Use of Online for Travel Information and Purchasing We surveyed a total of 300 consumers that use the web to research travelrelated products, services and information •
A custom survey instrument (questionnaire) was developed to measure respondents’ use of the web, and search engines in particular, for researching and purchasing Travel Products and Services
•
The survey was conducted online, through a web-based interviewing process, in March 2005
•
Our sample is evenly distributed across all age groups and genders
•
Respondents were recruited through a variety of methods: web advertising, permission-based databases, public relations, telephone recruitment, partner-recruited panels, and alliances with heavily trafficked portals
•
The survey was designed and administered by Global Market Insite (GMI) and Media-Screen, an independent strategic market research firm
Source: 2005 Travel Survey, conducted by GMI and Media-Screen (Mar. 2005) 1
Use of Online for Travel Information and Purchasing Executive Summary •
Nearly three-quarters (74%) of all respondents have used a search engine when researching/purchasing travel products or services online
•
Search engine usage: -
Almost three-fourths (70%) of Google users report using a search engine for more than half of their travel-related research
-
Most Google users use a search engine to help them compare prices (81%) and/or conduct research for travel products or services (80%)
-
A larger majority of Google users access travel information using a search engine (85%) than by typing in a web address (69%)
•
The vast majority (82%) of these respondents use Google to search for these products
•
Three quarters (76%) of Google users say search engines are very/somewhat important for making travel purchase decisions
•
Across all resources – online and offline – search engines are the most popular resource for Google users for researching/purchasing travel products, services and information Source: 2005 Travel Survey, conducted by GMI and Media-Screen (March 2005)
2
Use of Online for Travel Information and Purchasing The vast majority of Google users have compared prices (89%) and/or researched (88%) a travel product or service online 100% 90%
89%
88%
80% 71% 70%
68% 61%
60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 13% 10% 1% 0% Compared prices of a travel product or service
Research a travel product or service
Purchased a travel Made a reservation product or service for a travel product or service
Bid in an auction for Read a review/opinion of a a travel product or service travel product or service
Other
N=183
Have you ever done any of the following online? Please select all that apply. Source: 2005 Travel Survey, conducted by GMI and Media-Screen (Mar. 2005) 3
Use of Online for Travel Information and Purchasing The vast majority of Google users researched/purchased hotel (83%) and/or airline (79%) information/products and services online
90%
83%
79%
80% 70%
56%
60%
46%
50%
39% 40%
31%
30%
22%
19%
20%
15%
14%
12%
12%
10%
2%
ra
r
To u
rO pe
O th e
to r
s
nt ve l ca
Lo
Bu s
in
lT ra
es
s
at io ty Va c al ci
Ag e
Tr av el
ns
ns Lu
xu r
n at io Va c
Sp e
R
yV ac
en
at io
ta l
s
es is ru
ck Pa n at io Va c
C
ag
ta l en R ar C
tin es D fic ci
Sp e
es
s
ns at io
es in Ai rl
H
ot el
s
0%
N=183
You indicated that you have researched and/ or purchased a travel product, service or information online. What kinds of travel products, services or information did you research or purchase? Select all that apply. Source: 2005 Travel Survey, conducted by GMI and Media-Screen (Mar. 2005) 4
Use of Online for Travel Information and Purchasing Nearly three-quarters (74%) of all respondents have used a search engine when researching/purchasing travel products or services online All Respondents
26%
Yes No
74%
N=300 Do you ever use a search engine (such as Google, Yahoo, or Ask Jeeves) when you research or purchase travel product or service online? Source: 2005 Travel Survey, conducted by GMI and Media-Screen (Mar. 2005) 5
