OneTwoTrip surveyed Russian travelers on their attitudes toward package tours amid news of several operators' financial difficulties. The survey included buyers of tours and other products (airfare, train tickets, hotels), who noted that over the past three years For years they used the services of tour operators.
Thus, 65% respondents indicated that they are concerned about the situation developing in the organized tourism market. Tour buyers are most concerned about purchasing a package tour but not actually going on vacation (39% respondents responded this way). 27% noted that they are afraid of flying abroad and encountering difficulties checking into a hotel. About 16% are worried about encountering problems upon returning home. Survey participants cited charter flight delays as the least significant problem with organized tourism (10% responses).
The vast majority of organized travelers carefully plan their vacations. 87% respondents noted that they pay attention to the specific operator organizing their trip. 71% are interested in whether they will be traveling on a scheduled or charter flight (the latter carries a higher risk of schedule changes and flight cancellations if the operator encounters problems).
The study focused on whether the financial difficulties of several tour operators would impact consumer behavior. To the question "Do you think you would consider organizing your next trip independently due to the problems of tour operators?", 381,000 respondents answered "definitely yes." Another 471,000 respondents were less certain, choosing "somewhat yes." Only 141,000 respondents answered "no."
"Travelers' awareness and preparedness have increased significantly in recent years. Many of those whose vacations abroad once began with tours to Turkey or Egypt are now ready to independently organize a trip to almost any country. Furthermore, online services allow travelers to easily compare the cost of independent and organized travel to their desired destination and make the most objective and tailored choice. The shift in consumer preference from organized tourism to independent travel planning will undoubtedly continue in the future. However, even in popular destinations (Turkey, Cyprus, Greece, Thailand, Vietnam, etc.), the share of organized tourism will remain high, because tourists can easily see for themselves that operator offers are often more advantageous, and organized travel is more comfortable," comments Anton Kim, Head of Package Travel Products at OneTwoTrip.
Source: trn-news.ru
