A January 2008 survey from money portal fool.co.uk showed that UK consumers spend more time planning their holiday than researching their mortgage options. More than a third of the sample invested ten hours selecting their holiday, while only a fifth would use the same period choosing a mortgage.

Holidays have become a high-engagement purchase and increasingly, the research and booking stages are as much a part of the holiday experience as the actual holiday itself.

A January 2008 survey from money portal fool.co.uk showed that UK consumers spend more time planning their holiday than researching their mortgage options. More than a third of the sample invested ten hours selecting their holiday, while only a fifth would use the same period choosing a mortgage.

Holidays have become a high-engagement purchase and increasingly, the research and booking stages are as much a part of the holiday experience as the actual holiday itself.

The holiday landscape has undergone considerable upheaval in recent years as more people create their own holidays using the resources available online, in effect doing the job that a intermediary once did.

As online travel channels mature, operators are turning their attention towards creating more compelling and engaging content, creating a rich, well-resourced, ‘one-stop’ research solution. In a travel market in which the consumer is over-optioned for choice, and a competitor is rarely two clicks of a mouse away, gaining that initial attention, and retaining it, is becoming a vital objective.

Key themes of report:

This report analyses some of the key elements of the booking process. It looks at the extent to which travellers are using the different channels available, highlighting the different characteristics of each. It looks at how people are getting ideas, and where from. It considers how these factors correlate with particular types of holidays. It profiles main players in the travel market to show how these are creating distinction in what is often a fairly homogenised market landscape.

In addition, the report also gives a wider account of the holiday market and its more immediate prospects in view of the current economic uncertainty in the UK as a result of wider global problems.