Use of Online for Travel Information and Purchasing Used by 82% of all respondents, Google is the most popular search engine for researching Travel Products & Services All Respondents 90%
82%
80% 70%
60%
60% 50% 40%
32%
30%
18%
20%
14% 8%
10% 0% Google
Yahoo
MSN
AskJeeves
AOL
Other
N=222 Which of the following search engines do you use? Please select all that apply. Source: 2005 Travel Survey, conducted by GMI and Media-Screen (Mar. 2005) 6
Use of Online for Travel Information and Purchasing In addition to search engines, a great majority (87%) of Google users also use Travel sites (Expedia, Travelocity, etc.) when looking for travel information
100% 90%
87%
80%
74%
70% 61% 60% 50%
42%
40% 30%
22% 17%
20%
14% 6%
10%
3%
0% Travel site
Airline site
Hotel site
Car rental site
Cruise site
Travel review and recommendation sites
Travel search sites
Tour operators
Other
N=183
In addition to search engines, what other kinds of sites do you use when looking for travel information online? Please select all that apply. Source: 2005 Travel Survey, conducted by GMI and Media-Screen (Mar. 2005) 7
Use of Online for Travel Information and Purchasing A larger majority of Google users access travel information sites using a search engine (85%) than by typing in a web address (69%)
90%
85%
80%
69%
70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10%
2%
0% Use a search engine
Type in the web address
Other
N=179 When you want to go to a certain site for travel information online, how do you get there? Select all that apply Source: 2005 Travel Survey, conducted by GMI and Media-Screen (Mar. 2005) 8
Use of Online for Travel Information and Purchasing Most Google users use a search engine to help them compare prices (81%) and/or conduct research for travel products or services (80%) 90% 81%
80%
80% 70% 60% 50%
48%
50%
47%
40% 30% 20% 10%
5% 2%
0% Compare prices of travel products or services
Research travel products or services
Purchase travel products or services
Read review/opinions of Make reservations for travel products or travel products or services services
Bid in auctions for travel products or services
Other
N=183
Which of the following activities do you use a search engine to help you do? Select all that apply: Source: 2005 Travel Survey, conducted by GMI and Media-Screen (Mar. 2005) 9
Use of Online for Travel Information and Purchasing Nearly three-quarters (74%) of Google users used a search engine to locate airline sites, while 73% located hotel sites
80%
74%
73%
70%
60%
56%
50% 41% 37%
40%
30%
26%
25%
20%
16% 13%
10%
10%
8%
8% 2%
0% Airlines
Hotels
Specific Destinations
Car Rentals
Vacation Packages
Cruises
Vacation Rentals
Luxury Vacations
Specialty Vacations
Business Travel
Tour Operators
Local Travel Agent
Other
N=183
You indicated that you use a search engine to find a certain site for travel information online. For which of the following travel products or services have you used a search engine to help you locate appropriate sites? Select all that apply. Source: 2005 Travel Survey, conducted by GMI and Media-Screen (Mar. 2005) 10
Use of Online for Travel Information and Purchasing For airline sites, more than half of Google users used a search engine to locate Travelocity (57%), CheapTickets (54%), Expedia (51%), and/or Orbitz (51%) 60%
57% 54%
51%
51%
50%
46%
44%
43%
43% 39%
40%
27%
30%
26%
25% 18%
20%
15%
13% 10%
10%
9%
10%
7%
7%
6%
7%
5%
r O th e
a ad an C
Ai r
At la
nt ic
Ai rw
ay s
te p es
es Si d
in rA irl
nt ie
Vi rg
in
Fr o
Al a
sk a
Ai rl
in
es
ay s
n
Ai rw
sh Br iti
t ic a
er
Ai rT ra
W es
es in Am
ta l
on
tin
en
e C
Je tB lu
Ai rl
Ai rw
Ai rw
ay s
ay s
es S
es th w or
U
tA irl
in
ot w
ire
e H N
es
in Pr ic el
in
es
tA i rl
in es
Ai rl So
ic an
Ai rl Am
er
te d ni U
ut hw
in
in Ai rl ta
el D
es
es
itz O rb
Ti ck et s Ex pe di a
ap he
C
Tr a
ve l
oc ity
0%
N=136
You indicated that you have used a search engine to find airline sites. Please tell us which sites you have used a search engine to find. Select all that apply. Source: 2005 Travel Survey, conducted by GMI and Media-Screen (Mar. 2005) 11
