Internet travel trend spluttering?

A new study of American travelers by the US Conference Board and TNS says that more women than men continue to use the internet but growth has slowed in the past few years, with Lynn Franco, director of the Conference Board Consumer Research Center saying, “Consumers conducting travel research online continue to outnumber those booking online and among consumers whose online travel arrangements increased this year, ease of use and instant availability are the key drivers.”

What that means, she says, is that “”Clearly, there appears to be room for continued growth in the online travel arena.”

What areas are consumers most satisfied in when making internet travel arrangements?

The ability to book airfares online garnered the highest level of satisfaction, with 48% percent of customers claiming they are “extremely” satisfied.

The ability to make car rental arrangements online also received high marks with nearly 42% of customers saying they are extremely satisfied.

Who is using the internet?

More women than men (21% versus nearly 19%) used travel websites solely to research their travel arrangements.

But more men than women (34% versus 33%) researched and also booked their travel arrangements via a travel website.

Are consumers satisfied with the internet?

In terms of satisfaction with travel websites, only 30% of consumers expressed a high level of satisfaction with these sites, although an additional 55% say they are somewhat satisfied.

Two out of every 10 consumers said they have used the Internet more this year than last to research travel arrangements.

Ease of use was the primary reason behind the boost in online usage, followed by instant availability. Past experience and promotions are also among the top reasons consumers cited for their increased usage.

The proportion of consumers planning to use the Internet in the next three months to research travel continues to outnumber those intending to book online by nearly two to one.

Lodging is the most researched activity while airline tickets are the most booked online.

The Consumer Internet Barometer, produced by The Conference Board, the global business research and membership organization, and TNS, a global market insight and information group surveyed 10,000 households across the country and tracked who is doing what on the Internet.

Report by David Wilkening

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