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Technology has revolutionized retail. Consumers the world over are now just a few online clicks away from shopping and purchasing almost any product and service. The travel and tourism industry was one of the first sectors to make the online leap, putting a vast array of services within reach of a few simple clicks.As a result, there is no end of options available to help a consumer plan, shop for, and purchase travel between two airports, or between railway station X and railway station Y. Over the last decade, online travel agencies (OTA), airlines, rail and metasearch companies have made this process even simpler, more convenient and almost instantaneous. Yet, very few travelers begin and end their journeys at the airport or the station, and leisure trips often include multiple destinations and transfer points. For example, a leisure traveler visiting Athens and the Greek islands from the US would be faced with planning upward of 20 separate booking transactions including multiple ground transfers at various locations, air travel and ferry service. And this is further complicated with unfamiliar destinations.Analyst: Michael GerraTopic: Technology InnovationResearch Type: Report
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Following a year in which leisure travel incidence finally surpassed pre-recession levels, the U.S. leisure travel market shifted into reverse in 2016. Overall leisure travel declined for most age groups, and international travel dipped as well. But despite the pullback, significant bright spots remained. This Spotlight examines the incidence of travel among U.S. adults, with a focus on trip frequency, length and overall travel spend.Analysts: Cathy Walsh, Mark BlutsteinTopic: Consumer TrendsRegion: U.S. & CanadaResearch Type: Report
While travelers frequently fantasize about idyllic destinations, leisure travel encompasses many types of trips beyond the dream getaway. In 2016, U.S. travelers often ventured out with financial considerations in mind, and therefore opted to put off that dream vacation. This Spotlight explores U.S. travelers’ trip motivations and other factors that influence destination selection. It also provides fresh data on trip length, travel spend, travel party composition and more.Analysts: Cathy Walsh, Mark BlutsteinTopics: Consumer Trends, Destination & Activities MarketingRegion: U.S. & CanadaResearch Type: Report
While 2015 was a banner year for U.S. leisure travel, in 2016 the purchase incidence dropped for some travel categories. With travelers taking fewer (and shorter) trips overall, most major travel products experienced a decline in purchases, though the lodging segment has remained strong. This Spotlight provides a detailed analysis of U.S. leisure travelers’ purchase patterns for all major travel segments: air, hotel, car rental, vacation packages, destination activities and cruises.Analysts: Mark Blutstein, Cathy WalshTopic: Consumer TrendsSegments: Air, Car Rental & Ground Transportation, Hotels & Lodging, Tours & PackagesRegion: U.S. & CanadaResearch Type: Report
From perfectly filtered social media posts to heartfelt recollections of friends, visually stunning scenes from movies, and glossy magazine covers, travelers are exposed to an array of inspiration sources that seed ideas of spectacular places they hope to one day see. But with a world of options, travelers must carefully whittle down their options to the one that most speaks to their wishes. Most travelers take just a handful of leisure trips each year. After accounting for the trips to visit family and friends or to attend social obligations – weddings, graduations, reunions – the pool of trips left where travelers actually get to choose their destination independently shrinks. Within various markets across the globe, including the U.S., Brazil, Australia, China, Mexico, Germany and the U.K, less than half of leisure travelers traveled to a destination they could choose at their whim over the past year.Analysts: Alice Jong, Mark BlutsteinTopics: Destination & Activities Marketing, Consumer TrendsSegments: Hotels & Lodging, Online Travel Agencies, Tours & PackagesRegions: Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, U.S. & CanadaResearch Type: Report
U.S. travelers only take a few leisure trips a year, but travel is rarely far from their minds. Mobile devices mean that information is always at their fingertips, and travelers are eating it up. A quarter of U.S. destination selectors say they actively research new trips at least once a month; destinations and travel marketers need to consistently entice travelers to remain top of mind.Analyst: Mark BlutsteinTopics: Consumer Trends, Destination & Activities MarketingRegion: U.S. & CanadaResearch Type: Report
Fueled partly by a surge in inbound travelers with a strong preference for digital booking, online travel bookings in Japan are growing more than twice as fast as the overall travel market. In addition, global OTAs including Expedia, Booking.com/Agoda and Ctrip/Trip.com are expanding their footprint in the country, further helping to drive online bookings. Meanwhile, suppliers and intermediaries in Japan’s rail space are introducing new technology to transform rail distribution and deliver a seamless trip planning, booking and riding experience. This publication presents a high-level view of the Japanese travel market, focusing on the need-to-know developments, trends and stories that are impacting the market now.Analysts: Haruo Ushiba, Cathy Walsh, Coney Dongre, Deepak Jain, Maggie RauchTopic: Market Overview & SizingSegments: Air, Car Rental & Ground Transportation, Hotels & Lodging, Online Travel Agencies, RailRegion: Asia PacificResearch Type: Report
Europeans love to travel, and nearly half of European travelers begin planning their trips at least three months in advance. But what do they look for in a destination, and where do they go? This report, part of the Europe Consumer Travel 2018 series and based on a comprehensive survey of French, German and U.K. travelers, examines where European consumers go on their trips (and why), and reveals the key information sources they rely on for destination research.Analysts: Mark Blutstein, Brandie WrightTopics: Consumer Trends, Destination & Activities MarketingRegion: EuropeResearch Type: Report
For many European consumers, leisure travel accounts for a significant share (if not the largest share) of their discretionary spending. And despite some ongoing economic and political challenges that impact both domestic and international trips, travel remains a priority for Europeans. Focusing on consumers in France, Germany and the U.K., this infographic highlights some high-level findings from Phocuswright’s Europe Consumer Travel 2018 series. Data points include number of travelers, annual travel spend, trip frequency and more.Analysts: Brandie Wright, Mark BlutsteinTopic: Consumer TrendsRegion: EuropeResearch Type: Report
Following a drop in 2016, the incidence of leisure travel among U.S. adults climbed in 2017. More than seven in 10 Americans took at least one leisure trip in 2017, with notable increases among lower- and middle-income earners. Conversely, average annual travel spend and trip frequency declined slightly. This updated collection of reports provides a range of data and analysis on key aspects of the U.S. consumer travel market.Analysts: Cathy Walsh, Mark BlutsteinTopic: Consumer TrendsRegion: U.S. & CanadaResearch Type: Report