Google at ATM Dubai: Study About Travelers in the UAE - KSA

Google at ATM: Study Shows Travelers in the UAE, KSA Use Mobile and Video When Making Travel Decisions

Participating for the first time in the Arabian Travel Market, Google announced today the results of an independent study conducted by Ipsos to better understand the decision making process of travelers in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The study, entitled “Traveler’s Road to Decision,” revealed that users in both countries are tech savvy and rely on mobiles and videos when making travel decisions. The study provides in-depth data on the consumer behavior of leisure, business and affluent travelers.

Role of the web when it comes to travel

The initial finding from the study is that the web plays a key role in the decision making process for both leisure and business travelers in the UAE and in KSA. Apart from direct advice from friends and family, the internet is the number one source for trip planning for more than a third of leisure travelers surveyed (39% UAE, 38% KSA). This number rises for business travelers -- in the UAE it jumps to 50%, while in KSA it jumps to 48%.

What leisure users are doing online varies from Saudi to the Emirates. In Saudi, leisure travelers rely on social networks and search engines as sources of information; while in the UAE, they rely on search engines primarily, before online videos and maps as sources of information. This mirrors the US where search engines are the leading source for information.

Travel is Mobile

With smartphone ownership and improved connectivity continuing to grow rapidly in the region, it is no surprise that travelers are using their mobile devices when planning trips. Among those that use the internet to plan their travel, 48% have used their smartphone in the past year to engage in a travel related activity, rising to 69% for smartphones or tablets specifically. Travel related activity includes everything from booking a flight or hotel, to writing reviews on travel sites; checking weather or maps for a travel destination, searching destinations, watching or posting travel videos among other online activities. Saudis lead the way with their mobile usage when it comes to travel - with 50% of travelers accessing the web through smartphones, while it’s 35% in the UAE.

Travel Industry Must Catch Up with Savvy Mobile Use of Gulf Travelers

It is clear that the Middle East travel sector has a great opportunity to engage with mobile using customers. However, travel companies are currently missing out on the prospect to convert these mobile travelers into bookings. The survey showed that although travelers use mobile phones and smart devices to access the internet and research travel options, a very small number complete their booking via mobile devices due to issues with the sites they are accessing.

Across both UAE and KSA, the leading barrier to booking online cited by half of the respondents was that the websites were not mobile-ready -- meaning the user experience was poor, the pages were hard to navigate through mobile device and difficult to read. Another 20 percent of those surveyed mentioned that the mobile websites didn't have booking capabilities. This means they either lack commercial capabilities, ability for online payment transactions or other e-commerce enabled services.

Marie De Ducla, Head of Travel Industry at Google MENA, commented on the study, “Today, especially in the Middle East, travelers are constantly connected to the internet and it is no surprise that mobile is part of their exploring and decision making process. The lack of bookings made online through smartphones is surprising, but represents a massive opportunity for the travel industry to improve their online presence, and tap into the UAE and KSA travelers who more and more are using their phones as a digital concierge.”

New Trend: Video Emerges as Part of the Decision Making Process

A new opportunity exists for travel brands in online video and the data is significant. According to the study, travelers use video as a popular source for the first two stages of planning travel - when “thinking about taking a trip” and “choosing a destination.” In Saudi, 81% of leisure travelers; 92% of business travelers and 87% of affluent travelers watch online videos. Among those who watch online videos 85% of them watch at least once a week, while 69% watch several times a week and approximately 80% watch those videos on YouTube.

The video platform is also a place where advertisers and brands will find active audiences trying to reach Saudi travelers. According to the survey, 68% of affluent and 75% of business travelers in KSA said online videos introduced them to a travel brand they were not aware of, and nearly 70% responded that online videos encouraged them to consider the brand that was being advertised.

When it comes to the UAE, the data shows UAE travelers also rely on online video when making travel decisions. UAE business travelers (84%) watch more online videos than leisure (68%) or affluent travelers (62%). Nearly three-quarters watch online videos once a week and 77% of those are viewed on YouTube.

Additionally, affluent UAE travelers use online videos as their number one source for planning trips (21%) in conjunction with online map sites. Following videos and maps, affluent travelers use airline websites(18%), travel review sites (13%) and search engines (5%) when making travel decisions.

Other Key Findings:

Reasons for Travel

Visiting family is cited as the number one reason for travel across UAE and KSA. They make up 71% of trips for KSA travelers and 55% for UAE travelers.

Travel Planning

Last minute booking is extremely high in Saudi for leisure and business travelers; with more than 50% of the respondents saying they book less than two weeks in advance. In the UAE, 35% of respondents say they book less than two weeks in advance.
Locals in the UAE use Internet to plan leisure trips more than anyone else (61%)Arabs in the UAE use internet more than anyone else to plan business trips (50% of those surveyed).


Notes to Editors

IPSOS Survey done offline (phone interviews and face to face interviews)

Period : March to April 2013

Sample : 1000 consumers in KSA, 1000 in UAE, who have traveled at least once for leisure or business reasons in the past nine months.

Definitions :

• Leisure travelers has taken at least one trip for leisure in the past 9 months
• Business travelers has taken at least 3 trips for business in the past 9 months
• Affluent has taken at least one trip for leisure in the past 9 months and has a household income > SAR/AED 40,000

Courtesy : Maha Abouelenein, Head of Communications, MENA, Google

Source : http://google-arabia.blogspot.ae

ResNet World reports record 50% growth in Revenues

Dubai - ResNet World reports record 50% growth in Revenues

Over 400 hotels now use the company’s e-distribution services which include the region’s first full-fledged Arabic Internet Booking Engine

Arabian Travel Market Dubai, May 2013: ResNet World, headquartered in Dubai with offices in India and Europe, is the region’s fastest growing e-distribution and online marketing company for the hospitality industry. The company continues to strengthen its position through innovation and recently released its all-inclusive Arabic Internet Booking Engine, a first for the region.

