*Safety, security top travelers concerns
Didier Mormesse,
Senior Vice President, Ad Sales Research, Development & Audience Insight at
CNN International confirmed to ITRealms
that this was proven factor for more than two thirds of global respondents.
He said that 67
per cent of respondent tagged ‘safety and security’ as what matters most to
them, while 60 per cent were concerned with ‘price’ driven destinations, even
as 58 per cent were driven by ‘reputation’.
Additionally,
Mormesse said that the CNN study revealed that 55 per cent were concerned about
‘knowledge and availability of information’ whereas 54 per cent were driven by
‘diversity of things to do cum amenities’ at the point of destination.
The survey, he
pointed had asked global respondents from over 70 countries, recruited via CNN
websites, to identify the key influencing factors in their decision making
process, when deciding upon both leisure and business travel destinations.
As said by Mormesse,
“Destination branding has become one of the most competitive aspects of today’s
tourism industry and these insights are valuable for countries looking to
market themselves as the destination of choice for travellers.”
He further recognized
safety and security as significantly more important aspect for respondents than
the cost of travel, even in austere times, adding that is an indicator that, in
times of regional unrest, the pendulum has swung.
With reputation
also a key factor, tourist boards will clearly continue to have a vital role to
play in shaping international perceptions of their country to encourage tourism
growth,” he added.
Price, he noted,
ranks second in travel decision making, reflecting the continuing impact of the
economic crisis on consumers. Stressing
that despite this, the latest United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO)
growth predication figures confirm the resiliency of a buoyant global tourism
sector.
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| Didier Mormesse |
On the other
hand, he said that ‘Reputation’ came third as most considered factor for
respondents considering travel destinations.
The survey also
revealed how global respondents prefer to gather information prior to
travelling, even as 50 per cent use four or more main information sources when
looking for destinations, while the destination specific websites lead the way
as a source of travel information for 57 per cent, with travel content sites
was attraction for 55 per cent, thereby ranking a close second.
ITRealms gathered that 55 per cent of
respondents prefer to rely on recommendations and information garnered from
family, friends and colleagues; whereas for 49 per cent traveller review
websites are a top information source for travel.
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