The top-level domain (TLD) “.shangrila” does not officially exist as recognized by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) as of now. IANA is the organization responsible for coordinating the global Internet’s systems of unique identifiers, including the management of top-level domains (TLDs).
As per IANA’s Root Zone Database, which is the authoritative repository of all top-level domains, there’s currently no TLD of .shangrila. Top-Level Domains are the highest-level of domain names, and are categorized into Generic Top Level Domains (gTLDs), Country Code Top Level Domains (ccTLDs), Infrastructure Top Level Domain, Sponsored Top Level Domains (sTLDs), and Test Top Level Domains (tTLDs). Examples of these categories include .com, .net, or .org (gTLDs); .us, .uk or .au (ccTLDs); .arpa (Infrastructure TLD); .aero, .coop (sTLDs).
However, since 2012, IANA introduced a program to expand the existing range of TLDs by allowing entities to apply for new gTLDs. Shangri-La may be a reference to the Shangri-La Hotel chain or the mystical, harmonious valley in the novel “Lost Horizon” by British author James Hilton. If the hotel chain or any other organization named Shangri-La wishes to apply for .shangrila as a TLD, they can do so during the application window of the New gTLD program. Such applications are assessed based on factors like technical and financial capacity.
These naming expansions have occurred previously. For instance, Marriott International Inc. applied and was approved for the use of .marriott as a custom TLD. Similarly, the Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, LLC got approval for their brand-centric TLD .starwood.
Though the IANA allows for applications to potentially establish “.shangrila” as a TLD, as of now, there’s no publicly available record on the ICANN’s (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) TLD Application website showing that such an application has been made or approved.
In conclusion, the TLD .shangrila currently does not exist as an officially recognized TLD by the IANA or the ICANN. However, the possibility for its existence in the future does remain open, subject to an application being lodged through the proper channels and subsequently approved.
Sources used:
1. [IANA Root Zone Database](https://data.iana.org/TLD/tlds-alpha-by-domain.txt)
2. [ICANN’s New gTLD Program](https://newgtlds.icann.org/en/)
3. [IANA’s Delegated Strings (for new gTLDs)](https://www.iana.org/assignments/delegation-details-report)
4. [ICANN’s TLD Application Status](https://gtldresult.icann.org/applicationstatus/viewapplicationstatus)
