.vuelos

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Status:	Delegated
Registry Provider:	Neustar
Type:	Generic
Category:	Commerce
Priority #:	1652 - Despegar Online SRL

.vuelos is a gTLD delegated to the Root Zone in ICANN's New gTLD Program on 2 March 2016. The registry operator is Despegar Online SRL.

The application was issued a GAC Early Warning from the representative of Australia and GAC Chair, Heather Dryden. The warning system is noted as a strong recommendation on behalf of national governments to the ICANN Board that a given TLD application should be denied as it stands. Applicants are encouraged to work with objecting GAC members.

The warning states that the applicant is "seeking exclusive access to a common generic string .. that relates to a broad market sector," which Ms. Dryden notes could have unintended consequences and a negative impact on competition.

Application Details

The following is excerpted from the applicant's response to question #18:

"Despegar Online SRL (“Despegar”) is a branch of the largest online travel agency in Latin America. Despegar enables its customers to book airline tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars, vacation packages, and other travel-related services. It also powers travel bookings for various airlines, hotels, rental car agencies, and other tourism-related organizations internationally. Despegar serves more than five million clients annually and has a presence in 21 countries. Its services and online content are accessible in the .COM gTLD and various ccTLDs.

Despegar is applying for five gTLDs: .VUELOS and .HOTELES, which target its Spanish-speaking audiences; .PASSAGENS and .HOTEIS, which target its Portuguese-speaking audiences; and .HOTEL, which targets its English, Spanish, and Portuguese-speaking audiences.

The intended future mission and purpose of .VUELOS is to serve as a trusted, hierarchical, and intuitive namespace provided by Despegar. Despegar is committed to filing a .VUELOS gTLD application; however at the time of filing this application, there has not been enough time, and there is not enough market information available, to fully analyze and evaluate all potential use case options.

Despegar will be analyzing and evaluating other gTLD applications as well as general market adoption to determine short- and long-term potential best-in-class use case options to most effectively serve and enhance its online strategy as a leading provider of travel services. As a multinational travel organization, Despegar helps customers book various travel reservations with a focus on competitive pricing and excellent service, and aims to protect its customers and other Internet users from fraudulent information. .VUELOS will accord with the company’s focus by providing a trusted, hierarchical, secure, and intuitive namespace.

Superb service and pricing are at the core of Despegar’s offerings, and will continue to remain at that core; Despegar will always be in the business of offering the best prices and services to those booking travel arrangements in Latin America. One of Despegar’s key business segments is booking airline tickets. The .VUELOS gTLD will become one of Despegar’s core assets and it is intended to enhance Despegar’s online presence and identity; expand its marketing and promotion efforts; provide a secure channel for those booking airline tickets; and offer a platform through which to consolidate many of the intellectual property activities of Despegar.

Despegar intends to initially limit registration and use of domain names within the .VUELOS gTLD to Despegar and its qualified subsidiaries and affiliates. This initial limited use will allow Despegar to establish its operations and achieve full sustainability. This limited distribution, coupled with the other requirements set forth in Specification 9 of the template Registry Agreement, is intended to exempt Despegar from its annual Code of Conduct Compliance requirements.

After Stage 3 (see below), Despegar will evaluate whether opportunities exist to carry out the business strategy for the .VUELOS gTLD through expansion that continues the sustainable operations of the registry through fee-based registrations to parties other than Despegar and its qualified subsidiaries and affiliates."