iMedia: Book 'Em

Hotel sites are getting lots of Looky Lous, but few people booking rooms. A new Rush Report study by iPerceptions and Hospitality eBusiness Strategies showed that only a third of hotel site users intend to use the web for booking. The study blames the poor results on the sites themselves, rife with confusing content and drawn out booking procedures.

But the abysmal rate of intent may also stem from early hotel bookings being associated with terrible customer service. When first offered in the mid- and late-90s, many business travelers that tried out the online booking found themselves searching for a hotel room late at night after having been turned away at the front desk. This tarnishing may still color expectations and make site visitors balk at doing more than checking prices availability.