You used to have to be an avid reader of newspaper travel sections to glean much information about hotels; otherwise, you asked your friends or relied on a travel agent. Today, everybody on the Internet is your best friend, and they all have something to say about where to stay. In addition to some nine major review sites, consumers are just a couple clicks away from thousands of reviews and millions of comments. That's why the hotel industry has few reservations about the importance of social media. But getting a grip on it is another story.

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