| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 21/08/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 41 |
| Copyright: Other |
Anite travel systems b Isabel Choat
Operators blamed for lack of Web bookings
Content holds back consumer sales
Lack of bookable content is holding back growth of Internet sales in the travel sector.Research by Anite Travel Systems shows tour operators have been slow to provide on-line booking facilities as they see the Internet as little more than an on-line bucket shop.
However, in a survey of 500 consumers nearly 60% of respondents said they would buy both high and low-priced products on-line.
Head of marketing Howard Frost said: “The findings show the industry is taking its time to respond to the enormous potential of etravel. If operators would get product on-line, consumers would respond.”
Although most consumers would like to make all their travel arrangements on-line – (only 22% have a strong bias against using the Web – the majority are simply using the Internet to buy holiday components, such as hotels and flights, while only 7% of consumers have booked a package holiday.
Despite the fact that only a fraction of Web sites offer a booking facility, over 70% of respondents believe that between half and all of Web sites have this facility. Consumers also think they can tailor-make their holidays when in fact they can’t.
“There is real confusion among consumers as to what they can do on-line. There is a danger that users could become disaffected as they are surfing around and not getting want they want,” said Frost.
He added that there was no reasons why flight consolidators shouldn’t start to add products, such as hotels and car hire to give consumers an opportunity to tailor-make packages.
The survey also showed that while women have traditionally been the driving force when it comes to booking family holidays, 52% of all on-line bookings are made by men.
“It is only a small difference but it is something that on-line providers should be wary of.”
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Frost:consumers are confused as to what they can do on-line