Americans rank in the bottom half of the world’s most digitally dependent travellers

New survey shows Americans rank in the bottom half of the world’s most digitally dependent travellers

ATLANTA – 8 November 2017: Americans rank in the bottom half of the world’s most digitally dependent travelers, based on their reliance on mobile, internet and digital technology for travel-related purposes, according to new research published today by Travelport (NYSE: TVPT), the leading Travel Commerce Platform, based on a global online survey of 11,000 travelers in nineteen countries, including 1000 respondents in the United States.

The 2017 Travelport Digital Traveler Research Report, which surveyed global travelers who took at least one return flight last year, also revealed new insights into how American travelers use digital tools to plan, book and experience travel. Among the report’s findings:

• When planning a trip:
  • 79% of U.S. travelers use peer to peer reviews when researching a trip
  • 71% use travel sites to discover new and exciting destinations based on their interests
  • 60% use videos and photos posted by friends on social media as part of their research

• When booking a trip:
  • 44% tend to research and book all their travel arrangements on their smartphone
  • 65% avoid hotels that charge for Wi-Fi

• When on the trip:
  • 73% of Americans believe digital boarding passes make traveling much easier
  • 60% feel a good digital experience is important when choosing an airline

• When at the destination:
  • U.S. travelers use almost 15 different categories of apps when traveling, with maps and instant messaging being the most popular apps
  • 72% like to see as much of the local area as possible while on business trips, combining pleasure with business

The 2017 Travelport Digital Traveler Global Rankings

The report also includes the world’s first Digital Traveler global rankings table, with the United States ranked 11^th, in the bottom half of the 19 countries surveyed, amongst the world’s most digitally-dependent nations. The rankings are based on a combination of the main indicators of digital usage for travel-related purposes by travelers in each country. For example, American travelers typically use smartphones for booking and boarding a plane, with 73% saying digital boarding passes and e-tickets make traveling easier, compared to a global average of 71%.

The table shows the following global rankings for the 19 countries surveyed:

Erika Moore, Travelport’s vice president and general manager for the United States, commented:

“The middle of the road survey results for the United States compared to other countries are surprising, considering typical American eagerness to embrace the latest technologies. Travelport’s survey indicates there are continuing opportunities for the $7.6 trillion global travel and hospitality industry to promote the adoption and use of new digital travel tools and content in the United States, as well as to adapt continually to provide responsive, relevant and timely services for customers. As a technology company and a world leader in digital and mobile capabilities, Travelport’s platform stands ready to provide the travel industry with the means to accomplish this goal.”

For more information on the research findings for the United States, as well as to view the Global Digital Traveler Report, four regional reports and detailed country reports for all 19 countries where travelers were surveyed, visit http://www.travelport.com/gdtr