The travel value chain has finally begun to understand the opportunity to generate incremental revenue from in-destination tours, activities and dining, and the competition to provide these services has never been more intense. Phocuswright estimates that the global tours and activities market will reach US$183 billion by 2020. The competitive landscape is broad and fierce, ranging from traditional and online travel agents, to hoteliers, tours and activity aggregators, and the online powerhouse, Google. Given the fragmentation and competition in the in-destination activity space, who will ultimately be the victor?Analyst: Norm RoseTopics: Destination & Activities Marketing, Technology InnovationSegment: Tours & PackagesResearch Type: Report
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The Asia Pacific region is blossoming with digital travel startups vying to disrupt the status quo of incumbent intermediaries that have been around for more than a decade. APAC startups are garnering astonishing investor attention and implementing viable strategies to bolster local market adoption. This report takes a comprehensive look at the APAC travel startup ecosystem from 2005-2017, with a focus on key investors and acquisitions, and the vertical and horizontal categories that are generating the most interest and activity.Analysts: Chetan Kapoor, Michael ColettaTopic: Technology InnovationRegion: Asia PacificResearch Type: Report
Smartphone travel planning continues to grow among European travelers. As mobile capabilities improve and travel apps go even more mainstream, travelers are embracing smartphones as an easy and reliable choice for travel planning. This Spotlight explores how French, German and U.K. travelers shop and book on smartphones, where they ultimately book travel plans, and how smartphone activity varies by age.Analysts: Mark Blutstein, Brandie WrightTopics: Mobile, Technology InnovationRegion: EuropeResearch Type: Report
In the relatively mature U.S. online travel market, the days of easy online growth are a thing of the past. As organic gains slow, the battle for market share among suppliers and intermediaries is increasingly competitive. As both suppliers and OTAs strive to attract website visitors and boost online bookings, mobile has emerged as a wild card, with traveler behavior varying significantly by segment and channel. This report assesses online shopping and purchase dynamics by considering a range of factors, including channel, device, operating system and loyalty status.Analysts: Cathy Walsh, Deepak Jain, Douglas QuinbyTopics: Mobile, Social & SearchSegments: Air, Hotels & Lodging, Online Travel AgenciesResearch Type: Report
Smartphone ownership among leisure travelers in Europe’s largest travel markets is closing in on 90%. Meanwhile, technology giants continue to press forward with mobile, and smartphones and tablets have each become crucial in how consumers search, shop and book travel online. This report helps travel companies understand the intersection between consumer technology and online travel planning in key European markets, with a focus on the devices, websites and apps that travelers use, along with key trends in social network adoption and activity.Analysts: Mark Blutstein, Marcello GasdiaTopic: Technology InnovationSegments: Air, Cruise, Hotels & Lodging, Online Travel AgenciesRegion: EuropeResearch Type: Report
Travelers have grown increasingly comfortable with mobile devices, and many now confidently engage in a broad range of mobile activities. As reaching for a mobile device becomes second nature for more experienced users, mobile is playing a bigger role in travel research, shopping, buying and sharing. Phocuswright's Traveler Technology Survey 2014 is designed to help travel companies navigate the changes taking place in consumer adoption of both mobile devices and social media. This report provides a comprehensive view of mobile device ownership/purchase intent, and tracks general trends in mobile web activity and social network adoption.Analyst: Marcello GasdiaTopics: Consumer Trends, Mobile, Social & Search, Technology InnovationRegion: U.S. & CanadaResearch Type: Report
The Internet of Things (IoT) – a collection of smart devices that transfer data over a network – is becoming increasingly sophisticated and impactful. While the best-known such object is the smartphone, a variety of IoT devices are currently on the market – smart home appliances, voice-controlled lighting systems and wearable activity monitors are just a few examples. The number of connected “things” is projected to grow from 4.9 billion in 2015 to nearly 25 billion by 2020. This Analysis explores the role of the IoT in both daily life and the travel industry, and examines how up-and-coming smart devices will change the travel experience.Analyst: Norm RoseTopic: Technology InnovationSegments: Air, Hotels & LodgingRegion: U.S. & CanadaResearch Type: Report
Following a whirlwind decade of rising mobile adoption, the dust is finally beginning to settle. Smartphones are now nearly ubiquitous, and consumers expect all the bells and whistles of the desktop shopping and buying experience to translate flawlessly to the small screen. Travel companies must be relentless in their efforts to improve the online experience on all devices. Based on a comprehensive survey of U.S traveler attitudes and behavior, this report examines the use of technology and online platforms – including mobile devices, PCs, tablets, online social networks and more – throughout the travel life cycle.Analysts: Marcello Gasdia, Mark Blutstein, Cathy WalshTopics: Technology Innovation, Consumer TrendsSegments: Air, Car Rental & Ground Transportation, Hotels & Lodging, Online Travel AgenciesRegion: U.S. & CanadaResearch Type: Report
Phocuswright’s U.S. Online Travel Traffic Report 2013-2014 provides sizing of the U.S. online travel market by traffic (unique visitors) and examines key trends in conversion, referral traffic and site rankings. Conducted in partnership with Millward Brown Digital (formerly Compete), this research also includes measurement and analysis of high-opportunity traffic – the key segment of site visitors who are most likely to book.Analysts: Douglas Quinby, Ryan WilliamsTopics: Consumer Trends, Social & SearchSegments: Air, Car Rental & Ground Transportation, Hotels & Lodging, Online Travel AgenciesRegion: U.S. & CanadaResearch Type: Report
Improvements in the British economy in 2013, as well as favorable exchange rates between the pound sterling and the euro, drove demand for outbound leisure travel and stirred heavy competition within the industry. Low-cost carriers led growth for the year, followed by rail and traditional airlines, and mobile strategies stood front and center. Tour operators started separating themselves from online travel agencies in the hopes of becoming favored travel brands (and channels). This flurry of consumer-driven activity and growth – while welcome – may cool down soon, resulting in relatively slower growth through 2016. Ultimately, though, the long view for the U.K. remains optimistic.Analyst: Luke BujarskiTopic: Market Overview & SizingRegion: EuropeResearch Type: Report
Social DMOs: The State of Social Media and Destination Marketing analyzes social media practices and perspectives among destination marketing organizations. The report also provides benchmarks for DMOs to evaluate their use of social media, tracks which social networks DMOs use and value, and offers insight into key goals, challenges, tools and techniques related to social media.Analysts: Cathy Walsh, John DiStefano, Bing Liu, Chetan Kapoor, Deepak Jain, Douglas QuinbyTopic: Social & SearchRegion: U.S. & CanadaResearch Type: Report
In the years since smartphones first disrupted the travel market, companies have made great strides in offering mobile functionality that makes the travel process more seamless. While corporate travel initially lagged leisure in mobile development, the industry has moved quickly to provide business travelers with better mobile tools, features and functionality. To optimize their investments, companies must understand how business travelers use their mobile devices, both for work and for play. This report offers travel managers, suppliers and intermediaries key insights into business traveler behavior in relation to mobile devices, including general behavior, device adoption, future purchase intentions, participation in social media and more.Analyst: Charuta FadnisTopics: Business Travel, Mobile, Social & SearchSegments: Air, Car Rental & Ground Transportation, Hotels & LodgingRegion: U.S. & CanadaResearch Type: Report