To better understand the Internet’s impact on travel planning and purchasing, Burst recently surveyed over 2,100 web users 18 years and older who plan to travel in the next three months about their use of the web as a travel resource.

Burst Media Survey Highlights:

• 47.2% of respondents who will utilize the Internet to plan their upcoming travel  say the Internet will be their primary travel resource. 
• 66.9% of respondents who will use the Internet to help plan their upcoming travel will conduct travel research as well as make an online travel transaction – while 33.1% will use the web solely as an information resource.
• 74.0% of respondents who use internet for travel planning will likely purchase airline tickets, 72.9% will likely make hotel reservations, and 40.4% will likely rent an automobile. 
• One-half (49.5%) of respondents used the Internet or checked email when last on vacation away from home. 

Most popular travel research tasks are: 

• research hotel accommodations and prices (50.1%), 
• research travel destinations (45.8%), 
• research airline flights and fares (39.2%), 
• research tour/travel operators (24.4%), 
• research care rental availability/rates (12.2%).

What features of a travel resource website make them want to return to it: 

• The ability to check flights, hotels and rental car’s rates/ availability (55.1%), 
• Destination information (49.9%), 
• Travel promotions and specials (49.7%),
• Travel bulletins and alerts (22.0%), 
• Chat/forum areas to read or post travel information (12.7%), 
• Ability to personalize pages (10.8%), and opt-in newsletter (9.6%).