The link to Places To Stay will be featured in the Lodging directory of the Traveler's Resource Center as well as in the Bargain Box. The agreement provides the Independent Traveler with a share of fees paid by the hotels for confirmed reservations. 

The Independent Traveler is an interactive community of independent-minded, do-it-yourself travelers, and America Online's most popular gathering spot for travelers. Created in 1990, The Independent Traveler is visited 1.2 million times every month by avid travelers, vacation planners and industry professionals. 

Hotels can join the WorldRes system for free and receive Web pages that  display a wealth of detailed information, including property and room descriptions and photos, as well as amenities, services, directions and nearby attractions. Properties maintain current rates and inventory, and have complete control over all their information through an easy-to-use, password-protected system that can be updated at any time. Travelers receive an instant confirmation online, avoiding the time-consuming process of requesting rooms by phone, e-mail or fax. 

"Our goal is to provide travelers with the best resources for planning their trips," said Kathleen Tucker, president of The Independent Traveler, Inc. "We are excited about our partnership with WorldRes, as Places To Stay provides real-time availability and booking capability for a wide range of B&Bs, small hotels and inns-exactly the type of accommodations the independent travelers who visit our site are looking for." 

"We are delighted to add The Independent Traveler to our network of distribution partners," said Scott Potter, WorldRes' vice president of business development. "The AOL community is a loyal and growing group of dedicated online users and we are excited to be providing them confirmed reservations at properties that are not directly bookable through most of the major travel web sites." 

About The Independent Traveler 

The Independent Traveler (AOL keyword: Traveler) has been honored with several consecutive Members' Choice awards, recognizing the top 50 sites on America Online. Regular features include the tremendously popular Bargain Box, delivering daily news on the latest airfare wars and travel deals; the information-packed Traveler's Resource Center, with reams of practical travel tips; the Travel Cafe, where travelers and travel experts gather nightly; Travelers Journeys, mini destination guides created with AOL members' trips reports and travel tips; and the Travel Boards, cyberspace's most active travel exchange, boasting tens of thousands of new postings monthly on every aspect of travel imaginable. 

About WorldRes 

WorldRes, Inc., founded in 1995, provides Internet sales and marketing to properties worldwide through its network of distribution partners. Inns and bed & breakfasts interested in joining the WorldRes system can enroll online at http://www.worldres.com or contact WorldRes Sales either by phone at (650) 372-1700, or by e-mail to [email protected]. Potential distribution partners interested in joining the WorldRes network can contact Scott Potter at (650) 372-1714 or through e-mail to [email protected].