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Research Reports - Travel

Branding and Loyalty for Online Travel Agencies - Expedia v. Travelocity v. Orbitz (April / May 2005)

As the online travel market becomes more and more competitive, many of our clients and other industry leaders want to understand the importance and impact of brand and loyalty on conversion.  Our competitive travel report addresses this need and answers the following questions.

Questions We Address

• What are consumers looking for in an online travel experience?
• Do consumers recognize and remember a unique brand identity?
• Does loyalty exist among online travel agencies, or are consumers simply shopping on price?
• Where and how shall online travel companies invest in building a brand vs. new features vs. competitive pricing strategies?  

Highlights From the Study

• In March 2005, more than 18.7M consumers visited Expedia.com, followed by 17.7M to Orbitz and 12.6M to Travelocity

• Select travel suppliers who made the top 15 ranking include Southwest, Delta, American Airlines, United, and NWA

• Consumers are twice as likely to prefer Expedia or Travelocity compared to Orbitz for purchasing leisure travel online

• Among Expedia and Travelocity “loyalists”, 40% are likely to switch to another site to make a purchase; Travelocity shows the highest switching behavior

• The most preferred travel tagline is: “Best Prices, Best Places, Guaranteed.”  (Hotels.com)

Table of Contents

      1.  Report Highlights

      2.  Background

      3.  Objectives

      4.  Detailed Findings

      5.  Behavioral Analysis

      6.  Consumer Attitudes

      7.  Overall Preference

      8.  Task Performance

      9.  Customer Loyalty

      10. Brand Affinity

      11. Best Practices

      12. Methodology

      13. Acknowledgements

      14. Contact Information

      15. Appendix I - Participant Profile

      16. Appendix II - Study Questionnaire