The New Digital Tourist by Emma Wiles

THE NEW DIGITAL TOURIST.

EMMA WILES N0389348 Fashion Communication and Promotion FASH30001: Negotiated Project Stage 1 word count - 8451

CONTENTS. 1.INTRODUCTION

6.TRAVEL SITES

2.THE SHIFT TO ONLINE

7.DECLINE OF THE HIGH STREET

3.SOCIAL MEDIA

8.EXPERIENTIAL MARKETING

4.MULTI-CHANNEL PLATFORMS

9.CONCLUSION

5.RISE OF INDEPENDENT

10.STRATEGIC OUTCOME

INTRODUCTION. This report aims to explore the rise of the new digital tourist. Research has been carried out to understand the shift to the online marketplace and the future that it holds. Looking into specific rises in technological trends and the effects that these have had on this shift. Understanding the current areas of the online travel booking industry and how they are currently exceeding expectations and areas that are showing signs that they require some improvement. The social effects that have boosted the crossover to online and the challenges this has given to traditional, physical travel stores. Due to the large scale of the online marketplace it is hard to specifically identify the consumers and individual countries that are interacting with such websites, therefore this report has looked at a global overview of the online travel industry but at times focusing on the UK market.

THE SHIFT TO ONLINE.

The Internet has changed the way people communicate, act and think. It has become no longer necessary for consumers to visit and browse multiple shops to compare prices and keep returning to see if any changes have been made in order to get the most price competitive or value for money deal. With a click of a finger that can be all done by a consumer sat in the comfort of their own home. Brands have now realised that the Internet is so important to consumersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; everyday lives and purchasing habits that it has become essential to have a website and presence on the Internet. The evolution of web2.0 has transformed the ways consumers purchase, interact and shop online. Studies have supported this such as a recent digital trend report from Mintel that indicated the third most popular activity performed on a computer was shopping with 83% of consumers stating they have carried out shopping via the Internet. (Mintel,2013)

The development of technology has also played a large part in the way people search and shop because there are now multiple channels available to consumers. Retailers are able to showcase large collections online and this therefore has lower costs than holding them in a physical store. Consumers can shop and interact with products at their own pace and at times which best suit them. Even in more fickle markets, such as fashion retail, where trying on a dress or jeans was part of the shopping experience, the success of companies such as ASOS (www.asos.com), which provide on-trend, quality clothing often similar to styles worn by so-called A-list celebrities, shows that consumers are willing to forgo the trip to local shopping centres and happily have clothes delivered to home that, if unsuitable, can easily be returned to the place they purchased them from. ASOSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; marketing and product range is specifically targeted to a younger, Internet savvy generation, and this has factored into the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s success. Advertising theory has consistently discussed the need to market to the correct people with the correct message in order to produce positive results:

“Online marketing has enabled greater personalisation of content and this has been one of the great benefits of a direct approach. The right message to the right person in the right way at the right time has long been the holy grail of marketing.” (Thomas, 2011).

Consumers can also have a voice which is now combined with corporate branding and company identity and message, along with the products that they are buying. Web 2.0 has enabled consumers to interact and participate more with brands and other people in comparison to its predecessor, Web 1.0, which was a more static platform. The Web has become more focussed on providing a consumer experience in which people can comment on and compare purchases – everything from products such as electronics to trips abroad, hotels, places and so on. This provides a forum for exchanging opinion and knowledge, and provides other consumers with information on which they may base some of their purchasing preferences. In addition, this feedback has value for the companies trading on the Internet, whether they are a brand selling direct to consumers or a comparison site which provides a ‘shopping around’ service to consumers to ostensibly get them the best deal on the market. “Web 2.0 is before everything else about finding new ways to make a number of existing technologies work together” (Vernet, et al,2006) The outcome of making these technologies work together is a more interactive web experience for consumers in which the Internet webpage is not solely a series of graphics and text providing information to passive viewers but where consumers experiences, information and opinion can be shared either directly on the website or through feedback forums, discussion groups, professional review services and social media outlets. This provides a richer and more engaging experience for people surfing the Internet.

SOCIAL MEDIA.

Another term that people use for Web 2.0 is social media. This is now to new millennials an interaction platform that has always been part of their everyday lives. For some though this has transformed the way people daily interact with each other. Obviously the top players within social media are Facebook, Twitter and Google+. When meeting people for the first time a common phrase to be exchanged will be “add me” or “tweet me”. To this generation it is accepted and is normal, yet older generations such as baby boomers are having to adapt to this new generation and the large effect social media has on it. Social media gives people power: ordinary people can now have a voice via the internet. Brands have adapted and now understand that the consumers do have a voice so they need to incorporate social media as a one of the main platforms to interact with consumers. The fashion industry is utilising social media very well and it is evident that brands are enabling consumers to tag them within images and to be able to share pictures of the brand onto social media sites. Instagram is a key player here; by hashtaging both people and brands can connect through just one symbol. Social media is a new set of technologies and concepts that need to be accessed and integrate into existing corporate marketing strategies.(Safko,2012) Brands are realising that to connect with the next generation of consumers the social media option must be explored and exploited to its full potential and it has quickly made itself a useful and profitable element in good marketing strategies.

Social media’s relationship to the travel industry has grown vastly as has the overall online presence of travel. “Approximately one-fifth of leisure travellers worldwide turn to social media platforms for inspiration within different categories of their travel planning” (Emarketer , 2013) Arguably, one of the first platforms that introduced social media to the travel industry was travel review websites. Social media has evolved much further than such platforms so the travel industry has utilised the benefits associated with using many of the top social media sites in order to gain access to a wider market and thus increase revenues from this source. Results published worldwide by (Emarketer,2013) show that online travellers turn to travel reviews firstly, then secondly this is followed by online forums and Facebook. Many travel brands have incorporated their own Facebook page, understanding the mass popularity and usage from consumers. Social media is greatly welcomed by online travellers, as many people want to seek advice and listen to peers’ opinions when planning to book travel. Brands can benefit from this as consumers want peer-to-peer interaction via pages such as Facebook. Therefore companies have opportunities to apply strategies to the pages to drive consumers to make decisions. One of the leading online travel providers, Expedia, excels at this via Facebook, with many of their messages incorporating discount incentives and making sure that the consumers are exposed to deals at all times. What most travel pages incorporate also is a range of different inspirational and persuasive images of various destinations to suit a wide range of different consumers. This captures the attention of target consumers and also exposes consumers to different places.

Clear brand messages are being seen through these media sites but the travel industry is not utilising it as well as other industries do because the travel industry often does not not engage with the very latest social media technologies, such as videos via Twitter Vine or Instagram. Videos can be seen as being a lot more engaging to consumers who are buying into not a specific product but an experience, so videos can create an emotional engagement with consumers by presenting actual footage of locations. (Russell, 2013), state that over half of Internet users are either sharing content they have created themselves, or reposting photos and videos they find online, whilst 32% do both activities. Consumers can engage with social media a lot easier and more frequently as the technological platforms from which consumers can access these sites are ever emerging. Integrating mobile, tablet and desktop communications to create a cross-platform user experience is vital. A key behaviour that travel consumers have been able to use due to the growth of the accessibility to social media sites is location tagging, and 62% of on-the-go users tag their locations in their social sharing posts and pictures (Leonard, 2012).

