More Travelers Book, Not Just Look, on Internet

The Internet as a purchasing and planning tool continues to flex its muscle among leisure travelers, according to a recent survey.

Nearly a third of the 1,351 leisure travelers polled used the Web to book a reservation, an increase from the 25% who did so the year before, according to results from the Yesawich, Pepperdine & Brown survey taken early this year. They--and “they” are mostly Gen-Xers and baby boomers--booked 2.1 trips online last year.

“Once you’ve done it, some of the mystery has been removed,” said Con Hitchcock, chairman of the Consumer Advisory Board for Orbitz, a co-sponsor of the YPB study. He thinks the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks played a role in the increased reliance on the Net because “it was able to give a range of information that was specific to your flight, your airline and your airport.”

The number of leisure travelers using travel agents, meanwhile, declined from 29% to 27% among those who booked one or more trips, the survey showed. But Peter C. Yesawich, president and CEO of the survey company, said, “It is important to note that ... three out of every 10 leisure travelers still use the services of a travel agent.”