Reading Between The Links: Why Travelers Use General Search Engines

Summary

For many consumers, general search engines like Google and Yahoo! have become indispensable gateways to the online universe. Most would be lost without them. And travelers are no exception. Despite their familiarity with (and often, loyalty to) countless household travel brands, travelers still flock to search engines when they plan their trips online. But even with millions of daily search users, stiff competition remains for travel companies seeking to tap into this vast stream of potential customers. Understanding the role that general search engines play in the travel shopping and buying process is vital in order to leverage the channel successfully. What motivates consumers to use search? What types of activities are most common? What travel content do they search for and why?

Reading Between the Links: Why Travelers Use General Search Engines explores the role of general search engines in the travel planning process. The report provides an overview of travelers' search engine brand usage, motives for using search, travel products searched for and more. Based on a survey of more than 2,000 U.S. travelers that was conducted as part of Phocuswright’s Consumer Travel Report Fourth Edition, the report delivers a comprehensive assessment of how travelers use and view search engines, along with key implications for travel companies.

Report highlights include:

• Travelers' usage of general search engines by brand – Google, Yahoo!, Bing and others
• Frequency of general and travel-related search by traveler age and percentage of travel
• Travelers' dependence on and attitudes toward search engines, and reasons for using them for general and travel-related purposes
• Travel-related activities conducted using search, including use of search by travel product – air, hotel, car, destination activities and more
• Key implications of travelers' attitudes and usage of search engines for travel marketers

The popularity of search engines among consumers in general – and travelers in particular – demands that travel companies have a clear understanding of why and how they're being used. Download Reading Between the Links: Why Travelers Use General Search Engines for the data and analysis that will help drive smart, strategic decisions.

And for even more information on U.S. consumers' travel-related behavior and attitudes, check out Phocuswright's U.S. Consumer Travel Report Fourth Edition.

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