Research and Markets: PhoCusWrights Social Media in Travel: Traffic & Activity - A Detailed Examination of the Role of Online Social Media in Travel

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/8cf70e/phocuswrights_soc) has announced the addition of PhoCusWright's new report "PhoCusWrights Social Media in Travel: Traffic & Activity" to their offering.

“PhoCusWrights Social Media in Travel: Traffic & Activity”

The social Web has shifted the online experience from searching and consuming, to creating, connecting and exchanging. Yesterday's more passive consumers and Web surfers are today's content generators, collaborators and commentators. This fundamental change in how consumers are using the Web is having an enormous impact on online travel. Traveler reviews, photos, trip planning and sharing, and blogging are all influencing how travelers connect to and interact with suppliers, products and services.

PhoCusWright's Social Media in Travel: Traffic & Activity is a detailed examination of the role of online social media in travel. This report, conducted in partnership with Circos, Compete and Travelport, examines the impact of social media on major online travel categories, and outlines the implications for travel companies that wish to tap the potential of this highly dynamic form of traveler behavior. PhoCusWright's Social Media in Travel: Traffic & Activity includes:

• Extensive examination of traveler's use of social networks for travel-related purposes, including:
• - The relationship between social network use and travel shopping behavior
• - Segmentation analysis of behavior of online travelers who are also social network and Twitter users
• Analysis of the "social travel category," organized around traveler review sites, hotel review pages of online travel agencies, travel blogs and social travel guides (community-based trip inspiration and planning)
• Traffic, referral and conversion analysis of over 50 "social travel category" Web sites in relation to the online travel agency, airline and hotel Web site categories for 2008-2009
• Referral and conversion analysis from general social networks (e.g. Facebook, Twitter) to hotel sites, OTAs and airline sites
• Analysis of nearly 1.9 million traveler reviews posted on social travel category sites for 2008-2009, including:
• - Where travelers are posting reviews and how this has changed over 2008-2009 (monthly basis)
• - Which social travel categories and sites are capturing the most user-generated content, and how has this changed
• - Sentiment analysis: how traveler review sentiment has changed during the recession

Despite widespread contraction in the travel industry in 2009, monthly visitors to social travel Web sites rose 34% between 1H08 and 2H09. Knowing how travelers leverage the social Web is an increasingly important key to success for those that need to better understand their customers and improve their ability to connect with them online. PhoCusWright's Social Media in Travel: Traffic & Activity gives travel companies the knowledge and analysis they need to take advantage of this extraordinary opportunity.

PhoCusWright's Social Media in Travel: Traffic & Activity is the first release in PhoCusWright's Social Media in Travel series. Additional reports, articles and spotlights will further explore the dynamic relationship between social media and online travel.

Key Topics Covered:

Introduction: The Social Web

• Travel and the Social Web
• Methodology
• Key Findings

Social Travel Overview

• Sizing Social Travel
• Social Travel Subcategories
• General Social Media Use

Social Travel Activity & Sentiment

• Activity Sizing: OTAs & Traveler Review Sites
• Social Travel Sentiment

Referral Analysis

• Same-Month Referrals and Conversion
• Immediate Referrals and Conversion
• General Social Networks: Referrals
• Facebook Conversion Analysis

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/8cf70e/phocuswrights_soc