurred the registrant at any time may re-submit their registrant's eligibility data and it may be reviewed and confirmed as for initial registrant eligibility verification. The registrant's eligibility is the central requirement to hold a .hotel domain name. It is therefore necessary that registrants maintain their eligibility throughout the term of the registration, including renewal. If the registrant ceases to be a member of the hotel community as defined by current policies and practices of the Registry, then the registrant must give notice of such change within 20 days of ceasing to be eligible to the registrar. In the event that the registrant does not notify the Registrar of a change of status, the registrar will report to the registry and the registry may take-down all registrations held by the registrant immediately upon becoming informed of the change of status. The Registry may require further information from the registrant to determine registrant's eligibility. In addition to the obligation on the registrant to notify the Registrar of any change of its status, each hotel community that is assisting the Registry in the registrant eligibility verification process may be required to solicit and receive an update of all registrant eligibility verification data from each registrant. Any registrant eligibility verification organization shall provide the Registry with all such information and shall confirm to the Registry that the registrant continues to be eligible to hold the domain name it has registered. In the event that the registrant is no longer entitled to hold the domain name, the Registry shall inform the registrar and the registrar the registrant of that determination and the registrant will be given 20 days to provide updated and correct data that confirms its eligibility. Where such information is not provided, or, if provided, does not support the registrant's eligibility, the Registry will so inform the registrant and provide the registrant with a right to request a review of the denial as if it had been an initial registration. At the time when such review period has ended and the registrant remains ineligible, the Registry shall take-down the domain name and it has to be returned to the list of available domain names. The Registry's rights to require notice of a change of status, to take-down a domain name unilaterally and to require information is contained in the registrant agreement of the registrar by reference to these policies. * Types of names * The Registry will set aside a list of domain names that will be reserved for the 325 major hotel industry brands including sub-brands. Cut-off date for this list is September 2011. These names can be released by the Registry upon request of the brand concerned and registered by eligible community member brand. * Domain Names available for registration * No Limitation - Any applicant that is eligible will be entitled to register any domain name that is not reserved or registered at the time of their registration submission through an ICANN accredited registrar. No Limitation in Number - Registrants are not limited in the number of domain names they may register. Registrant Representations - The registration application and registrant agreement will contain positive representations from the registrant that they are entitled to the domain name(s) they are or have registered. Breach of such representation will allow the Registry to take-down ineligible domain names at any time. * Content and Use Restrictions * The Registry has in its discretion developed restrictions on the content and use of any domain name. Such restrictions apply to any domain name registration that occurs after such restrictions come into effect. Each domain name must, within one year following the date of registration, and thereafter throughout the term of the domain name registration, be used as the domain name for a website displaying hotel community related content relevant to the domain name, or in such other manner (such as email) that the Registry may approve after review. Domain names used as contemplated above may resolve directly to the relevant website or be forwarded or redirected to another domain name displaying hotel content relevant to the domain name. Restrictions may include, but are not limited to, a requirement to develop a website that uses the registered domain name, to ensure that each registered domain name resolves to a working website, or to ensure that each website using a registered domain name, or redirected from a registered domain name presents content related to the registered .hotel domain name. The .hotel Registry will, from time to time in its sole discretion or upon evidence or advice, but at least once a year, conduct continuing or recurring audits of domain names registered to ensure continued compliance with these requirements. Failure to comply will result in a notice providing 20-days to comply. Non-compliance following such a notice period may result in take-down of the relevant domain name, at the discretion of the Registry. * Enforcement and dispute policy * The registry will set-up a process for any questions and challenges that may arise from registrations. Complainants will be provided a single point of contact via the registry's website to submit any questions and complaints regarding alleged abuse. The registry will randomly check 2% of registered domains to verify they have content. The registry also follows the standard dispute policies as defined in Q 28 and Q 39.

Hotel Top-Level-Domain S.a.r.l. will protect names with national or geographic significance by reserving the country and territory names at the second level and at all other levels within the TLD, as per the requirements in the New TLD Registry Agreement (Specification 5, paragraph 5).
Hotel Top-Level-Domain S.a.r.l. will employ a series of rules to translate the geographical names required to be reserved by Specification 5, paragraph 5 to a form consistent with the ʺhost namesʺ format used in domain names.
Considering the Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC) advice "Principles regarding new gTLDs", these domains will be blocked, at no cost to governments, public authorities, or IGOs, before the TLD is introduced (Sunrise), so that no parties may apply for them. Hotel Top-Level-Domain S.a.r.l. will publish a list of these names before Sunrise, so our registrars and their prospective applicants can be aware that these names are reserved.
Hotel Top-Level-Domain S.a.r.l. will define a procedure so that governments can request the above reserved domain(s) if they would like to take possession of them. This procedure will be based on existing methodology developed for the release of country names in the .INFO TLD. For example, Hotel Top-Level-Domain S.a.r.l. will require a written request from the country's GAC representative, or a written request from the country's relevant Ministry or Department. Hotel Top-Level-Domain S.a.r.l. will allow the designated beneficiary (the Registrant) to register the name, with an accredited Afilias Registrar, possibly using an authorization number transmitted directly to the designated beneficiary in the country concerned.
As defined by Specification 5, paragraph 5, such geographic domains may be released to the extent that Registry Operator reaches agreement with the applicable government(s). Registry operator will work with respective GAC representatives of the country's relevant Ministry of Department to obtain their release of the names to the Registry Operator.
If internationalized domains names (IDNs) are introduced in the TLD in the future, Hotel Top-Level-Domain S.a.r.l. will also reserve the IDN versions of the country names in the relevant script(s) before IDNs become available to the public. If we find it advisable and practical, Hotel Top-Level-Domain S.a.r.l. will confer with relevant language authorities so that we can reserve the IDN domains properly along with their variants.
Regarding GAC advice regarding second-level domains not specified via Specification 5, paragraph 5: All domains awarded to registrants are subject to the Uniform Domain Name Dispute
Resolution Policy (UDRP), and to any properly-situated court proceeding. Hotel Top-Level-Domain S.a.r.l. will ensure appropriate procedures to allow governments, public authorities or IGO's to challenge abuses of names with national or geographic significance at the second level. In its registry-registrar agreement, and flowing down to registrar-registrant agreements, Hotel Top-Level-Domain S.a.r.l. will institute a provision to suspend domains names in the event of a dispute. Hotel Top-Level-Domain S.a.r.l. may exercise that right in the case of a dispute over a geographic name.