In late 2008 Tourism New Zealand conducted research into the way
consumers from our target market research and book travel in order
to ensure the most effective channel strategy.
The way people research and book travel has changed in the last
five years. Better access to broadband Internet and the growth of
e-commerce have been major factors behind this shift in
behaviour.
The research surveyed travellers from Australia, the UK, US and Germany. Over 200
surveys were conducted with those who visited New Zealand during
November and December 2008.
It should be noted that since the research was undertaken,
industry feedback suggests that visitors are now booking later
because of the economic downturn that hit in late 2008 and an
increase in special deals on last-minute travel.
Key findings
- To create a positive experience for someone researching and
booking a holiday, the process needs to be quick, comprehensive,
inspiring and, most of all, easy
- Making the booking experience simple and painless was found to
be the primary driver of satisfaction
- A booking experience was described as "easy" when all the
necessary information was clear, understandable, fast to retrieve
and aided simple decision making
- "Easy" payment channels are secure, reliable and use a
consistent payment platform
- Energy and excitement are high during the planning and
information gathering process. Travellers prefer channels that help
them maintain that level of excitement during the booking process
by making it simple to book and minimising procedural barriers
Researching travel to New Zealand
Across all countries, research into New Zealand prior to arrival
is done primarily through online channels, with half to one-third
of all research conducted online. It is also common for travellers
to visit a travel agent in person when researching a New Zealand
holiday.
Once in New Zealand, visitors are more likely to use i-SITE
visitor centres, guide books and brochures to research aspects of
their holiday. They will also visit or call operators direct.
Making bookings
Travellers from all markets use online booking channels prior to
arrival in New Zealand. Operator websites are the most popular
online channel, once they have been found via a Google search. The
trend towards booking online is strongest for accommodation and
transport, driven by the perceived breadth of options available
online.
Visiting travel agents in person is the second most-used channel
to book aspects of a New Zealand holiday prior to arrival, although
use of travel agents is significantly below online channels.
In the United States, traditional tour operator packages are
still more popular than online travel agent (OTA) packages, and
this is not expected to change in the near future.
Once in New Zealand, travellers book mostly by visiting
operators in person or through i-SITE visitor centres.
Flights
- The choice between booking online versus through a travel agent
depends on an individual's level of trust in the Internet. If an
individual is comfortable with the level of accuracy, thoroughness
and security provided by the Internet, he or she is likely to use
this channel to make travel bookings
- The choice to book online may also be influenced by the fact
that there is no travel agent near where an individual lives, or
they may be booking with frequent flyer points that are only able
to be used with online bookings
- Travellers believe the Internet offers them greater choice and
therefore better value for money. There is a widely-held perception
that the cheapest flights are now all online
- Reported exceptions (where agents are still preferred) tended
to be among older or more risk-averse travellers, or in a few cases
those travellers looking for an easier experience - "All that
searching is too much work"
Accommodation
- Travellers prefer to book accommodation online because they
believe it offers a wide range of choices (seen to be far wider
than any travel agency). Travellers perceive this greater choice as
equating to better value. Aggregated booking sites (such as www.expedia.com)
are extreme examples of this principle in action
- The exceptions to this trend tend to be among people who are
older or more risk-averse and therefore prefer booking through
travel agencies
- A number of travellers surveyed emailed accommodation providers
directly to make bookings, after browsing the operators'
websites
Transport
- As with accommodation, travellers prefer to book local
transport online because it offers a wider selection of providers
and greater choice - "By searching more online my rental car was 20
per cent cheaper than my last trip."
Activities
- Because research participants were surveyed in November, New
Zealand's shoulder season, a lower than normal proportion of
travellers booked activities in advance. Travellers are typically
aware that there is less need to book in advance outside of New
Zealand's peak tourist seasons
- Only those activities seen as iconic New Zealand tourism
activities - such as white-water rafting, Milford Sound tours,
glacier walks, bungy-jumps and skydiving - tended to be
pre-booked
- Travellers who have visited New Zealand previously are
confident booking through i-SITE visitor centres once in New
Zealand