The top-level domain (TLD) is the last segment of a domain name, or the part that follows immediately after the “dot” symbol. Top-Level Domains are classified into generic TLDs (gTLDs), country-code TLDs (ccTLDs), and infrastructure TLDs.
.CLUB is a generic TLD (gTLD) that is managed and administered by the .CLUB Domains, LLC. On the other hand, .MED is also a generic TLD (gTLD) that has been proposed for professional use by the medical and health community. However, “CLUBMED” as a single TLD does not currently exist in the Domain Name System. It appears to be a combination of two separate TLDs.
CLUBMED, as one might recognize, is a well-known international travel and tourism operator known as Club Méditerranée or Club Med. Technically, they would utilize the .COM TLD or their respective country’s ccTLD for their web address. Club Med, however, owns and utilizes the domain ‘clubmed.com’.
In the world of digital marketing, companies sometimes choose to apply for their own TLDs to increase brand recognition and trustworthiness on the internet. This trend is often recognized as a branded TLD or dot brand. However, as of now, there are no records to suggest that Club Med has applied for a “.clubmed” TLD.
The application for a TLD is a complex and expensive process handled by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), an international organization that oversees the Domain Name System. As of the last application window in 2012, ICANN charged $185,000 USD for a new gTLD, and the process of maintaining the TLD also incurs yearly costs. Given these conditions, it’s not a casual decision for a company to apply for and maintain a branded TLD.
In summary, while .CLUB and .MED are current TLDs and Club Med is an established international company, a combined .CLUBMED TLD does not currently exist. If you see web addresses with .CLUBMED as a TLD, it might be worth exercising caution, as the site could potentially be a phishing site or another form of online scam.
Sources:
- ICANN, who oversees the Domain Name System
- Verisign Domain Name Industry Brief
- .CLUB domains
- .MED by DocCheck AG
- Club Med’s official website
