• USA Today, Thursday, December 19, 2013 2:30 PM

A virtual tour can't take the place of reality, but Best Western International Thursday will announce the launch of Google Business Photos for all 2,200 of its North American hotels. Google Business Photos are 360-degree tours powered by Google Street technology; the photos are taken by trained Google photographers. USA Today reporter Nancy Trejos points to market research firm PhocusWright, which suggests that 44% of travelers look at professional photos when choosing a hotel. The service follows a move by Microsoft to provide an inside view of restaurants.

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