Before booking an airline ticket, a buyer's final decision is influenced by a number of factors, from cost to the convenience of a mobile app for searching flight information.
Google analysts, with the support of Kantar TNS, conducted a study and based on the obtained data The data determined what is important to Russians when purchasing airline tickets, how long it takes to make a decision about purchasing them, and which vacation destinations are popular.
Portrait modern Russian traveler
Today, a significant portion of respondents (68%) buy airline tickets online. Those who prefer offline channels are almost half as numerous. Interestingly, online booking in Russia is almost as common as in the US, where the equivalent figure is 77%.
Today's travelers purchase tickets using a computer or tablet. The majority of respondents (60%) stated that these devices are their preferred choice. Despite the popularity of online bookings, only 8% use smartphones for these purposes. Mobile apps are particularly popular among younger travelers, so the number of bookings made using smart devices may increase in the future.
According to the statistics presented in the study, modern Russian tourists most often travel in pairs. However, there are also those who prefer to travel alone: 28%. Traveling in groups of more than four people is not popular in Russia: only 8% are willing to travel in a group.
A similar situation is observed in many European countries, the United States, and Turkey. For example, 621% of German, 571% of French, 471% of American, and 411% of Turkish tourists typically travel in pairs. The study also found that tourists from the United Arab Emirates and South Africa most often prefer to vacation alone in other countries.
How are decisions made about purchasing airline tickets?
Most decisions are made quickly: more than half of respondents (51%) decide to travel within a few days, and 15% book tickets within hours of finding a suitable flight. For example, in Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, 37% travelers make their bookings very quickly. The same figure is 27% in the US and England, and 19% in Germany. According to experts, planning to buy a ticket months in advance is a thing of the past—among Russian independent travelers, only 8% think about it in advance.
In Russia, as elsewhere in the world, ticket price remains the most important criterion when choosing a particular airline. A significant portion of respondents (70%) primarily consider this factor. However, positive impressions during the booking process and during the flight also play a significant role when choosing services. This, in turn, has the greatest impact on customer loyalty to the airline.
Of all respondents, 30% are members of frequent flyer programs. Notably, the vast majority do not have gold or silver status. Instead, members earn miles that can later be redeemed for flights.
How and where do Russian travelers vacation?
European destinations are popular among Russian tourists: 401,300 respondents fly there for vacation, while 311,300 book domestic flights. Asia is also popular, with 161,300 respondents preferring exotic destinations.
Regarding vacation length, the majority of respondents (38%) choose a two-week vacation. Weekly vacations are also popular, with 36% Russian tourists choosing them. Interestingly, unlike Russian travelers, tourists to the US and several European countries, with the exception of Germany and the Netherlands, prefer trips of up to seven days.
How do Russian travelers choose airlines?
Russian travelers choose airlines based on a combination of important factors. For example, 60% respondents say their final decision is based on their most recent flight experience, while 45% value convenience at every stage, from using a mobile app to avoiding stressful situations during the flight.
Before buying a plane ticket, travelers want to learn as much as possible about the airline and its offerings. They most often (in 89% cases) prefer popular search engines, as well as price comparison sites (70%), video hosting sites (65%), airline websites (62%), and tour operator websites (51%). Russian tourists also rely on information on social media, review sites, forums, and other open sources.
According to Russian Google Search statistics, when choosing an airline, users most often inquire about carry-on baggage rules and the destinations served by each airline. Mileage systems are also very popular.
Despite the abundance of search engines and aggregators, offline channels remain popular. 41% respondents trust reviews from family members and friends, 24% listen to tour operator recommendations, and 14% consult catalogs and information boards themselves. Furthermore, tourists continue to pay attention to advertising on television and radio, in magazines, and on billboards.
Source: trn-news.ru
