Internet Marketing for Tourism

Preliminary data released at TravelCom 2006 by the Travel Industry
Association of America (TIA) and D.K. Shifflet & Associates Ltd.
(DKS&A) show that last year, for the first time, more trips were
booked online than by any other method.

According to the report 1/4 of travelers who booked accommodation
reservations did so online in 2005 (24%), up 9 percent from the year
before. Hotel chain websites were used most often to make internet
reservations, followed by other online booking services (such as
online travel agencies). Nearly as many travelers booking lodging
reservations used chain 800 telephone numbers, but this was down 5
percent from 2004. The largest share of travelers making reservations
made them directly with the property, but this also declined in
frequency compared to the prior year. Four percent of travelers used a
travel agent to book accommodations in 2005, similar to 2004 (5%).

Interestiingly, trips booked online involve significantly higher
spending on average ($754, excluding the cost of transportation) than
trips booked offline ($406) or with no advance booking ($219).
Internet-booked trips also entail more activities (2.3 on average)
than do trips booked offline (1.7 activities) or with no advance
bookings (1.5).

The average age of travelers who book trips online is 44 – similar to
the age of travelers who booked offline (45) or did not book at all
(43), but younger than those who booked through a travel agent (49).

A full report on travelers' booking behavior will be available in the
Fall of 2006.