The advent of online, and the consumer voice that is now being heard on websites, in forums, and on blogs across the world, has changed the hospitality industry – most would say for the better.

Says EMC applications consultant John Brookmyre: “Members of the hotel and leisure industry need to adapt to the dramatic changes in routes to market and user behaviour patterns following the evolution of the internet. Visits to travel agents are a thing of the past. Today, people use a wide range of sources including interactive maps and user-generated content to plan their journeys.