College students travel all over the world, and for many the hunt for inexpensive travel accommodations is important.

The World Wide Web has a new addition to the travel services available online with the introduction of Microsoft Expedia Travel Services last fall.

According to the Microsoft Expedia Web site, the travel service provides services for travelers at no charge.

Using the Expedia Travel Agent, the user accesses a reservation system compatible to those used by professional travel agents. The users have total control of the travel plans.

Kathy Foresman, a representative of Edelman Public Relations, said Microsoft Expedia eliminates the need for a travel agent.

Microsoft Expedia utilizes the WORLDSPAN computerized reservation system, Foresman said. She said travel agents have access to the system. A user can purchase tickets from the page by mail or express mail or pick up their tickets at the airport. Microsoft Expedia searches for the best fares and notifies the user whether there are discounts.

According to the press release, the Fare Tracker is a free e-mail service that will update the customer on the best fares between the destinations they have chosen.

The user can sign up for a free account so he can receive updates on the discount fares.

In the search for the best accommodations and methods of travel, Microsoft Expedia provides a world guide, hotel directory, news desk and Mungo Park, an adventure travel magazine.

The world guide contains descriptions of more than 330 domestic and international destinations with photos and information on sites.

The hotel directory has detailed information on more than 30,000 hotels around the world and also has pictures and reviews for many. All of Hilton’s hotels are part of the directory and Microsoft gives the user direct access to the reservation system.

Mungo Park is an interactive travel magazine by explorer and author Richard Bangs at http://mungopark.msn.com. This site features interactive expeditions and travel articles by well-known authors. The Microsoft Expedia can be found at http://www.expedia.msn.com.