Online trip planners spending more

Online trip planners spending more
By admin


Australian holidaymakers that use the internet to plan their domestic trip are spending 25% more than those who only use other information sources, a new survey has revealed.

Roy Morgan research for the year to May 2013 showed that Australians who looked online while deciding on a holiday destination spent an all-inclusive average of $179 per person per night. That figure is $35 more than those who referred to alternative sources such as travel agents, brochures, guide books or the advice of friends and relatives.

It also showed that 25% of domestic holidaymakers now use the the Internet when deciding on a holiday destination, considerably up from the 4% seen in 2001.

The 43% of travellers who did not source any information at all spent just $116 per night on average with many staying for free with friends and relatives.

Roy Morgan international director of tourism Jane Ianiello stressed that the appeal of online was about "far more than deals and discounts".

"It also provides holiday researchers with comprehensive information on how and where to spend their tourist dollars," she said.

“It is therefore critical for tourism operators and destination marketers to have a strong web presence that not only persuades people to visit, but encourages them to see and do (and spend) all they can once they arrive.”

Word of mouth and previous experience of a destination were all highlighted as major decision drivers. 

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