Travellers are increasingly looking to the internet as the primary tool of trip planning, according to a new survey from Euromonitor International. Websites and mobile apps are the most popular channels used by travellers to book accommodation, while most travellers chose to book their holiday meals and activities face-to-face.
SYDNEY – Euromonitor’s International Out and About survey has revealed that more than 70 per cent of travellers across the globe rely on internet searches when booking a trip; a statistic verified by the world’s leading hotel price comparison site, HotelsCombined.com.
Websites and mobile apps are the most popular channels used by travellers to book accommodation, while most travellers chose to book their holiday meals and activities face-to-face.
Chief Operating Officer at HotelsCombined, Hichame Assi says that in the last 12 months the company has seen an increase in the number of hotel bookings made online and in particular, the number of mobile bookings.
“Travellers are increasingly looking online to find and book the best possible accommodation deals. We have seen strong growth in mobile in the last year, with the number of bookings made via mobile devices increasing tenfold. In some markets we’re seeing a healthy shift from desktop to mobile – the average contribution of mobile bookings to the total number of bookings facilitated through HotelsCombined.com has increased by more than 80 per cent in the last 12 months,” Mr Assi said.
“We understand that accommodation is important and that it can make or break a holiday, so we search all major travel and accommodation sites – over 800,000 properties – to help travellers to find the best deals. The simple, easy-to-use mobile app and website helps travellers to compare prices from all major travel sites within one quick and easy search,” Mr Assi continued.
While holiday makers may be turning towards the interet to book their holidays, it appears that they are turning off once they get there, with technology extras the least important. Only one quarter of respondents feel the need to constantly check messages, even on the shortest break.
“Everyone has different requirements when it comes to what they look for in hotel accommodation. We have tailored our website so that travellers can refine their search by different filters and themes to ultimately find what they are looking for faster,” Mr Assi said.
The Euromonitor survey shows that two-thirds of travellers’ holiday for relaxation purposes and more than half prefer nature and the outdoors.
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