It's hard to talk about the Travel Industry without putting it into context. UK Holiday makers have been lucky to receive a quick increase in the options they have with Travel. Reduced costs in air travel have spurred the market to increase, travel companies quickly digitalised their systems and processes to keep up with the demand. Although many are now running legacy systems and would struggle to modernise without going through large company wide changes, changes that could initially slow down productivity.



The companies that truly embrace the web are keeping up with the current growing trend. Online Travel Sales increased 24% between 2006 and 2007 making it a ?49 Billion market according to the CRT. A further increase to ?58.4 Billion is expected in 2008, which will make a total 22.5% of all holiday sales within the overall European holiday market booked online.

Travel is an interesting market because it reacts to consumer trends and desires more than technological developments. Because of this the Travel industry must focus on creating effective online booking methods that will provide consumers with cheaper and more flexible booking options. The problem with the online environment has always been providing consumers with confidence to use e-commerce systems. Considering most individuals take up to three holidays a year, they want to be assured they are booking the exact break they require.

To stay competitive, Travel companies should approach their e-sales differently to how they would with direct face to face (or phone) sales. Booking systems should offer clear explanations to what steps are involved before they are taken, providing as much support as possible through the use of interactive videos and simple demonstrations. Strong messages should be displayed explaining that online booking details can be altered at a later date, this goes against previous booking methods. Trough allowing after sale alterations through the use of automated online systems will reduce the cost and provide massive confidence in holiday consumers.

Search Engine Marketing must be levered by focusing on trustworthy organic Search results, and clear online booking savings should be communicated through Pay Per Click advertisements. The Travel Industry should support external Search Engine Marketing experts, by quickly making recommended changes and adapting to best practice promotional techniques. If these online promotion and marketing services were brought in-house, I fear that they would be met with too many other internal objectives and lose focus on the overall acquisition of sales and lead generation. The in-house online development teams know their products more than anyone else; they should be focused on creating exceptional user experiences, engaging consumers with usability at the forefront of all projects.

To gain confidence in online consumers there has to be a large investment of budget and resources to provide the best possible service online. The focus shouldn't be on beating the competition, saving money and streamlining processes. Compare possible solutions with what market leaders in other industries have achieved. Booking Travel online can be a complex product to purchase; the organisations that make this easier and focus on the consumer's online experience (as much as they would with the actual holiday package) will reap the associated financial benefits and stand strong for the long term.