Figure 1

Trip advisor has established the benefit of being able to gain knowledge of the locations that consumers have been and has developed a Facebook app that creates a personal travel map. The app includes all locations that the consumer has been to and previously tagged and the ability to add further places. The travel map (see figure 1) can then be shared between Facebook friends allowing other consumers to be able to see individualsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; travel maps and destinations that they have visited. This works well to approach recommendations from consumer to consumer in a more innovative way. Brands have also established the great influence bloggers have on consumer decisions. Expedia has launched Expedia View Finder which is a collaboration of bloggers with reviews of a range of destinations and interests. This benefits consumers as they are exposed to a wide range of different styles of travel than they usually may be comfortable with. Social media benefits brands by being an easy and accessible platform to be able to communicate with consumers pre, during and post trip.

MULTI-CHANNEL PLATFORMS.

The world has welcomed the new digital era where interacting with multi-channel platforms have become the norm within everyday lives. This therefore has become the principle of convenience where consumers are able to interact practically anytime anywhere switching between the use of computers, mobiles and tablets. The online media landscape is rapidly growing in relation to the consumption of multimedia channels and the expectations travellers will have towards travel brands.

“The size of the audience makes this - the phone - a mass medium. It’s as important to a marketer as TV. This is as important - if not more important - than television.” Sheryl Sandberg Facebook COO states (Burke, 2013)

Well marketed brands have established the fact that reaching out to consumers is no longer done just via the Internet and to be accessed via a computer; technologies are quickly evolving therefore following the brands’ marketing through the usage of multichannel platforms such as smart phones and tablets is key. As such, travel consumers can now engage with the different platform devices to cater to different travelling needs and this is convenient to travellers as they are able to access the sites on the appropriate platform pre, during and post travel. Some commentators have noted that the rise of the smartphone in the last decade and the ability to access the Internet on the go at all times has increased the audience considerably, both in terms of numbers and the time people spend using their phones for data and application services:

As stated, the device that has shown a great incline is the usage of smart phones: “December 2012 was the first month all European countries crossed the 50% mark for smartphone penetration.” (Mardi, 2013) Successful travel brands have engaged with consumers by offering applications that may be downloaded as they understand that marketing via such platforms is continuing to grow. According research by Google Travel, 1 out of every 2 online travel searches now comes from a mobile device (Gonzalo, 2013) Applications that are used by brands have been created for general search for travel or to accompany consumers whilst in the specific travel destination. Figure 2

The independent ranked Tripit number one for the best travel app. The app turns smartphones into a pocket-sized PA. Allowing consumers to forward travel information to the app creating a digital itinerary for trips that are available to print out for yourself or to share, and described as: A “must download for business travellers.” (Muston, 2013) Expedia, being at the forefront of travel brands, has developed an app that is stylishly designed with a strong emphasis on imagery. “I must say that it’s exceptionally useful. The ability to research, plan and organise your trip on the go undoubtedly comes in very handy.” (Cotton, 2013)

As consumers are interacting with travel brands via such platforms the overall site or app that is used on the specific device needs to allow consumers to easily navigate around, therefore many successful websites and apps have gained a simple and contemporary look to them. A good example of the consistency of design across all platforms is seen in the hotel travel industry in the hotel brand Morgan’s Hotel Group (see figure 2). Kim Walker, Senior Vice President states “The experience guests have with hotel staff is engaging and streamlined, and we made it a top priority for consumers to feel the same way when interacting with our website.” (Gupta, 2013)

Consumers have been exposed to slick and clean layouts of websites that have continuity of layout design which have ease of use through all platforms. Matt Seeley, President of Experian Marketing Services, states “Today’s marketers face the increasing challenge of a winding ‘path to purchase’, requiring strategic engagements with customers across multiple channels and ensuring content is portable across many devices.” (Tatham, 2013) Tablets are the newest platform to be introduced to consumers and this device has shown large popularity and growth in recent years. Gartner predicts that tablet sales will outpace the PC market sometime between 2014 and 2017. By 2017 it’s predicted that manufacturers will sell 468 million (Hatchman,2013) The prediction is that in future, consumers method of engagement with websites may be overtaken by portable devices such as tablets therefore introducing layouts that are used with ease and adapted by such devices is a good way for brands to be at the forefront of digital marketing.

“In Europe, the flying won’t change much but the distribution will change massively. It’s all going to move to digital and mobile. The opportunities for ancillary revenues through mobile are enormous.” (Webb,2014)

Expedia have understood the way consumers are interacting with multiple devices, however, a problem with this is that a main feature that the company uses to track consumer behaviour is cookies. Cookies are not as effective or reliable when used on mobile devices. Expedia have created an innovative idea to work past these problems by creating a codebase that performs as a singular platform across devices. Rather than having to code something up for each specific platform, the idea is that this codebase will perform regardless of platform (Vivon, 2013). This could set Expedia at the forefront of the market and its competitors. However, another challenge are the ever emerging technologies, such as Google Glass, which may continue to create limitations for the current way cookies track consumers’ behaviour and online companies will have to adapt to these new technologies to stay ahead of the game.

CONSUMER.

The travel industry is a large industry that caters to a varied spectrum of consumers. Research has been carried out amongst different groups of consumers to understand the specific needs of the different consumer groups. Splitting consumers into groups by age and categorising them into Baby Boomers and Millennials. These groups interact differently with the internet due to the length of exposure that they have had with it. Looking at the way travel companies need to change to engage with consumers, Millennials are seen as the tech savvy generation. Therefore, when marketing to consumers online this generation can be seen as the more critical consumers “Millennials demands that corporations understand them and their needs and adapt accordingly in order to maintain relevance in a competitive marketplace” (Djamasbi, 2010). The marketing model that brands are following is changing due to the vast evolvement of technology that is used in everyday lives. For Millennials, digital use is more habit than a tool. The new marketing model involves engagement, interaction, engaged participants, personal gestures, and active co-creators.(Fromm 2013) The travel industry has incorporated such a model to engage with the needs of Millennials by realising that interaction and active co-creators can be interpreted via the usage of social media and reviews. As the focus is the online market, it is difficult to specifically define and target one consumer group within travel because a wide range of consumers interact with this industry market. In reflection to the current state of the travel booking process, “It is only dealing with consumers that are computer literate, i.e. the younger generation and consumers who have spent the majority of their working lives in a computer environment”(Northcott,2013).

Focusing on the older audience interacting with the web, the Baby Boomers have not always been exposed to the Internet, meaning their expectations aren’t set as high. From consumer insight (see appendix 13) they state “I think the information on the website is there but again if people are not experience with online booking (i.e. older) it can be missed.” Showing that clear layout to the sites can benefit older and younger consumers because Millennials expect an up to date slick look then this combines with some less tech savvy Baby Boomers wanting ease of using it. This being so the Baby Boomers cannot all be categorised into being as uneducated with technology and online. This age group are one of the key for travel brands to target as according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau 83.2 percent of baby boomers use the Internet regularly in 2011, up from 75 percent in 2006.(Meyer, 2013) Showing that travel industry needs to carter to all age groups as shown they have different expectations but they are all key consumers.

MILLENNIAL

BABY BOOMER

RISE OF INDEPENDENT.

Research by the travel industry association of America found that about two thirds (64%) of online travellers use search engines for travel planning.(xiang et al, 2010). From a survey undertaken (see appendix 1) 100% of consumers stated that the first source of information that they would go to is the Internet when beginning to plan a holiday. This is a result of the growth of independent holiday purchasing due to the fact that more sources are available for consumers to seek out their own information about hotels, resorts, and places to visit and this is supported by the ability to then make their own travel arrangements through websites and price comparison sites. As such, many consumers are therefore opting to do this rather than taking advantage of traditional ways of holiday booking by using high street travel agents. The demands of consumers have generally become more sophisticated and individualistic because they have been exposed to greater choice through website exposure. In response to these changes, brands have come to realise that mass-market solutions do not fit everyone’s needs. However, it is advantageous that the Internet and new technologies have facilitated and made it easier for brands to provide a personalised experience with targeted marketing to meet growing consumer demands.

