Consumer Snapshot:

The UK Young Professional & Online Travel

&
An Overview of the
UK Online Travel Market
 Overview of the UK Online Travel Market

EyeforTravel Research
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London
E1 6PX
UK

For queries contact:

amy@eyefortravel.com
www.eyefortravel.com

EyeforTravel Ltd, May 2007

© EyeforTravel Research. All rights reserved.

 Table of Contents
UK Online Travel Market | Consumer Snapshot

Table of Contents

Overview of the UK Online Travel Market 7

1. Size of the UK online travel market & European market share 7

2. Trends of online vs. offline sales 10

3. Sector online trends: airline, car rental, hotel, tour operator 11

3.1 Trends in the online airline market 12
3.2 Trends in the online long train trip market 14
3.3 Trends in the online car ferry market 15
3.4 Trends in the online hotel market 16
3.5 Trends in the online package market 16

4. Leading OTAs 17

5. The UK online consumer 19

5.1 Broadband penetration 20
5.2 Credit card usage 21
5.3 e-Purchasing 21
5.4 The UK online traveller 23

Consumer Snapshot: The UK Professional & Online Travel 24

1. Introduction 24
2. Products being bought online 25
3. Research process 29
4. Number of websites used in the travel research process 30
5. Long-haul travellers & travel research 32
6. “I use the Internet to buy travel because…” 33
7. Reasons for booking direct with suppliers online 34
8. User generated content and the UK Young Professional 35
9. Influencial factors when booking travel online 37
10. Online brands that are grabbing the consumers’ attention 38
11. The importance of brand: online vs. offline 41

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 UK Online Travel Market | Consumer Snapshot

12. The consumer who is shifting offline to book their product 42

13. Trends of big spenders 44
14. Mobile phones and travel 44
15. The perception of a good online travel service 45
16. What does the Young Professional find negative about booking
online? 47
17. Conclusion 48

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© EyeforTravel Research. All rights reserved. 4
 UK Online Travel Market | Consumer Snapshot

List of Tables
List of Tables

Exhibit 1: UK Travel Market Value 2002-2006 (EUR Bn) 7

Exhibit 2: Size of the UK on EU Travel Market in Value (EUR Bn) 8
Exhibit 3: UK Travel Market as % of EU 8
Exhibit 4: Size of UK Online on EU Online Travel Market as % 9
Exhibit 5: Trends in the UK Travel Market: Online-Offline Booking (EUR Bn) 10
Exhibit 6: Online vs Offline (EUR bn) 10
Exhibit 7: Trends in the UK Travel Market: Online vs Offline as Market % 11
Exhibit 8: Sector Online Trends - Value (EUR million) 11
Exhibit 9: Sectors Trends as % of Overall Online Market 12
Exhibit 10: Trends in Online Airline Ticket Booking 13
Exhibit 11: Trends in Online Train Trip Ticket Booking 14
Exhibit 12: Trends in Online Car Ferry Booking 15
Exhibit 13: Trends in Online Hotel Reservation 16
Exhibit 14: Trends in Online Package Booking 17
Exhibit 15: Direct vs Intermediaries Sales in Value Term (EUR Bn) 18
Exhibit 16: Direct vs Indirect as % Market 19
Exhibit 17: UK Online Intermediaries (EUR million) 20
Exhibit 18: UK Internet Users 21
Exhibit 19: UK Households Broadband Penetration on EU15 21
Exhibit 20: Credit Cards Usage - Per Capita 21
Exhibit 21: E-purchasing UK vs EU 22
Exhibit 22: Percentage of UK Individuals Booking Travels Online 23
Exhibit 23: Which of the Following Would You Say Is Typical For You When
You Are Planning and Buying a Holiday? 24
Exhibit 24: Breakdown of Products Bought Online in the Last 12 Months
(2006-2007) 25
Exhibit 25: Average Number of Products Booked Online per Person in 12
Months (2006-2007) 26
Exhibit 26: Destination for Most Recent Leisure Trip 27
Exhibit 27: Amount Spent Online for Most Recent Leisure Trip 27
Exhibit 28: Online Spend of the Long-haul Travellers 28
Exhibit 29: First Point of Call when Researching for Most Recent Leisure Trip 29
Exhibit 30: Long-haul Travellers: First Point of Call for Research (Except
Google) 30
Exhibit 31: Type and Number of these Websites Used for Research for Most
Recent Trip 30
Exhibit 32: Type and Number of Websites Used for Research for Most Recent
Long-haul Trip 32
Exhibit 33: “I Use the Internet to Buy Travel Because….” 33
Exhibit 34: Reasons People May Book Direct to a Hotel’s Own Website 34
Exhibit 35: Use of User Generated Content in Decision-making Process for
Travel vs. Non-travel Products 35

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 UK Online Travel Market | Consumer Snapshot

Exhibit 36: What is Influential when Booking Travel Online 37

Exhibit 37: OTA Brand Recognition and Use 38
Exhibit 38: % of Young Professionals Who Would Prefer to Use a Well-known
Name: High Street Agent vs. OTA 41
Exhibit 39: % of Young Professionals Who “Don’t Mind” if the Agent Has a
Well-known Name: High Street Agent vs. OTA 41
Exhibit 40: What the Typical Research Online & Book Offline Travellers Think
About Buying Travel Online 42
Exhibit 41: What Would Influence the Typical Research Online & Book
Offline Travellers to Book Directly on a Hotel’s Own Website 43

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