TripAdvisor Survey Confirms WiFi is Top Hotel Perk for Travelers
The results of a new survey conducted by TripAdvisor confirms offering WiFi Internet Access it the hotel amenity travelers are most impressed by and most often require. This first 360 degree survey released its findings after probing the opinions of 1,200 tourists and 600 hotel owners and managers in the USA. 88% of travelers said they expect to have free WiFi internet access at their hotel and any other type of lodging. Owners and managers seem to know their guests well, as 93% of surveyed hotels report they offer some sort of free WiFi access to Internet to their customers.
Similar findings were released by Hotels.com earlier in January, stating free WiFi is the top aspect considered by travelers in their hotel booking decisions. Most people now travel with several gadgets with WiFi capabilities and expect to take advantage of them during their hotel stays. Read more…
Most Britons Book Their Trips Online, Threatening Traditional Agent’s Business
Booking trips through online travel agencies is quickly gaining ground, making traditional travel agents obsolete. Recent data shows only 1 in 10 Britons will book their annual trip through an agent, the vast majority preferring online service: 66% of Britons state they will book through an online travel agent for their 2012 holiday.
Fresh research by TravelSupermarket revealed that just 14%of Britons intend to book their trip over the telephone and only 11% will visit a high street travel agent to book their holiday. In what research to decide where to go in 2012, only 12% of those surveyed would visit a shop to pick up brochures and discuss about destinations with an agent. An overwhelming 52% would rather use internet search engines and another 40% would check review websites like TripAdisor. Read more…
London Tops Hotel Searches in the UK
London is where most online searches from the UK ead travelers planing for their next vacation. The UK capital was top choice of the 1.8 million searches for hotels recorded in November 2011, according to the latest report analyzing online searches by Greenlight, ‘Hotels Issue 10′. Greenlight‘s report also analyzes which brands and review sites were the most visible in both natural and paid media results and hence received the greatest share of consideration when consumers searched for holidays on Google UK.
by Federico
The report showed consumer searches mostly focus on hotels in Ireland and the UK, amounting to more than 590.000 queries or 45% from all the searches made for hotels hat month. Most searched for location-specific terms used were ‘Hotels in London’, ‘London hotels’ and ‘Cheap hotels in London’ which together accounted for 10% of the total number of hotel searches over the period. Read more…
5 Tips to Help Drivers Feel Safe in a New Country
Traveling to a new country can be an exciting experience whether for business or pleasure, and often the most efficient and enjoyable way to get around a new place is by car. However, even for the most experienced drivers a new country will bring new challenges. It is important to remember that each nation has different road signs, languages, driving habits and even different sides of the road which they might drive on. Before you get behind the wheel of a car overseas, read this guide and become familiar with everything you need to in order to stay safe.
1. Confirm Auto Insurance
Before you even turn on a car in a new country, it is vital that you are properly covered by some form or auto insurance. Before you depart on vacation, call your auto insurance provider at home and ask about any regulations overseas and to inquire about whether or not your policy covers you in each particular country. If not, ensure that the rental car agency abroad has adequate insurance for you and the car. Read more…
A Little Bit More Than Sightseeing (Infographic)
Somewhere in the world, at this moment, a person begins to lose their sight. In developing countries around the globe hunger, war, lack of proper medical attention, even natural catastrophe take a far greater toll in human suffering than in developed countries. But a more obscure malady plagues much of the 3rd world, the lack of proper vision care.
With all the need areas suggested above, the fact that tens of millions do not get proper eye care is – basically a matter of prioritization. Not so many consider what it takes to help people maintain the gift of clear sight. The infographic shows clearly how eyeglasses and even the most basic vision offerings simply do not make it to many. Read more…
Travel Trends 2012 – A Changing Industry
by J Brew
The growth of Expedia, and other popular OTAs didn’t help traditional travel agents like Thomas Cook cope, and 2011 saw many of these companies at the verge of a crush. While in September 2007 Thomas Cook had a cash reserve of £394m, the company’s debt was about £900m in September 2011. This was not the only failure in the industry last year, but one of the most resounding. What lies in store for travel agents in 2012, and more importantly, how would the trends affect travel consumers?
The travel industry is known for innovation in marketing and promotion, but mostly using traditional means, including TV ads, direct mail, radio commercials, magazines and pamphlets. The online world is still dominated by the likes of Expedia, Travelocity and Orbitz. Smaller industry players struggle for a place in the spotlight, employing various strategies to boost ROI and to secure new business. Here PR and social media strategies play the most important role, as the ad market is saturated by those with the big bucks. Read more…
Free Wi-Fi Matters Most in Hotel Booking Decisions
by Bob Cotter
I am the type of traveler that checks out Wi-Fi connectivity for hotels before booking them. I run my own business, I am never fully free of work when I travel for leisure, so being online daily matters to me. Apparently, it also matters to most travelers, as a new survey by Hotels.com shows offering free Wi-Fi to guests weighs immensely in travelers’ decision to book their stay at a hotel or another.
The new survey by Hotels.com asked tourists to say what they value most from the perks hotels offer. Free Wi-Fi was indicated as a must by the majority of respondents, this amenity factoring greatly in their decision to make the booking or search for accommodation elsewhere. 38% of travelers said free Wi-FI is a must, another 35% saying it was something they wanted to see in more hotels, while 31% said they wanted it to become a standard for the hotel industry in 2012. Read more…