With the large amount of information shared about tourism via the Internet regarding travel, hotels and attractions, consumers can find the process overwhelming. “Different technologies’ interfaces, such as search engines, online travel booking sites, and websites of destination marketing organizations facilitate the information exchange between online travellers and the so-called online tourism domain” (Xiang et al, 2008) Search engines can sometimes limit online tourists searches because the likes of Google and Yahoo have built in limitations and they work on a ranking and position of search results so they can provide boundaries when researching specific travel sites.

TRAVEL SITES.

TRAVEL SPECIFIC SITES

Travel-specific sites, for example Virgin and Thomas Cook, are often most used for consumers seeking out package holidays. Thomas Cook can be seen as the introducer of the package holiday as in 1841 the founder created a travel experience allowing consumers to buy a ticket which included rail travel, entrance to their chosen location/destination and food. This expanded and created a package for consumers to buy which included travel and accommodation throughout Britain and Europe which gave rise to, and exposure of, the package holiday. These sites are companies that have established themselves as physical travel stores providing customer service to suggest package holidays tailored specifically to consumers demands, which have then diversified their methods of reaching consumer markets via an expansion of their brand into the online marketplace. Nearly two thirds (62%) of consumers have booked at least one overseas holiday with a travel agent (either high street or online) or tour operator in the past 12 months (ABTA, 2013) showing that this continues to be the one of the main sources of revenue for the industry. Many consumers have already created a relationship with, and loyalty to, the brand. This familiarity benefits the perceptions of the brand as consumers take these with them when moving to an online platform to develop an online relationship. From a survey taken (see appendix 1) 27 % of consumers said the main source of information and advice when booking a holiday would be online travel-specific sites. Package holidays have suffered in previous years due to the rise of, and competition from, independent travel, but in 2013 46% of holidaymakers who took a foreign holiday booked a package holiday (ABTA, 2013)

The increase of package holiday sales has also been linked to the fact that specific online retailers have been around for some time and have now gained loyalty from consumers to offer package holidays through their sites. The process of booking package holidays is not as simple as it may seem when a comparison is made between: a professional travel expert who has built relationships within the industry, often has personal experience (or a colleague who does) of various destinations, and who may have a long standing relationship with their clients; and, a consumer who has to rely on new, and/or peer reviewed information and experiences, to navigating website and finding and booking the things they wish to participate in on their trip. This has been noted: â&#x20AC;&#x153;packages are complex creatures, with lots of different elements - flights, transfers, accommodation, excursions available in a myriad of permutations.â&#x20AC;? (Mawer, 2013) Therefore the overall user experience of the site needs to be easily navigable for consumers to be able to easily access the specific information needed as there is a lot of content that is provided via such sites.

Figure 3

The current Thomson website developed a new layout early 2014 (see figure 3). The layout appears more simplistic and more user friendly to be accessed via a range of devices. The simplistic design of website is a developing trend being adopted by brands having user experience at the forefront, traditional websites are adopting mobile application styles and this seems the case with Thomson. The site does not appear text heavy and has instead has influential imagery as one of the main ways to engage with the consumers via the homepage. It is noted however that despite the relative lack of text there is a lot of information provided on this one page for consumers to take in. The site provides a large range of videos of different destinations to inspire consumers’ purchasing. The content of the site seems to appear well but is still not as engaging as other industries or towards high end travel sites.

The Thomas Cook layout appears much more difficult to navigate (see figure 4) in comparison to Thompson’s site, and has a less contemporary style to it. A review into the best website for the best package holidays discussed the Thomas Cook site as follows: “The destination info is pretty basic, the deals section is messy and hard to navigate, I couldn’t find any hotel videos, and you feel bombarded with discounts in an off-putting way.” (Mawer, 2013) A company that is providing a package holiday in a more engaging and current way online are high-end travel company Kuoni. The homepage has an uncluttered appearance which is dominated by soft focus inspiring images with a simple navigation bar to direct consumers to the different specific areas of the website. A good customer engagement that the website includes is the option to search for a local destination expert who can provide detailed insider reviews of consumers chosen destinations. Figure 4

TRAVEL COMPARE SITES

“An online travel agent isn’t usually the cheapest place to find a flight deal online. A newer breed of site known as the “meta-search engine” provides (in theory) a more comprehensive service.”(Cooper,2011) Some of the main metasearch engines that consumers use are: Skyscanner usually for flights, Trivago for hotels, or websites such as Travel Supermarket to compare packages that are around. The way that the websites engage consumers is vital as sites such as this are becoming more mainstream therefore these sites are getting into a more competitive landscape and having a unique selling point such as an exceptional overall look and customer engagement on a range of levels can set them apart from the rest.

Due to the rise of online sites for booking hotels and travel the amount of information that is exposed to consumers is overwhelming. Travel comparison sites, which may also be known as a type of meta search engine, have been established to create ease for consumers to be able to easily narrow down searches. They provide convenience for consumers by allowing them to easily shop around to search for the lowest price deals in one place. From a survey conducted (see appendix 1) when consumers were asked what was the main source they go to when booking a holiday, 57% said travel compare sites. This indicates the popularity of such sites since over 50% of respondents have the sites as their main source of information. Meta searches are now seen by consumers as a tool of empowerment and this has been noted by many brands that have realised that metasearch has become a mainstream search, therefore a rising number of brands have adapted or are adapting to it. This being so, Google is adapting a flight search into its main tool bar allowing for consumers to be able to search and compare cheapest flights and airlines. They have teamed up with Ryan Air with the creating of this search engine Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary states “It’ll blow comparison sites like Skyscanner out of the water.” (Webb, 2014)

The overall look of Skyscanner’s website is engaging and has a basic arrangement that can be easily used by multiple devices. (see figure 5) In comparison, Travel Supermarket’s website is more text heavy with the page looking cluttered with a lot of information on it. (see figure 6) All of the sites having a traditional search box including from and to destinations following the typical overall look and format for travel websites consumers have grown accustomed to over the past decade.

Figure 5

Figure 6

ONLINE TRAVEL AGENCIES

Online travel agencies have grown in popularity as the overall online travel industry continues to grow. With the amount of sites that are developing consumers are having a more comfortable relationship to engaging with the sites. Well known online travel agents are Expedia and Travelocity; these are dominant sites in the industry. When asked what type of website consumers went to as their main source 27% stated online travel agencies (see appendix 1). These are not as popular as travel compare sites as evidently consumers like to be able to know that they can independently seek out the best deals.

Expedia is one of the most well know travel companies their online presence has grown to be truly significant as a result of such heavy marketing and reacting to trends on the web (Holly, 2013). The Expedia company has kept up with web trends to engage consumers via a range of social media platforms but the overall look and presence of the site does not seem to be as on trend as other online travel companies are. The main focus of the homepage is towards the search box with a range of deals around it; this shows the main information that consumers may need when first approaching the site but it is not presented in an up-to-date and engaging way.

The travel sites that are available mostly follow the same structure to encourage the consumer to interact with the site. Whether it be a brand site or a travel comparison site, the information that the sites are asking for is mainly following the same structure: dates of travel, destination and number of passengers. This therefore is gaining the relevant information that is needed to engage with the site but that is the length to which it goes. The sites seem to presume that the consumer knows what destination and specific time that they plan to travel following a basic format. This may potentially be an area of development and improvement which could result in a brand standing out from other sites.

