cruises.co.uk domain name sells for $1 million
The web domain name www.cruises.co.uk has been purchased by cruise community website www.cruise.co.uk for $1 million (£560,000).
The company claims the price has set a new British record.
Previously, the highest price paid for a ‘co.uk’ domain name was when venture capital firm ASAP Ventures acquired the domain recycle.co.uk for £150,000.
Cruise.co.uk, which launched in the UK earlier this year, said www.cruises.co.uk has become its new site for online social networking.
Its original domain, cruise.co.uk, is now more focussed on cruise deals.
Managing director Seamus Conlon said the purchase of the plural domain name of its site demonstrated how serious the company is about retaining its number one position in a fast-growing sector.
“The cruise market is one of the fastest and most consistently growing sectors in the travel industry – a trend predicted to continue – and our website, www.CRUISE.co.uk, is the market leader,” he said.
“‘Cruises’ is consistently ranked first on Google, with ‘cruise’ just behind. We wanted the top positions so that when internet users are searching for cruise deals, reviews or news we are the first port of call.
“Unlike normal package holidays, where people have been going to the same places and doing the same things for years, cruising is still a great unknown for a large percentage of our potential market.
“These people may not have friends or colleagues who have cruised, so they don’t have a reference point – someone who can give their personal recommendation.”
In 2007, founder and chairman Andrew Gardner and Conlon (formerly MD of Airtours) were involved in a management buy-out from Carnival corporation who own and operate: P&O Cruises, Princess Cruises, Cunard Cruise Line, Ocean Village Holidays, Holland America and Carnival Cruises.
www.CRUISE.co.uk employs 70 staff and last year had a turnover of £57m.
The top five highest prices for .co.uk domain names are:
* cruises.co.uk, £560,000 – purchased January 2008, by www.cruise.co.uk
* recycle.co.uk, £150,000 – purchased October 2007
* ink.co.uk, £130,425 – purchased 2007
* mobile.co.uk, £120,000 – purchased 2007
* taste.co.uk, £110,000 – purchased 1997
World’s most expensive domain names are
* sex.com, $12 million – purchased 2005
* porn.com, $9.5 million – purchased 2007
* business.com, $7.5 million – purchased 1999
* diamond.com, $7.5 million – purchased 2006
* beer.com, $7 million – purchased 1999
By Bev Fearis
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Singapore to forbid entry to undesirable travelers with new no-boarding directive
Euromonitor International unveils world’s top 100 city destinations for 2025