Use of Online for Travel Information and Purchasing When locating hotel sites, nearly half of Google users used a search engine to find Travelocity (47%), Holiday Inn (44%) and/or Expedia (42%)
50% 45% 40%
47% 44%
42% 39% 37% 36% 36%
35% 30% 25% 20%
29% 29% 27% 26% 22% 22%
20% 20% 19% 18% 17% 17% 14% 14% 14% 13%
15%
9%
10% 5%
8%
8%
7%
8% 6%
6%
5%
4%
3%
Tr av el o Ho c ity lid ay In n Ex pe di Ho a te Be ls .c om st W es te rn O rb itz M ar rio tt Pr ic el i Co ne m f Ch ort In ea pT n ic ke ts Hi Ha lto n m pt on In n Em Ra m ba a da ss y Su ite s Ho tw i Sh re er at on Ra di ss on Hy at t M o te Re l6 d Ro of In Q n ua l ity Ch In oi n ce Ho te Ec ls on o Fo lo dg ur e Se as Do ons ub le Tr ee Sl ee p In n Cl ar io n W es tin W yn In dh te am rc on tin en ta W l Ho te ls Si de st ep O th er
0%
N=133 You indicated that you have used a search engine to find hotel sites. Please tell us which sites you have used a search engine to find. Select all that apply. Source: 2005 Travel Survey, conducted by GMI and Media-Screen (Mar. 2005) 12
Use of Online for Travel Information and Purchasing More than half (55%) of Google users used search engines to find Budget. 49% used search engines to find Hertz when looking for car rental sites 60%
55%
50%
49% 45%
43%
43%
41% 37%
40%
33%
31%
31%
31%
29%
30% 20%
15%
10%
5%
ep de st Si
Ho tw ire
el in e Pr ic
Do ll a r
Na t io na l
ke ts
Ch ea pT ic
O rb it z
o am Al
ty oc i Tr av el
Av is
pe di a Ex
e En te rp ris
He rtz
Bu dg et
0%
N=75 You indicated that you have used a search engine to find car rental sites. Please tell us which sites you have used a search engine to find. Select all that apply Source: 2005 Travel Survey, conducted by GMI and Media-Screen (Mar. 2005) 13
Use of Online for Travel Information and Purchasing A majority of Google users used a search engine to find Carnival (66%) and/or Royal Caribbean (60%) when looking for cruise sites 70%
66% 60%
60% 50% 40%
43% 36%
36% 30%
30%
30%
28%
28%
28%
26% 21%
21%
20%
13%
10%
4%
2%
O th er
G ro up ur e
Se as
Na t io na l
Le is
Se ve n
el in e
Ra di s
so n
Pr ic
Ho tw ire
O rb it z Ch ea pT ic ke ts Tr av el Ho oc it y ll a nd Am er ic a Ce le br it y Ex pe di a
ne y Di s
Pr in ce ss No rw ei gi an
Ca rn Ro iva ya l lC ar ib be an
0%
N=47 You indicated that you have used a search engine to find cruise sites. Please tell us which cruise lines for which you have conducted research. Select all that apply Source: 2005 Travel Survey, conducted by GMI and Media-Screen (Mar. 2005) 14
Use of Online for Travel Information and Purchasing Three-quarters (75%) of Google users used a search engine to locate Expedia while 71% found Travelocity when looking for vacation packages 80%
75% 71%
70% 60% 60%
53%
50% 38%
40%
35%
30% 20% 6%
10% 0% Expedia
Travelocity
Orbitz
Priceline
CheapTickets
Hotwire
Other
N=68 You indicated that you have used a search engine to find vacation packages. Please tell us which sites you have used a search engine to find. Select all that apply. Source: 2005 Travel Survey, conducted by GMI and Media-Screen (Mar. 2005) 15
Use of Online for Travel Information and Purchasing Three-quarters (76%) of Google users say search engines are very/somewhat important for making travel purchase decisions
3% Very important
3% 19%
35%
Somewhat important Neither important nor unimportant Somewhat unimportant Not at all important
41%
N=183 You indicated you used a search engine to help find travel products or services. How important was using a search engine in making your purchase decision? Source: 2005 Travel Survey, conducted by GMI and Media-Screen (Mar. 2005) 16
Use of Online for Travel Information and Purchasing Almost three-fourths (70%) of Google users report using a search engine for more than half of their travel-related research
10%
2% 34%
More than 75% 51 to 75%
19%
26-50% 10 to 25% Less than 10%
36%
