Online ‘favoured method for late deals’

More than half of people go online rather than use holiday brochures to search for last minute deals, new research claims.

The findings show that 51% are turning to online travel agencies such as Opodo and Airline Network when deciding where to go on holiday, rather than leafing through more traditional paper brochures (34%).

According to the study by Amadeus holidaymakers also regularly turn to:

·        personal recommendations from friends and family (32%)

·        their local high street travel agent (29%)

·        tourism websites (22%)

Only 14% of UK travellers turn to print media when planning where to go on holiday, preferring instead to explore options online or at their local travel agency.

British travellers are becoming increasingly independent with around 41% building their own trips by booking online directly with the airline, hotel or car rental firm, according to the survey of 2,000 people conducted this month. 

Yet requirements for the personal touch remain with one in five travellers (20%) still regularly turning to their high street travel agent to book their holidays.

As with researching a trip, online travel agencies remain popular with more 36% regularly turning to an online agency to book their holidays. Of all the many options offered to holidaymakers when it comes to booking, call centres appear to be least popular with only 18% of travellers regularly picking up the phone to book.

Amadeus UK managing director Stephane Durand said “These days travellers want to explore their choice of destination before they even get there. They use the web because it has such a wide variety of information that can be easily accessed. 

“However, people should be cautious to distinguish between useful facts and ‘roadside litter’ on the information super highway. For complex trips, or gaining insider knowledge, it would be hard to beat the professional advice a travel agent can provide when deciding where to go, what to see and what to avoid.”  

Durand added: “British travellers have become increasingly sophisticated when it comes to researching and booking their holidays and the travel industry has responded to that. Technology has helped the travel industry provide consumers with the ability to choose their preferred means of booking, suited to the individual needs of the traveller.”

Report by Phil Davies 

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