I think that's kind of my thought in the end. The domain can't say it all on it's own. Even in the ultra spammy version you started this thread with:
<span style>free travel website templates dot com, If this is the author URI and there business is specific to the travel industry than this is possible just a great domain for them. I wouldn't want it but it's their business.</span><div>
<font color="#222222" face="arial, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div><font color="#222222" face="arial, sans-serif">domain name + site content (Otto's explanation) = whether a domain or link is appropriate or not.</font></div>
<div><font color="#222222" face="arial, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div><font color="#222222" face="arial, sans-serif">James<br></font><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Thu, Dec 22, 2011 at 7:30 AM, Otto <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:otto@ottodestruct.com">otto@ottodestruct.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div class="im">On Thu, Dec 22, 2011 at 6:14 AM, Mario Peshev <<a href="mailto:mario@peshev.net">mario@peshev.net</a>> wrote:<br>
> I've always found too blurry the area of SEO/SPAM related domains and links<br>
> in Author/Theme URI + footer credit links. Currently looking at a theme<br>
> linked to free travel website templates dot com - as author URI + footer<br>
> link. Is it subject to guidelines violation?<br>
<br>
</div>If you have to ask the question, then I would say that it is a violation.<br>
<br>
The page at the Theme URI should be about the theme, specifically.<br>
<br>
The page at the Author URI should be about the author, or their<br>
company, or their consulting service, etc. Leeway is allowed here, but<br>
the point is that the URI must be about that person who created the<br>
theme in some way. A personal blog is fine. A site advertising that<br>
person's business or company is fine. A site that guy built which is<br>
covered with affiliate links is not.<br>
<br>
Footer links must be one of the above, and not linked using misleading<br>
terms (seo link-spam).<br>
<br>
IMO, a site is spam when looking at it does not benefit the person<br>
doing the looking in any real way.<br>
<span class="HOEnZb"><font color="#888888"><br>
<br>
-Otto<br>
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</font></span></blockquote></div><br></div>