An eight-year Phocuswright veteran, Ms. Walsh contributes to a range of research efforts as author and editor, with recent publications including In-Destination Events, Attractions & Activities: Europe, U.S. Mobile Travel Report: Market Sizing and Consumer Trends, and U.S. Online Travel Traffic Report. Cathy joined Phocuswright in 2005 to launch The Phocuswright Research Subscription: Technology Edition (now The Innovation Edition). Formerly director, communications, Cathy continues to create marketing content to promote Phocuswright research and events. Cathy gained travel industry expertise as editor of the trade newsletter Travel Distribution Report, where she produced news and analysis on travel distribution and technology. She is a cum laude graduate of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and received a M.A. in English from North Carolina State University, where her research focused on technology and culture.
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Areas of Research
Cathy's areas of expertise include online consumer technology, social networks, marketing and distribution strategy, and Internet trends, with a particular focus on emerging technologies.

Online Accommodation Brand Analysis: Traffic & Conversion
Category: Consumer Trends Published: March 2017 Analysts: Douglas Quinby, Cathy Walsh, Deepak Jain US $295While the travel industry pays close attention to channel differences and competitive dynamics, travelers care primarily about finding a great place to stay, regardless of the type(s) of travel website...

Metasearch: Hotel Path Traffic
Category: Consumer Trends Published: March 2017 Analysts: Douglas Quinby, Cathy Walsh, Deepak Jain US $295Hotels seeking an alternative to OTAs – and the OTAs themselves – have embraced metasearch as part of their demand acquisition strategy. While TripAdvisor currently leads the pack, competitors like...

Private Accommodation: Traffic & Conversion
Category: Consumer Trends Published: March 2017 Analysts: Douglas Quinby, Cathy Walsh, Deepak Jain US $295Private accommodation has exploded over the past few years, bringing alternative lodging options into the mainstream. While both HomeAway and VRBO have been the historical leaders in this category,...

Hotel Suppliers: Traffic & Conversion
Category: Consumer Trends Published: February 2017 Analysts: Douglas Quinby, Cathy Walsh, Deepak Jain US $295In an effort to regain some market share from leading OTAs, major hotel brands have introduced exclusive rates and other perks for loyalty members who book direct. But to what extent have these...

Online Travel Agencies: Hotel Path Traffic & Conversion
Category: Consumer Trends Published: February 2017 Analysts: Douglas Quinby, Cathy Walsh, Deepak Jain US $295While hotel shopping via desktop on online travel agencies (OTAs) has recently fallen, coinciding with the launch of several major hotels’ direct-booking marketing campaigns, OTAs have seen significant...