Feature

Travelport research: How do travellers use modern technologies

According to a Travelport research, there are striking differences in the behavior of travelers from different countries and in their attitude to digital technologies.

According to the survey, in Russia and the CIS, 51% of travellers use the services of tour operators, while in Germany, Italy, Great Britain, France and Spain, only one third of Travellers book via a tour-operators. But in general Russia follows global trends. For example, according to the survey, 80% of travellers from Russia watch photos and videos posted on social networks by their friends when planning their vacation. 39% of Russians use voice search to get information about their trip, in comparison, in China 72% of people use this method, whilst in the UK – only 33%.

When it comes to choosing a trip, the feedback and review websites have the greatest impact on Russian tourists, and the recommendations of experts take the second place. 52% of Russian tourists do not know which travel companies or online reviews can be trusted.

There are key differences in terms of using technologies according to age. Travellers aged 25-34 are likely to use OTA services to book a holiday, and travellers aged 35-44 and 45-64 are more likely to book a trip for both leisure and business travel with a traditional offline travel agent.

A third of the respondents said that they do not like that they cannot discuss all the issues with a real person. In Russia, 29% of business travellers prefer to book a trip via the phone, and 38% in person. Personal contact is more valuable in the selection and booking process than in the search process.

A key feature of today’s travellers, is the desire to always stay in touch with friends and family members who are still at home. This wish is confirmed by 86% of Russian respondents. On average, Russian tourists use 17 different categories of applications during travel and during the planning stage. 37% of Travellers consider it convenient to have a Concierge service on their smartphone. When booking accommodation 58% of Russian Travellers choose a hotel with free Wi-Fi Internet access.

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