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Research reveals OTA business model is poised to maximise pent up demand for travel


London – WEBWIRE
Table 1: When booking travel, what elements do you enjoy the least? Please tick the two most relevant to you
Table 1: When booking travel, what elements do you enjoy the least? Please tick the two most relevant to you
  • Consumers booking via the eDreams ODIGEO OTA brands will save a combined one million hours this year when researching and booking holidays 


  • 44% of consumers do not enjoy researching holidays to find the best price


  • Independent poll shows 80% of consumers globally chose to book with an OTA rather than booking directly with an airline 


New data from independent research firm OnePoll reveals consumer booking preferences for post-COVID travel. The research, which collated responses from 10,000 adults from eight countries, shines a light on the element of the booking process travellers enjoy the least – the time it takes to research the best possible price (44%) – and how this bugbear can easily be overcome by booking with an OTA (See table 1, below). 

The research also highlighted a preference for booking through an OTA amongst consumers. When booking a trip, 80% of adults globally who found more convenient and cheaper travel options via an OTA then went on to book using this route. The findings highlight how the OTA business model of brands like Opodo and eDreams is perfectly positioned to capture post-pandemic travel bookings from consumers and deliver these on mass to airline and hotel partners. 

Keeping consumers engaged via OTAs 

When asked which element of the travel booking process consumers enjoyed the least, nearly half (44%) referenced the time taken to find the best possible price. According to an analysis of booking time by eDreams ODIGEO, consumers booking via its OTA brands will save a combined one million hours this year compared to booking directly with an airline1, avoiding the least enjoyable element of travel planning. 

Another top frustration travellers cited when planning travel was the difficulty in aligning dates and times for flight and accommodation, with 40% finding this element of travel planning unenjoyable. Furthermore, nearly a third (32%) of respondents stated organising flight connections for multi leg trips was an unenjoyable part of the travel booking process. OTAs can alleviate these frustrations by amalgamating options from across travel providers to provide different route and price options in one place, depending on whether convenience or price is the traveller’s top priority. 

Pablo Caspers, Chief Travel Officer at eDreams ODIGEO, commented, “We are starting to see consumer confidence rebuild following positive news around vaccination programmes. As people start to dream and plan for trips overseas, we spoke to travellers from around the world via an independent polling company to understand what their pain points are when it comes to planning and booking travel and how OTAs can work to relieve these. 

“Despite many people still being in lockdown with plenty of spare time, nearly half of global consumers still find researching price to be the least enjoyable element of travel planning, and this is a place where we can really help. Our technology carries out eight billion price calculations every hour, taking the pressure off consumers by ensuring they are presented with the widest choice whilst also allowing them to make easy price and route comparisons. 

“It is the convenience and price that makes the eDreams ODIGEO offering so appealing. Of the people we spoke to who have found a cheaper or more convenient travel route on an OTA, 80% then proceeded to book via this route. We know people are keen to start travelling again and when they do, they will be seeking convenient, hassle-free booking options so they can focus on relaxing and re-connecting with family and friends after so many months apart.”

1 Calculated by eDreams ODIGEO based on an internal study that shows that consumers save on average 4.95 minutes when booking via the eDreams ODIGEO OTA brands compared to booking the same products on the airline website directly. The 1M figure is the aggregated time saving expected in 2021 for all eDreams ODIGEO customers, which includes single airline and multi airline trips combined.

eDreams ODIGEO is one of the world’s largest online travel companies and one of the largest e-commerce businesses in Europe. The leading travel brand offers 274,000 flight routes from over 650 airline partners, giving travellers access to the widest choice and combination of air fares and airlines to secure the best price. Under its four leading online travel agency brands – eDreams, GO Voyages, Opodo, Travellink, and the metasearch engine Liligo – it serves more than 17 million customers per year across 45 markets.


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