With the advent of metasearch engines, consumers are doing their homework thoroughly before making a booking. There is a trend towards “multichannel shopping”, where travellers search for their accommodation across multiple channels before making a purchase. This is also where meta-booking and review sites also play a role.
With
the advent of metasearch engines, consumers are doing their homework thoroughly
before making a booking. There is a trend towards
“multichannel shopping”, where travellers search for their accommodation across
multiple channels before making a purchase. This is also where meta-booking and
review sites also play a role.
Increased
mobile bookings are also seeing an upward trend. Said Christian Lukey, head of
Hotel Distribution, Amadeus Asia Pacific, “Smartphone
bookings tend to be more last minute – within 24 hours of arrival or even on
the same day. Tablets are used more as an additional screen to compare offers
or for shopping for longer vacations which often are planned in advance.”
However, the rise of mobile as a traveller’s second skin has been
undeniable. Many travel industry players, including Amadeus, have created mobility
solutions to cater to this demand. Lukey points out that its not just about
“going mobile”, it’s about understanding travellers’ needs and behaviours, and
funnelling the right content to them at the right time, via the right booking
channel.
Said Lukey, “Ultimately, trust plays a huge role in this travel
ecosystem – be it online or offline. Travel agents should be positioning
themselves as the trusted expert, helping to take the complexity out of an
enormous amount of choice and uncertainty – tailoring offers based on their
deep understanding of their customers’ behaviours.”