Internet Beats Direct Mail and Phone in Travel Sector
Internet search engines and e-mail newsletters have become the affluent travelers’ preferred sources for information and inquiries related to travel services. Among consumers with a $100,000 or better income, more than 76% use search engines to research travel information and nearly one-quarter use e-mail newsletters, according to recent market research data.
Data from a joint study of the travel sector was recently released by the Chicago-based database-marketing firm Thomas, Townsend & Kent and BIGsearch LLC, the Worthington, OH-based market research division of Prosper International Co.
The study reveals online searches are more widely used for travel planning than travel magazines and direct mail, among all income groups.
Slightly under 5% of individuals in the $100,000-plus income group rely on direct mail information to research travel options, compared to 9.7% for the general population.
Wealthy travelers prefer to book their travel arrangements online, rather than contacting a call center. More than 48% use general travel Web sites and 51% book arrangements online directly with travel service providers. Roughly 26% use the telephone. Nearly 37% of the general population books travel arrangements by phone.
