The PhoCusWright Consumer Technology Survey Second Edition

The PhoCusWright Consumer Technology Survey Second Edition covers a range of consumer technologies relevant to travel and assesses U.S. online traveler familiarity and usage patterns, as well as the degree to which these technologies influence purchasing behavior. This package is comprised of the series of five articles presenting the findings from the larger research initiative.

An abstract of each of the five articles is below.

1. Consumer familiarity with various Web 2.0 technologies may not be increasing as rapidly as previously anticipated, with a recent survey indicating that recognition of most technologies is flat compared to 2007. The sole exception is social networks. Online travelers are becoming more familiar with social networks, although a slightly smaller number report participating in them.
2. Any travel company aiming to make its travel Web site a one-stop shop, take note: online travelers are all but guaranteed to visit multiple sites. The most popular type of site for both beginning a travel search and booking travel is online travel agencies.
3. Both rich media and consumer reviews can be powerful influences on traveler decisions, but some travelers are more impressionable than others. Travelers of all ages found friends’ advice reliable, while blogs and user-generated reviews were only a hit with the Gen Y set.
4. The nature of social media – especially traveler reviews and social networks – is highly personal. From user-generated content to Facebook applications, travelers are interested only in the information or promotions that are most relevant to them.
5. Mobile phones aren’t just for making calls anymore – online travelers are also using them to send text messages, access the Internet and watch videos. And given that 61% of online travelers said they’d like to receive flight status alerts on their mobile devices, travel providers should consider mobile an increasingly important customer touchpoint.