It is expected that most US travel will be booked via the internet as the industry continues to capitalise on online growth. A report from eMarketer estimates that US online travel sales could reach $146 billion this year as consumers turn to the internet to find the best deals and widest choices.
It is anticipated that a total of 41.3 million US households will book travel online in 2007 - equal to 52.5 per cent of all US-based households - and that internet sales will continue to increase substantially over the next three years.
This growth in demand for online booking is likely to further boost competition in the industry and many travel companies are being forced to enhance their online presence as well as increasing their online marketing budgets.
Author of the report Jeffrey Grau explained: "To succeed in the brave new world of online travel. Industry players must be willing to reinvent themselves to keep up with consumer, technology and competitive forces."
He added that internet users have very different expectation of online retailers and that travel companies will need to ensure that they no longer offer one-fits-all services, but instead provide tailored travel packages that meet the specific needs of customers.
