Your consumer’s behaviour is changing quite dramatically. New consumer technology means they are no longer dreaming, researching, planning, booking and experiencing travel in the same way. This presentation was given to the CTO during WTM in London, November 2013

1. The New Always-Connected
Travel Consumer
CTO Forum,
London,
3rd November 2013
Gina Baillie, GM, EyeforTravel Ltd.

2. @anigba

3. The 5 Stages of Travel
Travel stages courtesy
of Google Inc

4. Mobile is powering bookings…
45.3% of travelers surveyed would
make a last-minute booking on a tablet
up to a week before travel, while
43.8% would do so on a mobile
Source: EyeforTravel’s Social Media & Mobile in Travel
Distribution Report 2013
@anigba

5. Mobile Budgets Are Increasing
In 2013, 57.3% of travel brands
surveyed planned to increase
mobile spend…
…..versus 52.3% in 2012
@anigba

6. Mobile leads to new customers
In the first 2 months after
the launch of its iPad
app, Jetsetter saw over
250,000 downloads and
7,000 new customers

7. Savvy travel brands ARE making
money from mobile
• In 2011 InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG)
had seen revenues from mobile rise from $1
million to $10 million in just 12 months
• By the end of 2012 mobile revenues hit $330
million
• In 2013 it’s hitting $40million per month

8. Where are
travel
marketers
spending their
mobile
budgets?
@anigba

9. @anigba

10. Wide cultural variances
@anigba

11. Attitudes vary by country
50% of Dutch
40% of French
40% of Brits
35% of Americans
29% of Germans….
….would not book travel via a
smartphone
@anigba
EyeforTravel Ltd.

12. Trend for last minute
• Google reported that 41%
of last minute queries to
airline websites were via
mobile devices
• For hotels, 33% of last
minute queries were via
mobile devices
@anigba

13. Germans still like to book early….
62% of Germans will book via a tablet a month or more in
advance with just 7% booking on the day

14. Whereas in France…
53% would book a month or more in advance and 10%
would book on the day

15. 2 consumer comparisons

16. German travel consumers
• Don’t like to book last minute (even via a mobile)
• Most likely to use a mobile device whilst on holiday
compared to other nations
• 39% want to check-in via their mobile
• Slow loading times (33% significant impact) and negative
reviews were strongest deterrents to booking (30%)
• 43% don’t share travel plans with friends/family via social
media

17. Dutch travel consumers
• Higher aversion to booking via a smartphone (50% often citing security/payment as a concern) but are much
less averse to booking via a tablet
• Prefer to use mobile for map function (43%) and reviews
(44%)
• Hidden costs (56%) and slow load times (42%) biggest
deterrents to booking
• They like to be able to compare deals (62% said this
would mean more likely to book)
• Less social with 55% never share travel plans with
friends via social media

18. How much do
consumers want to
spend?
Of those willing to spend on mobile,
the majority felt comfortable
purchasing up to a value of €600
via mobile
@anigba

19. Mobile is not just about
bookings….
…your customer is looking to interact
with your brand via mobile
@anigba

20. Travel is by definition mobile –
and social!
30% of Brits and 37% of
Americans like to share
their travel experience
via social media during
their trip
@anigba

21. Mobile-originated
content is dominating the
social media space.
Short videos,
photography and microblogging can add real
value to your proposition
@anigba

22. ‘Social media and mobile are not two
entities to be worked on separately. They
are part of a multichannel consumer
environment and must always be
considered in terms of their impact
across all channels’
Source: EyeforTravel’s Social Media & Mobile in Travel
Distribution Report 2013
@anigba

23. SoLoMo - Integrate your mobile
and social strategies!
Gatwick airport uses a
Social, Local and Mobile
approach
They have a presence
across Facebook, Twitter,
Foursquare, Soundcloud,
and Instagram

24. The result?
• 50% of passenger enquiries at Gatwick are now
via their mobile site
• The size of their Facebook community has
ballooned to 42,700 fans
• Over 100,000 check-ins at Foursquare locations,
40,000 offers claimed
• First airport worldwide on Instagram – 3,125
followers , 4,500+ images tagged #gatwick or
#gatwick airport
@anigba

25. Data is becoming social media’s key
unique selling point for travel brands as
the consumer information available is
vast and highly useful…
@anigba

26. Wearable Technology opens up
exciting new opportunities for
destinations…
With thanks to
Robert Patterson, VP
of Social Media &
Influencer Marketing
MMGY Global
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vo96VxzM_4A

27. Tourism Victoria – The Remote Control
Tourist
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQ5PSCNFHq8
@anigba

28. To conclude:
• Social Media, Mobile, Tablet and
(shortly) wearable technology are
opening up a wide range of new and
exciting opportunities to engage the
new always connected customer
• It’s not all about bookings – but driving
awareness, engagement and loyalty is
important
• European attitudes to privacy,
security and technology vary so watch
out

29. Thank You!
Gina Baillie
GM
EyeforTravel Ltd.
+44(0)207 375 7197
gina@eyefortravel.com
@anigba