The Internet has opened up a whole new world to even the most seasoned of globe trotters. Travel agent desks and foreign destination pamphlets have given way to Internet-powered search engines and online blogs and videos.

Nowadays, anyone with a credit card and Internet connection can search for cheap flights, bid for a luxury hotel room, find a great deal on a car rental, or even book a dog sledding trip across the arctic. While the latter may not be for everyone, millions upon millions of singles, families, and business travelers are using the Internet when making their travel plans. According to the Travel Industry Association, that number was 79 million people last year and is steadily growing every year.

"Travelers are on [the] leading edge of technology adoption," said Henry Harteveldt, a vice president at Forrester Research, a technology market-research company. "They adopt trends before the mainstream, are better educated and have more disposable income. Having control over making travel arrangements is very important, and the Web plays well into that."

Quickly becoming the largest e-commerce category, "Online travel revenue will continue to grown strongly from $85 billion in 2006 [to] $128 billion in the United States in 2011 - said Diane Clarkson, analyst at JuniperResearch, an online research and marketing company."

And with the pervasiveness of time and money that consumers are expending on online travel, we felt it important to provide you with a comprehensive online travel resource. With the help of forbes.com and luggageonline.com, we’ve compiled a list of the top 50 unique and useful travel websites that will help you book your next vacation or business trip, or at the very least, entertain you for a bit.

Abercrombiekent.com - Looking for a travel company that plan for things like a private picnic for two in the middle of the African savannah or give you and the children your own tropical island for a day? They specialize in matching travelers with deluxe accommodations in unique destinations.

Airlinemeals.net - Quirky and user-friendly, the site provides images of meals from more than 500 airlines, as well as the latest news and trends in the airline food industry. Even if you're not at all concerned with your next airline meal, the site is a must see.

Airportdiscountparking.com - Visit Airportdiscountparking.com to save money when parking at airports. By entering your airport and travel date, the site will direct you to the cheapest lots available.

Airtroductions.com - Airline flights are one of the few instances where people are forced to be that close to a perfect stranger for hours at a time. What better way to make that long flight in coach more desirable, than to choose your seatmate before you go! Airtroductions.com is the only way to do so. Simply create a profile, enter your flight, and select a match. There are over 21,000 members so the chances are good that you'll be able to find a mate for you.

Bigempire.com/Vegas - Offers tips and advice on how to do Vegas cheaply, including a list of low price and even free attractions. Bigempire.com also offers the dish on the cheapest meals, hotels, and gambling.