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Informative Articles

8 things not to forget when traveling to the tropics
Copyright 2005 Dave Markel Sometimes it is hard to pack for a place or climate that is new. When packing to go to the tropics there are some items that you don't want to forget. 1. Appropriate Identification: With tighter security these days it...

A Travelers Guide To Currency Exchange
Exchanging currency is something frequent travelers must become familiar with. There are many different currencies around the world. Finding out how to exchange currency and where to do it can help travelers get the most out of their money. ...

A unique travelling palate in India that suits every tastebuds, Kullu Manali, Himachal Pradesh, India
"India, a country of diversities in its rich cultures and travelling vistas. India imbue's in it a bemusing geography,with snow clad views of himalayas in north, swhirling sands of Rajasthan in west, sandy dunnes along the crystal clear waters of...

Cheap Travel Insurance
Guide to Cheap Annual Travel Insurance Vacations are for fun, it means leaving behind your job and responsibilities for a while. Having travel insurance is one way of putting your mind at complete rest. It's a lot easier to enjoy your trip...

House Sitters Are Coming to the Rescue of Many Travellers
Everyone seems to have accepted the fact that the days of leaving your door unlocked are over. The rise of crime is affecting everyone, not just those who live in the larger cities. In fact, homes in rural areas are being targeted like never...

 
Online Travel Statistics

The Travel Industry Association of America (TIA) released their annual Travelers’ Use of the Internet study in December 2003. The study shows an increase in the number of people using the internet to research and book travel.

TIA found that 30% of the adult U.S. population (63.8 million) consult the web for travel information. These travelers spend (on average) $300 more on travel, and nearly 40% had an annual household income above $75,000.

Online travelers surf to two or more travel websites, spending an average of 37 minutes. They research and compare prices, check schedules and book trips. The number of people actually booking online increased by 8% over 2002 and grew to 42.2 million people in 2003. Within this group of online travelers, 32 million people made travel arrangements exclusively through the internet (a figure expected to grow according to the TIA).

10 million travelers responded to


email campaigns, causing the TIA to believe that email campaigns are stimulating unplanned travel.

TIA stated that the top 10 travel websites are:
Expedia
Travelocity
Orbitz
Yahoo Travel
Cheap Tickets
Hot Wire
VIPfares
Priceline.com
ITN.net
TravelNow.com

If your business supplies lodging, real estate, shopping, recreation, dining, events or tourist related specialty services, it may be wise to place advertisements with these websites. If you are not making full use of the internet for your marketing campaigns you are missing 30% of your potential market.

As online travelers’ habits become more sophisticated you will find them expecting to find and book everything from one location.

About the Author

MARKETING COORDINATOR and WEBSITE DESIGNER-Radha Khalsa, has extensive experience in the areas of marketing analysis, strategic planning and project management.