It will come as no surprise to many readers that surveys, as far back as 2001, have been chronicling the precipitous drop of passive television viewing due to the lure of the Internet's interactive immediacy. For example, the results of one recent study, released in August 2007 by IBM, revealed that the Internet now rivals television as the primary medium of choice for people around the world.

For many, the Internet represents a form of entertainment and relaxation- playing video games with team members and opponents located around the world or joining the growing trend of watching television programs originating in foreign countries are just two examples. Others are captivated by the ability to connect and instantly communicate with friends that they've come to know but have never physically met- being part of people's daily life on another continent can be an extremely compelling and rewarding experience. But, certainly one facet of the online experience that transcends all others is the Internet's ability to present vast quantities of relevant information, pictures, music and videos regarding any subject through the use of search engines such as Google or Yahoo.

Without leaving the comfort of a familiar chair, you can peruse what is rapidly becoming the sum total of human knowledge-a capability that would have exceeded the most unbridled imagination of science fiction writers only a few decades earlier. Need information about tomorrow's weather? Want to know the distance from Earth to the Moon? Curious about the latest financial news? Answers to all of these questions and an infinite variety of other topics are as close as the distance from your fingertips to a keyboard. More saliently, the Internet's search capabilities have also shrunk the space that separates you from journeying to any place on the globe!

To the delight of many and the chagrin of some, the Web has enabled (or based on your perspective, compelled) every traveler to become their own travel agent and forced each of us to be proficient at finding information that's relevant to the trip we want or need to plan. Given the Internet's ever-growing amount of information, searching for reliable, relevant facts and advice can be daunting. Of course, it should not go unmentioned that, while their population is steadily dropping, travel agents offering traditional assistance still abound. However, instead of being a free service, travel agents charge a fee for their activities. These fees are, far more often than not, worth every penny they cost. Making use of their experience can be a remarkable resource.

Of course, for simple travel requirements, dozens of nearly ubiquitous airline booking systems exist. These are fine if you are traveling on business, are returning to a previously visited destination or are making a quick trip. However, for those who want the journey to be remembered as a milestone that is regaled over time with family and friends, organizing travel by leveraging the Web's warehouse of knowledge can be similar to taking a sip from an open fire hydrant.

This is why TravelMuse was created. Our team of writers offers information based on firsthand experience and unbiased opinion combined with research that has been independently vetted. TravelMuse also provides unique tools that enable the collection and organization of information sourced from within the TravelMuse library or from any Web site. In essence, TravelMuse makes you a better personal travel agent in this electronic age!