TRAVEL REVIEW SITES

Through Web 2.0 consumers now having a voice via the Internet the popularity and dependency on other people’s opinions has grown. Therefore “travel review sites are ever growing popular with consumers in December 2013 58% of consumers read product or service reviews online (up from 53% in June 2013). The proportion of people writing reviews also rose, to reach 34%.” (Mintel, 2013) One of the largest travel review sites, Trip Advisor, is used worldwide. In a survey undertaken (see appendix 1) 63% of consumers read reviews prior to booking a holiday. Trip Advisor could be said to be one of the leading social media platforms in relation to travel. It has developed its website well to understand the engagement with consumers so therefore has links with other social media sites such as Facebook. This allows Trip Advisor members to link to friends and create a community based on Facebook friends and to be able to see places their friends have visited and to email each other suggesting reviews that other people they know have wrote. With its integration within the Facebook graph, traffic has been growing and the site now boasts 260 million unique visitors per month (Gonzalo, 2013).This direct engagement is what consumers want in the digital age. With the rise of smart phones and tablets people are not just browsing such sites at a desktop or laptop, they are writing reviews on the go. A Trip Advisor survey found that “39% of British respondents had a travel app installed on their mobiles device, while 15% had ‘checked in’ to a place using their mobile device while on a trip.”(Epstein, 2012)

Criticism has been levelled at such travel review sites including Trip Advisor, which states that some people have claimed that some of the reviews being made can not always be proven to be genuine traveller contributions. The Advertising Standards Authority has questioned Trip Advisor on this point, as reviews made could be from recently established hotels/restaurants wanting to make a good name for themselves or rival businesses wanting to hit back at each other and adversely affect the reputation of their competition. However, this has not curtailed the development of the website and the services it provides to consumers; Trip Advisor has developed systems that now allow customers to be able to book as well as post reviews through the site.

The integration of both the booking service and being able to see and post reviews is a great step for online travel companies to take. From a survey conducted (see appendix 2) 68% of respondents stated they would like to see a mixture of both corporate and consumer voices when planning/booking a holiday. The average amount of days UK consumers take to select destinations is 16 (Fox, 2013) as people shop around to find deals and read reviews; integrating the two on one website is advantageous as it may help speed up the selection process of consumers.

DECLINE OF THE HIGH STREET.

Due to the popularity of independent searching and booking high street travel agents have been effected significantly. “The number of travel stores have declined by 24% since 2005 from 8000 to around 6000 in 2011.” (Jackson, 2011). People have experienced independent control over their holiday choices and because this has been exposed to them via the Internet they have arguably become less inclined to go to another person within a travel agency to fully search and provide information about holidays. The trends in consumer demands are seemingly moving in the direction of individualism where the various parts of a holiday experience – hotels, flights, transport, destinations and excursions – can be booked separately and packaged together by the consumer within the comfort of their own home; this negates the need for a travel agent.

More high street stores are understanding that there is strong competition with people preferring to independently book online. This realisation has led some stores to adapt and introduce an in store experience to entice consumers. “Great brands, retailers or not, have realized that a three dimensional brand experience is by far the best way to engage with customers and build loyalty.” (Portas, 2011) The decline of high street travel agents may be read against a backdrop of declining high street sales in general and the recent recession saw the departure of some well known brands that had been staples of the UK high street, such as Woolworths, and a reduced high street presence for others, such as HMV. However, travel agents have been one of the hardest hit. With the growth of the Internet and the decline of the economy many industries have faced tough times. Mary Portas was hired to put forward a strategic plan to save the high street in 2011. Two years after it was put in place and there has been criticism towards the suggestions made as people have not seen many changes and there has also been a rise in the number of high street stores closing. “David Speakman, chairman of holiday company Travel Counsellors said that it was an impossible task to persuade holiday customers to eschew the Internet in favour of visiting their local travel agent, declaring: “The high street is dead” (Tweedy, 2013) As the government accepted virtually all of the 28 recommendations there is still time for major changes to be made to the stores including focusing on in-store experiences.

EXPERIENTIAL MARKETING.

Experiential marketing is what consumers are being exposed to more and more as brands are realising that this is the way to really interact with them. Creating public relations stunts and incorporating promotional offers is no longer engaging enough, consumers want to be able to interact with brands and have memorable experiences. Consumers want to be able to experience and engage with products beforehand. Brands are doing this in store with the likes of Burberry being at the forefront of utilising technology and creating in-store experiences. In relation to the travel industry the likes of Thomson have taken these steps further into the store but many travel brands are yet to follow. The experiential marketing should follow to all different platforms by also creating memorable experiences online and not only on the high street.

“Experiential marketing has been around since the days of the traveling salesman. But with a strong assist from technology, it now it is re-emerging as the backbone of many branding plans” (Cardona,2012) Thomson group have understood this and have been one of the first companies to up its game understanding that engaging customers with a memorable experience is key (see figure 7). The flagship store was opened in October 2013 which is said to “modernise the customer experience” and has been named their next generation store. The brand worked with 20.20 to revolutionise the experience. The usual point of sale material that was used in store has been removed and replaced with interactive sources to allow customers to interact while being in the process of decision making. Key features that have been incorporated are a touch screen interactive map which allows customers to view different locations in detail and also see Trip Advisor reviews of the destinations. The experience is further enhanced by an exciting poolside themed interior, and clients can engage with knowledgeable staff members informally in comfortable booths that have a video wall adjacent that can show inspirational images tailored to the specific customers travel preferences. This combines the interactivity and independence of booking via the Internet and using review websites, yet it also maintains the tradition of the personalised booking experience which is done face to face after some discussion and advice 59

58 Figure 7

In store this is easily achievable to try products before purchase but with online shopping it can be much more difficult if not impossible. Some websites have therefore tried to overcome this flaw by giving ‘experiences’ of the products being bought online to entice consumers more. “There is widespread inconsistency among retailers and brands in terms of size names, conventions and standards. This makes online clothes shopping a challenge for six out of ten shoppers” (Mintel, 2012).

Fashion sites have recognised this and, for example, the company Fits.me have introduced a successful virtual fitting room that consumers can use in the comfort of their own home. The fitting room allows consumers to key in their specific measurements then the clothes can been see on a replica of their body shape to see how the clothes would fit on them (see figure 8). Having it show the areas that would be too tight or too short. Brands such as Hugo Boss, L.K. Bennett and Pretty Green have incorporated this virtual fitting room into their websites. Using this experience within their sites means fewer returned orders as consumers are usually already aware of the quality of the clothing but not the fit. “Customers using its virtual fitting room have a 70% lower overall returns rate than shoppers who buy without trying” (Rigby, 2013)

figure 8 Getting to know consumers’ wants and needs is not as easy via online marketing, as the main way brands are able to interact with consumers is via social media. Although the Internet provides a great platform in terms of convenience, choice and price comparison, there are a number of limitations in terms of how specific the details are that a consumer can access. Online travel booking sites allow potential travellers to enter their specific needs such as the dates and locations preferred but fall short in other areas and more personalised travel requirements. The brands aren’t getting to know enough information about the consumer to make specific recommendations tailored to their needs. A company that has developed such interaction with consumers is fashion company Dressipi, it has developed a unique service to create an accurate profile to suit each individual. This is done by answering questions based on style, shape and preferences, therefore creating a unique profile called a fashion fingerprint. The technology searches all online brands and clothes to suggest hand picked fashion from high street to high end clothing tailored to each individual’s unique fingerprint. This is supported by the creation of a style guide aimed specifically at each individual consumer. The technology also evolves the more that it is used as it gains a better and more personal understanding of the consumer’s preferences. This therefore takes a step further to interact with consumers by creating a more in-depth personal relationship which in the past is only established by physical face to face interaction; they are now able to mirror this online.