N=183 Thinking of all your travel-related research as 100%, approximately what percent of your travel-related research involved using a search engine? Source: 2005 Travel Survey, conducted by GMI and Media-Screen (Mar. 2005) 17
Use of Online for Travel Information and Purchasing Almost three-fourths (70%) of Google users have made travel-related purchases online, at either specific airline, hotel, or rental car sites or general travel sites Online at a specific airline, hotel or rental car site
9%
38%
21%
Online at a general travel site Offline by booking an airline/hotel over the phone or in person
32%
Offline by booking with a travel agent
N=183 Thinking of all your travel-related purchases as 100%, what percent of those purchases have you made using each of the following methods? Your answers must add up to 100%. Source: 2005 Travel Survey, conducted by GMI and Media-Screen (Mar. 2005) 18
Use of Online for Travel Information and Purchasing Across all resources – online and offline – search engines are the most popular resource for Google users for researching/purchasing travel products, services and information 90%
85%
80%
74%
70% 59%
60%
52%
50% 40%
33%
30%
28%
30%
23%
23% 19%
20%
18% 6%
10%
4%
0% Search engine
Travel booking sites
Travel brand site
Telephone airline, hotel or car rental
New spaper
Travel guide books
Travel magazines
Travel information w eb sites
Travel agent Travel search Travel review Tour operator engine site sites
Other
N=183 Thinking of all resources – including online and offline resources – which of the following resources do you use to research and/or purchase travel products, services and information? Please select all that apply Source: 2005 Travel Survey, conducted by GMI and Media-Screen (Mar. 2005) 19
Use of Online for Travel Information and Purchasing For researching destination options, travel booking sites are the first choice for 43% of Google users, while search engines are the first choice for 32% of Google users 1st Choice Ranking 50% 45%
43%
40% 35%
32%
30%
25%
23%
25% 20%
15%
15%
11%
10%
10%
9%
9%
8%
8% 5%
5%
3%
0% Travel booking sites
Search Engine
Travel Travel information Magazines w eb sites
Travel Agent
Travel Travel brand site review site
Travel Guide Books
Tour operator sites
New spaper Telephone airline, hotel or car rental directly
Travel Search Engine
Other
N=183
Imagine you are thinking about going on vacation but do not have a specific destination in mind. Where do you go to research your options? RANK THEM based on how much you would rely on them to help you. Source: 2005 Travel Survey, conducted by GMI and Media-Screen (Mar. 2005) 20
Use of Online for Travel Information and Purchasing One-third (33%) of Google users say search engines would be their second choice for researching destination options 2nd Choice Ranking
35%
33%
30% 23%
25%
23%
22%
21%
23% 21%
19%
20%
19% 15%
15%
12% 9%
10%
6%
5% 0% Search Engine
Tour operator sites
Newspaper
Travel Travel review site information web sites
Travel Search Engine
Travel Magazines
Travel booking sites
Travel brand site
Travel Guide Books
Telephone airline, hotel or car rental directly
Travel Agent
Other
N=183 Imagine you are thinking about going on vacation but do not have a specific destination in mind. Where do you go to research your options? RANK THEM based on how much you would rely on them to help you. Source: 2005 Travel Survey, conducted by GMI and Media-Screen (Mar. 2005) 21
Use of Online for Travel Information and Purchasing Search engines are less popular for comparing choices and prices. Still, 22% of Google users say search engines are their first choice for comparing choices and prices 1st Choice Ranking
70% 60% 60% 50% 40% 30%
22%
20%
20% 15%
13%
11%
10%
10%
9%
9%
5%
4%
0%
0%
0% Travel Booking Sites
Search engine
Travel brand sites
Travel search engine
Travel Telephone Travel agent review sites airline, hotel or car rental directly
Tour operator sites
Travel Travel information magazines web sites
Newspaper Travel guide books
Other
