The longer people stay, the higher the advertising revenues that can be charged, and the greater the commission fees from electronic shopping, banking and deals from selling plane tickets and holidays. The business possibilities are said to be huge. According to the research company Datamonitor, one in three European households will have access to the Internet by 2003. Many portal companies started as search engines for the Internet traveler and the successful ones have blossomed into the entry page of choice on to the world wide web. They will offer an easy way to design your own web-entry launchpad.
Many portals provide free e-mail and chat services.
Experts liken the cutthroat, uninhibited competition to the Wild West. Trusted brands will create commerce hubs. Companies that people believe reflect their lifestyle and offer good deals like Virgin is one. Tesco is another, Taylor said. Steven Adshead, senior analyst at Datamonitor, agrees.