cheapflights.com, one of the UK's leading travel portals, has today announced the results of a year-long survey into its viewer's buying behaviour.
The results reveal a marked difference between the types of flight tickets bought directly from travel agencies and those purchased on-line through the site's highly successful booking engine.
The cheapflights.com survey found the best-selling flight destination for 'bricks and mortar' travel agencies is New York, followed by Spanish resort of Malaga. In contrast, the best-selling destination through the site's on-line booking engine is Belfast, followed by Jersey. The results suggest that a booking engine appeals more to travellers booking short-haul flights, where the fare is lower and specialist knowledge less necessary.
Commenting on the survey, David Soskin, joint chief executive officer, cheapflights.com said: "It is interesting looking at the differences between long and short haul reservations. The results for the shorter flights help explain why companies, like Easyjet for example, are doing well on-line and why Internet bookings are doing so well in the American market.
"However when our visitors are seeking more complex destinations, where there can be huge price variance and where they may need advice on accommodation or car hire, then they prefer to use more traditional booking methods."
Top Ten Flight Destinations: 'Bricks and Mortar' Travel Agencies
1. New York 2. Malaga 3. Amsterdam 4. Dublin 5. Orlando 6. Alicante 7. Barcelona 8. London 9. Tenerife 10. Paris
Source: page visits to cheapflights.com's destination pages, on which more than 80 travel agencies are represented
Top Ten Flight Destinations: cheapflights.com's online Booking Engine
1. Belfast 2. Jersey 3. Amsterdam 4. Dublin 5. London 6. Edinburgh 7. Alicante 8. Guernsey 9. New York 10. Munich
Source: cheapflights.com
David Soskin added: "These results are very significant for the industry. All too often in the travel trade people have talked about the threat of the Internet to the traditional travel agents. This survey demonstrates that the Internet sits quite happily as an information source, which can help travel agents sell more tickets, as opposed to being something that will put them out of business.
"cheapflights.com offers its visitors a choice of over 80 travel agents and a booking engine, something that is unique among the major travel sites. We offer the best of both worlds. Our booking engine, a partnership with Travelselect, has been chosen for its simple functionality and excellent access to cheap fares."
cheapflights.com has received more than five and a half million unique visitors to its site over the past two years.
Editor's Notes: cheapflights.com, which was founded in 1996, is the most comprehensive online resource for researching cheap airfares. Its many destination pages also enable independent travellers to research and prepare every aspect of their trip.
cheapflights.com is an independent company, free from interference by any media, technology or travel conglomerate
cheapflights.com estimates that more than £100 million of air tickets are sold via the site each year
The site gives prices, links and information on more than 130 tour operators and airlines. Apart from flight information, each destination page enables the viewer to research and prepare every aspect of their trip, including hotels, car hire, weather, health, visa requirements and travel warnings.
Travelselect.com is a fully bookable on line travel service with partners throughout the world. It is fully licensed and bonded travel company which evolved from Globepost Limited, a Company who for over 17 years (and to this day) specialise in providing travel services--particularly flights--to travel agents as well as direct to the public. The Company is fully accredited and licensed by ABTA, ATOL and IATA and has long-standing relationships with over 70 major airlines and countless hotel groups and car companies.
Head and shoulder photography of David Soskin is available on request.
