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Consumers shift to vacation packages and more complex travel purchases

U.S. online travel buyers purchased more complex travel online in 2007, according to a new report, The PhoCusWright Consumer Travel Trends Survey Tenth Edition. As a result, simple or single components became less popular.

With nearly four in 10 online travel buyers making a combination purchase and 26 percent buying all-inclusive or vacation packages online, it is clear that these online buyers ascribed increasing value to bundled travel products in 2007. The consistent "book together and save" messaging that online travel agents have been using for their packaging products has evidently resonated with travelers, and their efforts to secure supplier discounts (almost entirely from hotels) have paid off.

To captivate the ever-evolving U.S. online travel buyer:

Online channels need to provide user-friendly and comprehensive comparison tools for complex travel.
Supplier Web sites should focus on providing competitive packaging tools on their own Web sites to avoid losing potential customers to online travel agents.

Order The PhoCusWright Consumer Travel Trends Survey Tenth Edition to learn more about the issues, behaviors and motivators of the U.S. online travel buyer. More information, including Table of Contents, List of Tables and Methodology, is available online.