yahoo! travel study

No Trip Without the Web - the Role of the

Internet for Travel Planning & Booking

Yahoo! Insights

December 2010

2NAVIGATION SLIDESOURCE

Summary

• Swimming holidays and city breaks are the most popular types of holiday.

• Most trips take place within Germany. Other popular destinations are Austria, Spain and

Italy.

• In choosing a holiday, destination plays the biggest role, more than the price and the

planned date.

• The trend is clearly toward online booking: in the next 12 months 84% of respondents

plan to book a trip on the web.

• Already, city and event travel are above all booked online, as well as flight tickets and

last-minute trips.

• By far, the most important source of information for travel preparation is the Internet.

Aside from the Internet, recommendations from friends and catalogues play the greatest

role, and are used for advice more than travel agencies.

• When looking for information on the web, users access providers' websites, use search

engines or make use of comparison sites.

• Most important for users of the web are travel reports by others, comparison of offers

and terms, and the option to book the trip directly.

08/03/2011Yahoo! Deutschland | ENIGMA GfK

http://www.yahoo.com/

No Trip Without the Web - the Role of the

Internet for Travel Planning & BookingTravel activities in general

44




Short trip

(up to 4 days)

33

32

48

50

13

12

23

27

23

26

7

6

10

12

8

8

4

4

12

12

2

2

8

9

78

83

81

86

32

31

in the last 12 months

planned in the next 12 months

in the last 12 months2

planned in the next 12 months2

in the last 12 months3

planned in the next 12 months3

1 time 2 times 3 times 4 times & more

Base: all respondents

8 out of 10 have taken a holiday at least

once in the last year

Number of trips in the last 12 and for the next 12 monthsin %


Holiday

(5 days or more)

Business

trip



67

20

15

14

10

10

10

9

7

7

5

4

4

4

3

2

2

1

1

1

1

Germany

Austria

Spain/Balearic Islands/Canary Islands

Italy

France

Turkey

Netherlands/Belgium/Luxembourg

Switzerland

(other) Central/Eastern Europe

Great Britain/Ireland

USA/Canada

Greece

North Africa

Far East

former Yugoslavia

Portugal

Caribbean

the rest of Africa

Arabian Peninsula

Latin America

Australia/New Zealand/South Pacific


The Germans prefer

to stay at home

Travel destinations in the last 12 monthsin %; multiple answers

08.03.2011Yahoo! Deutschland | ENIGMA GfK



34

18

6

6

6

5

3

3

3

2

2

2

1

10

Swimming/Sun holiday

City break

Tour

Trip to an event

Business trip

Walking/Hiking holiday

Wellness holiday

Countryside/Farm holiday

Health/Spa holiday

Ski/Winter sport holiday

Fitness/Sport holiday

Cruise

Language/Learning/Culture/Study

Other


Every third person was most recently on a

swimming holiday

Type of trip/holiday for the last journeyin %



88




68

48

42

20

18

13

8

2

8

8

Destination

Price

Planned date

Availability

Have booked there previously

Trust in the provider

Affinity for the provider

Environment (ie CO2 emissions)

Other

No special reason

Where to go? Destination dominates the

holiday decision, not price

Reasons for booking the last tripin %

08.03.2011Yahoo! Deutschland | ENIGMA GfKBase: all respondents who have taken a trip in the last 12 months

or are planning a trip in the next 12 month



18

2726

7

21 1

17

less than 1,000€

1,000 to 2,000€

2,000 to 4,000€

4,000 to 6,000€

6,000 to 8,000€

8,000 to 10,000€

10,000€ or more

no answer

Base: all respondents who have taken a trip in the last 12 months or

are planning a trip in the next 12 month

Every third person spends more than

2,000€ per year for private travel

Household budget for private travel per yearin %


37%



• The most frequently booked trips are holidays lasting at least 5 days, but short trips of up

to 4 days are also very popular.

• 50 percent of trips are swimming/sun holidays and city breaks, when considering the

most recent trip made.

• In choosing a holiday, destination plays the biggest role, more than the price and the

planned date.

• Most trips take place within Germany. 2 out of 3 respondents have made at least one

journey in Germany in the past 12 months. The most popular other European countries

are Austria, Spain and Italy.

• The annual budget for private travel is over 2,000€ for every third person.

Summary of general travel activities



No Trip Without the Web - the Role of

the Internet for Travel Planning & BookingTravel planning & booking

1313




68

16

13

4

Travel in total

longer

6-12 months ago

4-6 months ago

last 3 months

Base: respondents who have booked a trip in the last 12 months

Almost everyone has booked a trip in the

last year, 78% of them on the web

Date of the last travel bookingin %


78

22

Online Offline

Share of online bookingsin %

97%



44

20

22

4

Travel in total

later

in 6 to 12 months

in 4 to 6 months

in the next 3 months

Base: respondents who are planning a trip in the next 12 months

86% intend to book a holiday

in the next 12 months

Date of the next travel bookingin %


84

16

Online Offline

Share of online bookingsin %

86%


1616




78

84

last travel booking next travel booking

Base: all respondents who have taken a trip in the last 12 months


The trend toward online booking continues

Online booking: last vs. next tripin %




5653

39

47

40

47

6366 65

56

6258

63

76

Swimming/Sun holiday

Wellness holiday Culture/Study Tour Winter sport holiday

Sport holiday City break

last booking

next booking



Trend toward online booking in all areas

Online booking: last vs. next trip (1)in %




57

49

60

40

68

5250

5961

5350

79

6462

Countryside holiday

Walking holiday Cruise Health/Spa Travel for an event

Business trip Other trip

last booking

next booking



Only cruises do not show a trend toward

online booking

Online booking: last vs. next trip (2)in %




7073

67

54

71

8385

77

61

79

Hotel stay Flight tickets Rail tickets Package tour Last-minute travel

last service booking

next service booking



All travel services will be booked online

more often in the future

Online booking: last vs. next travel service bookingin %




the Internet for Travel Planning & BookingThe Internet as a source of information

and decision-making prior to booking

2222




96

62

59

55

39

32

23

10

Internet

Catalogues/brochures

Acquaintances

Travel agency

Travel guide

Newspapers & magazines

Television

Radio



The Internet is by far the most important

source of information for travel planning

Information channels/sources used in travel bookingsin %; multiple answers



24

What sources on the Internet are used

to plan a trip?

