We know the rise of digital technology has changed the way travellers do their research, but where exactly are they going when they open their Internet browsers?
Qantas.com.
They’re all going to the Flying Kangaroo’s website.
Okay, that’s not entirely true, but new research does show that Qantas’ website receives the most visitors in the Australian tourism and travel industry, with an average of 2.7 million people per month.
That’s pretty impressive and it’s above other major industry players, including Jetstar and Booking.com, which are the second most visited sites with 9.7 percent (or 1.9 million) of the population clicking onto them in an average four weeks.
Rounding up the top five are Virgin Australia with 9.6 percent of the population; TripAdvisor (8.8 percent) and Webjet (6.2 percent).
Of the bricks and mortar agency groups, Flight Centre was the only one to make to top 15 with 5.5 percent of the population clicking onto its website in an average four weeks. This was well ahead of the 4.8 percent that click onto Expedia.
User-review site TripAdvisor experienced the largest increase in visitors. with a 45 percent increase (from 6.1 percent to 8.8 percent).
According to Roy Morgan Research Industry Communications Director, Norman Morris, figures also revealed an increase in the number of cross-visitation, particularly on non-airline sites.
“For example: 37.2 percent of Aussies who visit TripAdvisor in an average four weeks also visit Booking.com, and 33.6 percent of Booking.com users also visit TripAdvisor.”
Norman Morris, Roy Morgan Research Industry Communications Director