TravelCLICK`s eMonitor results for the third quarter of 2004 show that worldwide electronic hotel bookings were up 4.7%…
TravelCLICK`s eMonitor results for the third quarter of 2004 show that worldwide electronic hotel bookings were up 4.7% for the Global Distribution Systems (GDS) and Internet combined. Hotel revenue from the electronic channels also increased 12.1% as the Average Daily Rate (ADR) rose 6% over the same period last year.
Hotel room nights booked electronically through the Global Distribution Systems (GDS) and key Internet sites were also up 5.8% versus the same period last year.
Electronic room nights year-to-date through the third quarter increased by 8.8% from the same time period last year, revenue was up 15.4%, and ADR increased by 6%. Average length of stay for the 2004 year-to-date period was 2.12 nights, slightly higher than last year`s 2.10 nights.
eMonitor results are compiled from TravelCLICK`s comprehensive database, which is the exclusive source of hotel industry electronic distribution data from the Amadeus, Galileo, Sabre, and Worldspan GDS. TravelCLICK`s eMonitor also includes hotel bookings made through third-party travel Internet websites powered by Pegasus Solutions.
Travel Agent Component
Travel agent bookings remained the dominant source of GDS and Pegasus hotel e-business, representing 77.4% of total room nights. The travel agent component of GDS bookings had a 6.2% increase in ADR versus the third quarter of 2003. Travel agents continued to be a key source of higher rate business for hotels. The average rate for room nights booked through travel agents was 31.6% higher than the average rate for room nights booked via the Internet.
On a year-to-date basis, travel agent hotel bookings via the GDS were up 7.7% from the same period in 2003.
Internet Component
Internet (consumer online) room nights displayed growth of 9.8% above the third quarter of 2003. ADR was up for GDS-powered and Pegasus Internet bookings by 6.3% compared to the prior year.
Year to date, the Internet component displayed a 13.3% growth in room nights compared to the first nine months of 2003. ADR was up 6.8%, which led to a 21% increase in revenue for 2004 year-to-date through the third quarter.
“Contributing to the increase in electronic bookings worldwide, was the luxury hotel market with nearly an 11% growth in room nights. The third quarter results also once again demonstrated the booking strength of the GDS channel, which continues to outperform expectations in terms of year-over-year percentage growth and ADR,” said John Hach, vice president and product manager of e-marketing products for TravelCLICK.
Third Quarter 2004
|
Room Nights |
% Growth |
ADR |
% Growth |
|
|
Total GDS and Pegasus Hotel e-Commerce |
30,126,241 |
5.8% |
$123.13 |
6.0% |
|
Travel Agent Component |
23,313,211 |
4.6% |
$130.21 |
6.2% |
|
Consumer Internet Component |
6,813,030 |
9.8% |
$98.92 |
6.3% |
2004 Year-to-Date
|
Room Nights |
% Growth |
ADR |
% Growth |
|
|
Total GDS and Pegasus Hotel e-Commerce |
87,257,679 |
8.8% |
$123.63 |
6.0% |
|
Travel Agent Component |
74,767,517 |
8.1% |
$127.95 |
6.1% |
|
Consumer Internet Component |
12,490,162 |
13.3% |
$97.77 |
6.8% |
GDS Performance by Market Segment
Results for the third quarter of 2004 by industry market segment are shown below for GDS bookings only. The luxury, upscale and mid-scale segments all had an increase in both room nights and ADR compared to last year, while the economy segment had a slight decrease in room nights but an increase in ADR versus last year.
Third Quarter 2004
|
Market Segment |
Room Nights |
% Growth |
ADR |
% Growth |
|
Luxury |
648,318 |
10.9% |
$304.76 |
7.0% |
|
Upscale |
8,383,758 |
0.3% |
$151.48 |
6.5% |
|
Mid-Scale |
10,242,699 |
5.2% |
$100.89 |
4.9% |
|
Economy |
2,107,803 |
-0.3% |
$73.03 |
3.9% |
Top Destination Markets
The top five worldwide destination markets for total GDS-powered and Pegasus third-party web room nights during the third quarter of 2004 were:
|
Top Destination Markets |
Room Nights |
% Growth |
ADR |
% Growth |
|
New York |
1,249,015 |
2.9% |
$200.21 |
8.9% |
|
Los Angeles |
1,029,000 |
2.0% |
$130.03 |
6.4% |
|
San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose |
936,403 |
3.6% |
$134.60 |
0.1% |
|
Washington/Baltimore |
923,284 |
1.7% |
$143.27 |
7.4% |
|
Chicago |
774,849 |
-0.9% |
$129.44 |
2.9% |
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
