Most UK travellers list special offers and pricing as their top “inspiration” when looking for holidays, a new survey has found.
Research from advertising platform Teads, based on multiple surveys of UK holidaymakers, has found 80% of respondents said pricing and offers in related travel adverts inspired them the most, followed by 65% saying it was visual imagery and 28% a connection to a cultural moment.
The Teads Travel Compass report revealed cost was similarly the most important factor for accommodation and flight choices for those surveyed, cited by 60% and 54% of respondents respectively.
The report also found 20% of those surveyed visited high street travel agents, 33% booked flights and accommodation together through an airline’s website, 45% made all arrangements using travel aggregators and 49% bought accommodation and transport separately using different websites.
The research also found a third of UK consumers “prefer more-spontaneous travel decisions” and look for inspiration anywhere from a few days to a month before booking.
This contrasts with a significant portion choosing to plan far ahead, with two in 10 UK travellers researching holiday options more than six months in advance, which goes up to three in 10 investigating possible trips one to three months before going away.
The survey revealed beach holidays are the most popular choice of holiday (51%), followed by city breaks (46%), visiting family and friends (34%), sightseeing (34%) and country/rural escapes (31%).
Anna Slater, global vice-president of travel at Teads, said: “For travel agents and tour operators, the data indicates that, while there are certain moments in the calendar year that consumers research and book certain types of holiday, what’s apparent is that the planning window overall tends to be year-round, so an always-on approach is crucial.
“With a smart, omnichannel marketing strategy, they can ensure they remain visible throughout that period and reach their target audience in the right places.”
She added: “Agents must understand what inspires and motivates travellers in order to develop a compelling narrative.”