The Arabic Internet Booking Engine offers the full functionality of ResNet World’s English Internet Booking Engine allowing hotels to manage internet bookings quickly and effectively while avoiding expensive technology investments. Its solutions are fully customizable and standard features include visually appealing picture based platforms, easy to use calendar based availability functionality, 100% control over rates and inventory, 24/7 web-based back office access, automated confirmations and multi-property search capability.


ResNet World opened its European office in 2012 to support the company’s unprecented growth and doubled its headcount in the last twelve months. The company is the first and only provider in the world that offers full 24/7 Arabic support to its clients and has the ideal combination of global reach & solutions and local knowledge & presence.


Saahil Metha, Founder and Managing Director of ResNet World said: “As a company founded and based in Dubai, the hospitality center of the Middle East, we have a deep understanding of the region, the Arabic language, the culture and the challenges and opportunities faced by the hospitality industry in the region.” He added: “As more and more hotel guests in the Arab world want to book online and directly with the hotel, many hoteliers in the region have expressed the need for an Arabic solution and we are proud to have been the first to make it available to them.”


“We have seen a drastic increase in online bookings, now representing up to 40% of total hotel reservations, along with strong growth in the demand for mobile and auto-responsive websites to ensure guests and visitors have access to hotel websites and can make bookings whilst on the go”, he added.


Through online marketing, website development, e-distribution and channel management, ResNet World offers partner hotels a complete e-solution allowing them to step ahead of their competition and give hotels the opportunity to maximize revenue and profitability through improved online presence and direct bookings.


For further information please contact us:
Phone: +971 (4) 448 7222 - Email: info@resnetworld.com
www.resnetworld.com 

ResNet World - Join us at the ATM Dubai

ResNet World - Countdown for the ATM in Dubai

ATM will start on Monday, the 6th of May.
Come and join us at the Technology Hall, Stand no. 6278

ResNet World - A Demographic Breakdown for Social Media

ResNet World - A Demographic Breakdown for Social Media

ResNet World - When OTA's are really painful for Travelers

ResNet World - When OTA's are really painful for Travelers.

I was checking Today on Booking.com for that amazing luxury Resort in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE.

Here's what i found. Pictures don't Lie (:

Too much !!!
At that point, My own IQ jumped to 199 and decided to change the date.

What !!!

That's a huge difference for the same rooms !!!

Just forgot to mention that if you checked the Hotel website, You'll not find anything like the 1st picture.

It's either available with a reasonable "Around the Average" price or it's not available at all.

Summary:

Be careful with OTA's as it's not your best friend all the time (:

ResNet World - TripAdvisor introduces 'popularity index' analytics for Hotels

ResNet World - TripAdvisor introduces 'popularity index' analytics for Hotels

TripAdvisor is the leading travel review platform and all the time top target for Hotel's Online Reputation Management 'ORM' Activities.

The new system which allows hoteliers to check on their competitors via a ‘popularity index’ on TripAdvisor has been introduced by the reviews website.

Side by side comparisons are being made available, comparing four different properties across a range of criteria.

It provides competitors’ popularity rankings, reviews that rivals have received in the last 30 days and the top three comments in competitors’ reviews.

The Property Dashboard feature claims to provide information on visitor demographics.

A ‘visitors’ page enables hotel owners to gain insight into where their guests have traveled from, why they travel, how long they plan to stay and how far in advance they are booking.

A ‘visit to page’ report can be used to analyse traffic per month over a 12-month period.

A ‘snapshot’ section provides data on elements travelers like of problems that need to be addressed.

“Tracking your review activity will show how many travelers typically write reviews on your property,” the company said.

ResNet World - Technology Feature in the Arabian Travel Market 'ATM'

ResNet World - Arabian Travel Market 'ATM'

Arabian Travel Market is the travel and tourism event unlocking business potential within the Middle East for inbound and outbound tourism professionals. The 2013 show will run from May 6 - 9 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Center (DICEC).

ResNet World's Director of Operations, Mr. Shane Mansell speaks to the Press :


How big a role technology plays in the travel industry?

Technology plays a crucial role in the travel industry today. Hoteliers must stay up to date and educated on the constantly transforming technology landscape in the hospitality industry. Failure to do so puts the hotel at risk of falling behind in their market share. 20 years ago a hotel's fair market share was achieved through a combination good old fashion ''cold calling'' on corporate accounts and creative marketing of the hotel through the use of billboards, press and promotions. We still believe that a face to face human interaction between hotel and potential consumer is a positive sales point. It must, however, be properly combined with up to date digital based marketing efforts and a willingness to adopt operational based technologies that drive our market today.

What are the drivers?

There are two main factors that drive the role of technology in the travel industry;

1) First, we live in a world that is continuously pushing for increased efficiency. Technology today is about consolidating and creating easy access to information that is specifically relevant to our needs at any given time. It is about automating manual tasks to increase efficiency. In a nutshell... as technology advances it is meant to make our lives easier. The technology industry is a perfect example to show this. Hotels consolidate their rates, availability and hotel information for worldwide distribution with the click of a mouse. Consumers consolidate their likes, their dislikes and their booking patterns to focus their buying attention on hotels that match their needs and their wants. 

2) Secondly, we like our toys... PC's are updated on a regular basis with higher processing speed and more storage capacity. Smartphone companies release new and upgraded versions of their products once and even sometime twice a year. Tablets have stormed the market and are now considered credible platform for computing. We all love our toys... When we have these toys in hand we want to use them. We download hotel booking applications. We use them to research social media sites. We use them to stay connected to friends and to businesses alike.