In search of hotels, more travelers turn to OTAs than hotel websites.
According to a research paper jointly released by travel industry research authority Phocuswright, and Expedia, 61-75% of online hotel shoppers in a range of developed markets used an online travel agency (OTA) when shopping for hotels and accommodations, compared to just 15-44% who visited a hotel website.
In emerging markets, the difference is even more pronounced; for example, more than nine in 10 online hotel shoppers in China used an OTA, while less than four in 10 used a hotel website.
The paper, Channel Surfing: Where Consumers Shop for Travel Online, provides detailed analysis of how leisure travelers in eight key travel markets (Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, Russia, the U.K. and the U.S.) shop for and purchase their trips, with particular attention paid to online travel shopping and booking.
It explores travelers' attitudes and preferences for using OTAs versus supplier websites, noting some significant differences between emerging and developed markets.
"Today's consumers have a dizzying array of ways to shop for and purchase travel online," said Phocuswright's director, editorial and research, David Juman.
"Travelers with a set plan of where they want to stay and how they want to get there are more likely to head to the supplier website. But that doesn't mean they're done exploring their options. That's where OTAs come into the picture. OTAs give travelers the ability to compare a wide range of products in a single place, taking some of the heavy lifting out of travel planning."
The research reveals that a range of factors contribute to the types of resources online travel planners leverage, and that consumers' perceptions and attitudes regarding price, content and ease of use all come into play.
ABOUT PHOCUSWRIGHT INC.
Phocuswright is the travel industry research authority on how travelers, suppliers and intermediaries connect. Independent, rigorous and unbiased, Phocuswright fosters smart strategic planning, tactical decision-making and organizational effectiveness.
Phocuswright delivers qualitative and quantitative research on the evolving dynamics that influence travel, tourism and hospitality distribution. Our marketplace intelligence is the industry standard for segmentation, sizing, forecasting, trends, analysis and consumer travel planning behavior. Every day around the world, senior executives, marketers, strategists and research professionals from all segments of the industry value chain use Phocuswright research for competitive advantage.
To complement its primary research in North and Latin America, Europe and Asia, Phocuswright produces several high-profile conferences in the United States and Europe, and partners with conferences in China, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates. Industry leaders and company analysts bring this intelligence to life by debating issues, sharing ideas and defining the ever-evolving reality of travel commerce.
The company is headquartered in the United States with Asia Pacific operations based in India and local analysts on five continents.
Phocuswright is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Northstar Travel Media, LLC. (116 32nd Street, 14th Floor, New York, NY 10001 United States). www.phocuswright.com
ABOUT NORTHSTAR TRAVEL GROUP
Northstar Travel Group is the leading provider of business-to-business news, information, data, transactions and custom content solutions for the travel, meetings and hospitality industries. Brands under the Northstar umbrella include Travel Weekly, Travel Weekly China, Travel Weekly Asia, TravelAge West, Business Travel News, Phocuswright, Meetings & Conventions, M&C China, Web in Travel and Inntopia. Northstar is the industry leader in marketing solutions, custom content communications, content licensing and database management serving the travel and meetings industries. The company produces more than 52 face-to-face events, taking place in North and South America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Northstar is based in Secaucus, NJ, and is a portfolio company of EagleTree Capital. www.northstartravelgroup.com
