Medex Assistance enables travelers who have registered online or by phone (www.medexassist.com or 1-800-537-2029) to call its headquarters in the Baltimore area from anywhere in the world.

Round-the-world tickets, enabling travelers to fly over the world for a relatively low price.

I-271 - provides access to Cleveland's eastern suburbs and enables travelers on Interstate 71 to access Interstate 90 east without going through Cleveland proper.

New online and interactive guides such as Tripadvisor, Wikivoyage, and Travellerspoint enable individual travelers to share their own experiences and contribute information to the guide.

It means managing spending more efficiently through innovations like mandated in-house online booking, enabling travelers to experience "world-class self-service," Mr. Colunga said.

Ramada Inc., for example, has a "30/30 program" that enables travelers who make their reservations 30 days in advance to receive a 30 percent discount, subject to various disclaimers.

This enabled travelers to reach the town of Belleville in two days by a regular stage from San Bernardino.

Fortunately for capital dwellers, San Juan has an excellent public transportation system enabling travelers to cross the city (and dodge the notorious traffic jams) for less than a dollar.

One day, perhaps soon, "virtual reality" technology will enable virtual travelers to walk through three-dimensional representations of Maya ruins or Paris museums without leaving home.

And Preview Travel (www.previewtravel.com) beefed up its Destination Guides last month, enabling travelers to read restaurant and hotel reviews for 202 destinations.