by editorial office, itb
Rapid increase in travel bookings via internet – travelers are increasingly counting on recommendations by friends. For the first time ever, the internet is dominating in regards to the planning and booking of trips in Europe.
In 2008, the number of travelers who used the internet in their travel planning passed the number of those who passed on on the World Wide Web for travel information or booking. This is the conclusion of the ITB World Travel Trends Report, produced by the consultancy IPK International on behalf of the ITB Berlin.
According to the recently released trend analysis, the number of people using the internet in their travel planning and booking rose from 50 percent in the period between January and August, 2007, to 55 percent in the respective period of this year. Particularly interesting: The number of travel bookings via internet is increasing notedly faster than the use of the internet for information on travel offers. The share of holiday trip bookings in Europe made via the internet rose from 19 percent in 2003 to 41 percent in 2008.
„The most recent surveys in all relevant European markets leave no doubt of the increasingly rapid change in the channels of distribution, as well as the challenges to marketing“, said Dr. Martin Buck, Director KompetenzCenter Travel & Logistics Messe Berlin. The development would also be of benefit to the customer. „The customer will no longer want to miss neither the variety offered via the internet, nor the transparency of offers and prices. This is something the travel industry will have to adapt to“, the director of the world’s most important trade fair for the global travel industry added.
According to the ITB World Travel Trends Report, more than half of all Europeans are already using the internet as a source of information in their travel preparations. The travel agencies are continuously losing importance in the area of providing information. Travel recommendations by friends and relatives, on the other hand, are gaining importance. While 47 percent of European travelers get their information via the internet and 23 percent via travel agencies, 19 percent of all travelers trust in advice from their friends and family. Eight percent of information is obtained through travel guides and seven percent from brochures by the tourist offices. Only two percent of respondents declared that they get their information on travel via television.
The ITB World Travel Trends Report summarizes the most important conclusions of the annual Pisa Forum. The report is based on the assessment of 60 tourism experts from 30 countries, a trend analysis of the most important source markets, conducted specifically for the Forum by IPK, as well as core data of the World Travel Monitor, which is considered the largest continuous study on global travel behavior from around 60 source countries. The report is available for download at www.itb-berlin.com in the section „Media Centre“ under „Publications“.
The ITB Berlin Convention
The ITB Berlin is taking place from Wednesday to Sunday, March 11 to 15, 2009. From Wednesday to Friday, the ITB is open for trade visitors. The ITB Berlin Convention is taking place parallel to the trade fair from Wednesday to Saturday, March 11 to 14, 2009. The complete program is available at www.itb-convention.com.
