Read the news and you'd think the web is moving at a zillion miles an hour, but have a look at 100 of Australia's top travel websites – as I did this week –  you'll find yourself in the slow lane. Lots of  Toyota Corollas, not a single Ferrari. Dependable yes. Exciting no.

Many of the larger sites in particular are getting blander rather than more interesting.

It's as if the owners, like a teenager desperate to fit in, are scared of being being different.

So the result is that many sites look the same – especially the online travel agents – with identical features.

There is no discernible difference, nothing to engender loyalty, return business among the OTAs.

It's not that most of the bigger travel transaction sites don't do an adequate job but since when is adequate good enough?

Adequate does not a future make – especially when you are only selling on price because someone will always be cheaper.

This is a big, burning issue.

Surely a factor in the rise of travel meta-search sites where consumers are able to hunt for the website offering the best deal.

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