71% of NextGen Travelers Search On-line

PhoCusWright, in collaboration with Ypartnership, has just released a new survey titled “The NextGen Traveler” which examines the habits and perculiarities of the high tech traveler.  It is an interesting survey because it shows a corelation between the evolution of online travel technology and the effects that this technology has had on the general consumer.  Although it can be argued that this group most likely represents the early adopter component of the population, it is still valid to argue that if the technology has affected this group, it will most likely affect a larger segment of the population as well.

Although I didn’t participate in the survey (but would clearly have fit the criteria), I thought I would see how my responses would stack up to the results:

• Seven out of ten (71%) use the Internet to search for travel information, while 41% have taken a virtual tour of a destination, and 38% have built a trip itinerary online; Yes on all counts!

• More than half (58%) cite the “ability to check the best fares/rates” as the most important feature in a travel Web site; Yes again, although I would say that comparing rates (metasearch) is event more important!

• Almost four in ten (37%) report being influenced by personal comments read on social networking or travel advisory Web sites, but they frequent social networking sites such as MySpace.com (56%) and Facebook (30%) more than travel advisory or review sites such as TripAdvisor (14%); Yes again, although MySpace isn’t really my thing.  I get way too much “Be my Friend” spam to bother.  I have to admit that my TripAdvisor use significantly declined after the by out!

• Fully one-third (33%) have authored and posted a travel review online. Yes, definitely!

Okay, so it would appear that all I have proven is that I’m a sucker for new technology and that I’m a statistic.  I don’t mind because it sure makes it easier to market to an audience when you’re part of it.  It’s kind of like buying a present for a friend who is just like you… just buy them something you would really like and you can’t go wrong.

One of the most interesting remarks in the release about the new survey was this line:

“The implications of this work for marketers of travel services are quite profound,” said Peter C. Yesawich, Chairman and CEO of Ypartnership, and co-author of the survey. “They not only suggest the need for a fresh approach to media strategies that will reach this growing audience, but raise provocative questions about the influence of the user-generated content that is now flourishing online.”

It sure is nice to have some industry heavyweights back you up on the importance and impact of user generated content on consumer decision making.  Any organization who feels they are immune or somehow outside of the influence of UGC needs to get their head out of the sand.  The impact of UGC and social computing on your organization and brand, regardless of size or influence, is very real.  If you are not already dealing with the implications, then you will be very soon.

You can purchase the survey at the PhoCusWright or Ypartnership websites.