CONCLUSION.

From the primary and secondary research carried out, it is clear to see that the online digital travel industry is continuing to grow in order to meet the demand in the amount of consumers that are choosing to engage with it. Travel brands are increasingly realising that being apart of this developing online industry is beneficial. Therefore, as the competition between brands is ever growing, it becomes more important that they each have a unique selling point to be able to set themselves aside from the other brands.

STRATEGIC OUTCOME.

Recommendations have been created from research found within the report in order to benefit the online travel industry.

The first recommendation that will be proposed will be for online travel brands to create more engaging and interactive websites. Due to the fast paced developments happening within technology, brands are developing to make sure that they can be communicated through a range of multimedia channels. Many online travel brands have developed apps to be able to communicate to consumers through mobile devices, as the usage for travel search and travel booking has seen a large incline via mobiles in recent years. Apps are being created and updated at an increasing pace in order to be accessed via constantly changing and diverse ranges of devices, for example, the tablet. Research has shown predictions that tablets will overtake the usage of laptops. Gartner predict that tablet sales will outpace the PC market sometime between 2014 and 2017. By 2017 itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s predicted that manufacturers will sell 468 million (Hackman, 2013). This means we can assume that consumers will continue to access websites and apps on the go. The way that consumers want to navigate around the sites is in an easy and accessible way due to the touch screen element that consumers have been exposed to as well the simple styles of most consumer-focused apps.

It is becoming vital that website layout and structure is simple and easily navigated in order to stay modern and appeal to wider audiences. Many websites in a range of different industries have adopted a basic look and brand that is easily transferrable to multiple platforms. The basic look was a graphic trend of 2013 with brands such as Starbucks and Microsoft following this with the visual rebranding of the companies. Many of the travel websites that have been looked at have begun to apply a more simple style to the sites. The travel specific brands have simplified the overall look of the website but this has not been in an interesting and engaging way. The brands seem to be becoming dated by keeping with the same online booking format with a generic box to add information to find specific travel needs.

From consumer insight (see appendix 14) they stated that they feel that the current online travel websites are outdated and all seem to follow as similar format. None of the main travel sites had a unique style to set themselves apart from other brands. For example, Expedia has developed a simple look but is not very engaging to consumers in comparison to higher end travel brands such as Kuoni which has created a more slick and appealing look to the website. The website is minima, the homepage containing basic information rather than the cluttered and text-heavy pages of other websites looked at. Travel brands should be looking to adopt a more high-end look to them. Kuoniâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s format is clean, simple and easily navigated, which causes us to question why is it that this type of website is still only being created by highend travel brands. With the growing competition from other online travel brands, yet repetition in their interfaces, a higher end look being adapted by a budget travel site could set them apart from the rest. The main focus of the home page will be focused on inspiring images rather than a range of deals and a mass of text and fine print. Many online travel brands have a similar and almost expected appearance signified by bright colour tones and large emphasis on deals. Companies could include a simple bar to fit different needs in an easy and more interactive way than a drop down menu. Incorporation of a map, allowing consumers to select a specific destination could create a more interactive and enjoyable online experience.

Figure 9 An online brand that has developed a unique interactive booking process is Travel Papa. The site does not bombard the consumer with a mass of information. It is a slick, forward thinking, interactive way to engage with consumers (see figure 9). The home page includes a map that starts with the choice of a specific region, which will then follow a journey to the final destination. They show the specific journey on the map that will be travelled. There is a welcome lack of words; interactive symbols are instead used to create the whole booking process. This site is at the forefront of other travel brands as they have established their unique booking experience that has been developed to engage with the growing tech savvy consumers and to be easily interactive via a range of devices. Many of the leading travel specific brands, while being well established, are falling behind with the way their websites physically engage with consumers. They should begin to include more modern and forward thinking techniques to keep their websites up to date and on trend with changing consumers preferences and the ever expanding technology market.

The second recommendation proposes to create a database that can establish and develop a personal customer service to individual consumer, as they would experience face to face in a travel agents. Customer service is a very important factor of the booking process and has been proven by the secondary and primary research. Yet it is hard to create the desired personal customer service online. The primary research showed after speaking to the managing director of Savensail (see appendix 11) her years of experience allowed her to emphasise the fact that a large part of being a travel agent is getting to know consumers. It has become a vital part of the booking process carried out before starting to lay down any specific needs and wants in terms of travel. Creating such a personalised customer service system is harder online as there is no face-to-face interaction. Professionals have also pointed this out, that it is difficult to create the same customer service online that is provided in store.

Many online travel sites have taken steps to further engage with their consumer via a range of social media sites. These sites have become some of the primary marketing tools for brands to interact directly with consumers. An example of this would be the established online company, Trip Advisor. They link information about consumer’s travel experiences with their friends via Facebook to create a community between them. Being able to access information through such platforms has proven successful for brands as consumers are presented with information and can connect directly with brands with one simple click or ‘like’. Many travel companies are beginning to use this as a main marketing tool, providing connections via a range of different social media sites. It is good for the industry to incorporate social media as a main source of engagement with consumers but when it comes to actually booking travel, to many consumers it is a purchase that should be well thought out. A personal and interactive connection from the brands could benefit consumers to help with decision-making online. Holiday purchase is not as simple as say for example, the fashion industry, where showing images of a new season’s trend will entice consumers to buy the clothing straight away. Consumers take longer to purchase travel as they literally invest more time and money in their experience. Many different aspects and options are to be considered. Therefore, guidance is still accepted by consumers as seen in the survey conducted (see appendix 2). It states that consumers will still want the guidance of travel agents but booking online is becoming more efficient and more popular.

Creating a more personal and interactive solution would benefit travel agencies in their quest to connect with consumers online. Companies could begin to reflect the customer service that is created in-store and combine this with the efficiency of booking online. It is good to be able to have further engagement. For example, consumers may be unsure of which specific travel destination they prefer. Having a more interactive website with personal preferences and recommendations can benefit consumers when making a decision. Companies could do this by creating a database within the website that will get to know consumers individually and in a more refined way than just picking up information via cookies from previous visits to the website. This could be a step towards creating a virtual travel agent interaction. The database would allow for each individual consumer to be able to key in their personal preferences such as styles of holiday, budget, places to eat, as well as more refined personal interests that are not necessarily travel related. Entering information such as favourite music or personal hobbies can reflect a more personal understanding of the consumer as an individual.

