Growing online industry will still have to try harder
Online sales continue to go up but the industry will have to compete even harder in the future to capture individual travelers, says Jeffrey Grau, eMarketer senior analyst.
“With most US travelers are already using the internet, online travel distributors will compete more aggressively for their business,” said Mr Grau.
US leisure/unmanaged business travel sales will total $78 billion this year, up over 20% from the prior year, according to Mr Grau’s study called “Online Travel in the US: Pursuing Customer Loyalty.”
Online travelers are an “affluent and highly educated segment” of users who visit multiple sites to learn about destinations, find the best rates and book reservations,” he said.
These travelers are technology savvy and less price sensitive than general leisure travelers, he added.
“Online travelers will increasingly rely on social technologies such as RSS, blogs, customer reviews and wikis to plan trips,” he said.
The strong economy and more enthusiastic attitudes about flying have fueled a recent surge in spending, but a softening economy and high energy costs could depress travel spending in the near future, according to Mr Grau.
Report by David Wilkening
David
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
TAP Air Portugal to operate 29 flights due to strike on December 11
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airbnb eyes a loyalty program but details remain under wraps
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season
Major rail disruptions around and in Berlin until early 2026