Intuitively, it is easy to see the damage a lack of a simple Internet presence can have on even the smallest bed & breakfast. Conversely, the marginal cost of developing a one or two page website is comparable to a days' utility bill or less. Clearly, the vast majority of the hospitality industry has embraced the power of online content. The question is: have we all harnessed its full revenue-generating potential?

Large companies with larger marketing and business development budgets generally offer a more complete Web presence as a matter of course. These companies' web presences include a wide range of value-added features, including driving directions, city links, weather, and current events. For these broad reaching companies, the return on investment may be even more difficult to quantify due to scale, and as a result, there is not always an appropriate level of investment made in creating a high-level of user-driven interactivity on the site. Quantifying customer-pull and sell-through because of online content is often seen as a complex, if not impossible, task. However, the quality of a compelling and user-friendly hospitality website is simply apparent from the first click to the last.

Virtual tours, which can provide stunning full-360o color photography ...