Y Partnership Releases Travel Insights Report for June 2009

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(ORLANDO, FL) -- Where do travelers go online first when making vacation plans? Are search patterns to select a destination different from those to book an airline ticket or select a hotel/resort? The results of Y Partnership's just-released 2009 National Travel MONITOR reveal the answers to these questions. And, not surprisingly, consumers' search behavior has changed in recent years as they have become more familiar with search technology, and as the number and type of online travel planning/purchasing sites has grown exponentially.

Travelers visit search engines such as Google, Yahoo or MSN first when considering destination alternatives. The Web sites of a specific countries or destination boards are visited next, followed by online travel agencies such as Expedia and Travelocity. Only 1% of travelers commence their destination search by visiting a blog:





Search patterns when selecting an airline or lodging accommodations are understandably different. As one might expect, online travel agencies are visited first by consumers when searching for both airlines and lodging accommodations. Brand-specific sites follow closely in searches for airlines, yet less so for lodging accommodations. Meta search engines that compare fares are now visited first by just over one out of ten travelers when searching for airlines and only one out of twenty travelers when searching for hotels:

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