Figure 10

Collating this information and generating travel choices from like-minded consumers would give a more personal touch. This creates further engagement with consumers by taking steps to get to know personal preferences that cannot be picked up online via social media and cookies. This should create a relationship that an in store travel agent would establish, as stated by Nothcotte “Great customer service is most important in the planning of any customers holiday. Getting to know your client to the very last detail. They are the ones that are spending the money no matter how much £200, £2000 or £20000 it is all relevant, you can ruin someone’s holiday by not understanding their needs, what, how, where, and why they prefer to go you have to be a good listener.” (Northcotte,2013)

The database can create a personal profile that builds every time the consumer interacts with the website. The consumer is presented with specific suggestions that can be created in trusted and personalised way. Websites currently include suggestions of types of holidays for consumers to select and search, but hardly goes any deeper in terms of individuality. This database would develop as the consumers use it, it will refine the information to tailor to each individual consumer. The information that consumers enter into the database can also be changed and develop with time. This type of interaction has been seen through research when looking at how the fashion industry has created similar interaction with consumers via the website Dressipi (see figure 10) The website gets to know consumers likes, dislikes and further information that may benefit the consumers decision. The database develops the more it is used. They are able to pinpoint specific consumers taste in order to make personalised recommendations. Incorporating such an interactive tool into travel sites will allow the company to ‘get to know’ the individual consumer and build a relationship with them online. They will be able to go forward to make suggestions of places and travel due to the information that is presented, even when the consumer is relatively dormant in their usage. The interesting factor can be the fact that the database can develop to understand the consumer. No travel site is incorporating such interaction online and as research has proven that customer service is key throughout the travel booking, incorporating such a database would mimic the service provided by a travel agent.

The current way the travel industry does this is via cookies, picking up places recently searched, but that is the extent that it goes too in terms of individuality. It is not enough information to understand the consumer’s taste in specific destinations, hotel style preferences or style of food. Incorporating a database such as this into travel websites could revolutionise the way consumers search for travel online. Research in the report has shown that Expedia is currently creating a database that will be able to understand consumer’s tastes via cookies but within multiple devices. They understand that a connection and understanding is needed throughout all different channels. As updates like this are being created within the companies, the industry can move forward to interact on a wider scale. Combing the multi platform channels with the more refined personal database could allow travel agencies to create a more sophisticated customer service online.

It is clear that such a database can act like a travel agent but as there no physical spoken connection to a person it cannot fully reflect that of a travel agent and any further questions that consumers may need answering. As stated by Northcott “there are times however that certain questions asked can only be answered by talking to the travel agent directly” (Northcott,2013). Travel websites such as Kuoni and Expedia include live chat, in which personal questions can be sent to a professional to answer. This is efficient but it is not as engaging as being able to physically speak to a specialist. There are contact numbers that are present to be able to talk to a customer service team but many times the numbers that are included within the sites are from different countries and are expensive for consumers to call. The travel counsellors is an online travel website which allows consumers to find a travel expert within a local area. The website includes various profiles of experts for consumers to be able to select to fit their preference. This is a more personal way to interact with consumers, being able to personally select a specific person to fit their needs but again this also is via phone.For brands to create a further connection with consumers who want more advice they could combine a corporate and consumer voice on the webiste. From a survey conducted (see appendix 2) 87% of consumers said they would like to see the comination of a corprate and consumer voice. This could be a starting point to reflect the customer service that is given in store, as it is a lot more personal to be able to talk to other consumers and also hear from a professional.

The recommendations that have been presented would benefit a range of different online travel sites, not making specific connections to any brand. The recommendations can be applied to a range of different level of sites. The second recommendation could be seen to be more adaptable to a highend brand. It would be seen to be suitable due to them having a different clientele. Wealthier clientele could expect a personal and interactive service. If a leading online travel brand, for example Expedia, adapted such a customer service system, it would be the first of it’s kind to create this online connection with consumer, leading the way for the wider budget brands. These recommendations suggested have been created to better the online experience for consumers. As this is proven to be a growing industry and such updates and improvements are going to be expected by the new digital traveller.

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Portas,M. (2011). The Portas Review. Available: http://www.maryportas.com/news/2011/12/12/the-portasreview/. Last accessed 26/11/2013. Rigby,C. (2013). Virtual fitting room helps Henri Lloyd reduce return rates by 70%. Available:http://www. theretailbulletin.com/news/henri_lloyd_slashes_garment_return_rates_with_use_of_virtual_fitting_ room_23-10-13/. Last accessed 03/11/2013. Rokou,L. (2012). Half of TripAdvisor users will not book a hotel that has no reviews. Available: http://www. traveldailynews.com/news/article/52077/half-of-tripadvisor-users-will. Last accessed 30/11/2013. Russell,C. (2013). Experiential marketing is here to stay. Available: http://www.marketingweek.co.uk/ strategies-and-tactics/experiential-marketing-is-here-to-stay/4005877.article. Last accessed 07/12/2013. Russell,M. (2013). Who’s Sharing What – The State of Social Sharing in 2013. Available:http://www. webhostingbuzz.com/blog/2013/03/21/whos-sharing-what/. Last accessed 05/01/2014. Sawers,P. (2013). In the UK? You can trial eBay’s personalised fashion recommendations right now.. Available: http://thenextweb.com/uk/2013/08/12/ebay-dressipi/#!uPPy4. Last accessed 09/01/2014. Shankman,S. (2013). 7 Most Popular Types of Travel Booking Websites of 2013. Available: http://skift. com/2013/08/29/7-most-popular-types-of-travel-booking-websites-of-2013/. Last accessed 14/12/2013. Skeldon,P. (2013). GUEST OPINION Behavioural segmentation and targeting – searching for the sweet spot. Available: http://internetretailing.net/2013/09/guest-opinion-behavioural-segmentation-and-targetingsearching-for-the-sweet-spot/. Last accessed 25/11/2013.

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Strachan,D. (2011). Travel advice: the best flight comparison websites.Available: http://www. rightsandwrongs.co.uk/travel-and-transport/73-general/6475-trael-maps-a-transport-best-flight-websites-. Last accessed 9/11/2013.

Mawer,F. (2013). The best websites for package holidays: Where to find your hassle-free dream break. Available: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-2260761/Package-holidays-Find-best-websites-dreambreak.html. Last accessed 29/11/2013.

Tatham,M. (2013). Experian Marketing Services releases highly anticipated fifth annual Digital Marketer Report. Available:http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/04/02/ny-experian-marketingidUSnPnLA87600+160+PRN20130402. Last accessed 21/11/2013.

Think Digital. (2013). Are you creating memorable experiences?.Available: http://thinkdigital.travel/ knowledgestream/are-you-creating-memorable-experiences/. Last accessed 22/11/2013. Think Digital. (2013). The Journey To Travel Purchases. Available: http://thinkdigital.travel/ knowledgestream/the-journey-to-travel-purchases/. Last accessed 01/11/2013. Trend,N. (2011). Do we still need travel agents to book our holidays?.Available: http://www.telegraph. co.uk/travel/travelnews/8910460/Do-we-still-need-travel-agents-to-book-our-holidays.html. Last accessed 29/11/2013. Tuckman,B. (2012). How Photography and Online Video Influence Customer Purchasing Behavior. Available: http://www.marketingprofs.com/articles/2012/8088/how-photography-and-online-videoinfluence-customer-purchasing-behavior. Last accessed 04/01/2014. Tweedy,J. (2013). Mary Portas can’t save travel agent stores; the high street is dead, says holiday Available: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-2286448/Mary-Portas-save-travel-agent-storessays-Travel-Counsellors-boss.html. Last accessed 18/11/2013. Vargas,G. (2010). Travel Trends: The rise of the ‘Free Independent Traveler’ (FIT). Available: http://www. gadling.com/2010/05/12/travel-trends-free-independent-traveler-fit/. Last accessed 02/12/2013. Vernet,A Ayers,A Fawcett,J Bruchez,E Van Der Vlist,E (2006).Professional Web 2.0 Programming. London: Wrox. p78. Vivon,N. (2013). Bye bye cookie: Expedia releases new innovations geared toward a post-Web future. Available: http://www.tnooz.com/article/bye-bye-cookie-expedia-releases-new-innovations-gearedtoward-post-web-future/. Last accessed 06/01/2014. Webb,N. (2014). O’Leary reveals Ryanair-Google plan to ‘change how we buy tickets forever’. Available: http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/oleary-reveals-ryanairgoogle-plan-to-change-how-we-buytickets-forever-29907730.html. Last accessed 07/01/2014.