24




76

75

63

41

16

Sites of travel providers

Search Engines

Comparison sites & online travel services

Sites of regional Tourist Offices

Blogs, social networks, discussion forums



First point of contact online: tour operators,

search engines and comparison sites

Internet information channels/sources used in travel bookingsin %; multiple answers






For (winter) sports, search engines are

the most important source on the Internet


Internet information channels/sources used in travel bookings (1)in %; multiple answers

68

54

62 63

44

50

59

54

51

60

55

52

58

53

52

49

41 4

5

51

44

44

23

20

27 3

0

28

21

33

9 7

13

9 9 10

8

Swimming/Sun Wellness Culture/Study Tours Winter Sports Sports City Break

Sites of travel providers Search engines

Comparison sites & online travel services Sites of regional Tourist Offices






Tourist Offices are comparatively

important for walking holidays


Internet information channels/sources used in travel bookings (2)in %; multiple answers

34

40

80

54

36

29

48

59

49

40

46

57

39

55

29 30

38

26

34

30

40

34

43

7

23

14

10

28

7 8

4

8

13

2

9

Countryside holiday

Walking holiday Cruise Health/Spa Travel for an event

Business trip Other travel








For packages and last-minute travel,

provider sites are visited above all


Internet information channels/sources used in travel service bookingsin %; multiple answers

46

52

41

80

72

59

51

34

48

53

51

50

25

58 6

1

22

3 4

10

67

4 2

7 5

Hotel stay Flight tickets Rail tickets Package tours Last-minute travel






70

64

62

61

57

52

49

Customer reports

Comparison of services and conditions

Option to book online

Information on attractions at desination

Information on concrete travel offers

Test results

Information about travel services

Base: respondents who use the Internet to inform themselves for at least part of the

bookings

Opinions and experiences of others are

very important for users

Topics researched on the Internet related to travel bookingsin %; multiple answers




Base: all respondents who have taken a trip in the last 12 months or

are planning a trip in the next 12 month

The Internet is valued for useful

information and speed


37

34

41

33

15

12

47

50

40

33

24

26

84

84

81

66

39

38

One often obtains useful information and tips for travel on the Internet

If I search for specific information on travel, I find it quickly

It is now simply a matter of course that one advertises on the Internet

It would be good if I only get travel advertising that interests me

I am surprised that some tour operators never advertise on the Internet

If I come across advertising for travel on the Internet, I often click on it

fully applies generally applies

Suitability of the Internet as a source of information for travelin %; multiple answers



• The Internet is by far the most important source of information on the subject of travel.

• In addition, respondents consult catalogues and brochures or ask friends for advice. Only

after that do they use a travel agency.

• 96% have previously used the Internet for travel information. The Internet is the most

important source of information for all types of travel. 9 out of 10 respondents (also)

informed themselves on the Internet for hotel accommodation and air tickets.

• When looking for travel information on the Internet, travel provider sites and search

engines are used the most.

• Reports from customers on the experience and comparisons of services and conditions

are the most popular content.

Summary

Internet as a source of information for travel




the Internet for Travel Planning & BookingConclusion & methodology


Planned holiday trips per yearMain reasons for travel

bookings

* Source: AGOF Internet facts 2010-II; Base: adults aged 14 years (Internet users - WNK), potential:

49.68 million

Strategic recommendations for action

Analysis

The right user The right message The right time

97%

travel regularly

84%

will book online in

the future

Onliner: potential ~50 million*

68%

Destination

48%

Price

42%

Date

50% one trip

26% two trips

Analy

sis


10% at least three trips

• Four out of five Internet users intend to book travel online in the future

The Internet is now the most important point of sale!

• Key criteria when planning travel are destination, price and travel date

Individual address with high relevance is critical for making the purchase

• One in three Internet users plans to travel at least twice per year

Continuous address with long range increases the campaign's success



54

10

9

8

2

11

6

Base: respondents planning a trip in the next 12 month

And if you could go somewhere entirely

different...

"If someone were to give you the gift of a trip to an extraordinary place, which

of the following destinations would you be most likely to choose?"in %


South

Pacific

Himalayas

Moon

North Pole

Centre of

the Earth

none of these

destinations

don't

know



Outline

Client Yahoo! Deutschland GmbH

Implementation ENIGMA GfK Medien- und Marketingforschung GmbH

Survey period September 2010

Base Internet users over 18 years old in Germany who have

made at least one trip in the last 12 months or are

planning a trip in the next 12 months

Sample 1,506 respondents

Weighting By age, gender and education

Survey method Online interviews in a panel



Thank you!

Yahoo! Deutschland GmbH

Theresienhöhe 12

80339 Munich

[email protected]

Tel: +49 (0)89 23197-0

mailto:[email protected]

