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It’s all about tablets, says TUI
Half of all Thomson and First Choice customers booked online in January, said parent company TUI which is forecasting rapid growth for sales via mobiles and tablets.
Announcing a reduction in the operator’s first-quarter losses yesterday, chief executive Peter Long said sales via tablets were growing more rapidly than via desktop computers.
Traffic to the operator’s mobile websites is up to 45% year on year and bookings are up 85% on Thomson’s site and 93% via First Choice, he said.
A recent visit to Silicone Valley in California, the nerve centre for technology businesses worldwide, Long said he learned that 60% of all online sales worldwide are initiated on mobiles.
Sales via tablets and mobile phones were growing at a faster rate than expected, but he said in "more mature markets" traffic from personal computers was declining.
Thomson and First Choice say they have made it easier for customers to research and book holidays via their mobile websites by introducing a new intuitive search facility and allowing customers to personalise their selection by board basis, best for and budget.
Their websites also include more large scale images and video content than previously.
As a result, the company said data from Experian Hitwise showed Thomson was the most visited online travel agency website in January.
The most popular destinations booked in January across the Thomson and First Choice websites were Tenerife, Sharm el Sheikh and Majorca.
The most booked hotels were the Thomson Sensatori Resort, Sharm el Sheikh and First Choice Holiday Village, Red Sea.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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