River News Now Breaking News Travel

(NAPSI) - When traveling to a new destination, today's travelers prefer to learn about and explore exactly what makes that location so special.

Whether it's chowing down on crab cakes in Maryland or standing where the first shots of the Civil War were fired, today's leisure travelers crave authentic cultural experiences.

To help travelers plan their next vacation, various new online travel resources have emerged. Gozaic.com is the only site that brings together extensive and varied information about cultural and heritage travel experiences.

According to a recent study by Mandala Research, 78 percent of U.S. leisure travelers take part in cultural and/or heritage activities while traveling and they contribute more than $192 billion annually to the U.S. economy. The study also found that these types of travelers take vacations more frequently and enjoy culinary experiences, visiting historic sites, attending re-enactments and touring art museums and galleries, among other things.

As the fusion of "go," for travel, and the mosaic of heritage and culture, Gozaic.com is all about inspiring people to fuel their passions for culture and history by exploring meaningful places.

The site features mosaics of images illustrating the dimensions of featured heritage and cultural destinations.

Gozaic can be used as a springboard for travelers planning future trips, helping them research cultural and heritage travel destinations, sites, events and activities. Visitors can search for a specific destination or for sites based on personal interests, whether that means art deco architecture or colonial history.

The site provides in-depth background on the historic and cultural significance of hundreds of places, and rounds up all the necessary details for a trip well spent, including information on off-the-beaten-path cafés, must-see museums and kitschy boutiques.

The site is also an online gathering place for like-minded travelers, and users can create free profiles. Members share travel interests, add friends, upload photos and write reviews about places they've been.

Gozaic.com is the website of Heritage Travel, Inc., a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. For more information, visit www.gozaic.com or contact (877) 694-6924 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .