Destination: Travel

Borders has transformed its immensely popular Travel category into a Destination. A shop within a shop, the Destination offers customers the ability to browse a comprehensive selection of travel titles, research travel destinations and book trips online via an interactive kiosk, and purchase travel accessories - all during one visit to Borders! The Travel Destination offers a uniquely satisfying and interactive experience to customers and even includes a 32" LCD screen which broadcasts inspiring and enriching travel programming featuring travel tips, visual tours and interviews with some of the nation's best-known travel experts and authors.

Titles & Merchandise

• Borders offers more than 3,200 books in the Travel Destination. They are generally organized in the following categories: U.S. Travel; The Americas; World Travel; Travel Narratives and Photography; and Maps.
• The Travel Destination also contains a number of non-book items such as luggage tags, tote bags and digital products such as portable DVD players and GPS systems that customers can use on their travels.

Interactive Digital Kiosks
Customers can research, plan and book a trip online right in the store using the Destination's interactive digital kiosk. Features on the Travel page of the kiosk include:

• "Borders Featured Destination"—Borders highlights popular U.S. and international destinations on the Destination kiosk. By simply clicking on the "learn more" link beneath the featured destination, customers can access information about the destination, including popular events taking place in the area, as well as related books, DVDs and other resources. A relevant article taken from Frommer's® guidebooks offers additional advice and tips for planning a trip to that locale. In addition, the kiosk will feature four seasonal articles by Pauline Frommer - penned exclusively for Borders' customers!
• "Borders Trip Recommender"—This inspirational travel tool was designed and built by Whatsonwhen, a subsidiary of global publisher John Wiley & Sons, Inc. It works by dynamically providing customers with a list of recommended travel destinations based on their travel criteria and preferences - city or beach, or whether bars and clubs are more important than gourmet food. Customers can then click on one of the suggested destinations to access destination information from Frommer's, and relevant destination books, DVDs and other and resources on that area selected specifically for the Trip Recommender by Borders' Travel category buyers. More than a simple search engine, the Borders Trip Recommender is a gateway into Borders' expertise on the Travel category!
• Popular U.S. & International Destinations—With a few keystrokes customers can access accurate Frommer's data on more than 100 popular U.S. and international destinations simply by choosing the location on a world map, or by selecting a region, city or country from a series of pull down menus. By clicking on the destination they are interested in learning more about, customers can access books and DVDs about the area's customs, attractions, cuisine and much more. Additionally, customers can access Whatsonwhen's extensive calendar of events including festivals, concerts and sports events taking place worldwide.
• "Search and Book"—Borders has partnered with travel search engine Sidestep.com, recently acquired by Kayak.com, to provide customers the ability to research and book their trips online while at the store. Customers simply enter their flight, hotel and car rental preferences, and Sidestep.com searches hundreds of travel sites around the world to provide customers with the most comprehensive list of travel options in an easy-to-read display. After travel selections have been made, Sidestep.com connects customers directly to the travel sites to complete the booking process. Customers who know the type of trip they want such as beach vacation or European getaway, but don't know where to go, can use the SideStep Buzz feature to compare airfare from their home airport to 25 airports in a region (Caribbean, Europe, U.S., Asia, etc.) or click on "Trip Ideas" to review "Best of" lists from various travel specialists.
• "Borders Search"—Customers can use this terminal to conduct a comprehensive search of Borders' vast inventory of book, music and movie titles. A search can be further refined by topic, price and format. When the retailer's proprietary Web site, Borders.com, launches in the first fiscal quarter of 2008, customers will have the ability to order books, music and movies right at the kiosk and have their order shipped directly to their house or to the store of their choice for pick up at a later time.

Travel Programming

Borders engages customers with informational and entertaining travel programming broadcast on a 32" LCD screen on the Destination's main feature wall. The programming features a mix of travel tips, guided visual tours, author interviews, and nature programming from locations around the world. Content includes:

• Videos of more than 30 destinations around the world featuring beautiful photography and smart and entertaining commentary about the specific destination provided by Lonely Planet, the world's largest travel publisher.
• European travel videos by bestselling guidebook author, columnist, public television and radio host Rick Steves.
• Videos featuring travel tips, destination specific recommendations, and vacation profiles provided by Peter Greenberg, author and Today Show Travel Editor.
• Clips from Master Sommelier Andrea Robinson's "Local Flavor," a Delta Airlines' onboard entertainment program that features Robinson and husband John visiting popular destinations and asking resident famous chefs and foodies to reveal their favorite restaurants and food markets.
• A short clip on what to look for in a travel guidebook provided by DK Eyewitness Travel, "the guides that show you what others only tell you."