Business travelers are doing more of their booking online, with 71% claiming to prefer booking online, a rise of 14 percentage points from 57% in 2003, according to new data from research firm Accenture.
Those who prefer to book using an online travel agency, either on the phone or in person, has fallen to 24% in 2005, a drop of 15 percentage points from 39% in 2003.
A survey by product information company, Keynote Systems, conducted at the end of 2004, confirmed these findings, showing that 40% of US business travelers used an online travel agency, while 21% used an airline or hotel supplier website. Corporate travel providers are used by 18% and 12% book offline.
US analysts, eMarketer, argue that there is still room for growth in the market, stating that a significant percentage of business travelers research travel offline but still book by another method. The fact that many business travelers want offline confirmation after booking online suggests limited trust of web reservations.
Paul Chiu, partner in Accenture’s transportation and travel services practice said: “We continue to see that service and convenience – from the website to the aisle seat to the hotel room – remain top concerns for travelers.”
Chiu added: “Companies that provide convenience, good prices and quality service on a consistent basis can win the lucrative business traveler.”
A separate survey from Harris Interactive shows that speed and reliability are key features for online travel booking.
Online booking for the travel sector is becoming increasingly popular, Continental Research reveal in its Spring 2005 Internet Report, with 30% of surveyed broadband users in the UK obtaining air tickets via the medium (see Multi-Use Of Broadband By Consumers).
Data from online intelligence service, Hitwise, showed that December 2004 enjoyed a strong performance in terms of UK visits to internet travel sites, with traffic up 20% from the same period last year (see UK Online Travel To Equal Best Ever Month).
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