N=183 Now, imagine you have decided where you want to go but need to compare choices and prices. Which of the following resources do you use? Please rank five (5) of the resources below based on how much you would rely on them to help you. Source: 2005 Travel Survey, conducted by GMI and Media-Screen (Mar. 2005) 22
Use of Online for Travel Information and Purchasing One-third (32%) of Google users say search engines would be their second choice for comparing choices and prices
2nd Choice Ranking 45%
40%
40% 35%
32%
32%
30%
25%
25%
23%
23% 19%
20% 15%
9%
10%
8%
6%
6%
5%
5%
2%
0% Search engine
Travel brand sites
Travel information w eb sites
Travel Booking Sites
New spaper
Travel review sites
Travel agent Travel search Travel guide Telephone to Tour operator sites engine books call an airline, hotel or car rental directly
Travel magazines
Other
N=183 Now, imagine you have decided where you want to go but need to compare choices and prices. Which of the following resources do you use? Please rank five (5) of the resources below based on how much you would rely on them to help you. Source: 2005 Travel Survey, conducted by GMI and Media-Screen (Mar. 2005) 23
Use of Online for Travel Information and Purchasing For purchasing a travel vacation, travel booking sites are the first choice for 48% of Google users, while search engines are the first choice for 24% of Google users 1st Choice Ranking 60% 50%
48%
40% 30%
24%
20%
21%
25% 19% 14% 7%
10%
7%
7%
3%
3%
2%
0%
0% Travel Booking Sites
Travel brand Telephone Travel agent sites to call an airline, hotel or car rental directly
Search engine
Tour operator sites
Travel search engine
Travel Travel information magazines web sites
Newspaper
Travel Travel guide review sites books
Other
N=183 Now, imagine you are about to purchase your travel vacation. Which of the following resources do you use? Please rank five (5) of the resources below based on how much you would rely on them to help you. Source: 2005 Travel Survey, conducted by GMI and Media-Screen (Mar. 2005) 24
Use of Online for Travel Information and Purchasing 23% of Google users say search engines would be their second choice for purchasing travel vacations, behind travel brand sites (31%) and travel booking sites (24%) 2nd Choice Ranking 35% 31%
30% 25%
24%
25% 23%
21%
21%
20% 13%
15%
13%
12% 10%
10%
10% 7%
6%
5% 0% Travel brand Travel sites Booking Sites
Search engine
Travel information w eb sites
Telephone airline, hotel or car rental directly
Travel agent Travel review sites
New spaper
Travel guide Travel search Tour operator books engine sites
Travel magazines
Other
N=183 Now, imagine you are about to purchase your travel vacation. Which of the following resources do you use? Please rank five (5) of the resources below based on how much you would rely on them to help you. Source: 2005 Travel Survey, conducted by GMI and Media-Screen (Mar. 2005) 25
Use of Online for Travel Information and Purchasing The sample of Google users is evenly divided between men and women
51%
Please indicate your gender.
49%
Male Female
N=183
Source: 2005 Travel Survey, conducted by GMI and Media-Screen (Mar. 2005) 26
Use of Online for Travel Information and Purchasing Our sample of Google users is evenly divided across age groups
10%
18-24
16%
25-29 9%
30-34 10%
35-39 40-44
8%
45-49 8% 11%
50-54 55-60
8% 12%
8%
Please indicate your age.
61-64 65+
N=183
Source: 2005 Travel Survey, conducted by GMI and Media-Screen (Mar. 2005) 27
Use of Online for Travel Information and Purchasing 41% of participating Google users have annual household incomes of $50K to $125K
1%
Less than $15,000 1% 8%
2%
$15,000 to $24,999
9%
$25,000 to $34,999
7%
3%
$35,000 to $49,999
9%
$50,000 to $74,999 13%
$75,000 to $99,999 $100,000 to $124,999
11%
$125,000 to $149,999 15% 21%
$150,000 to $199,999 $200,000 to $249,999 $250,000 or more Decline to answer
N=183 Which of the following income categories best describes your total 2004 household income before taxes? Source: 2005 Travel Survey, conducted by GMI and Media-Screen (Mar. 2005) 28
