A recent TrustYou travel industry study reveals the factors really affecting the consumer decision-making process. The study tracked the decision making path of travelers as they searched for accommodations etc. The sample for the study consisted of 920 participants of adults over the age of 18, who all must have traveled and booked an accommodation online within the past 12 months for business, leisure, or both. The study is available to download for free.
The cross section of the study consisted of 920 participants of adults over the age of 18, who have traveled and booked an accommodation online within the past 12 months for business, leisure, or both. Here are some of the key findings from TrustYou:
- 91% of travelers use search engines in their booking quest, while 81% prefer Google.
- Keywords relating to accomodation or locations account ofr 77% of travelers search keywords, while 57% of travelers search for hotels, 49% search for a location, and 31% searching for a combination of the two.
- The hotel TrustScore, or average review rating score, is the second most important factor affecting the booking decision after a hotel’s nightly rate.
- Tracing click-through on a Google’s hotel listing, travelers are most likely (20%) to click on the direct link to the hotel’s website and also very likely (10%) to click on review data provided by TrustYou.
Valerie Castillo, Senior Director of Marketing at TrustYou, had this to say via the company’s press release:
“Knowing the decision-making path of travelers is essential for hotels to target their efforts and position themselves ahead of the competition. Our research emphasizes the importance of reviews in this process, as they account for a vital part of the booking procedure as the second most relevant decision factor after price. Additionally, a higher review score helps hotels to remain competitive and to be shortlisted as a suitable option for the traveler’s stay, without being preemptively eliminated.”
The TrustYou research also showed hoteliers keenly consider their presence on Google within their marketing strategies. The majority of travelers turn to Google when seeking travel inspiration, beginning with their accommodation search, and evaluating offerings between multiple hotels.
TrustYou specializes in guest feedback management and direct hotel messaging, helping hotels to influence the booking decisions of travelers. This is done by obtaining and maintaining a high review score to be selected, increasing the number of reviews for a higher credibility and better average scores, and providing review summaries and widgets for a better user experience.