Post by khatunrita309 on Mar 10, 2024 19:14:26 GMT -8
A few days ago I booked a hotel on Booking . I confess that I didn't even try to look at the hotel's website, because I was afraid of what I would find. Unclear pages, broken links and perhaps low quality booking engines where it is impossible to book are always lurking. But then I went to the official website: I found a lower rate and a simple and clear booking engine. So I canceled on Booking and rebooked on the hotel. But not all bookings have this happy ending: PhoCusWright explains to us why users often prefer portals . Channel Surfing: Where Consumers Shop for Travel Online is the new white paper published free by PhoCusWright to understand how users internationally search and book their travel. The analysis was sponsored by Expedia Inc., but all data is taken from a larger survey by PhoCusWright. One of the aspects that make it interesting is that it also collects data relating to emerging markets: Australia, Brazil, China, France.
Germany, Russia, UK and USA . As you can see from this image, travel planning takes place online in most cases in all the destinations examined: the purchase phase already has notable penetration in all markets , even the Russian one (61%). (hover over the image to enlarge) Hotel vs. OTA: who wins? It is not surprising that when asked “Which sites do you use to choose the hotel?” the vast majority of participants indicated OTAs. This is especially true in China , where portals like Ctrip offer an excellent booking experience on both desktop and mobile. The good news is that when it comes time to book, hotels earn points again in several market Industry Email List In the USA and France, bookings from the official website even surpass those from OTAs. In America this is the product of the loyalty program discounts that many hotel chains offer. In other cases, the reduced disparity is probably attributable to the billboard effect : the user searches on an OTA but then books on the official website if he finds it more convenient. The gap is much more glaring when it comes to mobile bookings : in this case the OTAs are the ones who dominate. This is due to the fact that portals usually offer mobile-friendly sites or applications that hotels do not have. What are the reasons that make an OTA preferable to a hotel website? According to PhoCusWright, they make the difference above.
The browsing experience, both from desktop and mobile The possibility of booking multiple products on a single site The perception that OTAs offer better prices “Unlike official sites, travelers say OTAs give them the ability to efficiently compare a wide range of products in a single place. Efficiency and ease of use are the strong point of OTAs : instead of bouncing from one site to another, travelers can see photos, reviews, compare prices and availability on a single site. Many portals also offer houses for rent, packages, activities and much more.” As you can see in this diagram, in 47% of cases users book from a portal for ease of use. Sometimes out of habit (39%) or because they trust the brand (34%) : after all, booking on a site you know makes everything simpler and faster. In 30% of cases the user is also convinced that he will find the best price on the portal . Think back to your business and your official website in light of this data: have you ever wondered if the hotel website is easy to navigate? What if the booking engine makes booking easy? Have you made sure to tell users.
Germany, Russia, UK and USA . As you can see from this image, travel planning takes place online in most cases in all the destinations examined: the purchase phase already has notable penetration in all markets , even the Russian one (61%). (hover over the image to enlarge) Hotel vs. OTA: who wins? It is not surprising that when asked “Which sites do you use to choose the hotel?” the vast majority of participants indicated OTAs. This is especially true in China , where portals like Ctrip offer an excellent booking experience on both desktop and mobile. The good news is that when it comes time to book, hotels earn points again in several market Industry Email List In the USA and France, bookings from the official website even surpass those from OTAs. In America this is the product of the loyalty program discounts that many hotel chains offer. In other cases, the reduced disparity is probably attributable to the billboard effect : the user searches on an OTA but then books on the official website if he finds it more convenient. The gap is much more glaring when it comes to mobile bookings : in this case the OTAs are the ones who dominate. This is due to the fact that portals usually offer mobile-friendly sites or applications that hotels do not have. What are the reasons that make an OTA preferable to a hotel website? According to PhoCusWright, they make the difference above.
The browsing experience, both from desktop and mobile The possibility of booking multiple products on a single site The perception that OTAs offer better prices “Unlike official sites, travelers say OTAs give them the ability to efficiently compare a wide range of products in a single place. Efficiency and ease of use are the strong point of OTAs : instead of bouncing from one site to another, travelers can see photos, reviews, compare prices and availability on a single site. Many portals also offer houses for rent, packages, activities and much more.” As you can see in this diagram, in 47% of cases users book from a portal for ease of use. Sometimes out of habit (39%) or because they trust the brand (34%) : after all, booking on a site you know makes everything simpler and faster. In 30% of cases the user is also convinced that he will find the best price on the portal . Think back to your business and your official website in light of this data: have you ever wondered if the hotel website is easy to navigate? What if the booking engine makes booking easy? Have you made sure to tell users.