Half of leisure travelers book online

Online travel marketers need to pay attention to three distinct types of online travel booker, according to a recently released report from JupiterResearch.

by Helen Leggatt

JupiterResearch has identified and labeled the behaviors of online travel bookers and come up with three consumer segments - “Sophisticates”, “Occasionals” and “Traditionals”. A new report, “U.S. Travel Consumer Survey, 2007”, details how to identify and target these segments.

The survey revealed that over half of online leisure travelers purchase all or most of their personal travel online while seventy percent book at least some of their travel online.

“Travelers who have wholly embraced online booking enjoy researching travel online while those travelers who continue to use traditional channels feel overwhelmed by online travel research,” said Diane Clarkson, Analyst at JupiterResearch and author of the report. “In this competitive marketplace, online travel providers must find ways to both engage and simplify the online travel experience.”

Cost surpasses convenience for many online travel bookers and 43 percent of travelers using general search engines are looking for the best prices possible. Cost was also the factor that swung the purchase of holiday packages as opposed to purchasing individual travel components.