Freewhitepaper:TheTraveler’sPathtoDestinationSelection

The travel journey begins long before the bags are packed. It starts when a traveler selects where to go from the abundance of destination choices across the globe. But how do they decide where to go?

NB: This is a viewpoint by Wendy Olson Killion, global senior director for business development atExpedia Media Solutions.

Online travel shoppers take many sidesteps, turns and detours as they navigate their way to deciding on a destination. A new study on the Traveler’s Path to Purchase from Expedia Media Solutions and comScore reveals trends in how American, British and Canadian travelers choose destinations and make purchases.

Digital detours and destination selection

Travelers frequently begin the planning and research process with more than one destination in mind. The study shows that is true for more than half of travel shoppers in the UK and Canada. However, in the US, that number is just over one-third and can likely be attributed to the less vacation time most Americans get than their counterparts, making travel an even more highly considered purchase.