SAN FRANCISCO, 31 August 2021: More travellers are booking directly because of clearer cancellation or refund policies, coupled with their frustrating experiences navigating online travel agency (OTA) reimbursements for cancelled trips.
Sojern, a leading provider of digital travel marketing solutions, claimed 56% of respondents said they had shifted to direct bookings in its latest findings titled, “How Travel Marketers Are Activating Digital Advertising in 2021.”
On Behalf of Sojern Worldwide Business Research Insights surveyed 300 senior decision-makers in North America, Europe, Middle East, Africa and the Asia-Pacific, concentrating on executives who handled the marketing budget for hotels, attractions or tourism brands.
Key findings
56% agree that the current environment is ideal for direct response campaigns. Travellers are booking directly because of clearer cancellation or refund policies, coupled with their frustrating experiences navigating online travel agency (OTA) reimbursements for cancelled trips.
88% have increased or kept their digital advertising strategy budget the same since Covid-19.
87% tightened spending on brand campaigns and increased spending on performance campaigns in 2020.
84 rated machine learning and artificial intelligence as top priorities for personalisation across channels.
Consumers are eager to travel, and with the increasingly widespread administration of Covid-19 vaccines. The report said hard-hit travel, media, and entertainment industries are all expected to rebound in 2021.
The upward swing is already underway, with a surge in domestic and regional tourism, as newly vaccinated consumers exercise the option to travel within their own borders.
Sojern is a digital marketing platform built for travel marketers. Powered by artificial intelligence and traveller intent data, Sojern provides multi-channel marketing solutions to drive direct demand.
The issue that travellers have is with OTAs and NOT with traditional travel agents and consultants !