Dispelling the travel booking myths

In our guest comment, Helen Rose, head of insight at marketing agency the7stars, says many travel industry myths were busted by research by its research division, Lightbox, which teamed up with Exterion Media.

"Travel brands have historically focused marketing efforts from December through to February. In fact, a third of foreign travel advertising spend is committed to this period, peaking in January, but this is no longer the key booking time for the majority of consumers. A key finding from the online surveys and discussions hosted with Exterion Media’s urban panel of 11,000 consumers was that holiday bookings are not weighted to the winter months.

Our research revealed holiday bookings are almost equally split between seasons. In fact, 38% of people said that they didn’t book holidays at any particular time during the year – quashing the myth that most holidays are booked in the winter months. Short trips bookings in particular are not weighted towards the winter, with 76% saying they booked mini-breaks throughout the year.
While more than half agreed they start planning their holidays early in the year, bookings are more likely to be activated around key motivational moments. For example, 43% booked around specific events or festivals, and 35% are driven to book when there’s a change of season in the UK.

A further 61% agreed they immediately want to book another holiday when they’ve just returned from a trip, making targeted, bespoke advertising an important tool in getting customers to re-book when they are in the right frame of mind.
Travel brands are currently missing a trick by not targeting consumers in the summer, when they are likely to have just enjoyed a holiday. August is the year’s low-point for advertising spend by travel brands, something which needs to be addressed.

And what do consumers want from their holiday once they’ve booked? While relaxation came top for what the majority are looking for from a holiday, two in five told us they were active on their last vacation. This points to the notion that relaxation is more of a mind-set, defined by the experience each individual is seeking on holiday.

In fact, experience and quality are what people now prioritise when choosing a holiday – taking precedence over cost. Half ranked destination as the number one factor when booking a holiday, followed by the quality of the accommodation and unique experiences.

People are willing to part with more cash for what they see as good value for their holidays. So travel brands should focus less on price and embrace consumers’ passion for experiences, great accommodation and destinations.

Our research highlighted three main opportunities for brands:

* Offer BRAND AID – provide support for consumers when they want to ‘switch off’ and ‘switch on’

* Show BRAND LOVE – embrace consumers’ passion for real experiences as a way to connect

* Find your BRAND MOMENT – time spent researching and booking holidays happens throughout the year, brands can offer a service of trusted guide to help consumers navigate the sea of content at just the right moment."