Branded travel sites not living up to potential?
More than a quarter of all leisure and unmanaged business travelers booked online last year and that number should grow to 35% this year, but the travel and leisure market still faces brand equity shortfalls.
Half of all mainstream and luxury travelers visit four to six Web sites before booking a trip, and 54% of typical travelers are influenced more by the recommendations of friends and family, says a new study.
“Guideline’s study affirms that while many consumers are beginning to migrate from online suppliers to branded airline, hotel and car rental sites, more than 80% of consumers rely on online agencies like Expedia, Orbitz and Travelocity for their travel research,” said Jessica Hogue, a Guideline business research analyst.
“This indicates significant opportunity for branded travel sites to win over the hearts of consumers to ultimately build brand equity,” she added.
The study also found that consumers like the human touch. Nearly half said they preferred to use a live travel agent, for example, while another 25% wanted to consult with tour operators.
When booking a trip, almost one third of luxury travelers said they preferred to use a personal service.
Guidelines provides custom business research and analysis.
Report by David Wilkening
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