Travel Time

It takes a brave soul to charge a fee, in a commodity-based business no less, for a service nearly every competitor has given away free for a decade.

That would make Webjet.com CEO Mathias Friess something of a cunning Gulf Coast pioneer.

Consider: Tampa-based Webjet, a joint venture partnership with Friess and the largest Internet travel site in Australia, under the same name, charges at least $15 for successful searches. Industry giants, firms like Expedia, Orbitz and Travelocity, are free.