A Surge in Internet Usage this Year for Travel

Overwhelmingly, consumers are turning to the Internet for their summer travel planning and purchasing needs, according to independent research conducted by Feedback Research, a division of the Claria Corporation a leader in online behavioral marketing in the U.S.

Data was analyzed from April 1 through July 1, 2005, in the months leading up to summer vacation travel. A survey was also conducted among users who viewed travel category sites in the prior 30 days and also had purchased travel in the prior 12 months.

Results indicated that consumers are still taking a trip to the Internet for their travel planning and purchasing needs.

The survey included 88% of respondents who went or were planning to go on summer vacation using or planning to use the Internet to research and/or purchase their summer vacation arrangements this year.

Some 61% of respondents who went or were planning to go on summer vacation this year purchased or planned to purchase airline tickets online, which is 11% more than those who went on a summer vacation last year. About 52% said they purchased or planned to purchase hotel accommodations online, a 12 percent increase over last year.

Further results indicate that low prices seem to be the key driver for consumers researching and buying travel for their summer vacations this year as about 53% of respondents indicated that they would travel with the brand/company that offered the lowest price.

Among respondents who purchased travel online, the reasons cited for their choice included good prices/rates; because the site was easy to use; and because of loyalty or frequent flyer programs.

Almost three-quarters of respondents who purchased travel online said they researched travel at a general site, but then went to a specific company’s site to purchase their travel arrangements.

They said they picked a specific company because it offered the lowest prices or offered frequent-flyer credits.

The study found that 50% of respondents typically purchase travel arrangements online 1 to 2 times a year while 27% purchased travel arrangements online 3 to 5 times a year.