LAT rolls out a travel blog

The Rob Barrett-Joel Sappell-Richard Rushfield team at LATimes.com has a lineup of new blogs and other projects in the wings, nearly ready to hit the public stage. First out into the light is The Daily Traveler, which aims to lure traveling consumers (and travel ads) to the Times website. Like the Lakers blog announced last week, the new blog is written by a paid freelancer. James Gilden writes The Internet Traveler column for the Times' weekly Travel section and contributes to the Chicago Tribune. Press release follows:

Latimes.com launches �The Daily Traveler�

�News that Smoothes the Road Well-Traveled�

http://www.latimes.com/thedailytraveler

Oct 26 � Latimes.com announces the launch of a new project devoted to comprehensive coverage of travel news for the serious person-on-the-go. The Daily Traveler will feature news roundup�s, travel tips, stories and reporting from the Los Angeles Times Travel Section and from around the Internet. Providing one-stop browsing for all major breaking developments in the fast-moving travel sector, The Daily Traveler blog will offer readers everything from an airport delay watch to stories of exotic journeys around the globe.

Authored by veteran travel journalist James Gilden, the blog will serve both as an aggregator of the most useful news and tips from around the Web and a commentator on the progress and pitfalls of traveling today. Whether it�s the latest trend in frequent-flier miles or tips on staying abroad in an apartment, you�ll be able to find it at The Daily Traveler, Mondays through Fridays, and updated throughout the day.

James Gilden, who also writes the LA Times Travel Section�s column �The Internet Traveler,� has traveled extensively on both pleasure and business for nearly a decade. He first began using the Web as a travel resource in 1996, when United Airlines introduced the United Connection software for booking airline tickets online. A freelance journalist for more than a decade, his articles on consumer travel issues have appeared in major newspapers throughout the country.

Located at http://www.latimes.com/thedailytraveler, Gilden�s blog follows the launch last week of LA Times Lakers Blog and demonstrates the newspaper�s commitment to being an innovator on the Internet, creating reporting positions exclusively for the web on hot topics.

Joel Sappell
Executive Editor, Times Interactive

For questions:
Richard Rushfield
Senior Editor, latimes.com