APPENDIX.

School of Art & Design

fcp3

Declaration Form 2013/14 Module: Negotiated Project Stage 1 Module Leader: Tim Rundle Ref. no: FASH30001

I confirm that this work has gained ethical approval and that I have faithfully observed the terms of the approval in the conduct of this project. This submission is the result of my own work. All help and advice other than that received from tutors has been acknowledged and primary and secondary sources of information have been properly attributed. Should this statement prove to be untrue I recognise the right and duty of the board of examiners to recommend what action should be taken in line with the University's regulations on assessment contained in its handbook.

Signed .................................................................................................................... Date .......................................................................................................................

94 Sarah Halliwell and Mary Taylor

Richard Danks Head of strategy Portas, Anthony Waller, Paul Sheehy-‐ Folk Digital

To listen to a range of different professionals talk about the shift to online in various different industries

Online vs offline talk

Gained information from a range of different industries to understand the shit to online in a more in-‐ depth way. Talk organised by LSN global

To gain professional knowledge and opinions about the travel industry.

To gain professional insight and answers about the current market.

Gain professional knowledge of the travel industry that is not easily accessed otherwise. Benefits

Talking face to face to get key information from consumer

Talking face to face to get key information form consumer

To find out consumer opinions

Benefits

Contact via Email

Various different travel professionals

To find professional insight to different areas of the travel industry.

Contact via email

How

Contact Via Email

Face to face interview

Email Interviews with a range of professionals working in the travel industry.

Margaret Northcott Managing Director of Travel Company Who Jeff Fromm

Joyce Rimmer 52 year old travel consumer.

Face to face interview

Conduct a Survey Monkey

How

To gain professional insight to the specific consumer group.

Why

Professional insight into the travel industry.

To find out their specific thoughts on key topics

To find out their specific thoughts on key topics.

Wide range of consumers of different ages to find

Who

To find consumer insight on key topics included within the research.

Why

Email interview with Jeff Fromm author of Marketing to millennials

What

Email interview with Managing Director of Savensail

Face to face interview with Baby Boomer consumers

Face to face interview with New Millennial consumers

Surveys

What

Limited to asking direct questions to professionals due to the amount of people attending.

Limited responses from professionals many don’t respond.

Limited response from professional and hard to keep in contact with them.

Weakness

Limited on how much information they give and how easily she responds

Limited knowledge of the travel industry.

Limited knowledge on the travel industry.

Limited to how many people will answer the survey and the common age being younger consumers

Weakness

Methodology Table - Primary Research

Secondary Research

Reading around the wide subject matter of the online travel industry was the first research that took place to gain a better understanding of the large industry.

Websites: Have been a main source of secondary research due to the large amount of information that is provided. Also as the main subject matter of the research document is based on the online industry research into a range of different travel websites was needed for key information

Books: Have been used to better understanding of the travel industry. Also to gain insight to the other areas that have been covered within this research document such as social media and the overall digital presence of consumers

Journals: Have been used to gain academic information based around areas covered within this report.

Databases: Databases such as Mintel and Key Note have been used to gain statistics and information about the current performances within the travel industry and also key areas covered such as the fashion industry.

Appendix 1.

Appendix 2.

Appendix 3

Appendix 4

Q1: Do you feel online travel sites are easy to use ? No Q2: Do travel reviews make and impact on your decission? yes please state why I always look at travel reviews before booking anything Q3: Would it benefit you if an online travel company combined a corporate and customer voice in relation to reviews and recommendations? yes Q4: Would you like more guidance online that reflects that of a travel agent ? Yes please state why I feel like that would help decission making because I dont always know Q5: Would you like to see a more interactive way to place bookings? yes any comments That would make it more interesting

Q1: Do you feel online travel sites are easy to use ? Yes Q2: Do travel reviews make and impact on your decission? yes please state why It makes me feel more at ease knowing there are positive reviews. Q3: Would it benefit you if an online travel company combined a corporate and customer voice in relation to reviews and recommendations? yes Q4: Would you like more guidance online that reflects that of a travel agent ? Yes Q5: Would you like to see a more interactive way to place bookings? no any comments I think it is fine as it is.

Appendix 5

Q1: Do you feel online travel sites are easy to use ? Yes Q2: Do travel reviews make and impact on your decission? yes please state why If theirs bad reviews then it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make you want to go. If its good then you look forward to it Q3: Would it benefit you if an online travel company combined a corporate and customer voice in relation to reviews and recommendations? yes Q4: Would you like more guidance online that reflects that of a travel agent ? Yes please state why Makes it simpler to choose where to go Q5: Would you like to see a more interactive way to place bookings? yes

Appendix 6

Q1: Do you feel online travel sites are easy to use ? Yes Q2: Do travel reviews make and impact on your decission? yes please state why good recommendations really sell the holiday Q3: Would it benefit you if an online travel company combined a corporate and customer voice in relation to reviews and recommendations? yes Q4: Would you like more guidance online that reflects that of a travel agent ? Yes please state why easier to talk to when you speak in person, it would be good to have a question and answer type bit. Q5: Would you like to see a more interactive way to place bookings? yes

Appendix 7

Q1: Do you feel online travel sites are easy to use ? Yes Q2: Do travel reviews make and impact on your decission? yes please state why The sites never tell you about the experience, previous customers do. Q3: Would it benefit you if an online travel company combined a corporate and customer voice in relation to reviews and recommendations? yes Q4: Would you like more guidance online that reflects that of a travel agent ? Yes please state why Although i find it relatively easy to find my way around a travel site others, maybe older, may not. Travel agents are knowledgable about holiday and to have that with you would be an improvement. Q5: Would you like to see a more interactive way to place bookings? yes

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Appendix 8

Appendix 9

Q1: Do you feel online travel sites are easy to use ? Yes Q2: Do travel reviews make and impact on your decission? yes please state why Because you can usually workout the kind of people who like / dislike anything and see if its for you Q3: Would it benefit you if an online travel company combined a corporate and customer voice in relation to reviews and recommendations? yes Q4: Would you like more guidance online that reflects that of a travel agent ? Yes please state why It would help people who don’t know how to research destinations or information Q5: Would you like to see a more interactive way to place bookings? yes any comments perhaps an online Chat person if it’s not already available

Q1: Do you feel online travel sites are easy to use ? Yes Q2: Do travel reviews make and impact on your decission? yes please state why if i hear good reviews then I will be more inclined to want to visit that place, it can also put me off Q3: Would it benefit you if an online travel company combined a corporate and customer voice in relation to reviews and recommendations? yes Q4: Would you like more guidance online that reflects that of a travel agent ? Yes please state why yes I feel that this would make the experience more personal which is important when booking a holiday Q5: Would you like to see a more interactive way to place bookings? yes any comments i think that you should get a more personalised experience overall

Appendix 10

Q1: Do you feel online travel sites are easy to use ? No If no state why I always think I’m going to book something wrong or my flights and hotel will be booked at different times or something. Q2: Do travel reviews make and impact on your decission? yes Q3: Would it benefit you if an online travel company combined a corporate and customer voice in relation to reviews and recommendations? yes Q4: Would you like more guidance online that reflects that of a travel agent ? Yes Q5: Would you like to see a more interactive way to place bookings? no

