No surprise: the internet is the single primary source of information when planning a vacation, found a recent survey conducted for the US Tour Operators Association (USTOA).
More than a third of respondents in a telephone survey reported the internet as their primary information source.
That number increased to 46% for those with college educations.
Second was word-of-mouth at nearly 30%. Travel agents were third at 10%.
Word-of-mouth was higher for women at 33% than men, at 24%.
“For initial research, we encourage people to do their vacation planning on the internet, to ask friends and family about their travel experiences and to visit internet sites where travelers post their opinions,” said Bob Whitley, President of USTOA. He added:
“However, when it comes to making the actual arrangements, USTOA highly recommends that people work with a travel agent. Especially on more complex trips, a good travel agent can smooth the way and help iron out potential problems.”
Report by David Wilkening
