Asia: OTAs capture ripe demand as travel returns
More consumers in Asia are gravitating towards OTAs as contactless transactions and information transparency race to the fore of the Covid-19 world, edging businesses towards the ever-increasing need for digitisation.
Since the onset of the pandemic, there has been an "acceleration of preference towards OTA" platforms, described Hermione Joye, sector lead, travel and vertical search APAC, Google. For instance, Chinese consumers have more than doubled their bookings via OTAs during the Covid-19 period, posting a marked shift away from direct sellers.
"This is because (OTAs) clearly articulated what was happening around China when it came to travel restrictions and opportunities, as well as what they were doing for safety measures," said Joye.
Speaking at a keynote session at ITB Asia 2020 Virtual on October 21, Joye stressed the importance for companies to improve their digital presence, as the modern traveller is "incredibly digitised" and will be partial to platforms that can create a personalised booking experience.
Success also hinges on adapting and responding to new needs quickly; an approach that has helped airlines secure increased direct traffic. Joye advised businesses to create new strategies based on how each market is currently adapting to the pandemic.