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Appendix 11

102

Margaret Northcott Managing Director Savensail

Appendix 12

Jeff Fromm Author Marketing To Millennials

103

Appendix 13 Face to face interviews Joyce Rimmer 53 Do you always independently book holidays? Yes almost all the time now What is the reason? It gives me a lot more flexibility and choice to find the best price, date, time and duration. If I use a site such as On The Beach I can enter search details for flights and accommodation together. It gives you the choice to be specific on dates and duration or you can search a few days either side if you are flexible. It then gives results with the cheapest price first. All this can reduce the price quite a lot if you are not too strict on your requirements. You then move to the next stage to choose accommodation. Again this offers a lot more choice as you are given a list of different types of accommodation and the option to choose which board basis you prefer as well as amenities. Finally you have the opportunity to book your transfers with different choices available. After using sites like this I have felt more confident booking independently so now I will search different airline websites to find the best price and time and usually tab from window to window to compare. By using this type of search I can use different airlines and airports. I will then search for accommodation to fit in. What main websites do you use during all stages of the holiday booking process? I will usually use On The Beach, Ice Lolly.com, Teletext holidays, Expedia to search for flights and hotel. If I am looking for flights I usually search the budget airlines like Easy jet, Ryan air and Jet2.com Have you experienced any trouble with online booking? I have not had any problems myself but have heard of common problems when people are not perhaps experienced in using online sites. The main problem is charges when people have not checked the size of their luggage and my In Laws had charges because they had not checked in online. Do you feel there is enough information and support provided via the websites? I think the information is there but again if people are not experience with online booking ( ie older) it can be missed. Some websites need to be clearer and more transparent about procedures and charges. Do you feel that the layouts of online travel websites are easy to use? I find them easy but again people with less experience may find it more difficult. Do you feel that they are engaging? Some are more than others. They are more engaging when they are easy to use with clear search boxes. Have any websites ever swayed holiday decisions by any form of marketing on the site? Yes , sometimes when searching there are recommended hotels and we have once chosen one of these even though it was a little more expensive. We would perhaps not have considered this. What differences if any would you feel would benefit online travel sites? To work on making them more user friendly for less experienced people and be more upfront and transparent with extra charges.

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Appendix 14

Appendix 15

Mary Taylor 28

Sarah Halliwell 22

Do you always independently book holidays? Yes I find it the easiest way because I can be in control of all the different sections like hotels and flights and try to find the cheapest deals If not what is the reason? I would only go to a travel agent if I was to booking a trip that needed to include a range of different flight transfers and things like that for somewhere like Asia. What main websites do you use during all stages of the holiday booking process? I like to use different ones because I usually go on travel compare sites first, I usually have decided where I want to go so I just look for the cheapest deals. I like to use Expedia though because I feel that I can trust it a bit more because iv heard a lot more about it. I still am a bit apprehensive about some sites because there are so many different ones out there now Have you experienced any trouble with online booking? No I haven’t booked that many times online but each time that I have it’s been fine its easy enough to use its just all drop down menus. Do you feel there is enough information and support provided via the websites? There is a lot of information on the websites sometimes there is a bit too much on a page. Sometimes I feel that they bombard you with so many different holidays that are not relevant to you it becomes a bit overwhelming. With the support there’s the usual contact number. Do you feel that the layouts of online travel websites are easily to use? Yes they are, they all follow the same layout usually with the search bar allowing you to put your information in Do you feel that they are engaging? They are easy to use so engaging in that way but like I said they are all pretty similar most of the online sites look exactly the same. I do like the sky scanner website though that’s a bit different to the others it looks more up to date. Have any websites ever swayed holiday decisions by any form of marketing on the site? Usually I will be straight away drawn to the cheapest deals and will have a look through the cheapest holidays. Id say if they show a lot of different images of different locations that always makes me look through them because the images are usually so appealing. What differences if any would you feel would benefit online travel sites? I would like the websites narrow down some of the information that is on the pages. I feel like this would make decision-making a bit better, I know they do it to try to get sales but it sometimes makes it a less pleasant way to use the sites.

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Do you always book holidays independently? Most of the time What is the reason? If I book online independently it gives me more chance to browse through flights and hotels and research them before I book. I also have more choice to choose dates and times which suite me. If I am going with friends I can send details and links for them to look at so we don’t need to be together to book. Its also more relaxed because you don’t need to feel like you have to make a decision and rush. It can be done any time of day so is great if you are working or need something last minute. I would only use online booking for a holiday and not for travelling. I travelled to Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and Thailand and used an agent for this due to the complexity of the flights and accommodation. We also needed more face to face professional advice. What main websites do you use during all stages of the holiday booking process? I use sites such as Expedia, Ice Lolly.com and Lastminute.com. I also look at different airline websites and hotel websites separately Have you experienced any trouble with online booking? I have entered wrong details in and this caused a charge so I am always careful now and double check everything. Do you feel there is enough information and support provided via the websites? All the information is there it is sometimes hard to find . Do you feel that the layouts of online travel websites are easy to use? Yes I find them easy to use but have to help my Dad when he wants to book a holiday so it would be good if they were easy for novice users. Do you feel that they are engaging? Not all of them . They are more engaging when they are easy and quick to use with clear search results. It would be good if you could choose different options and compare Have any websites ever swayed holiday decisions by any form of marketing on the site? Only made us decide to book activities and trips which were advertised for the local area. What differences if any “DO” you feel would benefit online travel sites? To work on making them more user friendly for less experienced people and be more upfront and transparent with extra charges.

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Appendix 16

Online Vs Offline Talk Key points Richard Danks Head of Strategy Portas

Anthony Walker Fashion is less inclusive it is more inclusive

Digital is a support mechanism.

Does everyone count on clothing, how much influence should it have on the success of a brand.

Retail is not dead but imagination of retail is.

Fashion brings people who are disconnected to be connected

Big data is one of the biggest things for companies to engage with.

Are fashion weeks needed in the next few years people aren’t travelling because they can get the information online that actually physically being there

People experiences – people want experiences and experiencing far beyond the physical store can create this. Portas are working on the new P X.

People need to be weary of having a strong digital presence.

High street is no longer just shops it is now a more multifunctional place for consumers.

Brands need to adapt and be more open to engage with the public.

For a brand they should do something different and set themselves aside from others and have a better.

Brands should be weary because they can’t control anything that is presented online about the brand.

Folk Digital

Trend boutique

People buy stories not products

We have technology to move at a faster pace.

Anthropologists’ content shows that 70% of what we buy is through stories.

Experience and community is growing on the high street.

We speak not to the head but to the heart.

84% of consumers that use phones in store don’t buy.

Digital is connected commerce.

Image recognition is a growing trend with in store experience.

77% of consumers that add items to baskets drop out.

Things such as qr codes are out-dated we are moving into a 4D world.

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fcp3

Tutorial Record Sheet 2013/14 Module: Negotiated Project Stage 1 Ref. no: FASH30001 Date: 29/11/13 Name :

Independent Research Project Tutorial / Seminar Record Sheet Work to bring / prepare for session: Feedback from presentation and any further questions?

Learning issues to discuss in session: Referencing in body of the text

Feedback from session: Good work so far carry on getting more research, see if I can get in contact with more professionals because this hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been successful so far

Tasks for next session: Bring work that I will work on over Christmas try to get most of the writing done.

Please indicate progress to hand in (1 = Not ready / 5 = Ready and Prepared) 1 2 3 4 5 Signed (Tutor) Signed (student) Emma Wiles

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