Online Travel Booking Numbers On the Rise
The
Travel Industry Association of America estimates that around
64 million Americans research their travel options online.
This
marks a dramatic rise from 1997 when just 12 million Americans
planned and researched travel options via the Net.
Around 42 percent of online travel planners say they now do all
or most of their trip planning online, up from 29 percent last
year.
In 2002, over 39 million people actually booked travel using the
Internet, up 25 percent on 2001.
The
research also indicates that 70 percent of travel planners say
they now carry out at least half of their travel booking online,
compared with 56 percent last year.
Airlines
tickets continue to be the most frequently purchased travel item
with 77 percent of all online travel bookers having bought a airplane
ticket over the internet.
Hotel or lodging accommodations have been set up by around 57 percent of online travel bookers,
while rental cars have been bought by 37 percent of online buyers.
About
a quarter of travelers buy tickets for cultural events online,
while more than 25 percent buy travel packages. The study also reveals that over 30 percent of online travel bookers
spent $2,500 or more in the past year on internet travel purchases.
(Source: TIAA) |
