The new domain ending .spa is coming soon! From April 20, 2021 at 9:00 AM Pacific (16:00 UTC) until May 20 at 8:59 AM Pacific (15:59 UTC), take advantage of the Sunrise period, reserved for those whose trademark is registered with ICANN’s Trademark Clearinghouse (TMCH) to priority register their .spa domain names!
Why register a .spa?
Principally aimed at the wellness industry, during the Sunrise phase, .spa is open to those who have a trademark registered with the TMCH, regardless of their business sector. A minimum registration period of two years is required (with a registration price of $404.02* for two years).
On the other hand, in the General Availability (GoLive) phase, .spa will be limited to companies whose business is related to wellness. Other business sectors or entities whose names contain the term “spa” are also eligible, such as the city of Spa in Belgium, Italian businesses organized as “Società Per Azioni” (S.p.A.), and the French “Société Protectrice des Animaux” (SPA). Supporting documents may be requested by the registry at any time following the registration of the domain name. If you can’t substantiate your eligibility, the domain name will be suspended or deleted by the registry. Registration is for a minimum period of one year ($38.36* per year at A rates in General Availability/GoLive).
The Sunrise phase, then, is the only chance to freely register a .spa domain name, but also and above all as the only opportunity to protect businesses and their subsidiaries (especially in Italy) from the threat of cybersquatting.
Gandi Corporate Services’ advice
Due to the restrictive conditions of eligibility in the General Availability (GoLive) the risk of cybersquatting is relatively limited for .spa domain names. You should nonetheless pay particular attention if you are a:
- company in the wellness industry
- a business with a presence in Italy or with subsidiaries in Italy under the legal form of a “Società Per Azioni” (S.p.A.)
For more information, please feel free to contact your Account Manager or to email us at corporatecontact@gandi.net.
*Prices in USD.
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