Online Travel Statistics

Online Travel Statistics

by: Radha Khalsa

The Travel Industry Association of America (TIA) released their annual Travelers’ Use of the Internet study in December 2003. The study shows an increase in the number of people using the internet to research and book travel.

TIA found that 30% of the adult U.S. population (63.8 million) consult the web for travel information. These travelers spend (on average) $300 more on travel, and nearly 40% had an annual household income above $75,000.

Online travelers surf to two or more travel websites, spending an average of 37 minutes. They research and compare prices, check schedules and book trips. The number of people actually booking online increased by 8% over 2002 and grew to 42.2 million people in 2003. Within this group of online travelers, 32 million people made travel arrangements exclusively through the internet (a figure expected to grow according to the TIA).

10 million travelers responded to email campaigns, causing the TIA to believe that email campaigns are stimulating unplanned travel.

TIA stated that the top 10 travel websites are:

Expedia

Travelocity

Orbitz

Yahoo Travel

Cheap Tickets

Hot Wire

VIPfares

Priceline.com

ITN.net

TravelNow.com

If your business supplies lodging, real estate, shopping, recreation, dining, events or tourist related specialty services, it may be wise to place advertisements with these websites. If you are not making full use of the internet for your marketing campaigns you are missing 30% of your potential market.

As online travelers’ habits become more sophisticated you will find them expecting to find and book everything from one location.

About The Author

MARKETING COORDINATOR and WEBSITE DESIGNERRadha Khalsa, has extensive experience in the areas of marketing analysis, strategic planning and project management.

[email protected]

This article was posted on April 19, 2004

by Radha Khalsa

Uptotheminute Data Squeezes Extra Dollars from

Uptotheminute Data Squeezes Extra Dollars from Hospitality Bookings

by: Bob Kipola

There’s No Such Thing as a DayOld Room

Whether it’s a hotel, resort, campground, condo, or timeshare resort, anyone engaged in booking travelers needs to keep track of their available rooms. Precise, timely awareness of what’s not been rented spells the difference between unsold rooms and the best possible selection for lastminute arrivals.

What the hospitality industry has to sell isn’t like a bagel or a widget. Any day’s unoccupied accommodations can’t be marked down and sold later. By the next day, that inventory is gone a total loss. Since room inventories are so time sensitive, it’s vital to know exactly which rooms are still available at any point in time. Any organization that fails to do that can’t stay competitive. But that simply can’t be done without realtime reservation software.

Employees who handle bookings get excited to see that they can do a better job of matching up supply and demand. Still Waters Condominium Resort in Branson, Missouri brags about their Internet reservations more than doubling when they upgraded their Internet reservation software.

The Internet Changes the Expectations of Travelers

Travelers have gotten into the habit of going online to plan their itinerary. They conduct targeted searches and then check out the Web sites of places they’d consider staying. Roughly 80% (depending on the source) of all hospitality bookings are made directly or indirectly over the Internet.

That convenience has developed a class of savvy travelers and travel planners who are quite comfortable making their own reservations without human assistance. In fact, they prefer it that way. Gone are the days when staff needs to be tied up with phonein reservations.

Let Travelers Share in the Ease of Bookings

Imagine if any traveler could get realtime access to the same availability information that travel professionals have. Do you suppose that with direct access to Internet reservation systems they’d be able to find accommodations that would be impossible to locate otherwise? There’s no question about it. And that reality is having a very positive impact on the bottom line of resorts that have stayed on top of such technological developments.

IRM (Internet Reservation Module), developed by Resort Data, lets guests use the very same database of available rooms as industry insiders. So they are able to book rooms online, without any delays or a middleman. IRM reservations are also commission free a savings for both the guest and hotel.

Reservation Software Makes Bookings Painless

Potential guests expect features like these, with minimal errors or stress:

Easytomake reservations any time of day

Reliable information about room availability that’s kept up to date

Links in place that supplies other, related information about a property

Preferences kept on file for repeat bookings

Ability to find the property that best fits their needs

The time that’s saved by frontdesk staff not having to deal with routine reservation issues leaves them free to provide the type of support services that matter to guests. And properties that can deliver what the guest expects get their business over and over again.

Please visit our website at http://www.resortdata.com or give us a call to find out how an IRM integrated into your property management system can increase your online revenue!

© Bob Kipola, 2004

About The Author

Bob Kipola, VP Sales and Marketing, Resort Data Processing, Inc. Software for Hotels, Resorts, Condominium Rentals, Timeshare and Campgrounds since 1981 PO Box 1170, Vail, CO 81658 [email protected] 9708451140 http://www.resortdata.com

This article was posted on December 28, 2004

by Bob Kipola