Synovate "Spot Check On Travel" finds some surprises...
6 janvier 2004
» fewer consumers travel by air now than did pre 9/11
» one third seek alternate transport, rather than fly
» but for business travelers, number of trips doubled
» consumers expect to increase travel spend in future
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, ILLINOIS — FEWER Americans took airline trips in 2003 compared to the same pre-9/11 period in 2001, according to a newly released nationwide study conducted by Synovate, a leading global market research firm. Forty three percent of consumers took an airline trip in 2003, compared to 49% in the same period for 2001. Business travel declined more than travel for pleasure. The percentage of consumers taking business trips by air declined to 16% of all Americans for 2003 from the 23% who did so in 2001, while 38% of consumers reported taking an airline trip for pleasure in 2003, significantly below the 43% who said they did so in 2001.
"Despite the passage of time since 9/11, the rise of no frills airlines, and the availability of good deals on the internet, in 2003 Americans were less likely to get on a plane than in 2001," said Nan Martin, Executive Vice President for Consumer & Business Insights for Synovate.
The survey found a striking increase in the number of consumers who took other forms of transportation in place of air travel - 36% said they sought out alternatives in 2003, well above the 27% who did so in 2001.
But the search for alternatives did not appear to be driven by security concerns. When specifically asked if they avoided air travel, only 19% of consumers said they did so in 2003.
"We suspect people are looking for alternatives to air travel because of other factors," said Robert Skolnick, Executive Vice President for Specialties Research within Synovate and co-sponsor of the study with Ms. Martin. "Less convenience, smaller planes, fewer scheduled flights, other service cut-backs and longer check-in lines - these can drive consumers to look for alternatives as well."
Emerging business travel group of "mega road warriors"
Among business travelers, the survey found a new group of "mega road warriors" emerging. Although fewer Americans took business trips, among those that did, the average number of trips taken more than doubled. In 2001 business travelers averaged 4 trips per year, while in 2003 the same group averaged 10 trips per year.
"The recent economic climate has had an interesting impact on business travel," continued Mr. Skolnick. "With corporate hiring freezes, business travelers have literally had to cover more ground. And they are the travelers who go to the airport to do so."
One piece of good news for the travel industry was revealed by the last question of the survey. When asked whether their travel spending for the next three months (hotel, airfare, car rental) would increase, decrease, or stay the same, a larger portion of consumers said they will increase their spending. Nineteen percent of Americans said they would increase spending when asked in 2003, versus only 15% in 2001.
"This is a hopeful sign for the future," concluded Ms. Martin. "The challenge for the airlines will be to see how much of that increase in spend they can capture."
Download air travel trends graph (PDF 65Kb)
Synovate, the market research arm of Aegis Group plc, generates consumer insights that drive competitive marketing solutions. The network provides clients with cohesive global support and a comprehensive suite of research solutions. Synovate employs over 6,400 staff across 62 countries.
For more information on Synovate visit www.synovate.com.