Travel Agent Behavior Study for Booking Hotels

In this project, our client “XYZ” was looking for a better understanding of their clients’ (travel agencies) booking behavior with regard to booking hotels in order to enable the company to develop versatile content and tools to meet the needs of current and potential customers. The collected data shows among others what channels are most often used; what characteristics are most important in a decision for a channel; why customers use other channels other than XYZ, and what XYZ can do to increase their customer bookings.

The research was done by conducting in-depth telephone interviews. In addition, extensive desk research is conducted to develop a robust understanding of the trends, drivers, constraints and statistics within the US travel industry.  Research is done utilizing online media, web, peer reviewed journals, industry news and company reports, where appropriate. 

Competitive and Market intelligence:

• Content needs of travel agents
• Product and functional needs
• Preferred method of access to the GDS system (cryptic, graphic or hybrid)
• Reasons for agencies performing above average number of hotels
• Reasons for agencies performing below average number of hotels

SIS provided key intelligence to improve the booking process for travel agents through the client's system:

• SIS identified content implications for the client's system. By analyzing these content aspects, SIS delivered recommendations to improve the booking process. For example, the majority of travel agents rely on alternative websites to receive visual information as MapQuest or Google Maps instead of the system, which makes the use of the client less convenient
• SIS delivered key intelligence to increase international bookings with the client instead of calling directly to Hotels or others
• SIS provided specific additional functionalities for the system. For example, the system should include more transfer possibilities for travelers
• SIS identified key intelligence about over and underperformers in the market
• SIS described functionalities to dissolve implications when travel agents wanted to book regards special booking requests
• SIS analyzed the most preferred access method to the system. A comparison between cryptic, graphic and hybrid is established
• SIS identified improvement opportunities for tracking the customer’s base and provided intelligence to track and analyze the activity of travel agents