TTD: Cruise websites are favourite for silver surfers
The 55-plus age group are more likely to visit websites selling cruises than any other type of website, according to the latest research by Hitwise UK.
According to figures for the fours weeks ending April 29, more than one third of visitors to cruise websites were 55 or over, which is more than double the average for websites as a whole.
The websites receiving the largest share of visits from this age group were Celebrity Shore Excursions, Celebrity Cruises UK and Cumbria Cruise Club.
Among all age groups, the most visited cruise websites were P&O Cruises, Direct Ferries and Vacations to Go.
Travel websites as a whole are also popular with silver surfers, attracting 20% more 55 and overs than other type of website.
Travel websites receiving the largest share of visits from this age group were The Caravan Club, AirMiles UK, P&O Ferries, Monarch Airlines, and Holiday Autos UK.
Hitwise UK director of research Heather Hopkins said: “Travel is one of the more established e-commerce categories and has proven popular with silver surfers who are both cash rich and time rich.
“Travel websites seeking to target this audience should ensure their websites are well designed for researching holidays and destinations, as well as for booking. Also, by understanding a site’s audience online, online marketers can more effectively target campaigns and promotions.”
Each day, Hitwise measures how more than 25 million internet users interact with over 500,000 websites across 160 industry categories.
By Bev Fearis
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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