Customers are taking longer to decide their holiday destination
More people are taking longer to decide where to go on holiday, and fewer trust online review sites than six months ago, according to a survey by Travel Counsellors.
The agency group reveals 92% of holidaymakers would trust the recommendation of a real-life person above an online review site.
This figure has increased by 11% since the same survey was commissioned in May.
Just 16% of people in May said they would usually take several months to decide where to book, but this increased to 31% for those surveyed in November.
Despite the current popularity of online review sites, only 2% of people said they would trust these sources the most when deciding where to book, in comparison to 15% of people who took the same survey six months ago.
In both surveys, 30% of people said they prefer to put their faith in a recommendation from a friend or family member, while 62% of those polled in November said that they would trust the word of their travel agent or adviser above anyone else.
Just over half of people (54%) claimed that they usually take three or four separate recommendations before opting for a particular destination, in comparison to 31% of people surveyed in May, whilst 21% of those surveyed said they prefer to seek suggestions from five or more different sources before booking.
This has increased by 16% over the past six months.
The survey also found that earlier this year, 37% of people said they would consider their holiday choices for several days before booking, whereas this has now dropped to just 19%.
Travel Counsellors UK managing director Kirsten Hughes said: "People will always go on holiday, but in the current climate of certain financial and political uncertainty they need to know they are seeking advice and booking with someone they can trust.
"The advice of a nameless online reviewer is no longer enough; people need to know that their holiday is safe, that it is right for them and that they will get true value – so their decision-making is becoming more rigorous as a result.
"Customer feedback shows that first-hand knowledge and reviews are invaluable during the booking process and these figures clearly support this."
Lisa
Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
TAP Air Portugal to operate 29 flights due to strike on December 11
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season
Major rail disruptions around and in Berlin until early 2026