Some fascinating data from YPartnership in a study looking at the inspiration, research, search, shopping and buying of travel products by consumers.
The study of 2,500 US adults, carried out to help form its Portrait of American Travelers paper, asked what are the major influencers for would-be travellers throughout the travel purchase funnel.
The study segmented that journey into five areas:
- Ideas and inspiration
- Insights and advice
- Pricing
- Comparing
- Purchasing
The table below charts which is the most influential factor for each.
Perhaps the standout stat to note is the lack of digital influences at the earliest stage (ideas and inspiration), with family-friends coming up top and other offline triggers thereafter.
In the advice and insight stage the range of sources begins to narrow and the web comes in alongside "travel experts" (agents).
For pricing and comparing the internet comes to the fore, with the top five in both categories all web-related. Offline agents get a look-in at the purchasing phase, but the web still dominates.