Why is internet often a costly extra in Europe?

Access to the internet is rapidly becoming a necessity, not a luxury. Especially for travellers it is so handy for making forward bookings, checking in for flights, booking cars, finding restaurants and getting opinions on things to do and places to see on the next day's itinerary.

You can even use it to preview your route and destinations on Google Earth.

I know that makes it obvious for a premium price add-on and clearly hotel owners in the UK and Europe can't resist the temptation to charge you a ridiculous premium to hook up to their networks.



I really do wish, however, they would see the sense in the American model. When we drive along the freeways into any town we look for the "Free Internet" billboards and - all other things being equal - we will check out the hotels that offer free internet.

In other words, American hotels seem to see the internet as a 'deal clincher' - something to entice people to their particular hotel - not something to rip off the customer for more money.

Come on hoteliers! It can't possibly cost you that much to allow people to access a WiFi network. So why no use it as a promotion to get people into your hotel, rather than the one down the road?