The gap in online presence is widening between smaller, independent hotels in the US and larger hotel chains that have embraced the web, according to recently released research from GuestCentric, MarketingCharts writes.

Independent hotels with fewer than 80 rooms are facing more challenges online, including struggling with basic website costs and functionality, trust and operational issues, accepting reservations, maintaining personal contact with guests, increasing traveler awareness, and lifting low occupancy rates.

The recent survey of 300 hotels, conducted in February 2008, shows dramatic differences in how independents and more well-known branded hotel chains are leveraging their websites to attract travelers and book consumer and business travel online.

While more than 85 percent of all independents and chains say they are happy with their websites, significant differences emerge between them when they are asked about their biggest website concerns. Some 33 percent of independent hotels are concerned that their site does not generate business for their hotel - their top concern.

The research also shows that independents have not completely embraced online reservations, do not employ booking engines to streamline reservation processes to the same extent as chains, and are more distrustful of the online booking process in general. Only 44 percent of independent hotels are able to receive online reservations, as opposed to 93 percent of chains.

When it comes to presence on internet distribution systems - sites that are the main source of hotel visibility and research by online traveler - 77 percent of chain hotels are present in at least one of those sites, while only 26 percent of the independents use them.

MarketingCharts has more findings from the study.